Casa Blanca, Morocco

Casablanca, Morocco                                                                     April 16, 2017       Easter Sunday

This morning the dining room was decorated up with colorful eggs and chocolate bunnies...so sweet!

                                    A beautiful  Easter sunrise....against some ugly industrial cranes.

                                                               Morocco at daybreak

Morocco gained its independence from France in 1956. The port is the largest in North Africa and probably one of the dirtiest that we have docked in. It is truly an industrial port.

We watched tractor trailer trucks unload sand….probably from the desert….to be shipped out. That a fine welcome to our city! Our crew wore masks due to the dust and smell of the area being so unpleasant.

Larry and I were excited to be visiting Casablanca. We took a ship excursion into the city.  The tour took us to the Place Mohammed V Square, a fountain (that wasn’t working) placed in front of an opera house that was being constructed….truly an area that is being developed.

These gentlemen were dressed in a Moroccan attire...I guess...they were the only ones that we saw dressed like this and they wanted a Moroccan dollar to have their picture taken.

We stopped at the Casa Blanca Cathedral, a Moorish Revival piece of architecture that was built in 1950. The side walls were made of stained glass, very pretty.

We visited the Regional Law Courts and the outside of the Red Palace….royal home of the King who did have his picture displayed out in the street.

the outside of the Red Palace….royal home of the King

We stopped at Ain Diab Resort, one of the city beaches to have some refreshment and enjoyed the Atlantic Ocean.  

We walked inside Hassan II Mosque , the third largest mosque in the world and the only city mosque that allows non-Moslems to visit.

It was HUGE and very dark…but were told that the roof would open up for five minutes once a day….we did spot some birds that were flying around the inside….probably captured when it closed. Massive tall ceiling, ornate wood carvings, marble floors,

                                      The place to wash the face, hands, arms and feet.

The tour ended at the United Nations Square, a spot to do some shopping and people watching.

                                Government Owned Tourist Store...only tourist store we saw.

Morocco was not at all what we had expected. It was dirty. It had beggars. It appeared to be struggling.