Morocco: Casablanca and Marakech

Our port of call for Morocco is Casablanca, a rather large industrial city. I would have to say the first and most immediate experience when walking onto Moroccan soil for the first time is the smell. The scent is a turbulent mixture of trash, rotting food, sewage, and exhaust. That being said it is a wonderful place. I haven’t spent very much time in Casablanca yet, but I did see one of the most impressive religious structures I have ever visited. To say the mosque is massive would be an understatement. Yet the size, while impressive, fails to be its most striking feature. The beautiful tile and woodwork is simply stunning. Alas, I don’t have a picture to post at the moment, but I will find one.

Anyway, onto Marrakech my principle place of residence since arriving here. Marrakech is the opposite of Casablanca. To begin, it is inland. It is also very clean. It is not industrial. You get the idea. Marrakech is gorgeous, located essentially in the desert it was about a four hours drive from Casablanca. I understand that it was built as a stay over for caravans crossing the desert, which would explain its location. A brief note on the color tones – everything is red, orange, brown. The environment of the city is very different from my experiences at home, in Europe, and the various other places I’ve visited.