Casablanca
While not my favorite city, there’s just something about Casablanca that charms me every time. Perhaps it’s the art deco or the fact that nearly all the signs look 30 years old, but it’s always a great place to stroll around.
An example of Casa’s fine colonial architecture
The famous Cinema Rialto and not-as-famous Cafe Billiard (Hamza says that’s a real pool table)
Arabic readers, please read the Arabic on the “The Man” sign.
Funky old tourism office. Guess Casa doesn’t see many tourists nowadays.
I truly wish I knew what to tell you about this sculpture.
The sad tale of the Hotel Lincoln, a local landmark burned quite awhile back with no current plan.
The fat cats of Casa.
Rather majestic, no?
Surprisingly, you don’t see these Coca-Cola signs in Arabic all that often
Gatsby?
Buffet in Morocco? That’s something you don’t see too often!
Qadeem wa jdid
And if you get the chance, take a taxi to Snack Yamine, which has only five things on its menu - a fried fish plate for either one, two, three, four or five people.
June 19th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
Totally agree that while not the top city, Casa has it’s charms. The architecture and old signage are great. I’m ready to go back there and search out Snack Yamine (where is it?) And waht does the arabic script say on “The Man” shop signage?
June 19th, 2007 at 7:58 pm
Hey Mike!
Snack Yamine…hmm, well, there are two right across the street from one another, I can tell you that. Around the corner from Cinema Rialto - couldn’t tell you the street, but take a taxi there and ask.
As for the signage, it says, literally “Thooman.” As in, a transliteration of “the man.”
June 19th, 2007 at 11:45 pm
Oh my hometown..Good memories.For Snack Amine, I don’t know whether you are talking about the famous Snack AMine in Derb Ghallef ,close to the popular souk or not. I personally make sure I visit Snack Amine everytime I visit Morocco.They sell fried Sole, Shrimp, pulp and Merlan(French name).Very yummy.
If you are a visitor of Casa and you like BBQed ground camel meat, horse meat, or beef make sure you go to Baladiya which is near Habous.Go there on summer night, buy your ground meat from the butcher and take it to nextdoor grillers .Sit down and mix with the locals and enjoy your Moroccan burgers with some nice mint tea.Awsssssssssssssssssome.
June 20th, 2007 at 12:47 am
So … can you order fish at Snack Yassine? Just curious.
June 20th, 2007 at 1:12 am
I’m sorry to post here but wasn’t sure where to ask you this. How did your husbands interview go at the Consulate? My husband had the blonde lady. I’m sending out lots of prayers for those still waiting for their interviews. I know first hand how stressful it is.
Will you bring your cats back with you to the U.S. ???
I LOVE Casa even if I only spent a short time there. It reminded me of a smaller version of NYC
June 20th, 2007 at 1:46 am
I LOOOOOOOVE Snack Amine - if you mean the one near the port…
June 20th, 2007 at 5:35 am
Hey Taam,
Getting excited about going back to Casa, eventually, now. If it’s just around the corner from the Rialto I’ll be able to find it. Is one better than the other? Where do you guys stay in Casa? I’ve ony stayed at the Colbert (I had to, having wacthed the Colbert Report too many times)
Is Snack Yamine the same as Snack Amine that Adilski and Liosliath mentioned? I’ll have to try them all! I also like the sound of Adilski’s mention of the places at Baladiya.
June 20th, 2007 at 8:43 am
I love these transliterations, they’re so funny. I often see them on Arabic tv. Like the tv station that’s called إنفينيتي
June 20th, 2007 at 9:53 am
thanks for the pic of the tourist office. I was inside to ask for a map of casa. A real funky place!
June 20th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
It says “thee man” in Arabic. waaw can be accented waa, wee, woo (or sukoon also).
June 20th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
@ Monsieur Mike and others - this one was clearly labeled “Yamine” not “Amine” and is not near the port, however, I think I’ll have to try the one you refer to now too!
@ Barbara - me too.
@ Fadna - Thanks for letting me know! It’s still funny though, as if it were my shop, I would have translated, not transliterated, the name.
June 20th, 2007 at 9:09 pm
What a city!! I love evrything in casa, even its garbage.
June 21st, 2007 at 10:54 am
Fabulous photo tour. Thank you for sharing. I will write down the Snack shop address, can you get the fish there?
June 21st, 2007 at 12:15 pm
You can indeed get fish at Yamine.
June 26th, 2007 at 11:57 pm
Really nice job on the pictures, dear. I will be following your next moves and hope this moroccan report will rapidly get a little bit more fluffy.
Ah by the way, I forgot to tell you I’ve got this tiny stealing disorder, I hope you won’t mind if, one day or another, somme of your picture end up on my Casablancasylum.
June 27th, 2007 at 12:10 am
Thanks! Fluffiness is always good. Don’t worry about your stealing disorder, if you link to me, all is forgiven.
June 27th, 2007 at 12:22 am
we’ve got a deal! but a little link on your blog would’nt hurt me either
lovely night
June 27th, 2007 at 11:01 am
sure thing, will link to you as well!