Act Two: Rock the Kasbah

The city of Casablanca is like Rick's American Cafe in Ann Arbor: overrated, overpriced, and reeking of cigarette smoke. However, as the largest city in both Morocco and the Maghreb, it was a necessary stop on our tour. Reminding us a bit of Los Angeles, the urban and almost Westernized metropolitan of Casablanca has surprisingly little to offer beyond the name, a small souk, a lot of banks, and a huge (and modern) mosque.

Despite the few cultural must-sees, Kosher Waffle finally crossed a very important item off her List: see Rick's Cafe. As a passionate lover of old movies and Humphrey Bogart, KW found this very exciting. We didn't go in, but taking a picture of the famed establishment was enough for the Waffle!

Also significant, but for different reasons, the Hassan II Mosque is the largest in Morocco, third largest in the world (after Mecca and Medina), and has the largest Minaret in the world. It is such a grand structure, it can hold 105,000 worshippers and two Jews in the back taking pictures. Built in the early 1990's, the Mosque is a mix of old and new- the architectural and decorative influences are Moorish and Moroccan, while the building has heated floors and a sliding roof.

Thanks to Barakat Naim at Earth Cafe, we knew exactly where to enjoy a meal worthy of the (very picky) KW/HC seal of approval. We dined at Sqala, amidst the relaxing fountains and mint garden. Morocco is known for its mint tea, and we enjoyed a eucalyptus-mint tea, poured from high up as per Moroccan flavor-enhancing tradition, with our locally-inspired vegetarian meal.

The final Imperial City on our tour was Rabat, the country's capital. Highlights included the Royal Palace and Parliment, Mausoleum of Mohammad V and Hassan Tower, and Kasbah of the Udayas. Yes, we rocked the Kasbah at 10am on a weekday. Kosher Waffle was not able to enjoy the day's itinerary as she was under the influence of a 12-hour Moroccan stomach bug (special price just for you!).

Mohammed V is admired by many Jews for his role in defending them against the French Vichy Government, proclaiming "there are no Jews, only Moroccans" when asked to turn over his country's Jews during World War II. This mausoleum visit marked the Jewish portion of the Modern Cities for Kosher Waffle and Healthy Cookie as this King is a modern Moroccan hero to the Jewish people, and tour constraints did not allow time for us to see the local synagogues and cemeteries.

Across the Bou Regreg river is Sale, Rabat's sister city and home to the Kasbah of the Udayas. An uncharacteristically beautiful and serene find, the Kasbah reminded us of the Greek Islands - white and blue walls, beautiful gardens, and open-air patios facing the ocean. It was a welcomed pause from the overstimulating bustle of Moroccan life.

Following Rabat, we returned to the port city of Tangier and ferried back to Spain, ending our week of markets, minarets, and magic carpets. Overall impressions and life lessons in the next post. Until then, here's looking at you, kid.















xoxo
hc & kw