Morocco - Casablanca

Finally i have time to publish this piece, about Casablanca - The arty and the economic capital of Morocco is a bit dissapointing. We arrived to the city at 5am after a night bus journey, which was quite a stinky experience. Our hotel was very nice and located in the medina, and though we arrived at 5am, they checked us in and gave us a room. Medina is once again - a huge Market, but we walked almost all over the city. The city has it's huge streets and interesting arcitecture in French and Spanish styles, but the crowds are still medieval.
The most impressive and probably the only thing to see in Casa is the new Hasan Due mosque. It is enourmous and probably the only mosque which is open for tourists. The decorations are good and very classic, this is why it's hard to believe that the structure was built only ten years ago.
Funny conversation we had with one of the locals, he was saying that all the achevements in the country are due to foreighners and the locals did not accomplish much and that Marrocans still need to learn and develop.
Two streets away from our hotel we found a very nice restaurant. Restaurant is a big word for a place which is run by a family from their house and has two tables and four chairs. One evening we tried a tasty Harira, the local famous soup, and on the second day we had a delicious home made cuscus with vegetables and chicken. From strange experiences; I tried the cooked snails, which were sold on a trolley and was brave enough to try the soup, which is the watter in which the snails were prepared. We also had fried sardins in a strange looking restaurant, just at the entrance to the port. The stommack is still fine :)
To summarize, Casa is much dirty and still a third world city. After two days in the city, we took a train to Fez. The train was overcrouded but we managed to have a seat and met a nice jewish couple from Australia.

Morocco - fez

Sitting and waiting for a night train from Fez, the religious and spiritual capital of Morocco. Just few jours ago people were working and hand making products in the old city, and it was really a midieval experience, and now at the train station there is free wifi, which doesnot exist in London or New York, and I can actually remote-desctop my desctop computer in London. The replies from the remote computer make me believe that this midieval experience is not forever, and there is still life out there :)

Morocco - Second Day - Essouira

We arrived at midnight to Essouira, and a taxi driver took us from the
bus stop to the Medina. I hoped to find the hotel on my own, but it
was impossible to navigate in the Medina (old market type side of the
city), therefore we had to take a guide. The hotel is verb nice, with
arabic style and good size room. The only problem is that it has no
outside windows and stinks ...a bit.
In the morning we had breakfest at the hotel; pankakes type bread with
jeam and very tasty honney (!). This day we walked to the city side,
seeing the huge povety and loads of abandon industrial buildings. On
the way back we visited the Jewish cemetry, with very odd type
gravings: they were very thin, long and very disorganized. Also, we
visited the local and only Synagogue, visiting which was kindly
advised for us by two Israeli couples we met. The synagogue keeper
came after a ring, a phone number was over the entrance, she showed us
around this small but very cosy and well kept place. Apparently there
are only three Jewish families left in the city; all what ish left
after a big comunity.
Lunch we had in a very local place, liver meat with pita bread, and
tea at the end. Nice and simple, but when we asked for a bill, we were
surprised to see a sum of 50dirhams, which was probably three times
over what locals pay there, because it was on the street.
The evening we spent at the hotel, talking with the worker named Said
- very simple but very kind chap, who works only night shifts at the
hotel and apparently has a wife and three daughters back home.

Morocco - First Days

Whose silly idea was it to go to Morocco I wonder ?!

After arrival, we took a taxi from the airport and it took 20min ride,
in a taxi which had no front lights and the speedimeter did not work,
to arrive to Agadir. Agadir is a modern type city on a coast, as it
wad almost fully rebuilt after 1960 earthquake. The driver dropped us
in a wrong place and we tried to find our destination but the maps
were somehow misleading, therefore we ended up a number of times in a
completely wrong places. Interestingly, though the time was well after
midnnight, many stopped on the street to check if we are not lost and
if we need some help. For me, being precausious, seeing two guys on a
half broken bike asking if we need help was a bit strange, and I
kindly declined the help. The following day I realised that being nice
and friendly is part of their culture, and when we did ask for help;
all of them helped.
Agadir is a gods-forgotten-place with almost nothing to do and many
taxi drivers trying to wrip off fresh tourists. Funny enough, it is
something like 20dirhams to travel from one side of the city to the
opposite.
Finally, we tried the Tajin - local food prepared in a ceramic dishes,
cooked on fire. We had one with fish, reminded a carp, for branch and
a chicken version for dinner. A place we can very recommend is close
to the hotel Sinibad, on the same side, down the street, just after a
juice shop.
We also tried entering a Mosque but women at the entrance stopped us,
the locals later explained us that mosques are off limit for tourists;
I wonder if it is true everywhere.
Now we are in a very stinky bus, heading to Easoueera for 50dirhams
per person, and drimming of a mint tea with exsessive sugar (at least
I do!) :)