Go to Morocco and not see the city of Casablanca, I generally consider an unforgivable mistake. I personally, at the mention of this city, there were associations with songs about this city and really wanted to visit him. In Casablanca, I flew at night and at this time of day the city seemed very beautiful to me. And then in my arsenal there was still a week and guide in the hands, so that everything should be examined. I will start with the fact that Moroccans are not at all like other Arabs, for example, to the Egyptians. They have all the specific features of the face and they say they are in Arabic in a having word with French. The long occupation of the French has affected. I want to say that there is one convenience in the city for tourists. In Casablanca, even in the summer, when a high temperature is visible on the thermometer, it is still very comfortable for the wind from the ocean.
Another feature of the rest is that the beach is mostly resting for men, marocal women are very few, only tourists. The marrocks do not sunbathe, just sit there or play football. There is not valued tanned skin. The skin color is white, the more cooler is considered. And the man is still coming to tourists to admire. And this is understandable, because the favorite occupation of Moroccan men do nothing. And this is actually so. Women have something busy all the time, and men or so on the beach are lying on or hookah smoke. And the beaches are specially not equipment for sunbathing, by the way. But near the beaches there are beach clubs with pools. By paying about 500 rubles, you can swim there at least all day and the ocean view from there is beautiful.
For tourists except Taxi, another very convenient way to move around the city is a tram. But this is not such a murdered public transport, which elsewhere wheel in Russia. These are very modern and beautiful trams with comfortable seats and air conditioners. They can be reached almost to any sights of Casablanca. I remembered these trams to me, Istanbul. Only in Casablanca should be bought tickets, not tokens. They can then be replenished up to 10 times. Tram stops declare in French and Arabic. Why, I do not know. Maybe they think that not all Moroccans know both of these languages or there are a lot of tourists from France.But with taxi drivers in Casablanca, it is necessary to communicate only as a last resort, they are still challenges. It is necessary to negotiate about the price with them immediately and bargain to the last, and when you come to the destination to find out what has been 5 times more than planned.
Casablanca is a very beautiful city or maybe it seems to me because I love the combination of modernity and traditional buildings. And such buildings are found there at every step.
And I as an amateur story studied the guidebook well and tried to see everything that was possible in this city.
In general, the name of the city is not related to the Arabs. It translates from Spanish as a white city. And now it is Morocco's business center and on the reviews of local residents among Moroccans to live in Casablanca is considered prestigious. However, they are not only the fans of new technologies and European innovations, they are still careful and respectfully relate to their history and culture.
And besides, Casablanca is a beautiful and important city, there is still the largest port in Morocco. And the port is obliged to the port of Berbers who chose this place and called this settlement of the Antfer. But in the 15th century, Portuguese pirates decided that there would be enough Berbers to use such beauty and simply burned their settlement. And at this place was founded a new city and called Casablanca.
And now, after centuries, this city has become one of the most important cities of Morocco and one can say that this is the center of its international trade. The city has a fairly large airport and railway station.
But not everything in Casablanca is perfect, of course. Basically, tourists visit the city center, where everything is quite pure and civilized. And if you walk a little further, you can see not very beautiful places. Sometimes there are mountains of garbage not less than in Cairo. Beggars there are less than less, but they still have and not very beautifully it looks in the city.
In general, there are interesting to visit the place
Medina
Medina or Old Town is not very attractive.
Just there is not very clean and many beggars. They stick to people all the time. In this part of the city you can see the unsightly life of Moroccans. In medina, narrow, tangled streets and not very beautiful old houses. Also there are not very beautiful markets. It is worth going except for copper. There artisans make and sell various interesting products from copper. Tourists usually do not lead there. There is no worth walking in the dark. Very frequent robbery of tourists.
For them, the government built a new medina. Just there is very interesting and beautiful. Tourists will come inside houses and show chic oriental interiors. Inside each house, there is always a fabulous courtyard with a fountain. There, there are so many shops and markets, where a large selection of souvenirs and not only. In a new medina, you can buy clothes, antiques, interior items, and in general, everything that your heart is. And, of course, there must be bargaining. New Medina contrasts sharply with old. There are beautiful houses and clean streets. And as already in Morocco, there was traditionally, even their national medina, neither they were built, and the French on the project of French architects in 1920. It turns out the French can show the life of Morocco better than the Moroccans themselves.
Mosque Khasan II.
This mosque is the main attraction of Casablanca. It should be seen at least because it has the highest minaret in the world. The mosque is built on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean and this is actually an outstanding and majestic building.
I want to say that even with this near the holy place there are taxi drivers-businessmen who offer their services in astronomical prices.
In the mosque, you can enter people of different religions, not only Muslims. But you need to respect religion and women to dress modestly and cover your head.Men in shorts are also better not to enter and, of course, everyone is obliged to remove shoes before entering.
It is natural, not all the sights of Casablanca. In general, this city must be seen with its own eyes.