First full day inCasablanca completed! Found a local street cafe for petit dejeuner – Scotty in heaven with two custard Danishes and a great cafe creme – beating NZ coffee so far and 1/4 the price! Returned there this morning and likely be there again tomorrow!
Visited the impressive Hussan II Mosque which is apparently bigger than the Vatican and St. Peter’s square! beautiful building, mostly made of marble from south of morocco, roof made of cedar wood which slides opens silently during hot summer days as has no air conditioning. Has intricate detail in the form of ceramic tiling, wood carvings, and lots of huge chandeliers made of venetian glass! Closed to visitors at 12pm, 4pm, and sunset during prayer time ( which is also at sunrise and 9pm). 1/3 of the building sits over the water.
Caught a petit red taxi to the beach (Bld de la corniche) which is the up-market side of town, although beach still dirty with lots of rubbish, as in most other parts of town we’ve visited. A few surfers out but not at all tempted to join them for a swim. Had a nice lunch at a French cafe then walked a while to Rick’s Cafe which is based on the movie Casablanca. It’s an up- market American restaurant in the old part of Casablanca with French architecture but a modern Moroccan-American atmosphere set in earlier 90’s. Went there for dinner last night where they had live jazz, great musicians and music! Amazing drummer and saxophonist! Fantastic food ! Taxi ride there was 9dirhams, but taxi driver back to hotel tried to charge us 90 dirhams! Managed to get him down to 40, although after dark the fare is only meant to be double what it usually is during the day. We are often being asked to pay in euros until we say we’re kiwis and not from Europe ( which I would’ve thought they would pick up from our very poor French!). I am slowly remembering my 4th form French at a stretch! I’m now nearly over my second head cold in a week – hopefully Scott stays free of it and I’ll be better for Intrepid trip in 2 days time!