This will be short today. We finished our program this morning in Rabat with a wrap up session and then drove the 2+ hours to Casablanca where most of the participants left today for the US. I and one other guy stayed an extra day, so our driver took us back into the city after we let everyone else off at the airport. I had found this little hotel on Hotels.com so was not sure what I was getting myself in for, as it is pretty cheap. Its a little worn and tired, but perfectly serviceable and right in the center city, so I was able to walk to the Old City. Once I got into the room and settled, I headed out for the Old City. I stopped to wander through the local supermarket as I always get a kick out of seeing what different countries have in their supermarkets and its always fun to try to figure out what things are when they are in a different language. I just got a candy bar to snack on (surreptitiously as one is not supposed to consume food or drink in public during Ramadan!) and then headed off to the Old City, which was about a 20 minute walk. We had visited there last week on our first day, but we were there very early in the day, and especially in Ramadan, it is dead as can be in the morning. By the time I got there around 3, things were hopping! Once inside the labyrinthine streets of the Old City it is easy to wander, literally for hours, without seeing the same alley/street twice! I had a general sense of my bearings from our visit last week, but it certainly feels different when all the vendors are there and open and business is booming. I got completely lost several times, not that it matters much because if you just keep going eventually you come to a place where you can exit out to the main streets. The markets have absolutely everything from fish and meat and vegetables and pastries and bread, to clothing, textiles, ceramics, leather, toys...you name it! Due to Ramadan, none of the cafes were open so stopping somewhere for a meal was not an option, even out on the main streets. Even when the cafes begin to open in late afternoon, no one is there yet and the chefs aren't cooking anything at that point so its really slim pickins for a meal until the break-fast at 7:40 PM. I had decided, given that reality, that I would head to the Hyatt Regency, figuring an American chain hotel would have an open restaurant and bar that I could conceivably eat in before 8 PM! I was right. So about 5:30 I went to the Hyatt and was able to enjoy my ritual G&Ts and had dinner there. I don't really want to be out alone when the mardi gras part of Ramadan starts after sundown, especially as I am alone at this point.
Of all the cities we have visited, Casablanca is the least interesting. Its a pretty gritty city and simply is not as charming as Marrakesh, Fez or even Rabat. Its fame comes mostly from the movie, not from any particular charm it has on its own accord. The traffic is unbelievable and crossing the street is a life threatening act! I tried to attach myself to clumps of people when it was time to cross a major thoroughfare. I also notice that lane lines in this country appear to be mere suggestions for drivers! So at this point, I'm relaxing in my room and planning on getting to sleep at a decent hour tonight, (instead of the 1 AM bedtime I've kept for most of this trip!). I am being picked up at 8:30 tomorrow morning for my flight to Amsterdam so the next post will be from my apartment in Amsterdam some time tomorrow night!
Pics of my hotel - traditional Moroccan decor!
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