Casablanca, Morocco.

Casablanca is a city I have always wanted to visit and I am not sure why. The modern Moroccan capital is a long ways from the romantic Oceanside city we all imagine from the old Hollywood movie. These days the city is filled with crime, religious tensions, extreme wealth & poverty, etc. However, if you look close enough you can still find the charm of this historic city. Lindsay and I arrived in Casablanca around 1:00 am on a flight from Cairo, Egypt. After taking a very expensive taxi ride into the city (can't bargain much at 1:00 am) we checked into our hotel and crashed. The next morning we had about 4-5 hours to experience the city before we caught the afternoon train to Marrakesh. We walked around and explored on our own and eventually picked up a cab to take us back to the Hotel. We ended up really loving our Cab Driver and asked if we could hire him for a quick "whirlwind tour" of his city. What followed was a fun morning of great sights, great conversation and just plain fun. The first place he took us was the old historic fort that used to protect the city. Up next was the beautiful and GIGANTIC Hassan II Mosque that sits right on the edge of the sea. We then "cruised" the upscale beaches, neighborhoods and districts. We finished off the morning at a beach that had a small island just off the coast full of dense, white buildings. It turns out this tiny island is a village full of very poor inhabitants that simply swim, float or walk (during low tide) to shore if they need too. We ended up really enjoying Casablanca and only wished we had more time to experience more of this fascinating city.