Day 1, cont.: Casablanca

We hit the ground running, heading from the airport directly to the Hassan II Mosque, whose 689-foot minaret is the world's tallest.

The site is considered the apex of North African Islamic architecture.

Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and named for the former king, the site was built between 1986-1993 with money raised by public subscription.

It made for a stunning introduction to the Muslim world, spinning into a discussion of the principles of Islam and the importance of mosques in the layout of cities.