Casablanca: The City of Legends | Travel Tips

Travel Casablanca

One of the most beautiful and famous cities in the world is Casablanca, and it is a popular place to visit for any tourist who wants to see a very unique city. This city is anything but a rundown city that had its best days in the past. In fact it is the largest city in Morocco with over four million people, and it is a very cosmopolitan city, as well as the economic heart of the country.

Casablanca was founded by Berber fishermen in the roughly 3,000 years ago and was then used by a series of conquerors, including the Roman Empire. Destroyed by an earthquake in 1755, it was rebuilt by the sultan of the Morocco and called Casablanca.

Casablanca may be seem like it is a backwards city in terms of being progressive but it is the most liberal and progressive of Morocco’s cities, with young men often seen talking outdoors with scantily-clad women, something not seen in more extreme Muslim countries.

There are several sites to see in this amazing city including:

1. Casablanca has the largest artificial port in the world, and an interesting place to check out.

2. The King Hassan II Mosque is the largest mosque in Morocco and the third largest in the world, with the tallest minaret in the world.

3. The Old Medina is a small walled town in the northern part of Casablanca which is where you can find many amazing things to buy from the vendors of the city.

4. The Shrine of Sidi Abderrahman is a shrine built on a rock off the shore and you can only get to it when there is low-tide. The shrine itself is off-limits to non-Muslims, but you can explore the medina that is around it.

Casablanca is a very safe city to visit as well, so you do not have to worry that because you are traveling to Africa, you are going somewhere horribly dangerous. Most tourist agencies will tell you that common sense will keep 99 percent of problems from occurring. These are things like not flashing large amount of money around, and not looking like a tourist. You should be aware of tourist guides who are not really guides and only interested in robbing you, but these guides are much less of a problem in Casablanca than anywhere else in Morocco.

Typically, the worst that you will encounter in Casablanca is people trying to hassle you or bother you. Being firm with them will usually get them to move on. While annoying, they are far from dangerous and not something you should be overly worried about. Women traveling in Casablanca will be harassed with lewd comments if they do not dress modestly, but should not worry about being bothered or harassed physically.

Casablanca is an amazing city that you should consider as a destination if you are traveling to Africa. It has everything a major city should have, and it has thousands of years of history.

To streamline and minimize blog maintenance, I will be discontinuing maintaining the Travelnowsimply.com website (however, I will still hold the domain). I will gradually move all articles to ahmeddawn.com

Recession Proof Jobs You Can Start Right Now

Survive A Layoff; Start Recession Proof Jobs

First Published: ADawnJournal.com April 8, 2009

Ever since I wrote the Recession-Proof Jobs article, I’ve been thinking about writing more on the subject. Initially, I was thinking of writing an article describing all recession-proof jobs. Then again, I thought, what would be the purpose of describing jobs which would require long training and won’t let you start right away?

Today, I will describe a few jobs that you can start right away or within a few months. These jobs require short-term, very little, or no training. I am sure there are more opportunities like these but these are the ones I can currently think of off the top of my head. Always keep your mind and eyes open and be on the lookout. Soon enough, you will find opportunities to ride out this economic crisis.

Repo Man – A repo man repossesses property or goods from buyers who defaulted on payments and can’t pay them anymore. During recessions, this trade seems to flourish as many people lose jobs and are unable to keep up with payments. To work as a repo man, you need to find bailiffs or repo firms that employ repo workers. If you don’t have training or experience, you will be starting off as an assistant or helper. To locate a firm near you, search online by using these keywords: “bailiffs jobs Canada” or “repo man jobs Canada.”

Auto Mechanic – Qualified mechanics are always in short supply, and you can use this to secure an entry-level job, such as parts-runner or assistant to the mechanic, and complete your automotive courses towards achieving certification as a full-time mechanic. A job as a mechanic will always be on demand, not just during a recession. Check with local auto-repair shops or look in the newspaper for opportunities.

Fast-Food Worker – Layoffs are abundant these days; however, long lines at Tim Horton coffee shops tell me that fast-food stores are nowhere near feeling the heat of recession and they are constantly hiring. As more and more people are losing jobs, they are avoiding fancy restaurants and gathering at fast-food shops to socialize. Therefore, fast-food shops have to hire more workers to keep up with the excess flow of customers. You do not need any training or certification to work at a fast-food restaurant. Although it does not pay well, something is better than nothing and during a recession any employment opportunities should not be overlooked.

Thrift Store Worker – During a recession, thrift stores like Goodwill and The Salvation Army seem to do well. People avoid buying new and costly products and these second hand stores flourish. I have seen that these types of stores are on a hiring spree to keep up with increased demand and you don’t need any formal training to be hired.

Security Guard – During an economic downturn, stealing and other offences go up and so does the demand for private security guards. You can be hired by security firms with no training and they will give you some quick training to put you on the fast track.

These are only a few worth mentioning. There are many other job opportunities that exist in a financial crisis which we may not even know about. Keep your eyes open and always be on the lookout.

A rough economy also brings fresh opportunities for entrepreneurs. Creative entrepreneurs can weather the global financial crisis by looking ahead and seeing opportunities in the future. For example, regardless of economic conditions, Green and environment-related opportunities will flourish and there are opportunities in these areas.

Also, some particular sectors do well in recessions and you need to find and utilize those sectors. I can give you a couple of quick examples:

1. People like to stay home and use more cable TV and Internet.

2. People cut services and products they hardly use and stick to the basics, such as gym memberships, magazine subscriptions, luxury items, etc.

An optimistic entrepreneur should always track these trends and come up with innovative products and services to fill the gap. With innovative thinking and the right information, yes – you will be able to ride out the recession and work towards achieving your dreams.

Melbourne Travel Blog: Part 4 | Supermarket Experience

Supermarket Trips in Melbourne

Melbourne Travel Blog: Part 1

Melbourne Travel Blog: Part 2

Melbourne Travel Blog: Part 3

I have visited several supermarkets or grocery stores such as Coles and Woolworths in Melbourne to compare prices with grocery stores in Toronto. I was expecting most of the items to be higher priced than Canada because that’s what I have heard in the past.

But I was surprised that prices are very comparable and some items are even cheaper than Canada. Dairy products are really unbeatable in Australia. Soft drinks and some other dry foods were also better-priced. On average, if you compare everything, I have to say it’s pretty much very comparable with what I have seen in Toronto. Some items are more expensive in Toronto and cheaper in Melbourne and vice versa.

What struck me in the meat section is the Kangaroo meat. It’s a common item in Australia, which I haven’t seen in any other country, for obvious reasons.

Roundabouts in the Intersections

In most of North America, we have intersections with either stop signs or traffic lights. In Australia, I saw the roundabouts, which was a totally new concept for me. Roundabouts control the traffic flow in intersections without any signals or stop signs.

Motorists are forced to slow down and follow certain rules to go through these roundabouts. At an intersection, for instance, someone can go through straight, beating the red light or not stopping, but at a roundabout you can’t do that because you need to go around the roundabout. I find it safer and more efficient. It’s just a matter of getting used to it if you never used it before.

Are You Still Listening To Your CDs?

Internet Radio Revolution

First Published: April 15, 2009 ADawnJournal.com

The Internet has revolutionized the way we live; it’s no wonder that listening to music the old way is about to become extinct. Internet radio is replacing those traditional CDs, and more and more listeners are discovering the convenience and features Internet radio provides (which traditional music players simply cannot) due to technological breakthroughs.

You can listen to most of the traditional radio stations online these days. However, the reason I am writing this article today is not to discuss listening to those online radio stations. I am here to discuss social radio stations like Last.fm or Jingo and what unimaginable things they can do for you. There are many other online social stations like these but these two are my favourites and I will restrict myself to just these two to keep things simple.

Let’s look some of the features that make these social radio stations cutting edge listening devices fit to replace traditional media and music players.

·   There is no additional music player required. Your computer becomes your entertainment station. And yes, of course, you can still listen to your music player from your computer by connecting Internet radio stations through a wire or wirelessly via a FM Transmitter.

·   There is no need to store breakable CDs. Make your life clutter- and worry-free by not having to store, organize, and sort out traditional CDS. This saves lots of time too.

·   Create your own personalized profile and input your choice of music, artists, and genre; these smart online radio stations will keep playing music based on your input 24/7.

·   Filter out music you don’t like. If you don’t like something you hear, you can ask your station not to play it anymore. On the other hand, if you like something and want to hear it more often, tell the radio by pressing a button and it will play that track often.

·   As you keep listening, these smart radio stations remember and analyze what you are listening to and adjust themselves to play more the kind of music you like.

·   You can meet like-minded people from all over the world. The station will show profiles of people who are listening to the same music you are, allowing you to have online conversations and make new friends.

·   You can email the link of your radio station or post it on your blog and your friends will be able to share exactly what you are listening to.

·   It will update you about new releases and new artists based on your preferences – this is impossible with a traditional music player.

·   These artificial intelligence music players remember who you are and give you a unique listening experience like no other. You can access your own station from anywhere in the world and can enjoy your own personalized and customized station.

The best thing of all is that these radio stations are free. Sophisticated technology has made it possible to enjoy and experience what was just not possible a few years ago. There are many stations online like these, but I use these two mostly: Jango and Last.fm. Do a search for the keywords “Internet radio station” and you will be able to find many more. 

Why You Should Not Ignore Your Health Problems

Feeling Under The Weather? Don’t Ignore It

There are many of us who feel at one time or another that we are below-par, health wise. Some people will go rushing to the doctor the first time they feel even slightly less healthy than usual, and others who will refrain from seeking any kind of medical help until such time as they are simply incapable of functioning. Neither of these states of being are desirable, as in the first case we are unable to function from day to day without constant reinforcement of our state of physical health and in the second we put our very health at risk through stubbornness or fear.

As with most issues, the right answer is somewhere in the middle. We will all, from time to time, be subject to health problems. When these problems strike, they may come in physical or mental form, and both types are worth equal attention. There has been a tendency in the past to assume that just because mental health is somehow “invisible”, any problems that arise with it are less valid than problems with physical health. This impression goes back a long way, and although it is less prevalent today than it has been it still remains for some people.

The key with health problems, whether they be physical or mental, is to take them seriously while not making a mountain out of a molehill. If you have a slight cold, then the doctor does not need to know about it unless you are specifically prone to aggravation from such symptoms. If, however, you are in such pain that it restricts you from going about your daily business, it is important to get to the point as quickly as possible. Early intervention in medical terms can be the difference between it becoming serious and such a state of affairs being averted.

With mental health problems, doctors and psychiatrists recommend a two-week rule being applied. If you find that you have been suffering anxiety or low mood for nearly a fortnight, then it is justifiable to assume that it is more than simply a standard case of “the blues”. Whether it is something that needs to be approached with counselling, something that would benefit from medication or something else, it is important to treat mental health issues seriously. Without such treatment, mental illness can take a very firm hold of a sufferer and make their life very difficult indeed.

If you go to the doctor with every little thing that crops up, then before too long you will gain an unspoken reputation as a hypochondriac. Even if this does not ever become an openly accepted situation, it can subliminally play on a doctor’s mind when they are treating you. Although doctors are trained to, and will, treat every case on its merits, the urgency with which they treat any serious case may not be as present if you are of a mind to seek help for minor issues which could be solved with a trip to the pharmacy. However, if it is a true problem it needs to be addressed with haste. Do not just “soldier on” if you find that your life is being made more difficult by a health issue.

To streamline and minimize blog maintenance, I will be discontinuing maintaining the Simplepersonaldevelopment.com website (however, I will still hold the domain). I will gradually move all articles from this site to Ahmed Dawn Dot Com. This article originally published on the above website on Sep 21, 2009.