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EuroVicki
In Casablanca there are 6 million people - according to our guide 4 million rich 2 million normal. The 3 languages are Arabic French and Berber. The Hassan ll Mosque can hold 25,000 inside and 15,000 outside and is only used for special occasions such as Ramadan. We were dropped off a block from the mosque and told to walk to the left for a tour but by the time the hourly tour started we hadn't had a chance to pay. The guide said we would have to pay $10 each and at the payment window the man said €34 for 2 and wouldn't take a $100 bill so we said fuggedaboudit. Our taxi guide wasn't here - expected us to be gone for an hour - so we called him to pick us up. Three other drivers asked to help us by we waited for Youness and told him when he arrived that he either needed to stick with us or we will part ways. Instead he took us to a Jewish synagogue an open air market, and then to the only Jewish museum in the Arab world. It is funded by the Jewish community of Casablanca but also gets money from the ministry of culture of Morocco. We saw photos of the various synagogues that no longer exist- and in other rooms the bimahs and various artifacts have been preserved. On the way to the next spot we found out there are 25 old small mosques in Casablanca and while the official money is the dhiran, people will take euros pounds dollars or anything. We passed high end housing and were told people have to pay $1200 per meter for housing! Next is the Palace of King Hassan VI. Can't go inside - and could barely take a picture as we flew by... So we drove by a bit of the beach with the Misque in the distance, and then past the prison. Below the walls of the prison locals sell second hand furniture, repair cars, and other necessaries. A few blocks later we saw the "inner city that we were told had 25,000 citizens and only one gate in/out. Just outside the one gate in/out was the most beautiful mosque, 800 years old.. As we drove around the city we saw women in many types of dress - from full black Muslim coverage to fanciful long pink dresses with minimal head covering to heavy fleece wrapped djellaba - in 75 degree weather. And of course if we are in Casablanca we have to see Ricks Cafe with the inside modeled after the movie set - but since the film was made in Hollywood, we didn't bother going in... And then on the way back to the ship we saw a ship being refurbished - the Marrakech. Talking with others, we pretty much agree that we wouldn't be interested in returning to this city. Back on the ship we lost at trivia by one point, had dinner and finally went to one of the stage shows. It was about dance from around the world and was pretty good!
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Judith Wow! It's great to catch up with your adventure. !