May 12, 2014
Casablanca

Today's sightseeing agenda included the Hassan II Mosque and Rick's Cafe. 

 
Tough Neighborhood

Neighborhoods we walked through by the medina, and towards the Hassan II Mosque, were poor, The streets behind the medina are dusty and potholed. The houses and buildings are dilapidated. We took a wrong turn down a scary alley. Just as we got back to the main thoroughfare, a stocky teen ran at us from behind and slapped at the smartphone in Dave's hand. Dave had a monkey grip on it so it didn't fly. The teen kept running as he gave up and aborted his robbery attempt. Casablanca has many slums.

An outdoor market was in full swing. We picked up some red bell peppers and carrots. 
 

The Biggest Mosque in Africa
 
As we got closer to the coast, a welcome breeze greeted us. Soon, the spectacular mosque came into view. It was completed in 1993. There is a huge plaza in front of it. I imagined it full, with 80,000 kneeling followers at Eid Al- Fitr, the end of Ramadan. 
 
This is a completely different style mosque from the ones we saw in Turkey. Only one minaret and it is square. The pillars and arches and the detailed carvings on masonry and tile-work is impressive. We spent a good hour admiring every angle. The next mosque tour was at 3PM. We didn't wait.

 
Casablanca the Movie

On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at Rick's Cafe for the nostalgic decor and a great meal. All of the 1943 Humprey Bogart, Ingrid Burgman movie was shot on a set in California so there are no actual scenes from Morocco. An entrepreneur has opened Rick's Cafe in Casablanca. It has a 40's theme and an American menu. I had the "Obama Family Chili" and Dave had a burger with fries. It was a surprisingly atmospheric and enjoyable meal.