Casablanca, Morocco

Our last stop in Africa.  Double click to enlarge to see what Viking has to say about this destination.

 

The city of Casablanca has 6.5 million inhabitants.  Morocco has 36.8 million inhabitants. Over 98% are Muslim, mostly of the Berber sect. The Berber religion was in the area first, but its adherents were converted to Islam. Some of the ancient Berber beliefs still exist today subtly within the Berber popular culture and tradition.  

Our excursion at this port was Casablanca: City of White.  A Massive Mosque amid a French-Flavored Gem.  Experience the fascinating allure of this thriving North African city and see the largest mosque outside of Mecca.  You will drive with your guide to view the exterior of the massive Hassan II Mosque, set atop a scenic perch over the Atlantic. Marvel at the enormous scale of its 60-story minaret: The building and courtyard can host more than 100,000 worshippers. Continue along the corniche to the Habous Quarter (New Medina), stopping to admire the Royal Palace, a masterpiece of Islamic architecture. Pass the Casablanca Cathedral. The neo-Gothic masterpiece, which once served the French Roman Catholic population here, became secular after Morocco’s independence and is now a cultural center. Enjoy a stop at the Place des Nations Unies, or United Nations Square, once the city’s main market and today surrounded by Moorish and art deco buildings. After time to explore, return to your ship.

Arabic, particularly the Moroccan Arabic dialect, is the most widely spoken language in Morocco, with French as a second official language.  Over 90% of the population speak English.  The Berber language is spoken by about a quarter of the population but, until recently, hadn't been taught in the schools. 

The parking lot was full of large buses when we got to our bus but, as they left, vans filled the spaces. 

Red taxis lined the road just outside of the gates.

Interesting building.  It's hard to identify anything because Google Streetview isn't available. 

Casablanca has four parts: the Old part, the European Quarter, the New part and the Residential part.  In the Habus quarter (Royal Quarter), nothing can be changed without the consent of the government.  For instance, you can only change out a toilet or faucet if it is broken. 

Most Americans have heard of Casablanca solely based on the movie of the same name.  The movie was not filmed in Morocco. The entire movie was shot in the studio except for the sequence showing Strasser's arrival and close-ups of the Lockheed Electra (filmed at Van Nuys Airport) and a few short clips of stock footage views of Paris.  Most of the film took place in the fictional "Rick's Cafe".  This restaurant took advantage of that fact and took the name Rick's Cafe, what a smart marketing move.  

I could understand why the property across the street from Rick's Cafe had a high fence,...

But they took it a little far to top it with broken glass bottles.  Dang!

Our first stop was for a view of the Hassan II Mosque. This huge, elaborate oceanfront mosque was built in 1993, with intricate decor and a soaring minaret.  It took six thousand workers 6 years and 5 months to build and is worth 800 million.  Most of the materials are from Morocco.  There are 56 chandeliers of Morano glass and Carrara marble from Italy, titanium from Russia, and cedar from the Atlas Mountains (North Africa).

There was a bus parking area in front of the mosque but the walkway to it was dotted with tiled fountains.  They weren't in operation at this time of the year, and we were warned not to trip over the edges. 

The mosque is the second largest functioning mosque in Africa.  Its minaret is the world's second tallest minaret at 210 meters (689 ft).  The prayer hall that can accommodate over 25,000 worshippers.  80,000 more can worship in the plaza with the women behind the men and obscured by a screen.  

Originally, minarets served as elevated platforms from which the call to prayer, the Adhan, could be broadcast across the area. This changed with the introduction of intricate geometric patterns, ornate carvings, and exquisite tilework, transforming minarets into not just calls to prayer, but works of art. The facades of the minaret are decorated with marble arranged in the form of lace set with zellije, a traditional glazed decorative tile, handcrafted in Morocco. 

King Hassan II of Morocco, for whom the mosque is named, was the king of Morocco from 1961 to 1999. Hassan was considered by pious Muslims to be a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.  The Hassan II Mosque was commissioned by the king to commemorate his 60th birthday and to showcase Morocco’s devotion to Islam.   

The highest part of the minaret, made of three copper balls around a shaft, is called a jamour جامور.  It composed of three balls measuring respectively 12.5', 8' and 5' in diameter. The large ball emits a laser beam with a range of 18 miles oriented towards Mecca.  If you are working when prayer is called, you can catch up with prayers later.  Work is considered prayer.

On the left of the plaza entrance, is the Media Library

On the right is the museum.

As we continued on our bus tour, we saw that some of the intersections were painted in a red and white checkerboard design. 

Pictures of some of the various buildings.

Moroccan citizens must give 2.5% of their income to the poor on top of a 39.5% tax.

Morocco has a vibrant graffiti scene that is simultaneously international and Moroccan.

Artists make murals for festivals, which regularly bring in international artists. In Casablanca, cultural agencies such as WeCasablanca put on several graffiti festivals during the year. These festivals usually have commissioned street art murals, art installations, and free workshops. The street art created for these festivals stays up and it’s easy to stumble across impressive murals on a walk or a taxi ride. You can even go on a street art tour!  
This mural is a memorial for a person named Ryan.

The El Hank Lighthouse was constructed in 1916, is 167 foot tall, and has an inner spiral staircase.

The bus slowly traveled the street parallel to the ocean. 

Pretty rocky

The beach

Little medal balls between road and sidewall.  Can't think of a reason for them and thing they would be a trip hazard. 

I didn't see lane markings on the roundabouts. 

Funky building.

The highest elevation of Casablanca is 377'.   Many of the trees come from Australia although the Jacaranda comes from Brazil. 

Tagine is a Moroccan dish of vegetables and meat with a lot of spices. There is a spice mix of 35 spices that you can purchase to make it.  

All sorts of motorcycles and scooter ridden by everyone from teens to seniors.

Next stop the Church of Notre Dame of Lourdes. Catholic church constructed in 1954. 

I think we mainly stopped here to use the toilets.

 In the yard is a replica of the Lourdes Holy Grotto.

The stained-glass windows were dazzling.  

Notice this motorcycle has an insulated cover attached to the front forks.  I saw many bikes with this, some even covering the hands. 

Our enthusiastic guide did a great job. She is wearing a Moroccan garment called a jalaba or jubba, which is worn by both men and women. Widows wear white. 

Next, we stopped at the Royal Palace, we were not allowed to enter and only got to hear some facts and look at the doors. It is the main royal residence of the King of Morocco.  All we could see were the high walls and elaborate doors, set in a keyhole arch and framed by elaborate mosaics—beautiful, but very disappointing.

Parade ground outside the door is lined with Moroccan flags. 

The green star on the flag represents the five pillars of Islam or five prayers a day. 

Built in the 1920's, the Royal Palace is one of four royal palaces in Morocco—others are located in Rabat (the capital), Fez, and Marrakesh. The king comes here for business but really lives in a much more modern and magnificent villa. 

Interesting tile work on this narrow street. 

In Morocco cats and dogs can be seen everywhere.  Moroccans give them food and shelter, but they belong to no single person. 

 Door knockers in Morocco are a symbol of protection for the home as they are typically designed in the shape of the “hand of fatima” (Khamsa, Chamsa or Hamsa) and made of solid brass, cast iron or wood by a skilled artisan.  The Hand of Fatima comes from ancient Mesopotamia and is known for bring protection and good luck to those that believe in it. Usually only found on doors of Berber homes. 

Our guide showed us her ring.  She said it symbolizes that she is part of the seventh generation in her tribe.  Generations follow father.  Berber girls usually have tribal tattoos on their face.  

These books were all in English.

Our bus drove past the main entrance to the Royal Palace. 

Since its inauguration in 2012, the Casa Tramway has carried people along its 27 miles of track stopping at 70 stops.

United Nations Square was built at the entrance to the Medina during the time when Morocco was a French Protectorate. Looks like a lot of stores and restaurants for tourists. It has some subterranean shopping arcades also.  We got off the bus in this area and visited a shop that sells Argan oil.  Argan trees grow only in SW Morocco and the oil is supposed to be good for a variety of culinary, cosmetic and medicinal applications.  Kinda pricy at $250/liter.  Oil from the prickly pear cactus, also sold here, can run up to $1,000/liter.  The national drink is peppermint tea.  

The centerpiece of the square is the Zevaco Dome, named after its designer Jean-François Zevaco. The globe-shaped sculpture is colloquially called Kora Ardia and was built in 1975.  

Entrance to the port.  We hurriedly ate some lunch and headed back out for a small group tour with our friends.

Our first stop was a viewpoint where we could see the mosque over the water. 

Cats, cats, everywhere.

Looks like ice plants and agave grow well here. 

This mama dog acted like she was looking for handouts. 

These murals are of two professional footballers (soccer to me) and a team manager. 

This mural is entitled "Mother Power"

We were dropped off along the beachfront road so we would walk up the street.   

The road overlooked the beachfront resorts, closed during their off season. 

The beach looks like more dirt than sand. 

Looks like the rocks got tagged. 

Now it's time for our guided tour of the interior of the Hassam II Mosque.  The building is built partially on land and partially over the ocean. This was accomplished by creating a platform linking a natural rock outcrop reclaimed from the sea. Two large breakwaters were also built, to protect the mosque from the erosive action of the ocean waves, which can be up to 10 meters (33 ft) in height.  Despite this, the building is claimed to be earthquake proof. 

We got to enter the plaza and see the covered walkway on the right.  The plaza we walked on covered the underground parking lot, which holds about 800 cars. 

Unlike most mosques, this one doesn't have a dome. 

Example of zellije, a Moroccan traditional glazed decorative tile.  Each piece is hand-made and no two are alike.

Each of these slanted enclosures holds a light so the structure can be lit at night. 

Supposedly part of the floor is built out over the sea, but I didn't see that.  Some of the floor had carpet over it. 

Balcony at the back of the Prayer Hall where women can worship behind screens.

There are 360 hidden speakers so all can hear the Imam

The Prayer hall is simply a large hall that the men use for worship. It is a very important part of the mosque. There are no seats as Muslims worship and pray on the floor.

Islam is the world's second largest religion with 1.9 billion followers.  Religious practices within Islam include the five pillars, which are obligatory acts of worship, such as prayer and charity, as well as Islamic law (shariah), fasting during the months of Ramadan and pilgrimage to Mecca.

Local artisans and craftsmen were employed in the construction of the mosque, preserving traditional Moroccan craftsmanship and supporting the local economy.

Looking toward the front of the hall.  Here the floors are stone, but they were covering them with carpet as we left.  You can see stanchions strung with rope on the right.  Down the center is a walkway where the King walks on the occasions when he visits the mosque. 

There are 114 pillars and the floor is heated.  The roof is made of aluminum and retracts in 3 minutes.  The ceiling is 282' high.

Our guide is standing in the middle of the king's walkway at an area where there are windows to see below.  

The ritual washing, known as wudu, takes place in the area below before worship. 

The Hassan II Mosque is equipped with a seawater cooling system that regulates the temperature inside the prayer hall, providing a comfortable environment for worshippers.

Door at the front of the hall where the Imam enters the hall.

Entrance hall

The doors are made of titanium.

We go downstairs, use the restrooms, then enter the washing area.

Worshippers must wash their hands, feet and faces three times before going to prayer. Feet are washed last, first the right then the left.  There are thirty of these fountains, one for each day of the month.  There are 12 places on each fountain where the water runs off, one for each month of the year. 

Back in the van we continue our tour with a stop at the Casablanca Cathedral. This neo-Gothic masterpiece, which once served the French Roman Catholic population here, became secular after Morocco’s independence and is now a cultural center.

Taking about independence... Morocco officially gained its independence from French rule on March 2, 1956, and from Spain on April 7 of the same year.  

What!?  A Pepsi cooler?  I had only seen Coke coolers.  But wait, they have Mt Dew.... stop the van.  Oh wait, that's not Mt Dew, they tricked me, there's only Coke products in that cooler.  

Typical small shop. 

Bye bye Morocco and Africa.