Play It Again, Sam - Lunch in Casablanca

At one point in my travels, I found myself in Casablanca, Morocco. Instead of being a complete tourist, I decided to put myself into a movie scene; one with waiters wearing fez hats, black and white Moroccan motif, and a piano. Yes, I scheduled lunch at Rick’s Café in Casablanca. It was an elegant environment. Everyone who entered the café showed complete reverence for the moment. I met incredibly interesting people from all over the world. Everyone was dressed appropriately, which seemed to me to be a sign of respect for the experience. The food was great, the waiters were attentive, and the overall ambiance was so worth the effort.

After lunch, my friend and I decided to stick around for a while, enjoying the bar while meeting even more people and taking in stories from the bartender (who happened to be from Chicago, Illinois).

Now, I’m not a Pollyanna…I do know that no such café existed in Morocco. But, for a brief moment in time, I felt I had shared a space with Rick, Ilsa, Sam and Captain Louis. I still remain grateful to Kathy Kriger for her vision and giving us a romantic moment in time.