OAT: Tunisia: From the Mediterranean to the Sahara
February 18 to March 6, 2023
Sat., 2/18/23 - Athens, Rome, Tunis, Tunisia
Today we flew from Athens to Rome to Tunis on Italian Airlines. We arrived at the Tunis airport and went smoothly through passport control and customs. Our OAT tour leader, Mohammed, met us in the arrivals lobby, provided valuable information, and sent us off with a driver to take us to our hotel. The OAT trip does not officially start until Monday, so it was nice of him to have come to the airport to meet us.
February 18
February 19 - 20
Tunis: Belvedere Park
February 22
Tunis: Grand Synagogue; Dougga: Roman Ruins; Testour
February 23
February 24
Island of Djerba: Djerbahood; El Ghriba Synagogue; Guellala Pottery; Houmt Souk
February 25
February 26
The Road to the Sahara: Local Gas "Pumps"; Toujane; Matmata; Sahara Camp
February 27
February 28
Tozeur: Date Farm; Brick Making; Medina; Dar Cherait Museum
March 1
March 2
Kairouan: Aghlabide’s Basins; Mausoleum of Abou Zamaa al-Balawi; Great Mosque of Kairouan; Medina
March 3
March 4
March 5
Carthage: Sanctuary of Tophet; Antonine Baths; North African American Cemetery and Memorial
OAT: Tunisia: From the Mediterranean to the Sahara
Flag of Tunisia
The Tunisian flag is similar to Turkey’s - red for blood shed in all wars, the star and crescent - the unofficial symbol of the religion of Islam, a white circle for peace, and a five-pointed star for the five pillars of the Moslem religion.
Tunisian License Plate
Sun., 2/19/23 - Tunis Tunisia
Since we were "on our own" until Monday evening, we ate a nice breakfast at our hotel. The hotel manager introduced himself - he had visited the Grand Canyon in our state - and had the waiter give us complimentary fresh squeezed orange juice.
After lunch, we walked over to Belvedere Park, a large park in the center of Tunis that includes a zoo and lots of trees and plants. We skipped the zoo but enjoyed walking in the botanical gardens among the trees and plants with lots of flowers.
On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at a little store and bought two large bottles of water (one dinar each - 30 cents!). Tunisian tap water is not safe for us to drink.
Dinner at the hotel restaurant - grilled vegetables (tomato, eggplant, sweet onion and green peppers), spaghetti Bolognese or four cheese penne, bread, and bottled water for 55 dinar which is less than $20!
Belvedere Park Zoo
Just pretty
Dragon Tree
From our hotel room
Big labor union meeting
Mon., 2/20/23 - Tunis
Around 10:30 we walked, pulling our suitcases, in the street and over uneven “sidewalks,” the 4 minutes to the OAT group's hotel, the Belvedere.Since people arrived at different times and the pre-trip was delayed until after 8 pm, we, and six other travellers, had dinner at the hotel and adjourned until the morning briefing.
Tues., 2/21/23 - Tunis, Tunisia
After the typical OAT introduction/briefing, the group boarded a brand new motor coach (we later realized it was a new interior on top of an old chassis - the plastic was still on the seats!) and headed out for a tour of Government Square and the Medina - the old town dating from 732 CE.
Government Square is surrounded by the buildings for finance, education, defense (no photos), and the house of the prime minister with a pyramid on top. In the center of the square is the National Monument of the Kasbah which serves as a memorial monument and symbol of several events in Tunisia.
National Monument of the Kasbah
National Monument of the Kasbah
Street lamp
Al Kasbah Mosque
Ministry of Finance
Ministry of Finance
Map of the Medina of Tunis
A mosque, Al-Zaytuna, which means “the olive,” was built in the center. The east side is all residential and the west is all commercial. There once were 24 trades operating in the medina, today there are only seven. 100,000 people still live in the medina. The “Gate to the Sea” is on the south end and the sea used to be within 60 meters of that gate. There was once a wall surrounding the medina.
There are such interesting doors in this part of the world. You will see many pictured on these pages
About Tunisian doors: The larger the door and the more metal designs on it meant the man was very wealthy. There are three knockers on the large double door, two up high for a wealthy man who would arrive on horseback and one lower for a commoner. Each had a distinctive tone so the attendant inside knew who was knocking. The large double doors opened for a rich man but the small, low door opened for a commoner who had to bow beneath the lintel to enter.
A really old one
Minaret of the mosque of Hammouda-Pacha
Street sign
Bread
Minaret of the Mosque of Sidi Youssef
There is also an amazing amount and variety of tile work in North Africa. This one is painted.
Carved and painted stucco
Nice sign
Women's and girl's clothing
Women's clothing
Face coverings or artwork?
Men's and boy's clothing
Fezes - traditional felt hat - for sale
Fez variety
Shoes
Inlay
Bab el Bhar - City gate or Porte De France
Site where, in 1662, diplomatic relations officially began between the Regency of Tunis and the United Kingdom. The treaty was signed by Tunisian officials and King Charles II and allowed Britain to maintain a consular/diplomatic presence on the site from 1662 to 2004.
Cathedral of St. Vincent de Paul
Cathedral of St. Vincent de Paul
Organ in the Cathedral of St. Vincent de Paul
Sculpture illuminated at night
The Welcome Dinner was a sumptuous, lengthy event at Dar (meaning “house”) El Jeld (meaning “of leather”). It was the huge palatial house of a leather merchant. After three starters (2 of which had fish), we were served huge plates of couscous, steamed vegetables, and a hunk of lamb on bone. Each plate was enough for a family! Dessert was platters of confections of dates and nuts. Way too much food.
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