Day 3 - October 12 - Casablanca Rabat and Tangier

The day went much better than it started. We met our guide at 8:30 for a tour of the mosque. Those who had visited on their own yesterday got to sleep in as we only picked them up at 10.

We walked to the mosque as it is only about a 5 minutes walk from our hotel. Youssef passed us on to the guide who was giving us the tour of the mosque. After giving us part of the tour she told us to go take pictures by the window and in 10 minutes would take us to see the rest but she never showed. Somehow the group, while looking for her got separated. We couldn't find our way out. After much turning around we finally found our way outside and finally found Youssef waiting for the group. With all of that the group was late leaving for the day.

The mosque though, is very interesting as it is the only mosque in the country that allows non Muslims in. It is the world 's tallest at 210 meters and can hold 25,000 worshippers inside. 20,000 men and 5,000 women. There is room for an addition 80,000 people outside. They started the construction in 1987 and finished in 1993. With 10,000 craftsmen working 24\7 in 3 rotating shifts. Everything in the mosque is from Morocco except the chandeliers that are from Morano Venice and 2 rectangular sections of white marble in the front that are from France.

Section where women pray.

We then had a panoramic tour of Casablanca. There are Moroccan flags flying everywhere because the king is visiting the city. We stopped at the Mohammed V Square, also known as Pigeon Square (the kings palace) as our guide called it for a quick photo stop.

Rick's Café - Inspired from the movie Casablanca.

Casa-Port administrative complex in Casablanca

The next stop was in Rabat where the official King's residence is. Rabat is the capital of Morocco and all the embassies are here.

Avenue Mohammed V, sometimes referred to Les Champs-Élysées in Rabat.

We then made our way to the Mausoleum. It contains the tombs of the Moroccan king Mohammed V and his two sons, late King Hassan II and Prince Abdallah.

Unfinished mosque.

Next to the Mausoleum is the Hassan Tower and the mosque that was started around 1191-1195 by Sultan Yaqub al-Mansur but it never. Sultan Yaqub al-Mansur died in 1199 and the construction of the mosque stopped due to lack of funds. 

Rabat is also known as the city of gardens. We saw the Mohamed VI Tower (250 meters tall) and the Grand Theatre of Rabat.

We also walked through the 12th century kasbah in Rabat which is all white instead of the blue that it was there originally. They changed the colour when it became a designated UNESCO site. We were told that it is against the law to have an airbnb in the Kasbah.

Sale - Across the river from Rabat.

We ate a late lunch at a restaurant by the river that separates Rabat from Sale.

Views from the restaurant.

Old Portuguese fort.

On the way to our final destination in Tangier. We saw many farms, hot houses with bananas, tangerines and avocados as well as many cork trees.

It was a long day with more than 12 hours on the road.