In Casablanca, I was fortunate that the apartment was just a few minutes walk from the city’s landmark—Hassan II Mosque by the Atlantic Ocean. So I set a task to take photos of the second tallest minaret in the world every day for 30 days, well…almost. How peaceful to spend the last month of the year with internal blessings!
Usually, to get to know a new city, I take time walking around and exploring the neighbourhoods. This one, prodding along the streets was inevitable to see the mosque unless you went further inland. Here is my postcard from Casablanca of the mosque with different cityscapes: the shore, streets, restaurants, markets, the rooftop, a bus, etc.
This idea popped up after a few days in the city. So it’s missing one. Another fail, I focused on the relationships between the tower and the landscapes and overlooked the interior. Hassan II Mosque is one of the two mosques in Morocco that allow non-Muslims to visit. I took the proximity for granted and forgot about it. The Hammam in the complex was the closest I got to the mosque. That was a loss of opportunity. Oops! Nonetheless, I was deeply touched.
Apart from the setting of the classic movie, Casablanca is not as well-known as a tourist destination as Marrakech. Morocco’s most populated city and the financial hub seems dull for visitors. However, that passivity became my mental sanctuary and spiritual anchor from the intensity in Washington DC.
On the first evening, the prayer brought me back to Istanbul and my neighbourhood in Bangkok, Phra Khanong. While strolling along the seaside around the mosque, I let my mind flow through the Atlantic waves and tides. On Christmas Day, while I was watching the sunrise on the rooftop and contemplating how the year unfolding, emotions surged. At sunset, the harmonisation of chants filled the painted sky as flocks of gulls flew above. Such soul-cleansing!
Now, I’m in Marrakech, the country’s tourist centre and the apartment is just in the midst of it. Daily prayers faded away in the bustling area full of visitors. I’m grateful and miss it already. 2025 is just a moment away. Frankly, spending the last month of a turbulent year like 2024 in calming Casablanca was a decent choice.
More places of worship:
- Hagia Sofia, Istanbul, Türkiye (2022)
- Çamlica Mosque, Istanbul, Türkiye (2022)
- Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain (2022)
- Jvari Monastery and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, Mtskheta, Georgia (2023)
- Monasteries in Lori, Armenia (2023)
- Sensoji Temple, Tokyo, Japan (2019)
- Passion Play in Izapalapa, Mexico City, Mexico (2019)