Casablanca: My Moroccan Masterpiece

We took the first shuttle to the Hassan II Mosque and arrived just as the morning sun hit the minaret – 210 m tall, the tallest religious structure in the world. The interior is jaw-dropping – cedar ceilings carved like lace, zellige tiles in every color, and the Atlantic visible through glass floors in the ablutions hall. We joined the English tour and stood in silence while the scale sank in.

We went to Rick's Café (yes, the movie recreation) for piano music and perfect Moroccan salads. In the afternoon we explored the Habous quarter – the "new medina" built by the French, cleaner, with bookshops and patisserie smelling of almond pastries. The pros: the mosque alone is worth the call. The cons: Casablanca is a big working city, not a tourist fantasy – but that's its charm.