July 14, 2012
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08.07.2012 Play it again, Sam.
The advantage of having the Lonely Planet guide for Morocco on my iPad (Kindle version) is obviously that it adds no weight to my luggage. The disadvantage is that it is tremendously difficult to pretend that your iPad is and old, well-read and a bit torn guide book and of no interest to potential pickpockets. Anyway, as today is Saturday and the centre of Casablanca was virtually deserted this morning, I decided to take my chances and just do the Lonely Planet city walk with iPad in hand.
It was great to see all the buildings in Art Deco style in the centre of Casablanca – many of the 16 points of interest in the Lonely Planet walk were just that, Art Deco exhibits. Never before have I actually done a walking tour where a third of the stops were hotels, but there were some very useful stops as well. La Princiere Salon de The for example, where I stopped for a delightful pre-breakfast.
Many of the stops also seemed to be favourite spots for ad-hoc football games, for example in front of the well-worn and deserted Cathedrale du Sacre Coeur (now turned art centre). However, the most interesting but least impressive stop was probably the pavement cafe Petit Poucet, where Edit Piaf and Albert Camus used to hang out back in the day. Perhaps the unimpressiveness of this place was due to the fact that it was closed and the street empty. The spot that was the easiest too recognize was the fabulous art-deco styled Cinema Rialto.
A large part of today was taken up by a car journey to Fez – delightfully scenic but pretty uneventful. However, a must-do stop before leaving Casablanca was Rick’s Cafe, where my sister and I stopped for tea and the opportunity to soak in the cinematographic atmosphere. When my sister walked up to the piano, grabbing a pretend-microphone, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t the first time the waiters had seen that happening. “Play it again” Sam,” my sister said in a husky voice. Not. But I’m sure she wanted to.
The super-narrow alleyways in the Old Town of Fez made it a bit difficult to get to our hotel on arrival, but what they lacked in easy-access, they more than made up for in character and that tremendous old-town feel and atmosphere. We stayed at the Dar Mehdi Hotel, and I really recommend this stunning traditional-house-turned-hotel in the middle of the Old Town.
Food was great, too. We found a restaurant with a roof terrace next to one the Bou Jeloud Gate. A great ending to a great day.
Comments (2)
I was expecting at th end of the story, the Ipad to be stolen, but not. You’re a good writer. Never write what you expect to read.
Your blog make me aware how little I know of the World. Fez? a nice name, could be in Mexico.
@carlo - I guess Fez might not be that familiar. It was the capital of Morocco from 789AD until quite recently so it has an amazing history.