Day 30 - Casablanca

Today was very interesting to say the least. We were quite blown away by the difference in culture. There is so much to say but ill try and keep it short. Before coming to Casablanca we read a lot of forums and travel guides and everyone said mostly horrible things about the city and suggested grabbing the first train out. In yesterday's cab ride from train station to hotel we saw groups of people gathering on the streets for prayer. Our driver reminded us that we were here during a very religious holiday; it was Ramadan. This lasts for three weeks and during this time Muslims fast from sunrise  to sunset (no food or water). When we woke up this morning we took the opportunity to eat breakfast at our hotel because we knew that finding food in town would prove to be very difficult. Our breakfast was delicious! Complete with hard boiled eggs, various breads and spreads, tea, and freshly squeezed orange juice. With our tummies full we began our adventure towards the old town of medina where the markets were happening. We were obviously dressed quite conservatively, wearing pants and long sleeves; thankfully it wasn't too hot. On our way there we noticed a few typical things of Casablanca: large cockroaches, bad smells, and no crosswalks. Everyone literally crossed at their own will/risk. Running through traffic is probably one of the scariest things we had to deal with. When we arrived to the markets we were amazed. So many cool rugs, jewelry, tea sets, hookahs, purses, mirrors, and much more. I wanted to buy everything! I limited myself to one necklace because I knew there would be better things with better prices in Marrakech. We also walked through a food market where we almost saw a chicken get decapitated, but we ran away quickly. We had quite a few men come up to us and talk to us, asking where we were from and welcoming us to Morocco, but overall nothing too creepy. We bought some fresh pancake bread things that some ladies were making on the street and some olives and headed back to our hotel where we could eat more discretely. Because there isn't much to see in Casablanca, as it is the commercial/economic capital, we spent the next few hours napping and watching 2.5 men in our room. We would have gone to see the Hassan II mosque (the largest mosque in the country and 7th largest in the world) but unfortunately it is closed on Fridays. For dinner we planned on going to what was rated the 10th best restaurant in Casablanca, situated inside a beautiful old fortress. It was getting a bit dark but judging from our not so scary  morning we thought it would be alright to walk there; it was only 8pm. On our way to dinner we could not believe our eyes. The streets were completely empty, deserted, nobody anywhere. No people, no cars. The strangest thing I've ever seen. Everyone was at home feasting after fasting all day. As we walked further we started getting pestered by a few people who started showing up on the streets. As it got darker, we walked faster. Local ladies on the street warned us to be careful of where we were walking. When we finally got to the restaurant, which looked beautiful and delicious, we didn't end up eating there because it was $40 per person (buffet) and that was way over budget for us. One of the waiters kindly ordered us a cab, as we were doing no more walking. Many restaurants were closed because of Ramadan, but we finally got dropped off at some seafood place. Dinner here was a bit cheaper, but nothing special. When finished we took another cab home and watched some more tv, eagerly awaiting the morning for when we would hop on the first train to Marrakech.