I have a confession: back in 1991 I was running a team of life assurance salesmen – every year we provided an overseas convention for the more successful brethren and as the boss I had the final call on venue: much to the confusion of the salesteam I chose Casablanca!!! Then the first Gulf War intervened, an Arab Islamic country didn’t seem like such a great idea, so we finished up going to safe Switzerland and had a great time in Interlaken!

But ever since, I have been quietly plotting a getaway to this city…..

We loved it!!! It doesn’t look exactly like the movie version: grand piano instead of upright, first floor mezzanine instead of all ground floor, no casino… Nobody got shot!!!

Good music from the three piece band, percussion a little heavy but great piano and double bass….

Here is Margie’s vid of the band playing the obligatory opening bars from ‘As Time Goes By…’:

Food was OK but no more: my steak was allegedly a ‘New York Strip’ but it was a very chewy impersonation….. Margie’s fish was excellent. Moroccan Red Wine better than expected, Mojito first class.

We were sat on the mezzanine for dinner,with a view down onto the ground floor: here are a couple of pics for you…

I managed to persuade the Maitre-D to move us down to the ground floor and sit at the bar to consume our dessert and enjoy the music and atmosphere…. Magic!

I’m not sure you need 10 days in Casablanca, but if you do go, do not miss dinner at Rick’s Cafe – and make sure you ask for a table on the ground floor…..!!!

The Next Adventure….

We are off to spend New Year in San Francisco with our younger son Will and his French lady Marion, as the guests of her parents who have lived in that part of the world for a couple of decades.

That’s followed by a Road Trip in a convertible Mustang down the Pacific Highway, passed LA and Hollywood to San Diego, then head inland to The Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and Death Valley via Kingman on Route 66 before cruising back to San Francisco and our flight home.

Gotta be done….!