November 5, 2018

November 5, 2018

This morning we left Marrakech and drove north to Casablanca, the largest city in Morocco. The journey takes three hours. Casablanca historically was a small town, which grew in importance when the French made it their commercial center. It remains the business center of Morocco despite the exodus of most Europeans.

After checking-in at our hotel we take a brief city tour. One stop was a Catholic church built in 1956 honoring Lourdes. Another was the Corniche, the stretch of beach cafes along the Atlantic coast. The last stop was the best at Hassan II Mosque, the largest in Morocco and clearly one of the biggest in the world. Built in 1993 on a promontory over the water, it is immense, with a minaret that reaches almost 700 feet high.

One reason many come to Morocco is the movie 'Casablanca'. Unfortunately that Casablanca is long gone. Today Casablanca is just a gritty big city. To cater to American interests, a Rick's Café-themed restaurant was opened in 2004. Since we watched the movie just two weeks ago, a photo stop here is a fitting end to our Morocco adventure.

Back at the hotel we take a spin through the small Medina before joining our tour group for a farewell dinner at a restaurant on the Corniche.