Casablanca

« Day one. Continuation :) On the shores of the Atlantic Ocean stands the tallest religious structure in the world - the Great Hassan II Mosque (behind my back). Truly, there aren’t many places like it in Casablanca.

In the notes about the city, they say it resembles an American metropolis with its skyscrapers. A good joke, don’t be fooled! There are indeed modern high-rise buildings. However! On the outskirts of the city, in the industrial area with offices of large companies, you’ll find the true character of the place. As you exit Casablanca, the main part of the buildings are unremarkable, but colorful glass houses. Interestingly, they only shine from the outside; inside there are beautiful restaurants and hotels with lush interiors.

Sometimes, we stumbled upon concrete fences with rusty barbed wire, which suggests that while I’m enjoying the views, on the other side, affluent houses are protected. Both in the city and at the airport, it’s also possible to meet police with automatic weapons. I couldn't help but feel uneasy about such proximity to weapons and the presence of armed civilians. »

« Casablanca evoked illogical, inconsistent, and ambiguous emotions. At first, my British colleague and I, bravely deciding to walk the short distance between our hotel and the famous Hassan II Mosque, experienced a slight shock. Locals, easily recognizing us as foreigners, whistled, smacked their lips, and tried to strike up conversations. Stray dogs mingled with children, and vendors sitting by crumbling buildings eagerly attempted to sell us their goods, while the aromas of sizzling shawarma and kebabs added to the already authentic scene. At that moment, our subjective feeling was far from safe, and my British friend helplessly clung to me, weakly urging me to turn back. But I believed that Morocco couldn’t let us down, that there was definitely something deeper here, something we just had to see and unearth! And then, as we neared the Great Mosque (by the way, the tallest religious architectural structure in the world ☝), we began to feel a sense of calm. After strolling along the Corniche, inhaling the salty sea breeze, and watching the fishermen, we settled into a small café to enjoy some truly Moroccan coffee. That was the turning point when everything changed, and I saw Casablanca from a different, beautifully new perspective! »

« Many cities are called cities of contrasts, but to me, the name fits Casablanca the best: it’s like a Ferrari getting into an accident with a donkey, where grand boutiques sit next to grandmothers selling their pancakes, and there are more shops for women’s lingerie than for djellabas. The sellers are all men, which is puzzling. Glass skyscrapers loom over laundry drying in the slums. And perhaps the most striking sight was an absolutely naked man wearing a cap right in the city center. In short, I’m rarely surprised by anything anymore, but once in a while, something still gets to me. »

« The city is a mix of ghettoes made of crumbling buildings and new constructions. The traffic is somewhat chaotic. The people are very diverse, ranging from dozens of beggars of all ages to well-off individuals, driving their Tuaregs. I can't say that I'm particularly fond of it here, but it's not all that bad. »