Casablanca

‘One of the greatest shows on earth’ is how the Lonely Planet describes Morocco, and what an apt description it is! Perched on the North Western corner of the African continent, Morocco is more Europe and Middle East than Africa.

Our flight from Dubai to Casablanca was roughly 7 1/2 hours long, and we had very interesting co-passengers. BD my fellow companion made it just about in the nick of time to catch this flight and so when we walked in, the other passengers had all settled down. The flight was full of men and women, who looked like they were above 60, wearing the traditional long flowing gowns, called Jelabas in white and cream. Women were wearing the Hijab, and the men were wearing their traditional caps. It was like looking at a mass of moving fabric dotted with fascinating faces crossed with tough weathered lines. The common thread was their deep dark eyes that seemed to speak out to us.

Their personality matched their exotic appearance. They spoke fast and in excited tones. Two old men suddenly started fighting while we were mid air and then they made up and chatted away. When we touched down in Casablanca, everyone started clapping. We guess it was to celebrate a safe landing. If you thought chaos and the urge to all move at the same time was something typical to Indians, then think again! There is nothing organized or orderly about Moroccans trying to get their luggage.

The hostel we were staying at was located in the Ancient Medina area of Casablanca. Located right next to the port, the youth area is buzzing with activity and very different from the other parts of the city that we later discovered.

Casablanca has a mix of Art Deco buildings and some modern structures. It’s not very green, most buildings are quite run down, the streets are not particularly the cleanest in the world, but the city has a soul. It’s hard to describe but easy to feel if you are here and I think it’s the people who give it this feel.





The Ancient Medina, the old part of the city is undoubtedly dominated by the Hassan II Mosque. The mosque was the brainchild of late King Hassan II who wanted to build this mosque at the Western most point of the Muslim world. Work started in 1980 and the mosque was inaugurated in 1994. The fact that this structure is not ancient does not take away from its magnificence. As you walk towards it and come in full view, the sheer size of it, takes your breath away. In the evening light, the ochre colour turns to gold and the structure looks like it is emerging out of the rich blue, dark sky.



Designed by a French architect, Hassan II Mosque is the 3rd largest mosque in the world, after the Mecca and Medina, both located in Saudi Arabia. 1/3rd of the structure is built on land reclaimed from the ocean, keeping with the Koran that says that ‘the throne of god is built on water’. 6000 workers and nearly 3000 craftsmen worked day and night to complete this magnificent structure. Half a billion dollars were spent and most of it came from public subscriptions. One look at the structure and you will definitely agree that it is money well spent. All the materials used have been locally sourced from Morocco, except the white marble around the Mihrab and the chandeliers in the main prayer hall that came from Italy. The mosque can seat 25,000 people inside and about 80,000 people can be seated if you include the square and the open area around the mosque. The Minaret is 200m tall and there is a green laser beam that points towards Mecca.

























Satiated that we had made the right decision by coming to Morocco, we headed to Ain Diab, an up market suburb dotted with restaurants, cafes, nightclubs and beach resorts. We walked the strip and got a flavor of what the locals do to unwind on a Saturday evening. As we walked by a number of men smiled at us and shouted out, some in broken English and some in Arabic, which was easy for us to ignore, because we didn’t understand a thing of what they were saying.

Most men don’t want to be photographed and will literally jump of your frame, whereas women, if you ask, will happily pose for you.

The next day after a visit again to the Hassan II mosque we went to Habous, located in the Southern part of the city. Narrow lanes, symmetrical arches, small shops teeming with Moroccan wares and pushy shop keepers, gave us a feel of a typical Moroccan market. Habous is a relatively sanitised version though and lacks the vibrancy that a traditional souk would offer.

After some fresh Limoon juice (orange) and b’ na na (green tea with mint) we headed to Mohammad Place V. The most noticeable part of this area is the huge park with the water fountain. We happened to go there on a Sunday and it was filled with locals. Some sat around chatting, others were getting henna designs done and some like us were just watching people go by. Flanked by the Town Hall, Law Courts, French Embassy, there are some nice buildings to feast your eyes on. We walked towards the Central Market, following the route suggested by the Lonely Planet. The streets were lined with lovely old buildings which were largely either offices or hotels, but unfortunately, most were quite run down.



Down one such street we came upon Hotel Guynemer, where we sampled our first traditional Moroccan meal – a salad, thick lentil soup, a vegetable tajine and a mutton tajine.

Our hotel – Hotel Central

A quaint white building with bright blue window panes and grills – Hotel Central is very conveniently located. Close to the port and walking distance from the Hassan II Mosque, away from the central part of the city (which is easily accessible by cab or by walk) , the hotel is charming and has a vibrant atmosphere. It overlooks a square that has a post office, several cafes, a well stocked grocery store and even a Hammam. At all times of day you will people sitting around chatting, hooting and sometimes fighting… and this goes on till the wee hours in the morning.

The rooms are big, bright, airy and very clean. The staff is friendly and helpful, and it might be a good idea to ask them what to see and what to give a skip while there.