The first reaction people have when we told them we were going to Casablanca was ‘why?’, the second reaction was ‘don’t’. Equipped with this inspiring knowledge we still stuck to our original plan and included a night in Casablanca but opted to spend another 2 nights elsewhere and chose Essaouria as it was close to the water and we wanted a break from the stifling heat.
Train travel is slow in Morocco but with no other option except for flying it’s hard to avoid. From fez to Marrakesh it would of taken somewhere around 8-9hours, and these trains aren’t made for long distance.. They’re slightly cramped with no room for luggage, there’s no fresh air or aircon so each cabin is stale and hot. Uncomfortable pretty much sums it up perfectly. From fez to Marrakesh is 3hrs so it’s actually a decent place to take a break from the trains, stay a night recuperate and continue onto Marrakesh the next day.
We arrived after lunch and spent the afternoon walking around town. We walked along the waters edge seeking comfort in the rare sea breeze. Construction is all the rage and apartment after apartment is being built near the water. They look expensive and rather fancy with an all white exterior and little balconies that extend over the water and have glass railings. At the end of the road where the construction ends, starts the medina on the opposite side. Broken roads with lumps of rocks lead you down to small crowded houses with wiring sticking out from all angles. Kids perch on the edge of the road trying to find shade. It’s a sad comparison, seeing this environment when across the road luxury buildings are being built.
Further along we see the Hassan 2 Mosque which is one of the 7 largest in the world. There is a little port right before it and dozens of kids stand on the edge of the cement railing and jump into the water squealing with delight as they splash into the cold water – a welcome break from Morocco’s never ending heat. I’ve learnt to keep napkins in my purse to dab away the sweat that 40degree weather inevitably brings.
The mosque is an incredible piece of artwork. The outside is beautifully and ornately decorated with swirling patterns carved into the stone. Flashes of blue and green tile reflect the sunlight and add splashes of colour to the honey-coloured exterior. We’ve read the inside is even more incredible but only Muslims are allowed inside to pray. Here is a perfect place to find a spot of shade, sit down and marvel at the building.
Casablanca is super cheap as well and down a side street is a small restaurant serving freshly roasted rotisserie chickens. Enticed by the delicious smell we stop to devour some along with rice and chips for a mere €.50 for 1/4 chicken. Locals start filling up the restaurants around 8pm as they get ready to break fast and enjoy their first meal for the day, their plates stacked around them with soup, bread, dates, eggs and juice and coffee. As the sun sets we go for a walk around the souks and are rewarded with the most beautiful sunset. The whole sky is lit up with vivid splashes of pink and purple that slowly get darker and darker until night falls.
Casablanca is just another big city. It could be anywhere in the world, it feels nothing like the rest of Morocco. Just a city with a lot of high-rises and little personality. But for a tired, sick and aching body it makes a nice place to stop and rest.
madeleinecurby 