Casablanca was a surprise but not in a nice way. This is the one city where I truly felt unsafe. Accosted several timeless by dubious men in daylight I was too scared to leave the hotel of an evening.

Casablanca, the economic and financial capital, is one of the largest artificial ports in the world and the second-largest port in North Africa. Casablanca is the emblem of modern Morocco. Casablanca owes its name and development to sultan Mohammed Ben Abdallah who, in the 17th century baptised it Dar El Beïda (the white house). The Spanish translation went down in history.

Hassan II Mosque is an important religious and cultural site built on the sea and dominated by its 210m high minaret. Constructed in the 1990s, in commemoration of the 60th birthday of Morocco's former king, it is the largest mosque in Africa with a minaret of 210 metres, the highest in the world. Decorated with intricate tiles - more than 10,000 m2 of zellige was used - beautiful carvings and an unusual glass floor. Said to accommodate up to 25,000 worshippers, the spacious courtyard that's open to all can hold an additional 80,000 people. The promenade that runs alongside the mosque also serves as a prime people watching spot with food vendors, strolling locals, and the odd soccer game taking place.

Cathédrale du Sacré Coeur (Sacred Heart Cathedral) (Boulevard Rachidi), was built in the 1930s by architect Paul Turnon and used as a Christian place of worship till the 1950s. While it's since been abandoned, its all-white façade is still impressive with its two dome bell chambers and arched entrance and visitors are welcome to access the towers for a breathtaking view of the Atlantic Ocean.

Equally impressive is the Notre Dame de Lourdes (cnr Ave Mers Sultan & Blvd Mohammed Zerktouni It overlooks the Rond-point de l'Europe (aka Mers Sultan Roundabout) with its stained glass, elongated structure and high roof. Constructed in the 1950s with beautiful stained glass, it's an impressive example of modernist architecture.

This will be my final blog post with Off Exploring. I am finding this site is just too difficult to use anymore and seems to constantly be breaking down. The limited functionality makes writing the blog a chore rather than a pleasure and that is not the purpose for me.

I will continue to travel, experience new cultures, meet new people, and hopefully find another outlet in which to share my travels with you. Immersing myself in new cultures is what I love to do :)

Until then……..