The trip to Casablanca was sad because we knew that the trip was ending. Casablanca is also on the ocean so our drive was due north. Beautiful field of wildflowers along the road.

Hassan II Mosque is the largest in Africa and possibly the 3rd largest in the world. It holds 25,000 worshippers inside and 80,000 on the outside courtyards. The mosque was designed by a French architect and took six years to build and was completed in 1993.

The mosque was built over the Atlantic Ocean as the Koran says that God’s throne was built upon the water. In the winter the marble floors are heated. In the summer the roof retracts to let in the ocean breezes. 6000 master craftsmen worked on this building carving intricate patterns in the cedar wood ceilings from the Middle Atlas Mountains and the pink granite from Agadir. The gates were made from brass and titanium.

In the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi we were required to wear burka/caftans and our hair had to be covered. In this mosque we were only required to remove our shoes.

At the end of our tour we got back on the bus and drove through the Beverly Hills section of Morocco where the cheapest home costs $5 million. Several homes were owned by the royal Saudi family and Khalid said they only visit every 4 or 5 years. Khalid was born and raised in the Casablanca medina and still lives here.

We checked into our hotel, The Kenzi Towers, a modern high rise. We were immediately given COVID tests because everyone but Peggy and I were leaving in the morning. They gave us the test also but faked the date so they would not have to come back the next day and give us the test. We learned during dinner that everyone was negative and could go home. 😦

We had a beautiful farewell dinner on the 28th floor of this exquisite hotel. Because Peggy and I were forced to stay an extra day because our flight was cancelled, Khalid got our room upgraded to a high floor with a view of the mosque and the ocean.

Adieu Morocco! I will return!