Rabat

• Population of approximately 578,000 people.
• Annual salaries are similar to Marrakesh and higher than Casablanca.  Bartender $7,600 a year; Registered Nurse $17,000; Pharmacist $26,000 a year. 
• Calmer vibe and more green space than other large cities we’ve visited in Morocco.
• TREES, TREES, TREES.  Lots of big, beautiful, gorgeous trees everywhere!!!  I was in heaven! 
• There is a river along the northern edge of Rabat and the city borders the Atlantic Ocean.
• Beautiful parks throughout the city.  They have so many workers raking, watering, and keeping parks looking good.  They use fallen palm tree branches for sweeping. 
• Lots of interesting and colorful murals throughout the city.
• Every area of the city that we visited was clean and free of litter.
• Great restaurants.
• Like in Casablanca, we saw more men in suits and more sub-Saharan people than in other Moroccan cities we’ve visited.
• We would like to see the Mohammed VI Tower after it opens (and the surrounding area that is in development).  The tower was inspired by the architect’s visit to Cape Canaveral, and it is the 2^nd tallest building in Africa. 
• Of all the cities we visited in Morocco, we think this would be the city we would pick to live in.  It has culture – theater, orchestra, ballet.  Many festivals, including Mawazine (which they were setting up for while we were there, the festival started 6 days after we left) with over 70 international artists.  We recognized the names of Kylie Minogue, Camila Cabello, Nicki Manaj, and Calvin Harris.  Plus, it has the only pickleball court we could find in Morocco!!  Mike played for the first time on June 11^th.  He hadn’t played since February 28^th. 

Casablanca

• We visited Casablanca for one night and then back for one day. 
• It is the largest city in Morocco with a population of 3.3 million. 
• Beautiful mosque.  Only one of two mosques in Morocco that can be visited inside by non-Muslims.  It has the second tallest mosque minaret in the world. 
• Modern buildings.
• The medina is smaller than most of the medinas we’ve visited.  Lots of jewelry for sale.
• There is a nice beach area along the Atlantic Ocean.   
• It has the largest shopping mall in Africa. 
• Like in Rabat, we saw more men in suits and more sub-Saharan people than in other Moroccan cities we’ve visited.
• Saw one very nice park.
• Although Rick’s Café from the 1942 film Casablanca didn’t really exist (nor was the movie filmed in Casablanca), an American woman opened a piano bar reminiscent of the film in 2004.  We had dinner there and, in many ways, it felt like a scene from the movie.