Morocco (2014) ~ Casablanca : arrival, hammam and breaking the fast

Fatima and Keuza, our lovely hosts in Casablanca. At the roof of their house, hanging the laundry. Casablanca is the largest city in Morocco and our arrival point.

Panoramic view of Casablanca from our roof. 

Rooftop passer by. 

The beautiful Morrocan house. 

View from our balcony, residential area of Casablanca. 

During the morning time it was nice to sit in the balcony and watch people going on with their lives. 

Arriving we were presented with two djellabas, gifts from our hosts! Djellaba is is a long, loose-fitting unisex outer robe with full sleeves which is traditionally worn in Morocco and throughout the region. And the first place they took us what the hammam!

The hammam we went is "Le Pacha", one of the most luxurious in the city. It would be a good introduction to go to an expensive one for the start and then try everything else (we did). Arriving, two people direct the cars where to park, everybody is coming here for this hammam. Really expensive cars, mazerati, mercedes benz etc., guess the elite of Casablanca is here. Going inside we check what there is to offer, the prices range up to dh700 (~€63). We decide on something for dh180 (€16) which will take like an hour and includes all kinds of stuff, the full experience. We pay and then go separate of course, I go to the mens section. Asking if its alright I don't speak the language, the girl assures me its no problem.

Going through the 1st door there is a room with a toilet and a shower which seems that nobody uses. A guy tells me for hammam I need to go downstairs. Going down there is another lobby and two small places where you undress to your underwear. The people are very helpful and smiling even though we can't communicate. A guy gives me a basket which I understand I am to put my clothes and anything for storage. I follow what the others do, but I take with me the small bag with everything for shower and a spare underwear. They lock it and give me the lock key in a bracelet to wear. I proceed to another room where there are many people, all men, stairs and layers and many massage beds. I notice the guy who led me in, leaving my stuff somewhere and he has some plastic wrapping and a small black thing. The black thing eventually is a piece of soap to use it in the sauna but I didn't know so I never used it. I am led to the sauna room and left there. Around 5-6 people at that time are in, all chilling in the smoky wet room. I find a place in a corner and sit. Everybody has the black small soap and they rub it on themselves and also rinse from time to time. I stay like a good 15 minutes until my body is full with sweat and I get out, not knowing what to do next. I go to the place where my stuff is, immediately the guys working notice me and two come, the one who brought me here is going to be my hammam masseur. We go up and to one of the massage beds which is next to some running water. I lay down and using a glove he scratches my whole body, from top to bottom front and back, removing any dead skin, even on the face. After that I get up and rinse myself with water. Then he puts the plastic wrap on the massage bed and tells me to lay on. He applies a hot liquid sand all over my body, front, back and then wraps me (sushi maki style) with the plastic all over my body, leaving only my head out to breathe. Immediately I feel the heat all over my body like massaging. Lets me roast for like 10 minutes and then he washes me with water, washes the massage bed as well. By that time I think we are done but he tells me to wait, in a way that there is more coming! Once again I lay down and he takes my bag and starts looking inside, as if searching for something. He must be shocked to see there all kinds of stuff (haha didn't know what to bring as nobody told me, stuff that include ear batons, a boxer, insect-repellent etc. etc.), I understand he is looking for soap, so I get up and find it for him. He smiles and then applies soap to all of my body and gives me a full body massage, front and back. Finally he washes all my body from the soap, tells me to sit and shampoos my hair as well (!!), gives me a handshake and says thank you and now I know Im done.

Walk towards the end of the room to take a proper shower being all wet with my boxer when I realise I have forgotten my towel. I use my wet boxer for towel, put on the dry one and get out. I am directed to another room where people change and relax laying on a wooden bed, at the same time the guy brings me my clothes and stuff. I go out and while waiting for the girls a guy who was next to me in the sauna strikes a conversation. He is around his 70s I would say, speaks excellent English and has been in Greece, he recalls some of the places in my home country and that he enjoyed the food. Tells me I will enjoy Chefchaouen (next destination after Casablanca) and that many artists go there to relax, smoke etc. He wishes me a good time in Morocco...
  ...and thats how our Casablanca day one started!!!

Fatima and Keuza explaining us about Ramadan. 

Being in Morocco during Ramadan is a very interesting experience. You should definitely be careful not to openly eat and drink on the streets as almost everybody is fasting as long as the sun is out (nobody will tell you anything but you should be careful out of respect), most of the eateries are closed either way. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad according to Islamic belief. This annual observance is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam.

Iftar is the evening meal when Muslims end their daily Ramadan fast at sunset. Dates are usually the first food to break the fast; according to tradition, the Prophet Muhammad broke fast with three dates. Following that, Muslims generally adjourn for the Maghrib prayer, the fourth of the five daily prayers, after which the main meal is served. Traditional dishes are often highlighted, including traditional desserts, and particularly those made only during Ramadan. Water is usually the beverage of choice, but juice and milk are also often available, as are soft drinks and caffeinated beverages.

Additional information

GPS coordinates for places in this post, click on them to be redirected to the exact point in google maps. Click on the names to be redirected to their official websites (if applicable).

Hammam Le Pacha: 33°33'49.6"N 7°37'44.3"W