“Nothing is ever the same as they said it was. It’s what I’ve never seen that I recognize.” Diane Arbus
Larry’s all-time favorite movie is “Casablanca,” which has the memorable line, “We’ll always have Paris!” Now, we will always have Casablanca and Paris. Previously, we visited France. And, we docked April 11th in Casablanca, for a 5 day visit in Morocco.
Morocco: Where the Sun Sets
Morocco means “land of the setting sun.” According to ancient legend, this land perched on the edge of Africa was where the world ended. So, it’s fitting that Morocco is the last port from which we return to our Semester at Sea (SAS) ship-home for exploring the world. Then, we sail for 6 days to disembark in Amsterdam.
Intriguing, ancient, modern, beautiful, oppressive, friendly: All these descriptors fit our Morocco experience. Here are highlights.
In Casablanca, the ship docked near a newly built train station. The station had a Starbucks and McDonald’s, alongside a local coffee shop and other local eateries. Upon arrival, we opted for the excellent local coffee. Then, we went to the Hassan II Mosque, the largest in Africa. The blend of Islamic architecture and Moroccan elements was stunning. The geometric designs are beautiful in their simplicity; the minaret is the tallest religious structure in the world.
Meandering the streets of Casablanca was enjoyable. Spicy aromas wafted from local eateries; ancient sites set alongside new buildings and lots of construction. The city had the feel of both being on the move and stuck in the past. The Medina, the central market area, was a maze of vendors with everything from tools to clothing to local leather goods. It was like a flea market on steroids.
Of course, we had to go for dinner at “Rick’s Café,” named after where most scenes in Casablanca took place. We had a fine traditional meal with a delicious Moroccan wine, which had Erlene’s name inscribed. (“Grise” is French in origin; France colonized Morocco.) Unfortunately, though a piano awaited, “Sam” was not there to play. Although over-rated, we are glad we went.
We stayed in Casablanca, taking advantage of the convenience of an enjoyable port and frugality of a pre-paid ship-home. We took two SAS day trips to Fez and Rabat. On both trips, we toured ancient Roman ruins along the way, saw beautiful countryside and seashores, visited local Medina/Market/Mazes. Enchanting!
We enjoyed local meals, especially the tajines. We’ve decided to try making some Moroccan dishes at home! Come join us!
Salaam! Where are the Women?
Throughout our time in Morocco, most of our interchanges were with men: from the security guards to the taxi drivers, shop-keepers, servers, guides, and just people on the street. We had one female tour guide (who called herself “Mama”) and a female server at Rick’s Cafe. In street scenes, we noticed cafes dominated by men. We saw lots of boys playing sports, and rarely girls.
Throughout this voyage, we have noted the impact of religion. A common factor evident in all the major religions is the subjugation of women. In Morocco, 99% of the population is Muslim. We definitely experienced the predominant feature of Islam as a peaceful religion. The beautiful calls to prayer punctuated the day. The greeting of Salaam and heart of peace permeated ordinary encounters.
At the same time, we kept bumping up against the dissonance between our pleasure in this entrancing culture and the oppression perpetuated by this religion. Like other countries we visited, homosexuality is illegal in Morocco! News sources and international gossip claim that the current king is gay.
Keltouma Guercha, our interport lecturer from Morocco, is an expert in women’s issues in Morocco. She shared how the country has made progress. In 2004, the king made radical changes to the Moroccan family law. However, these “radical” changes seem inadequate for women’s equality in a modern age! For instance, the law retracted the requirement for women to obey their husbands, made it more difficult for men to be polygamous, and raised the marriage age to 18. Radical—by what standard?
Namaste! Salaam! Shalom! Peace!
As we travel, we are reminded of the incredible freedoms and progress in human rights in our home country. However, we are increasingly troubled that our country is in danger of taking radical steps backwards. Women’s rights are being eroded. Progress in gay rights is being threatened. Racism is gaining new traction. Xenophobia is being legislated by our government. The divide between the “haves” and “have nots” is growing. And, religion is being used to promote these backward human rights.
Amidst a season of diverse religious holidays, may all religions come together for a better world, for ALL humanity and the planet. This, we pray.
