Day 3: Exploring Casablanca

February 18, 2023

Low key walking day of sightseeing

“Where are you from?” asks the man as we are walking through the medina. He adds, "Welcome to my country.” Patrick answers, “Hollanda.” The man laughs as he says, “Kijke kijke nie kope!” (Looking, looking, not buying). The guy is originally from Surniname, lives here and has relatives in the Netherlands. As we walk away Patrick asks rhetorically: "where do the Dutch get this reputation?" Even in Cambodia at the temples, we got this response when in the tourist areas.

We started the day again waking at 0820 in time for another breakfast buffet. We decide to go to the Hassan II Mosque today. We head out walking to the waterfront, and walk and walk. Only to find out when we reach the Mosque we have mis-timed when it is open to the public. A security guard says it will open at about 3 this afternoon. We are not yet on the top of our game, though the travel brain fog is lifting. Most of today’s journal will be in pictures. On the way back we stumble into the Medina. Although our guidebook says that this is probably one of the least interesting “old towns” as far as Moroccan cities go, we enjoy getting lost in the wandering alleys and markets. There are no cars, but people everywhere.

An entrance to the Medina on the waterfront side

Not the Rick's Cafe in the movie Casablanca, but inspired by it.

Only an Architect (Patrick) would be interested in building designs

The contrast on the left of poverty and the beautiful Mosque on the right

Plenty of street cats seem to be taken care of by the fishermen

We escape the twisting streets of the Medina and make our back to the Clocktower. We finally recognize where we are in the spiderweb of streets. “Hello, come, did you get your phone fixed?” It is Mohammed from yesterday waving to us. He is sitting at a table drinking coffee. We say hello. Interestingly, earlier on one of the many streets weaving in the general direction, we walked past the open Berber shop he took us to yesterday. The shop he said was only open yesterday until 1800. Patrick asks as we walk away, “Did we tell Mohammed about our phone?” We didn’t think we had, the African Bush Network is strong here too.

United Nations Square, the Clocktower on the right became a landmark to tell us where we are.

Tomorrow, we start cycling.

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Rachael AndersonLooks like a great place!
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1 year ago

Rachel and Patrick HugensTo Rachael AndersonIt was good, and in a good location. We were able to ride out of the city from here on a bike lane today.
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1 year ago