Chez Moi

We went to Machrihanish today and were lucky enough to come across a group of seals who were more intersted in sunbathing than in swimming away, and so they let us get quite close, which is just as well as I only have a standard kit lens on my camera (for now anyway).

For this most anticipated of visits, we waited for a nice day, and weren't disappointed.  There is so much to see in Carthage that choices had to be made, but we had a wonderful (and tiring) day.

Carthage 14/04/08

We wanted to start on Byrsa Hill, at the top of Carthage with the Carthage museum, but our taxi driver either didn't know where that was (), or he didn't want to take us there and we ended up at the Antonine Baths.  I still think starting at the top of the hill would have been the best way to go about it, but in the end it didn't matter, as there was much to see, and all of it was very impressive.

Carthage ruins are of two main types, the Roman ones and the Punic ones.  I won't go through the history of Carthage here as it is a vast subject of which I know very little.

There is not actually that much left of the baths, but what there is gives an idea of the sheer scale of the original building.  What is visible now is basically the foundations of the baths, and only a lone column, set upright for this very purpose, gives an idea of the sheer scale of the baths in Roman times.  The floor plan show a symmetrical arrangements, with all the rooms you might expect to find in baths of that size.  Particularly noteworthy are the frigidarium, the 15 metres aforementioned column having been taken from that room, and the semi-circular latrines, in a separate building, so big that they were first thought to have been a theatre! 

We were so impressed by this site, the only drawback was having to be careful where we pointed our camera, and we ended up being shouted at by an armed soldier, waving us away when we got a little too close.  The things you have to do to get the ideal angle for your pictures!

The baths are set in archaeological gardens, and there is much more to see there, including an underground funerary chapel, a house, and a basilica dating form the Byzantine period with its baptistry.  There are also the remains of a Punic necropolis.

   

After the baths we headed towards the Punic ports, again boarding a taxi whose driver had no idea what we were talking about...  On the whole, we have found Tunisian taxi drivers to be very helpful and really nice, and this one was no exception, but I felt this was a bit like a Parisian taxi not knowing where the Pont-Neuf was...

We eventually got there, and again, we realised that a lot of imagination would be necessary to recreate the ports mentally.  None was needed to see how beautiful the place was though...  walking around, we were captivated by the beautiful greeny-blue water, the views opening out to sea, and the very nice houses in this residential area.  There is a visitor centre (a small house with models of the ports in Punic and in Roman times), and the ticket purchased at the baths includes entry to this, as well as other sites in the town.  We were then taken by the guide to see the small island (well, not quite an island as we walked there) in the middle of the port which has more archaeological remains, in particular a Punic dry dock where you see the mark the rope used to pull the boats up made in the stone.  This is the kind of detail which really brings the past to life, and makes you feel as though you could reach out to the people that came before us.

Next, we visited the Tophet, a slightly controversial site, as it was thought for a long time to contain, among the dozens of stela on the site, some marking the graves of children sacrificed by the Carthaginians.  Nowadays, it is believed that this may have been Roman propaganda (as always, the victors write history).  Very poignant site nonetheless, a tragic monument to Punic culture.

After lunch of a wonderful Tunisian sandwich (that simple lunch in a little, very basic but extremely clean café was the best I ever had for so little money), we headed toward the hill, and after a quick look around at the view and at the old cathedral, we went to the National museum.  The visit most definitely starts outside, with Roman and Punic remains, in particular a forum and a Punic residential area.  The view though, over the bay of Tunis, is worth the entry price alone.  it is simply breathtaking, and I needed a few moments to compose myself as I was moved by the sheer beauty of it.  With all the columns and statues everywhere (some are just lying in corners, as if there were so many they don't know what to do with them), this is a very romantic site.

The museum itself has the statues and mosaics you would expect to find there, and makes a fascinating complement to the other visits.  it does get very warm inside though. 

After all this, tired and suffering from "museum legs", we still wanted to make the most of our time in this amazing site, so we took a taxi to what we thought would be the theatre, an important monument of Carthage, but instead he took us to the amphitheatre, one of the largest in Africa, since it is thought to have been able to accommodate up to 36,000 spectators.

I leave you with a portrait of an old man who was very knowledgeable on the history of Carthage, and took great pleasure in discussing it with tourists, who would in turn be happy to buy a few postcards from him.

In search of a trip outside of the Tunis area, we headed for Hammamet for the weekend.  Being outwith the main tourist season, we got a very cheap hotel.  It cost us €30 for the room, with breakfast AND dinner!

Hammamet 12/04/08 - 13/04/08



    

To get to Hammamet, we took a louage from Tunis, a sort of shared taxi.  There are 3 louage stations in Tunis, travelling to different destinations.  The taxis take 8 people, and as soon as one is full, it leaves for its destination.  From a big place like Tunis, you hardly have to wait, however coming back can take a little longer.  This was a chance to discover the Tunisian countryside, and I was lucky enough to be sitting in the front, where the view was the best.  By now, I was immune (outwardly anyway) to the local driving style.  At this time of year, the countryside was a beautiful, lush green, and olive trees reminded us we were in a mediterranean country.    

I had visited Hammamet before as a child, and even though it was a long time ago and my memories are somewhat distant, I could tell it had changed a lot.  The main change is the new Yasmine Hammamet, a concrete jungle for tourists, where hotels try to outdo each other in the ugliness stakes.  Most of them are still being built, and with the economic climate and the impending demise of budget airlines, one wonders if they will ever be finished.  There are also a few palaces there, including the Hasdrubal where we had a wonderful lunch, as our friends had discovered it before and wanted us to experience the sheer luxury of the restaurant, as well as the lovely food... 

The old Hammamet still has a Medina and a Kasbah, and these are well worth a visit.  The souks are not great, most of the stuff you can buy is tourist tat, or counterfeit Prada (and it looks counterfeited!).  One shop had beautiful ceramics, but they were quite expensive.  Again, I am sure the medina is an completely different place in the summer.  Although I was glad I went back to Hammamet, I wouldn't have wanted to spend much more than a weekend there.  Maybe the bad weather we had (the only time it rained during our stay) was partly to blame.  As soon as we got back to Tunis though, the weather was once again wonderful.

On the second day of our trip, feeling a little better after the long trip, we decided to start exploring the area.

Sidi Bou Saïd 09/04/08 & 15/04/08

This is where I fell in love with Tunisia.  We first went with our friends on Martyr's day, a public holiday in Tunisia. It was fairly busy, but not as much as I would imagine it to be in summer.  Most of the visitors that day were Tunisians, so you didn't feel you were overwhelmed by tour groups.  Anyway, it was a beautiful day, with blue skies (they had been very white the day before), and the moment we got of the taxi I knew this place was special.

Much has been written about it, so I won't go on, but the combination of pure white houses with blue doors and windows, little alleys and magnificent views is irresistible.  It is an amateur photographer's paradise, and I know I will have a hard time choosing just a few pictures for this entry.  (But you can see more of my photos here ) 

There is a lot to see in Sidi Bou Saïd, as well as soaking up the atmosphere and just walking around.  We headed up the hill and soon came to a small market which sold all the usual things you can find in Tunisia, souvenirs, ceramics, leather articles, etc.  Having visited other medinas, I have to say the quality of goods on offer here is excellent, and I was tempted into making quite a few purchases.  Thankfully, when you travel by plane, there is only so much you can bring back, otherwise we would have had dishes, bird cages, the lot!  And the sellers can be very persuasive (although it remains a pleasant experience, as they are not as pushy as I have seen elsewhere).  Bartering is all part of the fun, although I am convinced they have us exactly where they want us.  We enjoyed the sellers' sense of humour and quick wit, and like with most Tunisians we met, their warmth and sense of fun.


A little further from the market, you can find the 'Centre des Musiques Arabes et Méditéranéenes', housed in the palace Ennejma Ezzahra, Baron Rodolphe d'Erlanger's residence in Sidi Bou Saïd.  The Baron was an painter and musician and came from a banking family, and Sidi Bou Saïd apparently owes him the famous blue of its doors and moucharabiehs.

The house is absolutely magnificent, well worth a visit, but photography is not allowed, which is a pity.  All the furniture is  original, and the Baron's collection of musical instruments is on display.  Visitors are taken around by a guide, as often in Tunisia ours went a little too fast, but he imparted a lot of information.  I would love to come back here for one of the concerts they put on.  For pictures, there is always the grounds, with the lovely gardens and outstanding views.  I was talking with one of the gardener's there, who said that money alone was not enough, but it was amazing what you could achieve if you added good taste to the mix.  After visiting this little marvel, I am in total agreement.  You can read about a visit made during the Baroness' lifetime here

A couple of houses in the village can be visited, one is free under the guise of a museum of ceramics (Dar Jaziri), but is really a gallery/souvenir shop.  The courtyard in this one is particularly lovely.  The other house, Dar el Annabi can be visited for a fee, and is well worth a look.  In both cases, a roof terrace offers great views over the village and the bay of Tunis. 

The Café Sidi Chabaane has featured in a song by popular singer (well, in France anyway) Patrick Bruel and has also become a tourist haunt, although when we went there, most of the clientèle were young, trendy tunisois.  You can hear the song Cafe des delices on Youtube.  It's a wonderful place to take in the extensive panorama, but next time I would like to be there when the sun sets, and perhaps smoke a chicha with my mint tea.

Le vent de l'éventail

De ton grand-père assis

Et l'odeur du jasmin

Qu'il tenait dans ses mains

Au Café des Délices