DAY 32. Dec. 1. Casablanca, Morocco

The warning of last night that swells were running high enough that when we turn into the harbor there could be significant rolling (the stabilizers will likely be retracted, I figure) so passengers should stay in their cabins until we are in the harbor. That didn't happen, the rolling that is. The seas had moderated.

The Maasdam worked into the harbor just before dawn, pulled a 90 and backed in along a commercial pier at 0705. This is the busiest pier we have been blessed with this trip. There is a large grain or something elevator/silos, then rail cars loaded with who-knows-what, The pier is loaded with steel rails, mountains of scrap metal, huge piles of finely crushed rock or something, steel bars, puddles of water and cranes. Trucks and forklifts are dashing about and beeping.

UAE Yacht

View from our deck

At 0800 we went down the gangway, waded through some puddles and climbed aboard a motor coach which whisked us through part of the city then onto a freeway and we headed North along the coast for the city of Rabat. Along the way we observed many apartment buildings and very few individual homes. The apartment buildings were relatively new to under-construction which indicates massive housing availability. Still, a few shanty towns could be seen. Rabat is a modern town and capital of Morocco.

Mosque in Casablanca

at the Mosque in Casablanca

We got out at the Hassan II Mosque but could only view the outside. Across the square was the Royal Palace which we viewed from the front.

King's Palace

Another stop was at the Mohamed V mausoleum.

Berber waterman

Guard to Mosque and mausoleum

guard at mausoleum

Then the old town and the souks and Kasbah. (Another UNESCO site.)

Kasbah scene

In the Kasbah

cafe

city scene

Then back to Casablanca where we managed a brief visit to a potion shop then off to a souvenir shop for a few minutes followed by a leisurely drive through afternoon traffic of downtown until finally reaching the ship. Forget any romantic images of Casablanca as a sleepy city with clean whitewashed buildings and donkeys pulling carts.