Morocco is the only country in the Arab world ruled by a dynasty that predates World War I (the current king Mohammed VI belongs to the Alaouite dynasty, which started ruling Morocco in 1666), and also the only Arab country not conquered by Ottoman Turkey back in the 15-16th centuries. This makes Morocco unique in having a continuous tradition of nationhood among Arab countries. Morocco's past glories also included two empires based in Marrakech during the 11th to 13th centuries that annexed the southern half of Spain as well as neighboring countries in North Africa.
Our day tour of Morocco began at the port of Casablanca. The first stop is the gigantic Hassan II Mosque, the third largest mosque in the world with a 200 meter tall minaret. This lavishly decorated new mosque is dramatically situated on Casablanca's Atlantic shoreline, its minaret like a huge lighthouse.
The rest of the day's attractions will be in Rabat, Morocco's (diplomatic) capital. First we explored the Chellah city, a ruined Roman and Merinid city on the outskirts of Rabat. The city walls and gates are majestic and covered by fine arabesque carvings. Inside the walls there was an exquisite mosque ruin from the Merinid dynasty (13-15th centuries), with a finely tiled minaret. A flock of noisy storks has nested on top of the ruined masonry structures, including the minaret. The ruined walls take on an uneven orange ochre tone, with the wide Bou Regreg river as the backdrop the views are evocative of a bygone time.
Heading further into the center of Rabat, we arrived at the Mohammed V Mausoleum, which is at the site of the unfinished 12th century Almohad mosque with a giant unfinished minaret - Hassan Tower. This would have been the world's largest mosque with the tallest minaret, if Caliph Yaqub Al-Mansur had lived longer. Still the 44m high tower is very impressive, with a forest of unfinished stone columns on this vast platform overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The necropolis of recent Alaouite kings in the mausoleum is guarded by Berber Calvarymen in full regalia. The marble-clad building resembles a mini-Taj Mahal with the Moroccan style pyramidal roof, it's quite photogenic.
Heading ever closer to the Atlantic Ocean, we arrived at the Portuguese founded Oudaya Kasbah, a mini walled city at the wide mouth of Bou Regreg river. Containing a palace compound now converted into the "Andalucian Gardens", its plantings seem not in the best shape although the garden's setting inside high crenelated walls is nice. After sitting down to take in Moroccan sweet mint tea, we walked through the atmospheric narrow twisting alleys in the Kasbah which are uniformly painted in Greek blue and white tones. Although there is some local life in the Kasbah, we didn't see the lively market scene we were expecting, later we found out it's because it's a Friday, the Islamic prayer day (like a Sunday for Christian tradition).
Lunch was at a beach restaurant with views of very violent Atlantic surf crashing on the shoreline, but still there were locals jogging on the beach. The Moroccan lunch with chicken and lamb couscous was truly sumptuous, with four courses and local red wine.
In the afternoon we returned to casablanca to explore the fashionable beach promenade where locals come to see and be seen. A poster with a picture of King Mohammed VI and his big family proclaims that Morocco is the "land of freedom, peace, tolerance, and stability". I hope Morocco continues to progress while maintaining its extraordinary stability, this beautiful land and its hardworking people deserve no less.
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