Victoria Falls is a destination awash with nostalgia. From the Victoria Falls Hotel and its Edwardian grandeur and high tea, to the giant statue of Livingstone that overlooks the falls themselves. There is a very post-colonial whiff about the place, and we got a little swept away with it. To recapture a little of that bygone era, we decided to jump aboard the quintessential Victoria Falls steam train experience. Read on for our full and honest Royal Livingstone Express review.
When we began our research into Israeli cuisine, we realised just what a confusing business it is. Israel has influences from its direct neighbours, and much further afield. The best way to get our heads around it was to explore the wonderful array of choices with the experts. Enter Delicious Israel and their Eat Jerusalem tour around the Machane Yehuda market.
Whether you are completely addicted to Chernobyl Diaries and want to check out the real thing, love dark tourism or are just visiting Ukraine, a day trip to Chernobyl should be on your list. We took this once-in-a-lifetime day trip to Chernobyl in 2013 and its strange blend of life and death, light and dark, have stayed with me ever since.
In the early hours of 26th April 1986, a safety test was run in reactor no.4 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. It had been planned for the day before but was delayed until the next shift was on the site. The test was being conducted to help pinpoint and solve known flaws with the Soviet reactor design. Power outages were common towards the end of Soviet rule and so it was vital they find a way to ensure the reactor remained cool between a loss of mains electric and the generators kicking in.
The workers that night were not fully briefed, vital safety systems had been switched off, and the whole test was rushed. They made fatal mistakes that allowed the reactor core to overheat, causing an unstoppable nuclear reaction. Two large explosions blasted the reactor open and subsequently set it ablaze, a fire that lasted 9 days. Radioactive smoke and fallout pumped into the atmosphere and the USSR decided to keep it quiet. More on that later…
The first that the rest of Europe knew of the danger carried on the wind was when Sweden reported it two days later. Forsmark, a Swedish nuclear plant alerted the government about unusually high levels of nuclear isotopes they wouldn’t normally detect. Sweden contacted the USSR, who continued to deny the accident.
The rain that fell across Sweden was contaminated and the radiation affected the food supply chain that summer. Reindeer were particularly affected (no, that isn’t how Rudolph got his weird red nose). Lichen is very good at absorbing radioactivity and it is this lichen that reindeer LOVE to eat. That year 80% of the reindeer meat bound for sale was destroyed as it was highly radioactive and too dangerous to eat. Eventually, the Soviets admitted what had happened and an exclusion zone was set up. Access to a 30km zone around the disaster area was restricted, and a smaller zone (10km) even more so.
With all that…
When I told my mother that Mr Fluskey and I were intending to take a Chernobyl day tour, her reaction wasn’t positive. Somewhere between disapproval, shock and puzzlement; there is no emoji that would cover it. Memories of the late 1980s and the fear the disaster created still ripples across her features. She was very newly pregnant with yours truly when it happened.
However, I am an insatiable dark tourist. If something seems a tiny bit dangerous, dark or morbid, I am awfully tempted to see it for myself.
Does this sound like you? Why not check the 23 Best Dark Tourist Sights Around the World!?
Originally our trip in 2013 was meant to be to Romania, but when the idea of visiting Chernobyl took hold, we replanned the whole thing. We started the whole trip at Chernobyl, travelled through Ukraine and ended up in Transnistria (another stellar dark tourist location; read One Night in Transnistria – 24 Hours in a Country that Doesn’t Exist).
Absolutely! Not only can you tour Chernobyl, but we think you should tour Chernobyl! It is a fascinating day tour unlike any we have taken elsewhere. This is not a self-guided excursion, you must sign up with a tour company. They will ensure you have a safe and enjoyable day, as well as giving you a thorough education about the Chernobyl disaster (if you needed more than that tiny introduction at the beginning of this post).
“Hang on, you said safe”…
We were worried about the amount of radiation we would be exposing ourselves to but the guide told us a fact that both amazed and horrified us.
“You will be getting as much radiation today as you would flying between London and New York”.
Now, we fly rather a lot so I am now wondering just how much radiation I have coursing through my veins…but I digress. There are areas of higher radioactivity and you won’t be allowed to spend that much time there.
There is obviously some radiation; the tour guides can only work in the area for half of the week. They do tours for 3 or 4 days and then take the rest of the week off. The people who work and live in the research facility in Chernobyl Town spend 15 days on location and then 15 days living elsewhere.
Wait a Second…
That’s right, people actually live in Chernobyl. There are the researchers as mentioned above, they reside in Chernobyl Town inside the 10km exclusion zone. However, their time there is limited and monitored.
There is another group of residents who don’t limit their time in the area. After the disaster, a small but determined group of senior citizens decided to return to their homes (in fact, some never left when the area was cleared). These Samosely (self-settlers) grow crops here and lead solitary but happy lives in this supposedly hostile territory.
Ready to visit Chernobyl for yourself?
We wholeheartedly recommend SoloEast for your day trip to Chernobyl. We did lots of research before choosing them and we had a great experience with them. They have been running tours to the exclusion zone since 1999 so they have plenty of experience.
We met the group in Independence Square (Maiden).
The representative checked our passports and gave us a wristband each. These weren’t to indicate our all-inclusive drinks package, or to help us if we got lost. I think they were just so we could get excited about the day ahead. Together we boarded the bus and began our two-hour journey to the exclusion zone.
To pass the time, and get everyone clued up, the bus TVs showed a documentary all about the Chernobyl disaster. It was a very dramatic documentary with lots of re-enactments and loud, urgent classical music. It was just right!
The chaps behind us were in town for the England vs Ukraine match that had filled up Kiev with football louts. They chatted loudly, sang football chants and generally made a racket. We struggled to hear the video over them but there were subtitles so at least we could read along.
On entering the exclusion zone, we stopped at a checkpoint and had our passports checked. Without your passport, you aren’t going to get in so don’t forget yours!
Just before leaving Kiev, we had been given our assigned Terra-P dosimeter-radiometers.
These measure radiation in the surrounding area and communicate the result through a numerical reading and by the frequency of a clicking noise. As we waited to disembark our bus, dosimeters were clutched eagerly in anticipation. On the ground, they started to click enthusiastically and the tour group grinned at each other with knowing dark tourism glints in their eyes.
I think most of the group were expecting a run down and ragged settlement in Chernobyl Town. We were slightly surprised to see a well kept and neat little community.
However, this is a small section of town and if you wander off the beaten path, you are very quickly in a wilder environment. We ventured down the road slowly, stopping to take photos of the houses; looted many years ago, and overgrown they were in a state of disrepair. After a few minutes, we heard a distant animal howl, followed swiftly by another. Perhaps a dog or a wolf, it was time to retreat back to civilisation.
Check out all our travels in Ukraine
The Nature of Chernobyl
One amazing aspect of the exclusion zone is the way Mother Nature has staked her claim. Of course, the radiation had a devastating impact on some areas but in others, the effects were short-lived and the following years without human interference gave nature a chance to bounce back. Packs of wolves roam the woods, reclaiming old hunting grounds, small mammal numbers are back to normal and plants flourish in and around the structures crumbling in old villages. There are contradicting studies highlighting issues for certain species related to radiation but overall the picture seems to be unexpectedly good.
It began to rain a little en route to our second stop and so we jumped down from the bus with heads bowed. Looking up we saw reactor No.4, vast and dark beneath the concrete sarcophagus that was built to secure it and stop radiation from escaping.
There was a small memorial here and our guide advised us to stay behind it as the wind was blowing over from the reactor. We were all a little sceptical but when the wind gusted, the dosimeter-radiometers clicked faster. The concrete sarcophagus had been deteriorating and failing for years and so new plans were underway.
To our right, a huge, HUGE structure was being constructed. The New Safe Confinement (new shelter) is ~150m tall and is designed to fit both the reactor and sarcophagus inside it. This will allow them to be deconstructed safely. The structure was lying to the west when we visited but was moved into position in 2016, it took almost two weeks…I told you it was big! It was tested in April 2019 and it seems to be effective but I don’t think it is in full use as of this post.
After gazing in wonder at the reactor and the seemingly endless stream of workers passing through a staff entrance, we were ushered back to the bus.
I was wondering how the workers spent time in such close proximity to the epicentre of the accident. It turns out they have a strict roster and are only allowed a certain dosage of radiation per month and year. According to Wikipedia, spending just 12 minutes up above the roof where the concrete sarcophagus leaks, will result in a full year’s allowance!
It is easy to get swept up in the myths behind the Chernobyl disaster when you are on a day trip to Chernobyl. The devastation of anything to do with children is very affecting, but I couldn’t help but suspect a little window dressing here. Inside the kindergarten building, papers were strewn across the rooms and the bunk beds stood bare. I guess this was also looted years ago.
However, outside lies a doll, missing some of her tiny plastic limbs. I wonder when it appeared here for the tourist’s delight…maybe that is too cynical and it was abandoned by a three-year-old when she was evacuated. Either way, I snapped it with gusto and hovered the dosimeter over the area squealing with delight as the numbers rose. As I boarded the bus, I imagined whacking a vintage, black and white filter over the pictures to increase the dramatic gravitas of the photos.
The spot that I found genuinely moving was the memorial to the first responders. It shows the firemen who tackled the blaze. These brave men rushed into the fire without a clear sense of just what they were facing. On the other side, plant workers are depicted. This structure documents them beautifully. I think it’s a shame that it is stuck within the exclusion zone and is therefore unseen by the wider world.
We were treated to traditional Ukrainian dishes. The tastes of potato and beetroot were prominent. All of the food was brought from outside the exclusion zone, they were very keen to stress this! It wasn’t the best food ever but it was filing and included in the price so no complaints here!
Looking for other unique, amazing experiences around the world? Check out our bucket-list travels
This was undoubtedly my favourite part of our day trip to Chernobyl. It was sad, interesting, creepy and cool all at once.
Pripyat was the closest city to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant and was built to serve it. Most of the residents worked at the plant and enjoyed a lovely Soviet life. Pripyat was a model town with great communal facilities like the Palace of Culture, Azure Swimming Complex and Avanhard Stadium. We were not allowed to enter the buildings as they were too dangerous by 2013.
In fact, the town was preparing for the official opening of a new fun fair on 1st May. 1st May was a special day in the calendar of the USSR, marking Labour Day or workers day. Preparations were underway for a big parade and the posters are still visible. The vintage Soviet paintings were just as you’d imagine.
The Ruins of Pripyat – The Fair of Nightmares
Entering Pripyat on foot, we meandered through the old concrete buildings; monoliths to the Soviet ideals ravaged by time and conquered by vegetation. The ghost town had a calming effect on the group, even the football lads were quiet as we stepped carefully through the rubble. We picked our way around to the funfair, bumper cars rusting and abandoned, the creaking Ferris wheel looming over us. On the grey September afternoon, it was very atmospheric and satisfyingly creepy. We rather ruined it by running around like small children with our dosimeters, waving them over patches of moss that were giving out large readings.
We learnt that the population of Pripyat (roughly 49,000) weren’t evacuated immediately. Families still swam in the pools, played outside and looked forward to their go on the new rides popping up around the corner. Instead, buses only arrived to move them 36 hours later on 27th April. Most of them didn’t even know they were to be moved permanently so they didn’t pack their belongings properly, assuming they would be back in a day or two. They were never permitted to return.
The area that was most affected by the Chernobyl disaster was a pine forest that was all but killed off. The pine needles turned a dirty rust colour and small mammals and insects were wiped out. We stood on a road bridge here, staring at the forest, still unrecovered. The dosimeter counters clicked furiously as the wind blew through the trees, in our direction. We were quickly directed back to the bus.
We sped through a desolate area apparently high in radiation. The guide asked if we wanted to open the windows and test the air. In the morning, this would have freaked the busload of tourists out, but at this late stage of the day, we were all keen to see just how high the counters would go. Someone stuck their dosimeter counter out of the window and it read 25. That was considerably higher than anything else we had seen…we closed the window rather swiftly.
As we left the exclusion zone, we once again passed through the checkpoint. We were asked to leave the bus and exit through the building. Inside there was a line of strange metal machines. They check the levels of radiation on a person. The group had to step into the contraptions one by one and wait for the green light. The metal gates would then open and the person could exit. What would have happened if the light had gone red? Who knows! All I know is that, although we all laughed at the explanation, everyone left with a real sense of relief at the green light!
What to Pack for a Day Trip to Chernobyl
I guess this day trip isn’t for everyone, but if you have made it this far then you must be interested. In that case, you really need to get yourself booked onto a day trip to Chernobyl. Go and book your flights to Ukraine and have a great time! You will be left in awe of the majesty of human ingenuity, and stupidity.
Rosie xx
Surely, it is every little kids dream to get behind the bars at London Zoo and help out as a zookeeper for a day? From feeding the monkeys to stroking snakes, it is probably on the bucket list for a lot of grown ups too! It has definitely been on ours ever since we heard that we could be a Zookeeper for a day at ZSL London Zoo.
If you have seen my blog post about walking the Regent’s Canal, you will know that I am a huge fan of this stretch of canal. I will, of course, jump at the chance to hit this stretch of water in any way I can and so I was thrilled to find out about GoBoat London and try one of their boats out for myself.
When you think of winter activities there are few that immediately spring to mind. I bet dog sledding is one of them! That is why it has always been on our bucket list and so dog sledding in Russia was must do for our Trans-Siberbian travels. After a little research we found out that the best place to try dogsledding in Russia was a small village called Listvyanka and we signed ourselves up to try Lake Baikal dog sledding.
During our visit to Perm, Russia a small city that is a day’s train ride from Moscow, we enlisted the help of a tour company Evrasia Travel Bureau. They set up a day tour from Perm to GULAG Perm 36 and Kungur Ice Cave.
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Hopping on and off the Trans-Siberian is one of the coolest ways to explore the vast country of Russia. To see as much as possible, it is worth planning ahead booking the odd day tour. During our winter trip in 2019, we decided to arrange a day trip from Perm tour with Evrasia Travel Bureau to visit Gulag 36 and Kungur Ice Cave. It was the best day trip from Perm we could have hoped for. In this post we focus on the first half of that tour, Perm 36 GULAG
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Come to Tofo Beach, and you will hear two phrases that are intrinsically linked; “Megafauna” and “Ocean Safari”. It was these two things that brought us to Mozambique. We were determined to make 2018 the year we went swimming with whale sharks in Mozambique.
Megafauna means big animals, and in Tofo Beach that means:
A few operators around town offer the chance to join them on an ocean safari to spot, and hopefully meet these amazing animals. We were drawn to Liquid Dive Adventures for both their safaris, and their trendy accommodation.
On arrival at Liquid Dive Adventures, we were given an explanation of how the trip would run. They took us through safety points for both us, and the animals. In the right season, humpback whales enter the bay. If you meet these guys, you are not allowed to get into the water, but with everyone else, you can slide in carefully.
We were kitted out with a snorkel and mask, and a shorty wet suit. It was a very hot day, and it seemed slightly mad to be wearing black neoprene, but once we were wet and zipping across the surface of the sea, the wind cooled us quickly.
In Tofo Beach, all the operators use rigid inflatable boats (RIBs). These are structured speed boats with inflatable sides. They all live on the beach until they are launched…..by tractor. That was something I wasn’t expecting; a farm vehicle chugging its way into the sea foam.
The whole group helps push the boat, bow first, into the waves. When it’s afloat, the captain shouts “Group one”, and the ladies (or shorter members of the group) scramble aboard. There is no delicate way to do this, you just flop over the sides. The rest of the group pushes it onward, and when they are chest deep, the captain will shout at them to clamber aboard. It’s then up to the captain to chart the boat through the breakers.
We sat on either side of the boat, slotted our feet into loops on the boat’s floor, and held onto ropes that ran along the side. On the first outing, the sea was pretty still so we didn’t have to hang on, but on our second go out, the waves were a little rougher. We hung on for the whole trip. On board with us, we had a spotter, a guide and the captain. They made sure we were alright throughout the entire trip.
Mr Fluskey and I have a very special skill. We can locate the area on a boat that will get the most wet, and plonk ourselves there, like…well…plonkers! We are often dripping and wet through, whilst those around us have experienced a mild sprinkling at worst. Well we took that skill and made the most of it on our second trip out. The spray from the waves kept us permanently soaking, with sea water in our eyes and mouths. Mind you, it was TOTALLY worth it…read on to find out why.
On our first trip out, we were lucky enough to encounter a small pod of bottlenose dolphins. Everyone grabbed their snorkels and hastily shoved them over their heads. We slipped into the water with a minimum of splash, as instructed, and swam frantically under the water to locate them. It was an amazing moment when they zoomed out of the hazy water.
The dolphins looked so relaxed, but their tails must be incredibly strong as they totally outpaced us, even the baby!
Did you know?
When a dolphin has a baby (a pup, or calf), the whole pod looks after it
We got to meet these guys three times before they finally zoomed off into the blue. It was amazing!
Our second trip out didn’t go so well. The boat was buffeted by strong winds and waves. The boat had left the relative calm of the bay and gone around the headland into the unprotected coastal waters. We had to go against the swell, which meant that Mr Fluskey and I were wet and cold (because, of our special skill). A couple of boats passed us, going in the opposite direction with the news of a whale shark sighting. We would never have caught up, and so despite the captains and spotter’s best efforts, we gave up.
“We could go for a snorkel in an area with lots of gorgeous colourful fish”, said the guide. There was a general murmur of ascent. This was our last shot at seeing a whale shark, and it was the same for the girl next to us. “This is what makes nature so interesting, you jut never know what’s going to happen”, we muttered begrudgingly.
Our boat was riding the waves back towards the bay when our guide jumped up excitedly. “Get in the water! Whale shark”, he cried. We all blinked at him, confused a little bedraggled. It took a few seconds to realise what he had said, but when it had sunk in, we all made a dive for our abandoned snorkelling masks. Into the water we slid, pulses racing and adrenaline pumping. Again, we spun around, searching the ocean for the signature spotted back of the whale shark.
On our first encounter, I looked entirely the wrong way and it swum past me. I spent the next few minutes desperately trying to keep up with the group, and mostly getting a face full of bubbles. Everyone was kicking so furiously to keep up with the huge shark, that their flippers left huge trails of white foam in their wake.
When everyone ran out of puff, we were hauled back on board, elated and exhausted. Our guide, smiling wryly, asked if we wanted to go again! The second encounter was over almost as soon as it began. As we climbed into the sea, the whale shark sped off. We caught the barest glance of it before it was swallowed up by the sea.
Did You Know?
Whale sharks are the biggest fish in the sea. They are not whales at all…but they are sharks.
Once more we flopped onto the boat. The guide said we could have one more go so again we donned our masks and into the water we dove.
This time, I clocked the magnificent beast almost straight away and managed to get slightly ahead of it. I began to pump my legs as hard as I could and turned the Go Pro on. Here is the footage we managed to get. It is a little shaky but it makes me so happy every time I look at it!
I still can’t get over how he looks so calm, like he is hardly moving, but I know that a swipe of that tail would knock you for six. Just listen to me huffing and puffing, it sort of ruins the zen-like atmosphere.
Did You Know?
Whale sharks use their whole body to swim, not just their tails.
We were told afterwards, that our shark was just a juvenile. They tend to be just 6-8 metres long when they hang out around Mozambique, and it’s almost exclusively juvenile males. I mean, I thought he was pretty huge so it was good enough for me!
Did You Know?
Whale sharks can grow more than 12m long.
The way to get the boat back on to the beach is rather thrilling! Everyone is told to hang on, and the captain guns the engine. You are hurtled towards the beach, riding the waves like a surfer, until it all comes to an abrupt halt. To be honest, when they were telling us about “re-entry”, it made me rather nervous, but it was nowhere near as bad as I imagined. Out you all jump, and then the RIB is dragged up the sand by that trusty tractor.
So 2018 started out as the year we were going to go swimming with whale sharks in The Philippines. We had made plans to visit an area called Donsol. There is a famous area called Oslob, on the Southern tip of Cebu, but there have been reports of feeding the whale sharks, and the boats injuring the creatures. Donsol is a much more ethical operation. However, the volcano at the nearby Legazpi airport kept coughing up ash and smoke, so the flights were too dubious.
Read all about our travels around The Philippines including Boracay, Palawan and El Nido
2018 then became the year we were going to go swimming with whale sharks in The Maldives. We were all set to swim with manta rays and whale sharks in an area chock-full of plankton…but we got there a month early. The internet had got it wrong and we really couldn’t afford to hang out in The Maldives for a month soooo……..
That is how 2018 became the year I went slightly bananas and determined that we would get to Mozambique for three days and make it happen! We WOULD go swimming with whale sharks in Mozambique!! (That is why we went out twice).
If you are thinking of swimming with whale sharks in Mozambique, here is some information you might like to know.
After swimming with whale sharks in Mozambique, we were all absolutely buzzing, with grins a mile wide. Sure, it was up to nature whether or not we saw a whale shark. Sure, it wasn’t the ONLY reason we had visited Mozambique, but it was really wasn’t it!
I couldn’t be more thrilled that we got to go swimming with a whale shark, eventually. It also meant a wonderful trip to an under-rated destination. I wholeheartedly think that if you are heading south of the equator, you should take a detour and explore Mozambique; the jungle, the food, the beach and most importantly of all, the sea.
Our time with Liquid Dive Adventures was sponsored but all opinions are our own, and it really was top notch!
Rosie xx
SOWETO is Johannesburg’s most infamous suburb. it was once a township out on its own. Its name is abbreviated from South Western Townships. During apartheid, it was a place to keep the black community away from central Johannesburg. However, once apartheid ended, urban sprawl invaded the borders between the Joburg and Soweto. There was a change in reputation and now living in Soweto is a rather trendy thing to do. So why should you visit? Here are 5 reasons to visit Soweto on a township tour during your next trip to Johannesburg.
The waters of the Atlantic are a treasure trove of amazing sea life. On our visit to the Portuguese island of Madeira, we decided to take a trip out on the ocean with VMT Madeira to see what we could find.
Morocco is the most fascinating country. Sitting at the mouth of Mediterranean Sea, just 9 miles from Spain and Western Europe, Morocco feels a world away. Most tourists head straight for the bustle of Marrakesh to soak up the spice or the beaches of Essaouira to soak up the sun. We chose the first option and decided to do five days, out of season, in the fourth largest city in Morocco. After three days in Marrakesh we decided to take a trip out of the city. We didn’t have chance to venture into the Atlas Mountains, (check out when we did with Gorgeous Morocco on our next trip) and so we spent a day visiting nearby Casablanca (the largest city) and the Hassan II mosque. We discovered what makes Casablanca the perfect day trip from Marrakesh.
Staying on the edge of Marrakesh’s medina had its advantages. Sure, we had to walk further to reach the famous main square, but it made it really easy to grab a taxi. Taxi’s in Marrakesh are cheap if you know what you are doing. We let a couple of guys go past who were obviously just out to rip off tourists, but found a good guy who put the meter on without us having to ask, and we were off.
Whilst in Marrakesh, check out the excellent Medina Stories Food Tour
We arrived at the station in plenty of time to buy a return ticket. Our poor school-learnt French really came in useful in Morocco. We grabbed a bit of breakfast from a small concessions stand, to munch on the train.
The train was the type that had separate cabins off a main corridor. We were lucky enough to get a cabin to ourselves for the three-hour journey.
Travelling around Morocco? Head into the Sahara and read our Sahara Sky Luxury Camp review
Hassan II Mosque sits overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. January set it against a grey and bitter sea but I bet it is glorious in the summer sun.
This mosque is BIG, that’s why it is called the Grande Mosque too. It is the second largest mosque in Africa, and fourteenth largest mosque in the world. I find that quite hard to believe as the place is HUGE. (At the time, it was the third largest, and that seemed about right. The world must be building some huge mosques!) It was so difficult to get a sense from across the road, but as we walked across the vast outside area it slowly loomed above us. Even in these photos I may struggle to give you an idea of scale.
Beauty in design is all over Morrocco; check out the gorgeous blue town of Chefchaouen
The whole thing didn’t come cheap. It was the idea of the former King, but he wasn’t funding it. Instead, the Moroccan people had to fund a fair chunk. They were essentially subject to a Grand Mosque tax, payable by every family in the country; whether they intended to use the building or not. The total cost was over £500,000,000, but I suppose they really have something to show for it!
The minaret is the second largest in the world; standing at 210 metres. At night, a laser shines east from the top in the direction of Mecca. The giant doors at its base, by the main entrance to the mosque can be drawn all the way up.
That’s not the only moving part to this gigantic building; the roof is retractable. That means that the 25,000 worshippers inside can enjoy the same Moroccan sunshine as the 80,000 people praying outside.
Our first stop was the prayer hall. This is 200 metres long, and half as wide. It’s like two full size football pitches laid end to end. The whole thing is intricately decorated with influences from traditional Moorish design, and more local tastes. As it was only built in the last decades of the 20th century, the whole thing is an homage to the mosques that had come before it. During construction there were around 10,000 craftsmen working on the building in shifts as large as 1400 people at a time.
The ablutions room was my favourite area. It was symmetrical, tiled, Moroccan perfection. During our visit it was empty and echoed every footstep. I would love to see it full of the sounds of splashing fountains, gossiping friends and children screaming with delight or horror at the cold water.
As well as the normal washing areas, the mosque has its very own hammam. Lots of sparkling rooms are crowned by a lovely heated pool. This pool is never used. It seems like a big waste, but I didn’t dare an illicit dip.
Check out all our travels around Amazing Africa
Casablanca, as a city, is not that exciting. There is a small souk (market) but from what we saw, it was mostly places to buy socks and pants. The most intriguing thing we saw was two men drawing string along a wall. They had stretched it for thirty metres, zigzagging back and forth. We never found out what it was all about, and were sad that we didn’t ask.
Casablanca is the financial heart of Morocco. It has a lot more modernity and a lot less atmosphere. It certainly wasn’t the tropical, colonial place I had conjured up in my imagination. Hollywood really romanticised it for me.
This is why we thought it was the perfect day trip from Marrakesh. We saw the stunning Hassan II mosque, had a little wander, and then it was time to leave. We were glad that we could go back to Marrakesh, but so glad that we had visited. Feeling quite uninspired by the food options, and by Casablanca in general, we decided that this was the place to get Mr Fluskey’s customary Big Mac. After dinner, it was time to get the train back.
If you wondering about this quirky travel tradition of a customary burger, check out Backpacking with Burgers – Munching on Mcdonalds
Obviously, we always encourage you to go and make your owns mind up!
On the way home, we were a lot less lucky with our cabin mates. It was very busy, and so we were squished in. An argument kicked off between two people, and the shouting went on for a while. We had no idea what was going on but luckily, it didn’t escalate. The plan was to have a little nap, but it was so busy that we just enjoyed observing the other people in the carriage.
Looking for a bed in Marrakesh? Check out our Riad Star review
If you are thinking of visiting Casablanca and Hassan II Mosque, here are some things you might need to know for your perfect day trip from Marrakesh.
Maybe if we’d had more time, we’d have discovered more in Casablanca to love. Honestly though, I was really glad that we weren’t staying overnight because we had seen its undisputed highlight.
Have you been to Casablanca? What did we miss? Let us know by leaving a comment.
Rosie xx
