Hassan Mosque And Moroccan Cuisine

Hassan Mosque And Moroccan Cuisine Photo #1 of 2 Photo copyright ShoreTrips.com.

Overview

A perfect recipe for Casablanca: local ingredients, a beautiful setting, and the Mosque for flavour.

The magic of Morocco is reflected in its sounds and smells. No visit is complete without a stop at the famous Hassan II Mosque. Acknowledging Casablanca's lack of historical monuments, King Hassan II stated, on his birthday in 1980, of his desire for the city to "be endowed with a large, fine building of which it can be proud until the end of time." Thirteen years later, he inaugurated the Hassan II Mosque. Built on a rocky outcrop of reclaimed land--in response to Hassan II's translation of the Koranic verse that proclaims God's throne was built upon water--the mosque is a truly incredible piece of architecture.

Designed by French architect Michel Pinseau, it can accommodate 25,000 worshipers inside and 80,000 more outside. At the time. it cost more than $750 million, all of it paid by public money. It took 6 years and more than 6,000 craftsmen to build. The visit inside is short of one hour and it is the only way you can appreciate the enormity and grandness of its scale. Inside, you will see frescoes, painted and sculptured woods, stuccos of intricate designs, Arabesques in decorative drawings, and writings in brilliant colors.

From this to the reality of daily life in Casablanca. The Central Market will be teeming with color, charm, street musicians, a fish market, scenic handicrafts, and spices. The combustion of it all will keep your eyes roaming as you follow your guide through the crowds.

This is the perfect segue to the food itself and its preparation. Your cooking school is world renown and is named for the White Hat, meaning a chef’s hat in French. It is called La Toque Blanche School of Gastronomy and here you can relax and decompress as you get comfortable and are treated with refreshments and pastry. The menu for lessons and tastes differs daily, but among them will surely be the mint tea that you will see all over the Middle East. Though it looks easy, it is a process which you will appreciate. Learn the spices and methods used in the creation of a variety of Moroccan entrees and desserts, both in demonstrations and, if you wish, lend a hand to prepare them. Afterward, a lunch consisting of the featured dishes is served. Guests may opt to be seated on chairs or on pillows on the floor.

After you depart the school, but before heading back to the ship, you will enjoy your last stop--the bazaars where pure Moroccoan products are available. You can see a demonstration of local handmade products, plus a small introduction to the Moroccan herbals and spices, with free time for shopping.

Complete this day with a short ride back to the pier or your hotel.

- Visitors must be dressed respectfully (shoulders covered and preferably long trousers or skirt), and shoes are removed once you step inside. If you have issues going barefoot, we suggest surgical booties or socks.
- This tour involves a moderate amount of walking, and is suitable for guests with limited mobility and guests who utilize a wheelchair. Please contact ShoreTrips in advance if you are using a wheelchair.

- Our cars and mini-buses are usually parked 150 feet away from the ship because of port authority rules. Your guide will right by the pier holding a big sign to welcome and assist you and take you to the car to start the tour.

Days offered: 7 days a week

Departures:

• 09:00 AM, duration: 8.5 hours
• 08:30 AM, duration: 8.5 hours