Thursday
Hello, Casablanca! We arrived in Morocco at around 7 this morning and could hardly believe we have reached a new continent. When I think of Africa, I automatically picture the safari, wild animals, and the desert. And yet the tall buildings that surrounded the ship port we were in destroyed this preconceived image of Africa I'm sure a lot of us had and reminded us that there's SO much more to a place than what you stereotype it to be.
Prior to our arrival in Morocco, we were briefed on the cultural and logistical aspects of the country. We were told early on that because of the religion they follow, Morocco is a very conservative place where shorts and sleeveless tops are not appreciated on women. Shoulders and knees must be covered at all times, and in some parts of the country, a hijab (a head wrap) is required.
I went on a city tour of Casablanca today and had to dress appropriately. That meant that despite the hot and humid weather outside, I had to cover myself up and fight through the heat! Thankfully, the dress I wore was breezy (but long, of course) but I could have lived without the sweater I had to put on.
We visited the Hassan II Mosque, the second largest mosque in the world, where people gather everyday to pray five times throughout the day. The architecture was really pretty, and the inside was huge! The beauty of the mosque really reflected how much the Moroccans put value in their religion.
 |
| The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca |
A stroll through the Habous Quarter was also part of our tour. The Habous Quarter was a medina, or a market place, where sellers had their products displayed out in the open along the streets. These are stuff that do not necessarily have a set price--the value depends on who the customer is. This is where tourists like us had to learn the game of bargaining, lest we get overcharged. It's exactly like trying to haggle in the tiangges back in the Philippines!
The Royal Palace was located near this medina, but I'm not actually sure if the important royal people of Morocco reside in said palace. We went inside and only got to tour some of the outdoor areas of the palace which were lined with walls that had such gorgeous and intricate carving designs!
 |
| Entering the Royal Palace |
We also drove through the residential district of Anfa, which had palm trees and houses that made me feel as if I was in California! The area looked really elegant and yet chill at the same time.. if that makes sense! After Anfa, our bus took us to the Mohamed V Square, a city center home to the statue of Marshal Lyautey (not really sure who he is, my bad), many Muslim-styled buildings, a monumental fountain, and a garden open to the public.
 |
| Mohamed V Square
It was only a half-day tour, but I'm glad I got to see a lot of this city already! Tomorrow, I'm going to Marrakech to visit the Majorelle Gardens, have traditional Moroccan lunch, and go through more medinas!
|
MARRAKECH
04 October 2013
Our journey started with a 4-hour bus ride to the city of Marrakech, where I fell asleep for about 2.5 hours. Once we finally reached our destination, we were given half an hour of free time to roam around the Majorelle Gardens on our own. The place was lovely, sprinkled with a variety of flowers in exciting colors. I zipped open my bag and took my camera out and noticed how light it was. I pressed the ON button and nothing happened. Then it hit me--I left the battery pack on the charger back on the ship when I was charging it last night in preparation for today..WELL THAT WORKED OUT. Stupid, stupid, stupid. So I was kind of bummed about that, but thankfully I always bring my phone around so I just used that. Oh well towel.
By the time we left the gardens, it was already lunch time and I was really happy because I was really hungry.. I think I always am. Anyway. We were brought to a traditional Moroccan restaurant with belly dancers performing to entertain us as we enjoy our meal. I didn't know if it was just because I was starving, but the food they served us was amazing. The chicken, in particular, was DELISH. It was cooked in their traditional Moroccan tajin, and just tasted exquisite. They also had us try their tea, which tasted like sweet mint. I was all about that tea. T'was good.
When lunch was over, we headed to another medina, with lots and lots of sellers scattered in every corner, calling out to us (literally), telling us to buy their goods because they will give us the best price. I got some souvenir shopping done which was cool, but I really wasn't a fan of having to ask how much an item is every time I go look at it. It gets tiring after a while.
I got to see one of those snake charmer stuff, where a cobra would move with the sound of the flute.. I don't know how else to describe that haha! I saw it from afar, though.. I wasn't going anywhere near that snake. Ugh. I hate reptiles.
The bus ride back home was basically snoozeville for everyone. I enjoyed Marrakech, but it was definitely good to be back on the ship!
Etc, etc.
Other things we did during the rest of our stay in Morocco included more souvenir shopping, walking around, and visiting Rick's Cafe, the cafe in the classic movie, Casablanca. I wish I could have gone to the Sahara desert and seen camels, but maybe another time!
No comments:
Post a Comment