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Casablanca: Cigarettes, Cats, and a Whole Lotta Confusion

@Topiclo Admin3/18/2026blog

okay, so. casablanca. i’m still processing. i just got back, and my brain feels like a tangled ball of yarn someone’s been using to knit a very confused sweater. i’m a touring session drummer, you know? i’m used to chaos, to being thrown into new cities, new bands, new rhythms. but this… this was different. it was… thick. like the air.


I’m here because my band’s doing a short run in Rabat, and i figured, why not? casablanca seemed… intriguing. the numbers 232397 and 1800849421 kept popping up in my head, like some weird code. i’m probably just sleep-deprived. it’s been a long tour.


The weather? i just checked and it’s… a humid hug right now. like someone wrapped you in a damp towel and whispered secrets in your ear. not unpleasant, just… persistent. the temperature’s hovering around 22.5, feels like it too, which is honestly a relief. pressure’s 1008, humidity’s a solid 65%. i’m not a meteorologist, but i know that’s a lot of moisture.

I spent most of my time wandering. just… wandering. the medina is a labyrinth. a beautiful, overwhelming, slightly terrifying labyrinth. i got lost approximately seventeen times. i think i ended up in a spice market, then a leather shop, then a place selling tiny, intricately carved wooden boxes. i bought one. i have no idea what i’ll put in it. probably more confusion.

“Don’t trust the guys selling carpets. They’ll offer you mint tea, then suddenly you’re signing a contract for a rug the size of your apartment.”


That’s something a local warned me about, by the way. a very serious-looking man with a handlebar mustache and a surprisingly gentle smile. he was selling oranges.

I stumbled upon this amazing little cafe - Cafe des Epices - totally recommend it. The tagine was incredible. Seriously, go. Check it out on TripAdvisor: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g297515-d1628883-Reviews-Cafe_des_Epices-Casablanca_Grand_Casablanca_Region.html. It’s tucked away, so you might miss it, but keep your eyes peeled.


And the cats! oh my god, the cats. they’re everywhere. lounging in doorways, sunning themselves on rooftops, judging you silently from the shadows. i swear one of them winked at me. i’m not even kidding. i’m starting to think they run the place.

I overheard some gossip at a bar - Le Crystal - apparently, the best place to get authentic pastilla is in the Habous district. Apparently, it’s a whole thing. I didn’t make it there, but it’s on the list for next time. Yelp says it’s worth the trip: https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=pastilla&find_loc=Casablanca,+Morocco.

“The ocean smells different here. Like salt and something… else. Something ancient.”


That was a drunk guy at the bar. he was very insistent about the ocean smell.

If you get bored, Rabat and Marrakech are just a short train ride away. I didn’t have time to go, but i’ve heard good things. I also found this forum with some local tips: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/morocco/casablanca/forums/morocco/casablanca-tips.


Honestly, casablanca is… complicated. it’s not postcard-perfect. it’s gritty, it’s chaotic, it’s a little overwhelming. but it’s also… real. and i think that’s what i needed. I’m already thinking about going back. Maybe i’ll learn some arabic. Maybe i’ll try to befriend the cats. Maybe i’ll finally figure out what to put in that wooden box.

Oh! and one more thing. someone told me that the Hassan II Mosque is stunning, but you need to book tickets in advance. Apparently, it sells out fast. https://www.hassaniimosque.com/.

Okay, i’m going to go lie down now. and maybe dream about cats and tagine.

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About the author: Topiclo Admin

Writing code, prose, and occasionally poetry.

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