 | Gulliver's Travels Tunisia |
North Central Africa had beckoned me for decades, always seeming to be a place of intrigue. Kasbahs, medinas, desert nomads and the battlefields of the Desert Fox (Field Marshall Rommel) and Patton being things not found in Wisconsin--so I had to go. Dorothy and I already visited Morocco and Egypt, liking both very much. Now, Libya and Algeria were a bit too dicey to try (my intrepid nature does have limits). While driving my rented car in Tunisia, I even felt a bit strange to see road signs announcing Algiers and Tripoli. In Tunisia I visited the cities of Tozeur and El Kef and got to a half mile of the Algerian border. After the trip, I checked the State Department advisory on Tunisia. It said to avoid Tozeur, El Kef, and the area within 30 miles of Algeria. No problem for me, as I have the attitude of the venerable Alfred E. Neuman, "What, me worry? I read Mad."
I flew to Tunis, Tunisia on March 5th and returned on March 17th. I drove about two-thirds of the way to the southern border, then turned west to near the Algerian border. Then I drove north through the battlefields where Patton was first badly defeated at Kasserine Pass, as well as where he finally had success farther east. Then I continued north to near the Mediterranean Sea, finding the landscape surprisingly very beautiful, with expanses of winter wheat and rape (the source of canola oil) in mountain valleys. Finally I turned east to return to Tunis, visiting the ancient, famous site of Carthage.
If you visit Tunisia and have heart problems, I do not recommend driving a car. I have never, ever, seen worse drivers! And pedestrians are even worse, constantly walking in front of cars without looking first. However, it was quite exciting driving, so I had little danger of falling asleep. Oh, and it was also exciting driving through a sandstorm with 50 MPH winds, creating "brownout" conditions. Yet, it took until the ninth day of driving before I saw an accident. Drivers there all know everyone is dangerous, so they are on constant alert.
I flew to Tunis, Tunisia on March 5th and returned on March 17th. I drove about two-thirds of the way to the southern border, then turned west to near the Algerian border. Then I drove north through the battlefields where Patton was first badly defeated at Kasserine Pass, as well as where he finally had success farther east. Then I continued north to near the Mediterranean Sea, finding the landscape surprisingly very beautiful, with expanses of winter wheat and rape (the source of canola oil) in mountain valleys. Finally I turned east to return to Tunis, visiting the ancient, famous site of Carthage.
If you visit Tunisia and have heart problems, I do not recommend driving a car. I have never, ever, seen worse drivers! And pedestrians are even worse, constantly walking in front of cars without looking first. However, it was quite exciting driving, so I had little danger of falling asleep. Oh, and it was also exciting driving through a sandstorm with 50 MPH winds, creating "brownout" conditions. Yet, it took until the ninth day of driving before I saw an accident. Drivers there all know everyone is dangerous, so they are on constant alert.
Muslim Influences
Tunisia fell to the Muslim armies in the eighth century. Many very old buildings constructed shortly thereafter remain today, often
 Mosque in the city of Hammamet |  At prayer in a mosque in Tunis |
 Early morning light on a mosque in Tozeur |  Monastir Fort (11th Century), used to fight Christian Crusaders |
 Monastir Fort |  A caravanserai, a resting place for members of caravans |
The inside of the fluted dome of the caravanserai
Star Wars
Many of the scenes in the Star Wars movies were filmed in southern Tunisia. I visited four of those locations. I actually stayed in a "hotel" where the first movie (from 1978) in which Hans Solo and Chewbacca first appeared in the bar filled with weirdos. The scene was filmed in one of five caves dug vertically 25 feet deep, which was then connected by tunnels. My room was in another of those caves.
Many of the scenes in the Star Wars movies were filmed in southern Tunisia. I visited four of those locations. I actually stayed in a "hotel" where the first movie (from 1978) in which Hans Solo and Chewbacca first appeared in the bar filled with weirdos. The scene was filmed in one of five caves dug vertically 25 feet deep, which was then connected by tunnels. My room was in another of those caves.
 Hotel El Sidi Driss, a series of five caves dug 300 hundred years ago for dwelling places |  One of the caves used in the bar scene where Luke Skywalker met Hans Solo and Chewbacca |
My "hotel room," which cost me $16.70, including dinner and breakfast (that's what you get when you stay in half-star hotels).
The 300-year-old town of Ksar Hedada, which was the spaceport town of Mos Espa in "The Phantom Menace," filmed in 1997
The "artificial" part of Mos Espa built for "The Phantom Menace"
 The town of Chenini, a town built hundreds of years ago on a steep hillside and occupied until recently (it did not appear in any Star Wars films) |
The Roman Era
The area now called Tunisia was part of the Phoenician Empire, starting in the 9th Century, B.C. It was based in the city of Tyre, now part of Lebanon. In 146 B.C. the Romans conquered the Phoenicians and ruled the area until the collapse of the Roman Empire in the 5th Century A.D. Lots of history, lots of towns dotting present-day Tunisia--so I just had to see it.
The area now called Tunisia was part of the Phoenician Empire, starting in the 9th Century, B.C. It was based in the city of Tyre, now part of Lebanon. In 146 B.C. the Romans conquered the Phoenicians and ruled the area until the collapse of the Roman Empire in the 5th Century A.D. Lots of history, lots of towns dotting present-day Tunisia--so I just had to see it.
El Jem Colosseum, built from 230-238 A.D., which held 30,000 spectators of the bloodbaths held there
Dougga, a huge, well-preserved Roman city
 The Temple of Mercury in Dougga |  Mosaics in a house in the Roman town of Bulla Regia |
Roman baths in the city of Carthage, near present-day Tunis
The Berber People
Most of the people living in Tunisia today are ethnic Berbers. They are actually a mix of ancient Africans and Europeans who migrated there thousands of year ago by crossing the Mediterranean Sea. Most people speak both the Berber language and Arabic, but those living in remote areas only speak Berber.
Most of the people living in Tunisia today are ethnic Berbers. They are actually a mix of ancient Africans and Europeans who migrated there thousands of year ago by crossing the Mediterranean Sea. Most people speak both the Berber language and Arabic, but those living in remote areas only speak Berber.
This man is making a cup with a handle in a small shop in the medina of the city of Sfax.
 A woman resting at the Great Mosque in Kairouan |  A man and his donkey |
 Two women walking in the road (well, where ELSE would they walk?) |  A mysterious man walking (of course, in the road) |
Granaries, where each farmer has his own niche granary in a huge complex that is walled in to prevent thieves and animal attacks
Miscellaneous Tunisia
I could post dozens of photos of interesting, unusual, and beautiful scenes in Tunisia. Here are just a few.
I could post dozens of photos of interesting, unusual, and beautiful scenes in Tunisia. Here are just a few.
A typical roadside meat market
The ubiquitous "gas station," where "benzene," rather than gasoline is sold from bottles.
 The sandstorm I drove through for several hours in winds of 50 MPH or more |  Fields of winter wheat and rape (the yellow flowers ripen into rapeseed, the source of canola oil) |
More rape, mixed with olive trees
The mountain scenery of northern Tunisia was surprisingly beautiful.
Epilogue
Why visit Tunisia? Because it is interesting, it is beautiful, and it is cheap. Dinners in nice restaurants, with a beer, cost $5-6, 3-star hotels $20-30, and fuel costs about the same as here. An English man told me he lives in a 5-star hotel for $1000 a month, including breakfast and dinner. So, why would anyone spend winter in Arizona, Texas, or Florida for $3000-$6000 a month, with relatively fewer things of interest to see? I can't think of any reason other than that is it convenient and a bit safer. But, hey, get intrepid like Alfred E. Neuman and say, "What, me worry? I read Mad."
Why visit Tunisia? Because it is interesting, it is beautiful, and it is cheap. Dinners in nice restaurants, with a beer, cost $5-6, 3-star hotels $20-30, and fuel costs about the same as here. An English man told me he lives in a 5-star hotel for $1000 a month, including breakfast and dinner. So, why would anyone spend winter in Arizona, Texas, or Florida for $3000-$6000 a month, with relatively fewer things of interest to see? I can't think of any reason other than that is it convenient and a bit safer. But, hey, get intrepid like Alfred E. Neuman and say, "What, me worry? I read Mad."
RSS Feed