Our very own Morocco Mole, Nick Hammond, takes his family to the country’s western coast…
The sound of the Muezzin calling the faithful to prayer one last time lifts and floats on the sultry night air.
From my prime position atop a riad roof terrace in the heart of the old medina, the first soaring refrain of what will become a common and reassuring staple of our ensuing days serves as a good enough welcome to Casablanca as any.
It’s a wonderful old town, sprawling and splendid, from its dirty corner cobblestones to its bright and artistic seafront. Cats sprawl contentedly in in their hundreds; trinket and spice stalls vie for position among mobile phone shops and heavy-shelved supermarkets. This is north Africa without the hassle – for, unlike its country cousin in Marrakech, coastal Casablanca is a lot less frenetic and frustrating for the inquisitive traveller.
I’m delighted to discover late that first night that a cold bottle of Casablanca beer is still available at the nearby prestigious bar of the Hyatt Regency Hotel – and what’s more, you can enjoy a smoke with your beer if that’s what you fancy, too; nobody bats an eyelid.
But another hotel group entirely is our main reason for visiting Morocco in a two-site extravaganza, and it proves more than enough of a draw for two parents and two just about adult daughters to vow to return at the end of an exhilarating stay.
The Four Seasons Casablanca is set impeccably on the beach front, so you can choose to wend your way through the gardens and onto the sand of the enormous beach or simply pull up a lounger at the pool and enjoy the sunshine from there. Of sunshine, there is little shortage; yet even in July, the temperatures here (again, unlike in Marrakesh) are refreshed by the sea breeze and while hot, are never debilitating.
After one sweaty wander, I stumble across a magnificent fresh fish market. You may not automatically associate Morocco with seafood, but on this west coast, you should; Morocco’s seafood is magnificent. Giant lobsters wave claws, bags of clams nestle in crushed ice, fish of every size and hue are proudly proffered as you pass and just outside, I spy a run-down little restaurant, the owner of which, for a few Dirhams, happily scuttles into the market and buys a few fishy treats to cook for you.
Add in some chickpea and avocado concoctions, some fresh bread, and a cold bottle of water and a superb and cheap lunch follows in mid-medina surroundings. While I munch, a handful of the devout pray beside me once the Muezzin has done his lunchtime thing. It’s a wonderful welcome to this eye-catching city and I only get briefly pestered by a wee lad selling this and that and he even apologises and moves off when I politely decline his wares.
Daughter No.1 and I nip into Rick’s Café while Daughter No.2 and her mother continue to pootle and shop. Rick’s is purposely designed to recreate the bar from Casablanca the movie, where Bogie saw Bergman and couldn’t believe his eyes. It’s a tourist trap for sure, but a good one, nonetheless, and a perfect spot for a cooling cocktail after exploring the Medina. Bar staff are fun, and we manage to get in and out without hearing As Time Goes By, which must be a first.
A cheap and modern tram system deposits you in the glittering Corniche, where sand meets sea and there are plenty of places to spend your Dirhams. It’s a safe and interesting place to explore. An evening dining at Dar Dada comes highly recommended, with belly dancing, fusion Moroccan menu (I had Saint Pierre or John Dory and there was tagine action) and a highlight was the Four Seasons’ incredible breakfast offering with breathtaking views of the crashing surf.
As well as traditional Moroccan pastries, fruit and delicious homemade Amlu – an oily spread made with Argan Oil, almonds and honey – you could order just about anything you could think of. Like one of my favourites, Huevos Rancheros, for example. I do like to be contrary. And accompany it with, of course, lashings of sweet mint tea, poured from a height into thick, locally blown glass.
Our personal guide takes us to the incredible Hussan II Mosque – the second largest in Africa, with the world’s tallest minaret at 689ft. Its scale and intricacy beggars belief, and it proves a serene and uplifting experience.
One feature of Moroccan culture which makes perfect sense to me is the ancient use of communal ovens. Here, giant woodfired ovens downtown provide daily goodies from the bakery – but locals can also bring their pots, pans, dishes and cuts of meat and fish and return for them at allotted times – to find them cooked to perfection. What a brilliant way of ensuring great quality food production, cookery and consumption at a minimal cost. And the dinner party host is free to join the fun without dashing back and forth from the kitchen – genius!
Our last night in Casablanca was spent in the very cool Kyub, a ground floor restaurant overlooking the beach, complete with warm sea breeze, a lovely couple of young staffers and octopus, calamari and mocktails (fair warning – this place is dry as it is in close proximity to the mosque). After a late brunch and a cigar on the terrace, our driver awaited to whisk us to Rabat – and a whole new level of decadence.
Watch this space.
For more information about Four Seasons Casablanca, including details of experiences and city tours, please visit www.fourseasons.com.
Nick’s family adventure in the lesser-travelled parts of Morocco continues next weekend…
