Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca

Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca
Originally uploaded by crisis-tour.

This takes our story back to mid-December '05. A "kinder, gentler time". Our last stop in Morocco was Casablanca. The city of myth and romance if we were to believe the communist Hollywood film makers. The truth is . . . don't believe the hype! Casa is a dump! Most of the city seemed abandoned, with lots of closed shops, cinderblock style architecture sprinkled with a few burned out hollowed facades leftover from the heyday of French colonialism.

We went to visit Rick's Cafe, a cafe tribute to the film "Casablanca", but even that was closed. Waaaaaaaaah! Our hotel, even at European prices doubled as a brothel at night and not in a good way and not as enjoyable as the film version would lead you to believe.