Morocco

Got back late sunday night from Morocco. On Friday, four of us (Chris, Tacker, Sarah from Davidson and I) took a bus to Madrid and got a flight there to Casablanca. Sarah has a friend that traveled to Casablanca last semester, so we used her same itinerary. We stayed in a really beautiful hostel, decorated in true Moroccan style. Deep purples and blues, ornate lamps, and lush carpets. Ate lots of crepe like bread, marmalade, honey, and drank a good amount green minty tea. The weather was dismal on Saturday, so we toured the Hassan II Mosque, the third largest in the world. The entire thing, inside and out, is covered in marble, and it's built jutting out over the Atlantic. Quite a sight. Seeing the Atlantic from the other side was also very neat. We toured through the old arab quarters, the medina, which was full of little shops and shady vendors.
Casablanca is certainly not like the romantic depictions you see in the movie, however. It's a very dirty city, and the uneven distribution of wealth is disgusting, with highrisess and villas overlooking vast slums. I really enjoyed going to a city that wasn't very touristy. I feel like I got a glimpse into the real experience of Moroccan life.
Just kinda sad I didn't see a camel.
Oh, and of course, as we took a cab to the airport on Sunday, the it was 80 degrees and sunny.