Casablanca ...last stop in Morocco
Here I am in Casablanca and it is a mad city š The trip here went well and I had time on the bus to type and to sort all the photos as not much to be done early morning, especially if outside is raining and road is boringly straight motorway. Well only one excitement was, when we were stopped by police for speeding š they love it here. Police on every stretch of the road with hand held top of the range āas far as I thinkā radar to cash on everyone they can. In fairness the signs are everywhere about speed limit so whoever get caught is more less responsible but still is amazing how many speed checks and security checks are in Morocco. Six hours journey including two short stops for toilet and coffee / refreshments so by two oāclock we were in Casablanca CTM bus station behind famous blink blink Sheraton hotel. Nice station but nothing out of ordinary, comparing to the usual European standard but comparing for instant to Sidi Ifniā¦. Weeeeeel that is another story š Since Iām here for one night only I did not really care about hotel and also did not look too much around so took the first one I saw for 250 dirhams per night. Being not too descriptive it is a room and a bed, rather not describing bathroom as if some lady will get lost on my pages and read this, she would have no issue with weight / appetite loss for good few days maybe even weeks āin case you wish to lose weight / appetite contact me and I will describe bathroom in detail so result would be guaranteedā but as bloke we do survive mostly anywhere, like good old fashion bacteria. However the room is room and now is time for laundry as it is time to get properly washed clothes before next leg of this midlife crisis travels, which is Egypt. Luckily the laundry service is on nearly every corner in Morocco like as if no one have washing machine at home, so I was lucky to found one right beside hotel and for 82 dirhams three t-shirts, two shorts, one towel and one jacket is not bad deal. As per some internet research I went to get bus ticket to airport at CTM office but was told that CTM does not provide such service and it is only train or taxi as means of transport to the Mohamed 5th airport. Since the train station is close I went there and behold what a beauty of building it isā¦. Seriously nicely and functionally done station. Not that I travel much but this is so far the nicest station Iāve been at even comparing to Japan, it is very functional and airy. Ticket to Airport is 42 dirhams and train departs every hour, journey is 45 minutes. This out of the way now is time to continue to put fingers to work so since there is Starbucks here, I went there and got a decaf and lemon cake for 65 dirhams and the connection was all right from the start so I was able to upload few photos to previous post from Essaouira but eventually the connection came down. Either there were more people or something had happen, who knows. I have had catch up on the whatās up, blog and since it was getting darker outside it is time to explore city as everything here is getting alive after dark.
The walk to Cathedral du Sacre Coeur through local streets and local people āgirls are beautifulā was nice but his cathedral is in renovation or something and cannot get it as the fence is all around it so all that walking and nothing feels like night out without success, all the hard work and no finish. Since Casa has this busy and mad feel I went on my usual lost in the city tour which consist of taking random turns left / right depending on mood or what I see. This time it was excellent as I stumble on Mosque of Hassan II ā¦
ā¦which was magnificent I have to say or impressive and I have feeling like I saw it or like if I was there before, dĆ©jĆ vu momentā¦ āI swear I have been here beforeā but I have not. Took some nice photos āhopefullyā and walk back to the hotel as beside ocean is not warm, not with wind howling inland. Went through some dark street with loads of people and cars and shouting which eventually I discovered as a street beside exhibition center and they were doing de-rig of some exhibition so it looks to me like anyone took anything they like or need. Cars were shouted upon, forklift danced between the cars, pedestrians and workers without any street light, just with two headlamps attached to the roof, exactly as I would expect Casablanca madness to be.
This dark street brought be to the local souk / market again, me the only one white āsoft brown after days on the sunā blond guy walking between all the locals. Amazing experience and truly Moroccan not like those tourist souks where they are selling the usual gold, clothes and spices all covered in dust since who knows when. This souk is alive, people walking everywhere, moped blazing through without any lights and only beep of horn or the noise āas they are noisyā let you know that something is coming your way and all moves in synchronized movement, no one gets hurt or even touched by mopeds or tricycle ā front is motorbike and back is small truckā. Mainly food is sold there, some clothing and then anything and everything like if someone opened a garbage truck clean everything up and put on sale. Every sales man as a five kilo gas bottle on the stool and something like stick from it with small bulb like thing what is lighting his stool, creativity how to sell in dark. Really the sounds, lights, smells and atmosphere needs to be experienced to understood these few words. If you are in Casablanca the road is Rue Tafilalt and I would recommend to live it ! Donāt worry about safety or security, you are the only freak show there so no one touches you as they just look in awe as what the heck is thisā¦. Ahh beautiful and I have a feeling that this is just preparation for Cairo, which suppose to be more mad that here. Iām not that big fan of cities so I will do some walk around in the few hours I have and then head off to the airport and hope that Wi-Fi there would be better so I can finish posting the photos.
Night was o.k and the noise eventually died in background and the closing of balcony door also helped to reduce the noise from the street. Packed and ready to move out of the hotel, left luggage at reception and went to see a bit of Casa as it is mentioned everywhere here. On the way to the promenade quick stop to check Wi-Fi at Starbucks but all the same so just quick coffee and pain swiss and go to see the famous lighthouse.
Nice walk through the streets to the Mosque of Hasan II took few pictures and then wanted to continue on very nice promenade around the sea but probably is not finished yet as barriers were all set up at each entrance and therefore not much chance than walk at the side of the road and footpath. If you are paranoid Casa is not the best place as you are following by petit taxi who constantly honking the horn, even if you are not paying any attention at all to it. The mosque is impressive building, I have to say as the whole thing is on the edge of ocean and also part of it is nice big square with nice buildings and at the roundabout there is tall square building what is also part of the mosque. Due the limited time here I have not tried to get in but had a quick peek when the door opened and it was beautiful, the small part I saw. SO I kept walking towards the lighthouse, what took me about 2 hours of easy walk and dodging the cars when crossing the street, which is new adrenalin sport š
The lighthouse is located at the remote part of the beach where the slums and very very posh restaurants are located. Since I was in distress and needed to answer call form mother nature I was glad to see a restaurant front of me. Restaurant was located beside Football Atlantic Club with a lots of astro turfs and shipping containers as changing rooms I would say as I have not get in. Also the opposite side of the street was slum as I could not name it otherwise, houses made of actually anything on the side of the road and few better houses at side of the lighthouse with more permanent structures than slum buildings but still you could see that inhabitants are less fortunate than those eating in tris tres chic restaurant. Ahhh restaurantā¦. As I approached entrance I realized that this is not regular spot, judging by sort of cars parked around, mercs, range rovers, etc and a door man who by my judgment is ex French legionnaire ā they never look into your eyesā who I asked for toilet and he was nice as he requested if I going to eat here, which I did not intend to. He requested to see my back pack for inspection, than told me to leave backpack and water bottle with him and be quick at toilet. Restaurant looked fabulous I have to say and the view was directly over the sea onto mosque. Few people inside were having lunch at two tables and I would say that they were far from the inhabitants across the street in their designed clothes.
Lighthouse was not accessible so just took few pictures and keep walking on the other side to get to the beach and again passing the Bentley, Range Rover, Jaguar, etcā¦. and door man at the red carpet and velvet ropes leading down to the restaurant with a view. Well from the restaurant the view is on sea but at the side of the restaurant is view on garbage, rubbish just like some landfill, so much for posh dinning. Keep walking towards the tram / luas stop by the coast road what is nice but a bit windy especially in the shadows does not feel like in Africa.
Came across the nice part called ANFA with four season hotel complex and lot of nice restaurants, car dealerships, green areas , trees, palms and nice hoses with sea view. Really posh area, you can say by the cleanliness and the amount of green in area as there is really lush green all around and the houses are hidden behind a little private jungle. Took a left turn at JEEP dealership to see what are the back streets like and well I think that this is Beverly Hills in Casablancaā¦ each house has two entrances, most of them CCTV and some even security booth outside. From what I can see through thick vegetation are very well maintained massive mansions and perfectly manicured gardens. Also no Dacia outside at pavement but only up market better cars as mentioned above, from time to time Peugeot but overall you can smell the money in the air. This part is very nice and I think that it would be nice to live here but also expensive as I walked by past one shop where was small restaurant and food was there from 80to 120 dirhams as I looked at menu, thinking that I might get a lunch in local not touristic place but tis is different local place ā not my budgetā even if ā¬ 12 for lunch is o.k but considering that I could get whole meal for 40 / 50 this is pricey. Since I have not much time to explore Casa I decided to take tram / luas for 6 dirhams across the city to get public transport sight seeing tour.
Starting at very first / last stop at Ain Diab Plage Terminus public transport tour took me through nice neighborhood with Harley ā Davidson shop, financial district and some really nice looking apartment complexes āyou could be in Paris or Barcelona when look aroundā and then heading towards centrum. I just saw one new apartment block beside the tram line with sign that rent is 900 dirhams and purchase is 1.2 mil dirhams, without specification of square meters or amount of rooms but this is not the cheapest town to live in in relation to property probably. Most of the areas around tram line are newly developed with new parks, apartment buildings and whatever land is empty is already fenced off with pictures of new ābetter futureā on fences with all marketing jargon to convince you to buy it there. It took me about fifty minutes to take to my stop which was half way to the last stop so ,maybe two hours journey across the town for 6 dirhams is good deal.
Lunch now as I was hungry already in the same place as they had good food and reasonable price, plus always locals sat in for their food so when in Casa do as Casablanca people do š This time I wanted something more European i.e different that local tajin so I went for burger and chips with Moroccan salad for 50 dirhams and the burger came from next door restaurant. When I ordered all the guy came back that unfortunately no more burgers as they run out of the buns, I said that I will go next door, which means turn left on the chair as only sheet of plastic separated two restaurants with the same menu and same prices and the guy said no no no and went there himself. Few minutes later e came back with fresh burger and chip son the plate from next door restaurant, that is what I call service ! Now get two liter bottle of water in local supermarket with mixed nuts and biscuits for 58 dirhams and go pick laundry, pack it and slowly walling down the street to the train station like real tourist with big back pack on back and small one at front as counterweigh. Check the accommodation options in Cairo since the Wi-Fi passwords at Starbucks has not changed š plus how to get to the town from the airport, visa requirements and few messages on whatās up and it is time to go to platform board train to Airport.
Over all Casa is big city with lot of French feeling, through architecture as all the old buildings are same style as in any French town just not so well maintained and when you lower your eyes down you see the African influenceā¦ local shop at ground level, cafĆ©s and rubbish of course. Not sure if this is Morocco or Africa influence but I would not envy the waste collectors as some areas I saw were like landfill on their own as you could barely see the big waste bins behind the waste and mostly the waste is laying around the bins on the ground, which is better than if it will be anywhere I assume. There is also a lot of construction going on in Casa and in 2 to 5 years I would say that beach front would be brand new, full of tall glass apartment blocks and lovely walkaways as well as some older parts will be demolished and replaced by new building as I saw a lot of protests against relocation ā as much as I understood with my Frenchā but whole areas are being demolished to make a way for new development. I wish I could see it twenty years ago ā¦. That would be completely different country. Also have to say that the female population of Casa is mostly very beautiful, dark hair, lovely milk chocolate color of skin, and smiles hmmm those smiles š After two weeks in Morocco I saw the natural beauty worth while and also nature itself was worth trip too. Shame I did bought ticket to Egypt in advance as I could stay here for a month to explore a bit more down south around Tan-Tan.
Ce la vie.
