London - Casablanca, Morocco's business capital, keeps its eyes turned towards the future without negating its past, The Observer weekly wrote on Sunday.
While it doesn't have the historical weight of the imperial cities of Fez or Marrakech, the city's glorious present "illuminates the path where Morocco is heading," the paper says in a Stephen Emms article: "Here's looking at you, Casablanca".
The author notes that the over 4-million inhabitants city's neighbourhoods and markets reflect the image of authentic Morocco.
Despite the modern character of the city, its ancient medina is deep rooted in history, he says, noting that the Medina - like Casablanca as a whole - doesn't court tourism.
The elegant "new medina", called Quartier Habous, the article notes, is a clean and inviting souk selling anything from oil paintings to art deco statuettes in an overall image that reflects the "real Morocco."
© Agence Maghreb Arabe Presse 2009