Rabat, Morocco

Rabat is my new favorite city.
I knew I wanted to go to Morocco while living in Europe, but I couldn't decide on a city. Marrakesh? Casablanca? Fez? I thought through them all, but at the advice of a Moroccan friend, we decided to take an hour train from Casablanca to Rabat, the capital of Morocco and what seems like an unspoiled cultural gem.

How do I love Rabat? Let me count the ways...

Kasbah of the Udayas

Am I in Santorini? Oh no, the prices are way too good and I'm not stepping around heaps of tourists dropped off by cruise ships. This walled neighborhood dates back to the 11th century. It's easy to get lost in the winding, white-washed and bright blue streets, but for a couple Dirham tip, one of the local "guides" will show you around. There are beautiful palace gardens, but the highlight was a mint tea and coconut macaroon while overlooking the Bouregreg river at Café Maure. The terrace was an oasis, and a great place to get your bearings.

Medina 

We were guided in and out of the Medina for our delicious dinner at Dinarjat

Rabat's medina was dominated by the delightful Souqs (see below), but deserves its own entry. Unlike most medinas in Morocco, I saw very few tourists. Instead, it was bustling with locals purchasing their produce, enjoying a stroll, and stopping into the cafes for a tea or coffee. Even when we veered off into a quiet side-street, we felt safe. We particularly enjoyed peering into the workshops where they were hammering designs into leather slippers and customizing wooden furniture. We returned at night for a lovely traditional Moroccan dinner at Dinarjat. Men dressed in traditional robes and hats guided us around the dark streets to the inconspicuous door to the restaurant. It was quite the experience!

Mint Tea

 OK maybe this one is all over Morocco, but it still deserves a spot on the highlight reel. I didn't think I would like this - green tea with mint leaves and sugar - but now I want to brew my own. It's possible that the sugar content swayed my tastebuds, or maybe it was the way they poured it from silver teapots as high as their arms could reach into the colorful glass cups, but I am a fan. 

Souqs

This is a main part of my obsession. The main market inside the Medina is the perfect blend of a typical bazaar with ornately carved wooden furniture, colorful carpets, brass decor, handmade leather goods, and lacquered wooden boxes, but without the pressure. No one followed us to "show us" where the best stores were, and we didn't even turn into store keeper magnets when we stepped inside stalls to admire the pieces. It was almost American-style hassle but with Moroccan quality pieces. I can't tell you how many desks and doors we thought about shipping back. I settled with a gorgeous  brass mirror that barely fit in my suitcase, and will be pining to return for years.

River Bouregreg

As if the city wasn't picturesque enough, the shore line of the Bouregreg river was peppered with bright blue rowboats waiting to take residents and tourists alike across the water to Salé, Rabat's sister city known for its colorful pottery. We also witnessed a brave, thick-skinned man enjoying the calm waves with a jet ski. Given he wasn't fazed in the least after falling off several times, I would guess the river is unexpectedly somewhat clean.

The sites

Hassan Tower at sundown

A view of the guard from inside
the Mausoleum of Mohammed V

Once again, we were delighted to be surrounded by locals at the city's main tourist attractions: Hassan Tower and Mausoleum of Mohammed V. Hassan Tower is a gorgeous minaret from the 12th century surrounded by columns from the adjoining mosque that was destroyed in a 1755 earthquake. Today, the site is almost haunting, yet beautiful. Facing the red minaret is the burial site of King Mohammad V and his son, King Hassan II (of the Hassan II Mosque). Guarded 24/7 by fancy-dressed guards, you enter the stark-white building onto an interior balcony, which stretches all around the building and looks onto the tombs of King Mohammad and his two sons. Apparently, there is a man reading the Quran most of the time, however, he was not there when we visited. We visited at sundown, and greatly enjoyed the ensuing photo opportunities.

Casablanca: Small Delights

A wise Moroccan-native advised us to fly into Casablanca, spend the night, and then take a train to one of the more cultural spots in the country. We did just this, and found that a night in Casablanca was delightful, but we were not yearning for more.

We focused on four things during our short trip to Casablanca. If you have a short period in the city, we highly recommend three of the four:

A good dinner

Patrick was lucky enough to be reading a December issue of the New York Times and spot the 36 Hours article was about Casablanca. In the article, they recommend Al-Mounia restaurant for dinner. This was the best meal we had during our trip to Morocco, and also the best atmosphere. Our waiter was hilarious. He did not neglect any opportunity to tease us, but was very helpful as we tried to narrow down our Moroccan food tastes. The small restaurant was quaint and decorated in with Moroccan tiles and brass tables. There was a courtyard outside which would have been delightful without the rain. 

                                          Rick's Café

Playing it again!

Truth: this was in the hotel lobby, not the café

Maybe it's touristy, but we couldn't go to Casablanca without checking out Rick's Café! Disclaimer: Rick's Café did not exist when the 1942 movie was filmed. The Café we see now was opened by Americans in 2004. Even so, the waiters were wearing white jackets, they had their own version of Sam playing piano in the center, and it was a great place to grab a cocktail. We didn't sample the food, but instead sat at the bar for a cosmo and a double old fashioned. I enjoyed every second of our touristy indulgence. 

Hassan II Mosque

This was the highlight of our time in Casablanca, and cannot be missed. The largest mosque in Africa features the tallest minaret in the world, a retractable roof, and an hour-long English tour for 120 Dirhams (~$12). Read more about the Hassan II Mosque here. 

The markets

Smoothie, smoothie sidecar, and a cafe au lait

This was our least favorite of our four focuses, but we enjoyed the glimpse into Casablanca city life. We wandered around the Medina to the Marché Central (again on the advice of the 36 Hours article). Though we didn't find anything at the market (there were several food/meat stalls), we loved the scenery and enjoyed a juice like the locals. Tip: their "smoothies" seem to put a bigger emphasis on the fruit than we do in America, and the result is delicious.

Morocco Spotlight: Casablanca's Hassan II Mosque

If you are visiting Morocco, you will probably want to get a glimpse into the beautiful mosques across the country. After all, if they tile ordinary shops so intricately, can you even imagine a place of worship?
If you are not Muslim, the only opportunity to see inside a mosque in Morocco is the Hassan II mosque in Casablanca. The good news: this is the largest mosque on the continent, and it is pretty spectacular.

Situated on 22 acres overlooking the Atlantic, our jaws immediately dropped as we stepped out of the little red petit-taxi. The grounds are amazing, with covered archways surrounding grandiose courtyards. We arrived before the mosque opened, which enabled us to get amazing views of the mosque and its reflection in the beautiful courtyard leading up to the world's tallest minaret. You can spend a good 30 minutes feeling like a professional photographer before you even get close to the mosque.

The late King Hassan II wished "Casablanca to be endowed with a large, fine building of which it can be proud until the end of time." Though Casablanca may elicit images of romance and fancy cafes, we found that King Hassan II succeeded in his plan: this mosque was truly the highlight of the city. Even in darkness, this mosque offers a sparkle to the facade of Casablanca in the form of the vivid green laser that points toward Mecca from the top of the 689' minaret. It's a very sharp reminder of the Islamic influence throughout the country, and a beautiful way to help guide worshipers during their prayers.

Inside, the details are spectacular. All of the raw materials are from Morocco with the exception of the Venetian glass chandeliers. Surprisingly, it only took six years to build, but with the contribution of over 600 artisans. That carved, wooden roof you see? It's retractable. The sparkling marble and granite floors? Heated. The roped off section? A glass floor section overlooking God's water below. It's amazing to realizing the engineering that went into the plans back in 1987. Jerry Jones should be ashamed of his boring, way-overdue retractable roof at Cowboys Stadium!

They offer one-hour English guided tours for 120 Dirham (~$12) at 9:00 am, 10:00 am, 11:00 am, and 2:00 pm every day but Friday, when tours are only offered at 9:00 am and 2:00 pm. We hopped out of bed to make the 9:00 am tour, and were extremely thankful as we watched the buses unload on our way out. The mosque, which can fit 25,000 worshipers inside and another 80,000 outside, was empty except for our tour of eight and another language tour of five. Remember that you cannot wear shoes inside mosques, so they will give you a plastic bag for you to carry your shoes with you. 

Go early, bring your camera, wear socks, and dress conservatively.  This is the highlight of a trip to Casablanca!