Hotel Astrid Casablanca

... 30-45 minutes to a small Berber village, where we had their famous sweet mint tea and some pastries. Then we rode vans back to the bus, and took the bus to our hotel. I think I’ve said this before but one of the nice things about taking trips through Semester at Sea is that the hotels are always very nice (usually at least 4 star). I think that’s part of SAS’s schtick, and of course we’re paying for it but as part of their ...

... old French on a square with little shops & cafes and the windows have shutters. The 1920's French influence will be a feature of Casablanca. The Hotel is in the old Medina so a wander is called for through the souks. Now I have left the tourists behind, this is somewhat more real - local stalls, rubbish, and a pervasive smell of pee - altogether more Morocco. There is no real tourist attractions ...

... people to like me, but i'd like to think that i write these travel blogs less to inflate my own importance and more as a mental pressure release. when i travel by myself in a new place it's hard not to soak up every aspect like a sponge. but, after a few days, and the realization that my camera, albeit quiet and seemingly attentive, is not listening, i need to squeeze that sponge. comparing everybody to a mop bucket was not the intended goal. i ...

... was just amazing in the city and even the entire country. We visited the palace and the royal tombs, as well as going to the huge market. The market was an interesting experience... I mean, a group of Americans definitely stands out, especially when you have girls in the group with blonde hair and fair skin. They had it a little rough. I mean, the worst that happened to me is that someone asked a guy in the group how much he would sell his girlfriend for... meaning me ...

... out of the neck, per Skippy this is to demonstrate it's freshness.  I had to shake off a Lord of the Flies flashback and continue on.  Once we worked our way out of the old Medina (another of the World's Largest Flea Markets) we tried to locate the Hassan II Mosque.  We found it, but not before touring the ghetto of Casablanca.  Ironic that the Mosque which cost $750 Million to build, is right next to one of the poorest ...

... grandstanded them by taking one of the snakes in her hand. You'll notice my pictures are taken from some distance. You have to pay individuals to take a picture of them-I paid a snake guy just to stay away. We went to see the outside of the Ali ben Youssef mosque, the oldest in Morocco, built in the 12th century, and also to see a La Bahia, a 19th-century palace that housed a king and his wives and concubines, and the royal Saadian tombs. The market square is ...

... harmless.  We finally decided on a small grill stall ran by three young boys, the oldest probably about fifteen years old.  They were very smiley and patient with our terrible French and indecision, helping us decipher what each item on the menu was with some enthusiastic sign language and mixed French and Arabic.  We went for the most expensive thing on the menu, and after leaving him a large tip the cost of our dinner hadn't quite reached four ...

... back to the African coast, which as with most things we do, is the opposite way of others. However, determined to stay on that path less travelled we have set our sights on Casablanca. This should be a three day and three night sail with winds forecast to be reasonably favourable (we'll see?). It sounds exciting and exotic and we do hope not an unsafe place to take the family. There is a yacht club there, so we hope to arrive some time Wednesday and stay a day or so ...

... country open to non-muslims, was on our second day schedule in Casa. The third largest mosque in the world -- in line behind Mecca and Medina ...

... the information screens in the small foyer just inside the doors. It was a miserable and desperate sight, everyone sensing there was a real possibility that they may not be getting away after all. Every few minutes an announcement was made, cancelling yet another flight. Some people were in tears, frantic to get home to their families for Christmas. We were sent upstairs to wait in the arrivals hall to wait to see if our flights were ...