Morocco – June 2009

Due to my mom’s love of films from the 40s and 50s, I grew up very knowledgeable about all things film noir. Some of my favorite actors come from this era: Joseph Cotton, Gene Tierney, and, of course, Humphrey Bogart. Naturally, one cannot think of Bogey without thinking of Casablanca. Not surprisingly, the city of the film (which was mostly shot on a sound stage in Hollywood) has nothing to do with the actual city. In reality, Casablanca is Morocco’s largest city with well over three million inhabitants. It should also be noted that there are about a dozen Rick’s Cafés for tourists to spot and photograph.

Casablanca’s Hassan II Mosque is the largest in Morocco and the third largest in the world. It has room for 25,000 worshippers, and a further 80,000 can be accommodated on its adjoining grounds. Its minaret is the world’s tallest at 689 feet (210 meters) and is topped with a laser, the light from which is pointed toward Mecca. As the mosque stands on a promontory looking out to the Atlantic Ocean, I use this position to take a couple of coastal shots of the town.

Downtown itself is distinctly post-colonial, with European-style sidewalk cafés and French-inspired bakeries residing in the shadow of half-built high-rises. There is little to differentiate Casablanca’s half-finished neighborhoods and animated boulevards from other cities in the developing world, which is probably why it is often glossed over in guidebooks pitching the more glamorous Marrakech or history-rich Fez. I find it has a lot in common with the oldest parts of downtown Los Angeles—a sprawl of cement, people, and cars, none too bothered about tourists.

Excerpt from the Spain, Portugal, and Morocco chapter in my collection From Egypt to Tibet: Early Travels After a Late Start. Buy it on Amazon.

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