Description: Boulevard Muhammad V is Casablanca's busiest shopping street, and it is along this boulevard where you will find a charming combination of European and Oriental architectural styles, especially #3, 40, 67 and 97. Halfway along this boulevard is a small and unexpected discovery, the
Brasserie du Petit Poucet, a fashionable gathering place since the early ‘20s. Illustrated letters from the famed writer of The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, congratulating the owner on the high standard of his establishment, still hang on the walls.
The most eye-catching façade is that of #208; the colourful zellige with which it is covered mark the contribution of the Moroccan craftsmen made to the construction of buildings designed by French architects.
Casablanca's main market, Marche Central, takes place every morning along the boulevard, offering a wealth of the finest Moroccan produce from the agricultural regions of Fez, Meknès, Gharb, and Doukkala.
The place is a small, but high-quality, version of the traditional souks of Morocco. Catering to the needs of the Moroccans, it is a guarantee that you will be able to find something truly local.
The market is divided into different sections, with stalls selling dried produce, including nuts and fruits, fresh flowers, pets, and livestock, and a wet area where you can buy fresh produce. There is also a section where you will be able to find hand-woven straw baskets, moccasins, rugs, and handicrafts.
The fresh food section offers vegetables, meat, and all kinds of seafood. You'll even find live turtles -- sale of turtles as food is prohibited in many Western countries -- deemed to be somewhat of a delicacy here.
For some of the greatest shopping and a taste of local favourites, nowhere beats the souks, or the Medina, where you will be able to find the most traditional of arts and crafts and the most exotic of food items, including the one cure-all known as the "little doctor in your home," the eucalyptus seed. If you place a small amount in a small scrap of cotton, twist the cloth so it tightens into a round ball, rub it against your palms, and place it under one of your nostrils, inhaling deeply, I assure you, any head flu, cold, or blocked nose will immediately be cured!
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