Casablanca




Casablanca. 

Who doesn't have an image of Casablanca either from the Marx brothers movie or
more likely from the Ingrid Bergman/Humphrey Bogart movie? Unsurprisingly the image is a
Hollywood one--both movies were shot on movie lots in California--although inevitably
someone has set up a Rick's Cafe in Casablanca. Casablanca is a really huge modern
commericial port. Although I was aware of the significance of the North African ports in the
Second World War, I had no idea that that signficance extended back over the centuries. You
have probably heard the US Marines song with the lines "From the halls of Montezuma to the
shores of Tripoli"? In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century the Barbary (Berber)
pirates sailing out of the north African ports wreaked havoc with the sea trade routes of
the new United States of America. At one point the US was paying 20% of its budget as
tribute and ransom to the pirates, until the infant US navy with "Old Ironsides" put a stop
to it. (When Will they do so with the latter day pirates of Somalia?). One couldn't say that
Casablanca is especially atmospheric. It seems to be basically a 1920's 1930's city--lots of
fine but decaying Art Deco 1930's buildings.It has all the usual decrepitude and grime of a
third world city, but I have certainly seen worse. I was actually rather pleasantly
surprised since I thought I might see signs of revolutionary tension or incipient Islamic
militancy, given the Arab spring uprisings of the past year. But it seemed quite relaxed
--you see more burkas in Harrods than in Casablanca, and I saw no military or police
presence. People seem relaxed and confident and there was no sign of real poverty where I
went (and I did wander by myself into the neighbourhoods and street markets and no one paid
me the slightest attention).The apartment buildings bristle with satellite dishes protruding
from every roof, window and balcony. Casablanca is inordinately proud of its Grand Mosque
Hassan II--and it is huge, built over 7 years from 1986 to 1993. All the statistics are
proudly trotted out--tallest minaret in the world, second largest mosque after Mecca etc
etc. I preferred the neighbourhoods-- and the food markets. Apparently the land around
Casablanca is very fertile and the markets are full of lovely fruits and flowers, fish and
meats. Of course one day is not enough to even begin to understand a place and Casablanca is
certainly not a city one would make a special trip to see,but I was pleasantly surprised by
it as a place where people seem to lead normal and relatively untroubled lives.

Port of Casablanca

Grand Mosque Hassan II,Casablanca

Interior of Grand Mosque

Local market, Casablanca

Lynn in front of Palace Harem door

Yes, "Rick's Cafe".

Street scenes, Casablanca

Note the satellite dishes!

And so what about the ship, the Crystal Serenity? It is really rather pleasant to be cocooned in cotton wool for a few days a chance to reflect and maybe relax (I'm not very good at that I am afraid. Must
try harder to relax!). The food is superb and the company quite civilised. A very pleasant
and cost effective way to cross the ocean if you have the time--like me :). Tomorrow is
Tenerife, another place I haven't been. I'm going to see the volcano, not to the beach!