The opportunity to visit North Africa, if only for one day, was one of the deciding factors in choosing this particular cruise (in addition to the fact that Cunard owed me a rather large credit for having missed the sailing of the Queen Mary 2 back in April). Will and I had spent two wonderful weeks in Egypt in 1993 and we were interested in seeing another aspect of Arab culture. We gained extra sleep last night as clocks were set back one hour (we will lose that hour again on our way to Greece).
The ship docks in the harbor of La Goulette, the port suburb of Tunis. The first part of our tour takes us by coach over the salt lake separating Tunis from La Goulette, originally providing access for fishing, but now largely silted up. Tunis lies about ten miles to the southeast of the port and the cities of Carthage and Sidi Abou Said lie ten miles to the west. There is good rail service connecting all these points for those wishing to visit on their own.
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| Welcome to Tunisia |
The old city (Tunis Medina) is a very large warren of interconnecting streets and alleyways, each turn providing another picturesque view (and the opportunity for too many photographs). The Medina contains a variety of souks (bazaars), mosques, public service buildings, and many private residences. It was the heart of the medieval city and modern Tunis grew up around its walls. Our guide takes us into the maze and provides some tips for shopping and for finding our way back to the Kasbah (castle fortification) on our own, where the bus waits for us. We visit a carpet and art shop with a second floor balcony providing views over the roofs of the Medina and the whole city of Tunis. From here we can see how far the Medina extends, remembering that it is possible to spend an entire life in its environs; there are shops for every physical and material need, mosques for spiritual succor, cafes with hookahs for entertainment and relaxation, and the gardens of private homes for family and friends. Of particular interest are the vividly painted wooden doors and window frames.
Before leaving the shop we are regaled with (or subjected to, depending on your point of view) a display of hand-made rugs in a rainbow of colors and textures—all very beautiful and all ready for sale and shipment overseas. We have free time to wander through the streets, some covered and some open to the skies, as we work our way back out to meet the tour bus . . . and we are off to . . .
Sidi Abou Said and the Ruins of Carthage
We have chosen not to visit the ruins of Carthage because we had such a marvelous afternoon at Herculaneum while visiting Naples and I know from the guidebooks that the site itself is rather small and limited. But our bus takes us by the main site as we drive 20 minutes on the other side of Tunis to Sidi Abou Said, a charming small town painted entirely in white and blue (except for the few buildings that aren’t). There are no great monuments, mosques, or churches, but the town sits on the side of a hill overlooking the Mediterranean. There is only one street going up and down so we can wander without fear of getting lost. This is a place for sitting in cafes, shopping for crafts and souvenirs, and watching other tourists do the usual tourist-dance. It is obviously a place with a more well-to-do population, as the homes and cars we pass are quite elegant and new. The Presidential Palace (one of them) is situated on the road back to Tunis as is a 150-year-old cedar tree, cut and shaped like a very large Japanese bonsai.
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