Northern Explorations: Up the Coast to Casablanca

EL JADIDA & CASABLANCA -- April 16, 2006

The adventure begins today with breakfast at a classy cafe. I have the best omelette yet in Morocco -- the fromage (cheese) was perfect -- smooth, tangy... I ate a huge plate and washed it down with freshly squeeze orange juice.

We moved on to El Jadida, a UNESCO World Heritage site and former Portuguese port city. Said and I climbed up and around the ramparts for some fantastics views inward to the medina and outward to the ocean.

I descended down some dempt, dark steps to the belly of El Jadida's ancient cistern, and marvelled at the simply beauty that lie here. In this earthen spot, made beautiful by artful architecture rich in arches, soft light fell through an oculus in the center of the ceiling, creating stunning reflections of arches in the shallow water collecting along the cistern floor.

We then drove on to Casablanca, largest city in Morocco. On entering the city, I was impressed with its initial appeal -- beautiful white houses lay in clusters along the shore, with the deep blue of the ocean beckoning just beyond.

Working our way into the city, the famous Hassan II Mosque made a striking appear- ance. The minaret is incredibly tall, breaking into the blue sky with its intricate blue and green mosaics. Arches throughout the design are graceful and eye-catching. The main prayer hall is so large that St. Peter's Basilica would be swallowed whole by this impressive structure. Its location, right along the Atlantic, makes for a beautiful setting.

Here, Said and I catch a train to Fes, where we will stay one night, and then finish our journey on to Chef- chaouen early in the morning. I catch a few peeks at the immense medieval city of Fes, but am not terribly impressed. The alleys of the medina echo those I have seen in other cities, chiefly Marrakech. There is not enough to hold me here any longer, and it is just as well. My time in Morocco is running out.

~Melanie