Today was our first day in Morocco! I got up early to see us pull into the port
of Casablanca. Each port has a Harbor
Pilot, someone who is very familiar with the waters and geography of that
particular harbor, and it’s that person who actually steers the ship in. The Harbor Pilot will come out to meet the
ship in a small boat then jump from the boat onto the ship, a rather dramatic
sight to see I’m told, but I missed it this morning. I was on the starboard side and he jumped on
on the port side. I’ll have other
opportunities, though.
It was a beautiful but chilly morning, with the Hassan II
Mosque appearing out of the early morning mist.
Although I had done some research and knew that Casablanca was no longer
the Casablanca of the 1942 movie, I was
still surprised by the commercial port we pulled into, full of barges and cargo
ships, with huge heavy cranes on shore to load and unload cargo. After breakfast and a shower, we each one of
us had to meet with immigration officials to get our passports stamped before getting
off the ship. And then, finally, we were
set loose! I went on a city orientation tour. We met a bus in the port which then drove us
around town pointing out various highlights, such as the King’s residence, a
medina (old-town shopping district), and the Hassan II Mosque, which I found to
be vast, beautiful, and incredibly moving to be in. Below are some scenes from Morocco.
The Hassan II Mosque appears from out of the early morning mist.
I wasn't the only one who got up early to witness our arrival.
Captain Roman and the harbor pilot observe as the ship is gently nudged into place.
The king's residence in Casablanca (the official residence is in Rabat).
Hassan II Mosque
Our tour guide demonstrates the ritual cleansing in the washing room.
No comments:
Post a Comment