Tunisia: A Study in Blue and White
Story and photos by Yvonne Mason
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|  | Rugs on display in the Moorish village of Sidi Bou Said | |  | Intriguing arches of The Great Mosque, Sidi Obqa, in Kairouan | |  | A desert oasis as seen from the Red Lizard train | |
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|  | A traditional Tunisian desert oven for baking bread | |  | A typical Tunisian door and interior courtyard | |  | National Office of Fish (the fish market) in Djerba | |
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| "We are the Switzerland of the Arab world," we heard Tunisians say many times during our tour last spring. The Tunisian people are gentle, smart, peaceful, good-looking, and very proud of their beautiful, clean country -- which is almost as clean as Singapore. The people of both countries like it that way. Most buildings in Tunisia are white with robin’s egg-blue doors, window frames, balconies and decorative motifs, especially in Tunis and in the city of Sidi Bou Said.
Blue sky, blue sea…the coast is a dream.
The Bardo Museum in the Old Palace of the "Bey" (meaning ruler or king) in Tunis is famous for its most excellent collection of Roman mosaics. Even The J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa in Malibu, California, the world’s richest museum, is collaborating with the Bardo to preserve its stunning mosaics.
The northeastern area of Tunisia was dominated during the Punic, Roman and Christian periods. Carthage, with its amazing Antonine spas, amphitheatre, theatre, Punic port and Roman villas, was originally a Phoenician capital from about 800 B.C. Carthage was sacked by Rome in 146 B.C., and then colonized in 105 B.C. by Augustus. The location of Carthage is splendid, and it is one of the most beautiful Roman ruins on the Mediterranean.
The delightful Moorish village of Sidi Bou Said, perched high on the cliffs above the Gulf of Tunis, features white buildings and doors ornate with blue stars, moons, minarets and crescents. Bright flowers drape the buildings, many of which are abundant with shopping delights.
The Great Mosque of Sidi Oqba (one of Islam’s four most holy sites) was founded in 670 A.D. in Kairouan. It is one of the most beautiful and oldest monuments in the Muslim world.
We continue west to the desert, which is vast; the heat rippling over the sand. The sky is as turquoise as the gem itself, and we are on the edge of the Sahara. Signs point to Frontiere Algierienne and Libya. Nomadic tribes, Berber tents, herds of camels, and blue, blue sky carry one away to an otherworldly place.
At Metiaoui, we board the Red Lizard train, a narrow-gauge railway founded in 1899. The early 20th Century carriages are fitted with red leather seats. The early 20th Century carriages are fitted with red leather seats. The train runs the nine-mile Gorges of Selja, a dramatic mountain oasis, and crosses otherwise inaccessible gorges. The stunning Tamerza Palace Hotel, close to the railway, is for fine dining or staying on a bit.
Past more oases and traveling further into the desert, we arrive at the mystical town Tozeur. Tozeur is like a dream with its poetic Belvedere palms, old Medina, and superb Dar Chraiet Museum of Art, Architecture and Culture. The salt lake of Chott El Jerid is truly one of the most surreal sights we have ever seen. As we get closer to the Algerian border (which is surreal in itself), the lake shimmers with iridescent shades that change from one side to the other. On one side, it is pink, and on the other, green; on one side it is rust, and the other, blue or silver. The magical changing colors are the work of the sun shining on the salt crystals.
Douz is the gateway to the Sahara, the end of the road: where four-wheel drive vehicles are needed to go south from here. We see "Taureg" (or "blue men," due to their blue garments), tents, herds of camels, a few clumps of grass, and quite a few Libyan gas stations (Libya has lots of gas and delivers it in cans and barrels to these stations in the middle of the desert). At the hotel, hundreds of sparrows fly with the wind out of the oleander bushes.
It is said that the star of the Tunisian South is Matmata. Steven Spielberg used its underground "Troglodyte" dwellings in his "Star Wars" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark" films and, to us, Matmata looked like a movie set in the desert.
Farther east, and a ferry ride away, is the charming island of Djerba. Many lovely beaches encircle Djerba, but access may be limited to tourist hotels. Guelleia is an island village of potters, as well as its economic center. The town of Houmt Souk is famous for artisan cloth, blankets, and silver-and-gold filigree jewelry. We treated ourselves to a stay at the Radisson SAS Resort"Thalasso - Djerba (www.djerba.radissonsas.com), probably the most beautiful hotel we’ve seen, and we have stayed at five-star hotels all over the world,
El Jem is the site of the third largest coliseum in the Roman world. This 3rd Century gem is even better preserved than the Colosseum in Rome. The food is some of the best in the world: couscous with meat, chicken, squab and vegetables; lamb, beef, fresh seafood and game; fresh vegetables including eggplant, salads, olives, fruits, figs, dates and oranges; and the most amazing pastries and desserts. The wines are quite good, too. Tunisia is a beautiful country especially along its coast. The people are kind and friendly, and the dollar is worth something in Tunisia.
©2008 by Authors/Owners Yvonne Mason, All rights reserved |
