Here's looking at you, kid

Humphrey Bogart's iconic line from Casablanca comes to mind as we arrived in Casablanca. First impressions? It's ironic that casablanca means white house in english, and yet nothing was actually white. Perhaps 20+ years ago the buildings were white but time has not been kind to this romanticized city. Many mid-construction structures had weeds growing out of cracks and construction rubble leading me to believe that progress was halted, possibly during covid, and not resumed. Even the newer (completed) buildings weren't modern in form or function or white. It seemed like a city that had lost its soul.

But yet, I got the sense they were trying. The infrastructure, while sooty, wasn't crumbling. A good pressure washing and a coat of white paint would truly make a significant difference to these stucco clad stone, brick and block structures. Trash was ironically in neat piles everywhere, like there was a plan for consolidating it but not removing it.

Before we headed to Rabat, we stopped at the 7th largest Mosque in Africa. We didnt have time to go inside but I hear it has a retractable roof. It sits along the ocean so it has a stellar location. It can hold a total of 105,000 people. If you think about professional stadiums in the US, they hold on avg about 50,000 people, (Yankee stadium holds 45k, for example). Only 2 US stadiums hold more than 105,000 people.

• 1Michigan Stadium 107,601 in Ann Arbor, Michigan

• 2BeaverStadium 106,572 University Park, Pennsylvania

Hopefully that puts it in perspective for you.

We saw only 1 slum and 1 tent city on the outskirts of town as we traversed from Casablanca (CB) to Rabat. I was mesmerized by the long stetches of muted greeny brown everywhere, like the rainy season ended a month ago and the annual drought had begun. But they'd had rain just a few days ago. It's therefore surprising that vibrant colors didn't exist anywhere, not in the buildings, signs, attire or landscape. It is however Ramadan and therefore the city was very quiet on this Sunday morning. Halfway between CB and Rabat, we saw thousands of subsidized apartment complexes that stretched for miles. Cranes (the construction machines, not the birds) were very much a part of this landscape between the 2 cities where construction appeared to be active.

Our tour guide told us a lot about the political history, the govt, the human rights violations, the treatment of women, religious tolerance, international alliances and exports. In the interest of keeping each blog to less than a 5 min read, suffice it to say they are in a period of relative peace and so they are happy. But Americans likely wouldn't be content.....but they're not anyway 😉

Rabat in contrast was a breath of fresh air, literally and figuratively. We were stopped at a checkpoint to ensure the bus's insurance and emissions certifications were up to date. They boast about their ecology in Rabat and it shows!!! I could live there. Green grass and vibrant colors were everywhere in the landscape that was clearly drip irrigated. Our time in Rabat just got better and better.

We started at the palace where we heard a lot about the succession of kings and the laws changing to respect both modernity and the historical Koran. There are 4 "sects" of Muslim based on each of the 4 advisors who interpret the Koran. Rabat is linked to the most liberal one, meaning the most western influence. For example, the Koran allows for multiple wives. Sanctioning it would upset one side, outlawing it would have upset the other. The solution? The new law gives the first wife the right to accept or decline additional wives. Since most women wouldn't agree to it, it has effectively been deculturized without being banned. Brilliant!

Next we went to a unesco site of an unfinished Mosque. Unfortunately we couldn't go inside but it was interesting nonetheless. It would fortunately be the one cache I needed for the day.

Next we went to the kasbah. Yes, the kasbah....as in "rock the kasbah". A kasbah is a fortress, most commonly the citadel or fortified quarter of a city It was one of the most unique places I've ever been....steeped in history dating back to the 12th century and renovated many times since throughout the centuries. It has been home to Arab tribes, Andalusian immigrants, and some of Morocco’s most powerful sultans. It has brilliant white facades reminiscent of Greece, and doors, oh my, the doors. No two alike. They became my theme for today's blog.

The doors

And Quaint shops full of rich deep color at very turn on a stark white background. A city within a city.

And the artwork....

And lastly, the flora...

As you can tell, I really loved this part of the excursion.

Then lunch at a moorish style restaurant where we were served a 4 course meal. The salad course was an array of marinated and blanched veggies beautifully arranged on a moroccan style platter served family style. The second course was chicken stewed and served in a clay pot that was bubbling in a yellow saffron broth when it arrived at the table. The third course was a lamb stew over cous cous with oven roasted veggies. The fourth course was fruit and almond cookies. It was all excellent. It was somewhat bittersweet, we asked our guide to join our table but he had to decline due to Ramadan fasting.

After lunch we returned to Casablanca via the main highway which took 1.5 hrs. We traveled along the shore for a bit before taking the highway. Interestingly, it looks like a summer paradise with one of the largest public pools I've ever seen, soccer fields, tennis courts, playgrounds and more. I really could live there.

The In-route excitement were police at every bridge and overpass. Either the king or the prince was heading from Rabat to Casablanca. When the motorcade went by, it was determined to be the prince as he drives a light blue Bentley, vs his father who is partial to Mercedes. Their current king is well liked.

Upon arriving back in Casablanca, we went to a classic Moroccan market place sans the snake charmers and flying carpets. It was indeed "A whole new world, a dazzling place I never knew.....A whole new world (Don't you dare close your eyes), A hundred thousand things to see" (Theme song from Aladdin). But finally we saw the color and soul of the city.....even if it was just for 20 minutes.

Then back to the ship. On the way, we passed through a part of the city with far more soul than our morning route. Not dramatically more, but there were busy shops, a cable car track, some modern architecture and people dressed in traditional attire.

We skipped dinner again just opting for a double grey goose and tonic. The show was a singer/comedian. Good but not as good as the last one.

Tomorrow's a sea day and I have a meeting with one of the staff over the princess prizes program. I'll explain more tomorrow. Will be interesting to hear what the have to say.