On Day 3, we checked out of our apartment and headed down to board the cruise ship, the Norwegian Jade! It took two taxis to fit all of us with our luggage and strollers, but we finally made it. We boarded the boat and went exploring. We hit the buffet, the swimming pool, jacuzzis, got the kids signed up for the wonderful Kids Club, and planned out our night. We ate a yummy dinner in one of the restaurants and the boys went to play the rest of the night in the kids program. Mike and I took the girls to see an acrobat show. Day 4 was a sea day. We had lots to do on board the ship. We were certainly not bored! The kids planned out all our activities and we swam. The girls and I even were picked from the audience to play in "The Family Feud!" We didn't win, but we had a great time! Later that night, we took everyone to see a American Idol type show, and Hayley was picked to be a judge! The kids had a blast! On day 5, we ported in Casablanca, Morocco. I hired a babysitter aboard the ship for Ethan, and he spent a few hours having fun with some other kiddos in the Kids Club. Everyone else headed out to explore Casablanca. We had beautiful weather as we wandered through the Old Medina marketplace. It was quite a new experience for the children to see this type of market. Poverty was obvious, as we could see the shopkeepers and stallholders showing their items to the tourists. But you could also see the local people going about their daily lives buying food and filling up their containers of water at the local pump. The alleys were confusing and windy, and felt very much like a labyrinth. Meat hung from the stall windows and carts of fruits and vegetables were on the sides, as well as bakeries, tea shops, etc... It was quite dirty and authentic, and I was glad we had opted for the babysitter for Ethan. The kids saw the local boys playing soccer in the streets, and the girls hanging out the wash, shopping, etc... They got a feel for the conditions the people live in, and I think, some perspective as well. We came out the other side of the Old Medina and headed to the Hassan II Mosque. It is the 5th largest Mosque in the world and overlooks the Atlantic. It is also only one of two Mosques in Morocco that is open to non- Muslims for tours. It was quite stunning. Only at certain times of day do they conduct these tours. Of course, we missed the tour, but we slipped in the exit as a tour group was leaving and did a bit of exploring. We tried to look like we belonged with one of the groups finishing up their tours, but didn't quite succeed, as the girls and I almost went in through the male only exit! Once we figured out how to sneak in, we looked around a bit before they finished all the tours and we had to leave. Inside was mostly granite and marble, with lots of archways and columns and walls that have Moorish type intricate patterns and tiles. It was quite something to see. We walked back through the market, and did a bit of shopping. We met the mayor who shook hands and was very friendly and happy to show us around the market and introduce us to the local vendors. At first, we thought he was joking or scamming us, but everyone locally knew, waved, or talked to him, he was dressed extremely nice, and he spent a lot of time promoting Morocco, eventually pointing out where his office was, and making sure we found anything we might be looking for. He was so happy to show us whatever we were in need of and tell us all about his background and his time he spent going to school in the US. He also knew everything about Casablanca, and took the time to answer all our questions. We finally came to the conclusion that he was actually the mayor (confirmed later by google!), and we saw him giving the same treatment to a few other tourists as well. Josh picked out a wooden box, that a snake pops out of the lid and "bites" your finger when you open it. Had to get one for Ethan as well! We were happy to get back on the clean ship, but were very glad for the experiences we had in Casablanca. Later that evening, Mike and I dropped the kids off for a "Hogwart's Party" at the Kids Club, and we hit the jacuzzi! Great Day! |
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