Exciting City, But I Didn't Get What Ingrid Bergman Got In Casablanca (Casablanca)

Member Name: janharper

Product:	Casablanca
Date:	13/11/08 (224 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Eclectic, bustling city with a true mixture of cultures

Disadvantages: Lots of walking around, warm even in cool season

***Where Exactly Is Casablanca?***

This fabulous City was developed around one of the largest artificial ports in the world. It has something of a European feel to it but it is on the North African coast, in Morocco. Its name gives a clue to its location too. 'Casa Blanca' is Spanish for 'White House'. It is only a few miles from the coast of Spain.


***History and Claim To Fame***

The City was originally settled by the Berbers from North Africa in the seventh century and in 1068 it was captured by Arab invaders. Almost 400 years later the Portuguese almost destroyed the original town in an effort to stop pirate raids and built a fortress which they named 'Casabrancha'. They abandoned the town after an earthquake virtually destroyed it and in the late 1700's it was rebuilt by Sultan Mohammed ben Abdullah. It was subsequently occupied by the French until independence in 1956.

So, there is a real multicultural influence going on here. You can hear it in the language which is mostly French and see it in the architecture and design of the City, not to mention the rich décor of many buildings.

Casablanca featured in the war time romantic drama of the same name, in which Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman became entwined. This film made the City seem attractive and romantic and exploited the exotic draw of foreign climes. This is Casablanca's claim to fame where the movie world is concerned and it has done a lot to colour the world's view of this cosmopolitan City.


***Getting There***Airport***

You can fly into Casablanca's Mohammed V Airport from most major UK airports. Transport from the airport to the centre of the City is easy, cheap and reliable. Choose from a rail shuttle service that takes you right from the arrivals hall to the centre in 45 minutes. It runs hourly between 0650 and 2250.

There is also a bus service which takes you to the bus station terminus in the City centre, with a journey time of around one hour. The bus journey, which is the one we opted for, really lets you get right into the culture and the country. It's well worth doing as long as you don't have children with you, or lots of heavy luggage.

Facilities in the airport itself include a bank, bureau de change, ATM machines and a post office. Telephones and internet access are also available.

There are cafes throughout the airport but we didn't stop to sample what they had on offer. It all looked clean and fresh though. The duty free shops caught my eye but I refrained (even on the way back when I was bored).


***First Impressions***

The bus journey into the centre of Casablanca was exciting and interesting. All kinds of sights and sounds caught my attention and I couldn't wait to get out there and explore. Most people seemed to speak French, so I was able to understand a bit,( using my schoolgirl French.)

It was quite cool on the bus and a thermometer at the airport had shown fifteen degrees because it was April, but it soon became very hot when the driver decided it was cold and turned on the heating. I ended up taking everything I could respectably remove off, in an effort to cool down. Still, you can't please everyone I suppose and the driver was in charge of the heating.

The colours and the fast moving bustle of life impressed me most. Everything was fast but it didn't seem to move in quite the same way as a fast moving city like London, or Paris might.

***Accommodation and Food***

There is lots of choice in Casablanca when it comes to a place to stay but I always prefer to stay somewhere of decent quality, so I opted for the Hyatt Regency Hotel Casablanca. It is central so I was well placed for all amenities, especially shops.

This is quite a big hotel with 255 rooms and just about anything you could want, or need was available. The rooms had all the facilities you would expect from a hotel of this quality and the fitness centre, squash courts , swimming pool and Moroccan Hammam seemed popular with many guests. I'm not the athletic, or energetic type so I gave those a miss and I certainly wasn't keen on venturing into the Hammam, which is a kind of public, communal bath.

The accommodation was clean, well furnished and comfortable and I did notice that the hotel had a baby sitting service (not that we needed it.) Room service was available but we preferred to go downstairs and investigate our surroundings a little more.

We took all our meals in the hotel but I am not very adventurous when it comes to trying different foods, or eating in foreign places. I tend to get overly fussy and choosy. (A real pain according to my partner.) So, we ate in the Cafe M which is open for lunch and dinner and I was persuaded to visit the Traditional Moroccan Restaurant within the hotel. I was impressed with the décor and the live Oriental Orchestra but I only 'played' with the food to tell the truth.

So, food and entertainment were well catered for within the hotel. There was a discotheque there too but we refrained when we noticed that that the average age of the revellers was probably around 22.


***Attractions***


The Hassan 11 Mosque is something not to be missed. This is the second biggest mosque in the world with the tallest minaret (210 metres). It is quite awe inspiring to look upwards and realise just how high this is. There is a bustling multi cultural feel about the area with Africans, Arab, Moorish and French influences mixing with European shops.

The ancient medina is in the old Arab walled quarter and the real focal point that brings this all together is the Place Des Nations Unies, the old French colonial centre which is situated right on the edge of the medina where the modern town meets the traditional one. Take a walk around the Marche Central which is the biggest fruit and vegetable market in Morocco and see produce that you have never seen before, plus the biggest cucumbers and tomatoes you have ever seen.

The Habous Quarter is a French designed attempt to create something like a twentieth century kasbah.

A visit to the Sacre Coeur Cathedral is essential for lovers of Art Deco architecture. When you come out you can wander into the nearby souks and do some shopping, or take a walk along the fairly modern ocean front shops and beach.

There is a racing circuit for Formula one cars close by at Ain Diab but I managed to 'forget' to make time to go and see it, much to my other half's disappointment. (Why he wanted to go and look at a race track I don't know. Everyone knows that shopping is more important.Wink, wink!)

The overall feeling of all this different culture and art existing side by side is quite surprising at first, but you soon realise that this is Casablanca and anything is possible.


***Overview***

This is a fabulous place and there is so much to absorb and look at. Just when you think you have seen it all, there's something else. We did a great deal of walking around and it did become a bit warm and stuffy at times, although it was the cool season. There were so many colours, tones and delicious aromas that I almost felt a bit overwhelmed at times.

The thing that impressed me most was the eclectic collection of styles and ways of life that just seem to exist side by side in this cosmopolitan city. The hi-light for me had to be the Hassan 11 Mosque. I was amazed and even stunned by its beauty.

For a very special holiday break take a trip to Casablanca. You might not find it romantic in the sense that Ingrid Bergman did in the film, but you won't be bored. There's so much to see, but I wouldn't recommend it for younger children who would soon get bored with all the wandering about.

Summary: Fabulous place to investigate, if you want an adventure go here