Postcards from Morocco

Where Old Meets New in Africa

When and Where: 04/2023 – Agadir, Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Asilah

75^th Country Visited; 12^th African Country Visited

Interesting Facts:

- The highest ski resort in Africa is in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco.

- Morocco was the first country to recognize the United States as a country.

- Although overwhelmingly Muslim, there are thriving Christian and Jewish communities in Morocco.

April has turned out to be a hectic month and I have not been able to keep up with my blog. Unlike other legs of this journey, now that I am in Europe, we are in port nearly every day. But I am committed to keeping up with the blog.

Simply put, Morocco is an amazing country! There is a diversity and richness of culture that goes back many centuries. The Moorish (western Islamic) architecture is mixed with Spanish influences. Unlike most Africans, Moroccans are predominately fair skinned. The people are very friendly and although Arabic is the main language, English is wide spoken. And travel throughout the country is considered very safe. My journey through Morocco occurred during Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting, introspection and prayer. During Ramadan, Muslims do not eat or drink from sunrise to sunset. Exceptions are made for children, pregnant women, the elderly and sick people.

The first cruise destination was Agadir, a port city in the south of Morocco that borders the Atlas Mountains. I took a small group private tour with some cruise passengers. Our first stop was the beach. Much to my surprise, Agadir has stunning beaches and high-end resorts. The beaches were pristine and offered a great view of the casbah (fortress) that sits above, and overlooks the city. From the beach, we stopped at the souk (Arab marketplace). All middle-eastern countries have souks including Israel. The best way to describe a souk is a giant open air flea market with vendors in booths selling everything from live animals to meats and spices to cell phones. Every price is negotiable and visitors are expected to haggle with shop owners. A good rule of thumb is to offer 20 percent of the asking price. Personally, I’m not good at negotiating prices. The souks in Morocco are known for various spices. As we walked about the souk in Agadir, the air was filled with fragrant spices. As we passed by spice vendors, we saw cloth sacks filled with vivid colored spices. Our guide brought us through the aisles and helped us negotiate prices. We also walked past many meat stands where I saw a skinned camel, many goat heads and other gross looking and smelling meats. Despite the market being filled with all types of food, no one was eating as it is Ramadan. From the souk, we traveled to a few shops that specialized in dates and argan oil. Since the tour was organized by passengers, the guide asked us what we wanted to do next. The ship’s rabbi who was on my tour asked to visit the local synagogue as Passover began the next day. We showed up at this non-descript building. There was an armed guard at the gate. The rabbi led the way and we were allowed into the synagogue. We stayed for 15 minutes and the rabbi led the group in a short prayer before departing. Our final stop of the day was at the casbah. Our driver navigated the winding roads to the top of the mountain. The casbah offered beautiful views of the city, the beaches below and the Atlas Mountains to the east. While there, I got my picture taken with a camel and I had a man harassing me to touch his snake. I finally caved in just so he would leave me alone.

The next morning, the Zuiderdam docked in Casablanca. I had a full day excursion booked with Holland America which included visiting Rabat, Morocco’s capital. As we left the chaotic port area, we passed by Rick’s Café, which was made famous by the movie “Casablanca”. We headed over to the Hassan II Mosque, the largest mosque in Casablanca boasting the second tallest minaret in the world. The mosque was ornately decorated from the outside with grand Moorish architecture. Given it is Ramadan, we weren’t allowed to enter. As we moved about the city, we noticed a heavy police presence. It turns out the King was in Casablanca for a few days. Next, we stopped at Mohammed V Square. I posed by the “Casablanca” sign in the square and fed pigeons from my hands, which is a thing in Mohammed V Square. Across from the square was the Great Theater of Casablanca, a grand modern performing arts center which is the largest in all of Africa. Casablanca is a very chaotic city. Like all Moroccan cities, it was nice. But it wasn’t my favorite.

From Casablanca our tour headed north to Rabat. As the capital, it is a showcase of modern Morocco. The streets were wide and flanked by beautiful palm trees. The city was extremely clean and public spaces were meticulously manicured. Our first stop was the Royal Palace. The King was out of town, but military and security were about the grand residence. We were able to get close for a photo opportunity, but not enter the highly secured estate. The palace was opulent with beautiful doorways. Up to this point, it was the second prettiest city I saw in Africa after Cape Town, South Africa. Rabat is smaller, but growing. Our next stop was the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, the former king of Morocco. The building was pristine white marble. As I walked around, the call to prayer began over the loud speaker. Men flocked to the neighboring mosque in droves. We weren’t permitted to enter. I’m not sure where the women pray, but all the men prayed in the mosque adjacent to the mausoleum. After hours of touring, we stopped in the medina (old city) for a Moroccan lunch. The food was delicious. It was served family style for our group. As picky an eater as I can be, I really enjoyed the cuisine. I ate chicken and couscous, but didn’t try the mystery meat. The mint tea was wonderful as were the cookies. I also ate an exotic fruit known as a pipa which tasted like a cross between an apple and a pear. Our final stop of the day was the casbah which overlooked the Atlantic Ocean. The architecture of the casbah was more Spanish influenced and reminded me more of the fortresses in San Juan, Havana and Santo Domingo. The views from the casbah overlooking the ocean where stunning. Young men were cliff diving into the ocean, while tourists sampled local food and drink. The views from the casbah overlooking the city were equally as impressive. Rabat has a very modern opera house and the first skyscraper, Mohammed VI tower named after the current king. All in all, I really enjoyed Rabat. If visiting Morocco, plan to spend a few days in Rabat.

Day three in Morocco, we docked in Tangier, a port which is both on the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. I went to Tangier with low expectations, but was even more surprised by the opulence of the city. Wealthy people from around the world including royalty from other Arab countries have estates in Tangier. As my tour made its way through wealthy neighborhoods, it was hard to believe that Morocco is still considered a third world country. The first stop on the tour was Cap Spartel Lighthouse, a Moroccan landmark at the point where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean Sea. The island of Gibraltar is a short distance away. The lighthouse is surrounded by palm trees providing spectacular vistas. We next traveled about an hour away to the Atlantic Ocean seaside community of Asilah. We stopped for tea and Moroccan tea cookies at a restaurant along the way. Once in Asilah, we offboarded and began to walk the medina which featured interesting architecture. Shops and restaurants lined the meandering streets. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought I was in Santorini. The smell of fresh baked goods filled the air as tourists flooded the town. On the ride back to Tangier, I was impressed with the expansion of the city with new luxury home communities being built. Back in Tangier, the guide brought the group to the souk. Instead, I took a leisurely walk along Tangier harbor. Tangier is like no other city in Africa in that is safe, clean and affordable. I found Morocco to be so interesting, I want to return. Next time I want to repeat what I saw on this trip and also see Marrakesh and Fez.