CASABLANCA ARRIVAL

The ship arrived in Casablanca around 6 am, and we were cleared by 7 am, although there wouldn’t be an announcement until 8 am.  We moored alongside a long pier in an industrial area.  Nothing was on the dock – no HAL buses, Shuttle buses, or taxis.  All the buses and private tours were 1/3 mile away on the other side of a warehouse that serves as a cruise terminal.  People used to having a short walk from the ship to the HAL buses were disappointed.  There weren’t any golf carts or anything else to accommodate mobility-limited people.

We decided to skip visiting Casablanca and booked an all-day tour with Across Africa to Marrakech.  We have never been to Casablanca before, and in retrospect, I would have stayed in Casablanca for my first visit to this area rather than spend three hours in a van each way traveling to and from Marrakech.

Eight of us met in the Ocean Bar for our Across Africa tour to Marrakech.

The pier was empty when we left Deck 2.  We walked down the pier to a warehouse-looking building.  X-ray machines and metal detectors were inside so that this space could be used as entry security for other cruises.  It wasn’t used today.  We had to show our passports and ship card as we exited the building.

On the other side of the building was a large parking lot with all the shuttle buses, HAL tours, and private tour buses.  We didn’t see any taxis, but they were probably available on the nearby street.

A helpful dispatcher was walking around who called our tour company and confirmed our driver was on the way.

A late model 17-passenger Mercedes Sprinter van arrived in a few minutes, and the eight of us piled in.  It was nice to get such a large van for this long trip.

CASABLANCA SHUTTLE BUS

A shuttle bus was available to the Hyatt Hotel near the United Nations Plaza for guests remaining in Casablanca.  Casablanca is a safe, modern city; if you are in the mood, you could walk into the city from the cruise port.  We learned later that some friends who stayed in Casablanca took a taxi from United Nations Plaza to the Hassan II Mosque for $2 USD – and $5 for the return trip.  Check HERE for prices and times to go inside the Hassan II Mosque.

ON THE ROAD TO MARRAKECH

Our guide, Youssef, was very friendly and knowledgeable.  We drove through Casablanca and were soon on a modern divided highway with a speed limit of 120 KPH or about 75 mph.

The terrain reminded me of California’s Central Valley.  Flat and dry except where there was irrigation.  After about 1 1/2 hours, we stopped for a break at a combination convenience store and gas station.

Dollars aren’t accepted here, but our guide sold us some dirhams for the standard exchange rate.  As it turns out, the rest stop accepted credit cards.

MARRAKECH

KOUTOUBIA MOSQUE

We arrived in Marrakech about 3 hours after we left Casablanca.  Our first stop was the Koutoubia Mosque with its iconic minaret.  Youssef said that nothing could be higher than the 253-foot minaret.  Construction of the mosque began in 1147 and was completed in 1158.  We were here for 10 minutes for a photo stop.

DAR E MUSEUM OF CONFLUENCES L BACHA

Next up was the Dar el Bacha, which means “house of the pasha,” and was the residence of Thami El Glaoui, who was given the title of pasha (roughly “governor” or another high official) of Marrakech by the Sultan Moulay Youssef in 1912.

The residence was converted into a museum and inaugurated in 2017 and is an outstanding example of Moroccan architecture.  We were here for about 30 minutes enjoying the carved and painted cedar wood doors, black and white checkered marble floors, and ceilings covered in colorful zellij mosaics and columns painted with natural pigments such as indigo, saffron, and poppy.

COMMUNITY BAKERY

We continued on foot exploring the narrow alleyways of the Medina and had to stand aside as donkey carts passed by every few minutes.  Our guide directed us to an open door, and we discovered a communal bakery with a large clay oven used to bake Khobz or Moroccan bread.  Local women would bring their unbaked loaves and for a small fee, the baker would bake their bread.

RUG MERCHANT

After the bakery, we went to a local rug shop where we listened to a short sales pitch and looked around their shop.  One couple bought a small rug.  We inquired about the price of a long runner, which took another 10 minutes as we listened to them lower their price several times despite us not showing any further interest.

BEN YOUSSEF MADRASA

Our next stop was the Ben Youssef Madrasa, a historic Islamic school in Marrakesh, Morocco.  It is considered one of the finest examples of Moroccan architecture and an important cultural and educational institution.

The Madrasa ceased functioning as a school in 1960 and was restored in the 1990s to preserve its cultural and historical significance.  Today, it is a popular tourist attraction, allowing visitors to explore its architectural beauty, learn about Morocco’s educational heritage, and experience the serene atmosphere of this historic site.

LUNCH

Back in the van, we headed to our lunch spot, a large restaurant called Dar es Salam.

Many groups, including the HAL tours, were also here for lunch.  There were numerous rooms, and each group was in a separate room.  Our group consisted of about 18 people from the two Across Africa vans, and we were spread across three tables.

Our choices for lunch were either chicken or meatballs, along with several sides, including lentils, carrots, pumpkin, eggplant, and tomato.  The food was served in about twenty minutes and was very good.  After about 90 minutes, we were finished and headed back to our vans.

ARGAN OIL

A few minutes later, we arrived at Pharmacie Dar Al Bacha, which sold Argan Oil, and we sat through another sales pitch.  We have learned that these Argan Oil stops, and Rug shops are common on many Moroccan tours.  We listened to the 10-minute sales pitch, said thank you and left.  No one in our group was interested.  If you arrange a private tour in Morocco, you will probably have these stops on your itinerary unless you specifically state otherwise.

ENGINE TROUBLE

As we approached our final stop at Jemaa el-Fnaa, our van developed a mysterious “engine” problem that required us to pile into the other Across Africa van, filling all but one of the seats.  No one was able to explain the nature of the problem, and we suspect that since the tour originated from Marrakech, they preferred to avoid sending two vans on the three-hour drive back to Casablanca and would save time, gas, and money by consolidating us into one van.

JEMAA EL FNAA

Jemaa el-Fnaa stands out as the pulsating heart of the city.  This iconic square has been the center of Marrakech for centuries, serving as a meeting point for locals and a hub for trade and entertainment.  This UNESCO World Heritage site continues to be a significant landmark in Moroccan culture.  We were here during Ramadan and the day, and it was relatively empty compared to the evenings outside Ramadan when we were told is much more crowded.

We were here for about 30 minutes and had enough time to witness the snake charmers clustered in the center of Jemaa el-Fnaa.  I was eager to take part and watch the show.

The price is $5 USD if you want to hold a snake or take a picture of their snakes.  They draped a snake over my shoulders for about 1 minute, and another tourist used my camera to take pictures.  The Snake Charmers are quite aggressive, and they thrust a snake onto one woman who shrieked and demanded they remove the snake, which they did, but they still requested she pay $5 – which she refused.

HEADING BACK TO CASABLANCA

After Jemaa el-Fnaa, our van started the 3-hour drive back to Casablanca.  We made a brief stop halfway and arrived back at the ship around 8 pm.

We were late for dinner in the Lido and settled for room service.

PAUL ADAMS

Comedian Paul Adams was the featured entertainer on the World Stage.   We enjoyed his show.