The most beautiful places in Africa

The full name of Morocco is Al-Mamlaka-al-Maghribiya, which means the Western kingdom. For many visitors the country is like a kingdom from the fairy tales, making Marocco the most visited country in Africa, leaving behind South Africa and Tunisia on third place.

What attract tourists here so much, we were about to see during our one day trip in Casablanca and Rabat. Our cruise ship left us in the enormous port of Casablanca, where our local guide Mohammed was waiting for us. He asked us to call him Indy. Our tour began from the main square of Mohammed V, who was named after the grandfather of the present King. There were many beautiful administrative buildings and lots of doves at the ground, while local people in traditional robes look for tourists and offered pictures in exchange for a little tip (called here bakshish).

We headed to the palace of the current King, built in typical Moroccan style. During our way Indy told us interesting facts about the king and country. The present ruler reigns in Morocco for 12 years and he is the first who gave women’s rights. Before that women did not have the right to go out from their homes, and now they can study together with men in the same schools. This made the King very popular and loved, especially considering that the women are 65% from the population of Morocco. This is also the first king who showed his wife to all people. Before that there were many kings but no one knew or seen their wives. Today the prime minister works together with his own wife.

Indy spoke fluently French, and the told us that Morocco has three official languages. The first one is Barbara, the second – Moroccan, which is Arabic dialect and the third one is French. In schools children study in the morning in Arabic language and in the afternoon – in French.

Unnoticeably, wrapped in interesting stories, we sow the lovely palace with beautiful fountains and ceilings with amazing carvings. From here on foot we went to the old town of Morocco called Medina. Almost every Moroccan city consists of three parts – the old town (medina), the Jewish (commercial) part and European (modern) part. In the old part of Casablanca, there were many houses stuck one to another and separated from the buildings across the street only through narrow passageway. Here Indy showed us how from centuries people with different religions lived and got along with each other. Muslims homes differed from the others by the hand of Fatima which they hang on the doors, while on Jewish houses there was a Jewish star.

The most impressive landmark of Casablanca was of course the mosque of Hassan II, which is the second largest mosque in the world, situated right on the Atlantic coast. Its minaret rises to 210 meters height and was completed in 1993. As much as it is beautiful outside, it is even more splendid inside – with rich ornaments and built entirely with local Moroccan materials. Some of the exquisite mosaics turned to be texts from the Koran. Indy took us to the wash basins which were in the form of mushrooms and showed us how Muslims wash themselves 5 times a day: they always wash with the right hand starting from the hands, then mouth, face, ears and finally legs.

From the cosmopolitan and industrial city of Casablanca, we head for Rabat – the political and administrative center of the country, traveling by bus through dessert regions. We started our tour from the Medina (the old part), which is separated by stone walls and many palm trees. All houses in the old town were white with light blue underneath. These colors were typical for the people of the desert and their towels which covered their heads. Today only the rich people can afford a house here, as it is the quietest part of the city.

Particularly impressive in Rabat is the mausoleum of Mohamed V, in which we could not enter because at this very time, the kind was inside, and many guards stood outside. We made lots of pictures outside, where the Hassan Tower with 300 columns stood. A long ago the construction of the largest mosque in the world began, but the king suddenly died and the constructions stopped and only the minaret and the columns still remain.

Our little tour around Morocco could not pass without visiting many of their open markets, and you can not say that you have been really in Arab country until you spend some time bargaining with sellers for a better price.

The daily trip passed with many stories and buildings from thousand and one night story, understanding what inspires and continues to attract millions of tourist here.

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT MOROCCO:

Location: Kingdom of Morocco is situated in northwest Africa, having both Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines, boarders with  Algeria to the east and Western Sahara to the south.
Capital: Rabat
Area: 446 550 sq.km