Jedi Living (Luke Skywalker's Crib - Matmata, Tunisia)

[Author's Note: I arrived in Tunis on September 10^th, 2010 and left two months later. The Arab Spring began in Tunisia on December 18^th, 2010, a day after the self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi. I missed the festivities by about a month or so. Some would say I dodged a bullet but I cannot help feeling like I missed the boat. How often do you have the chance to watch history unfold from the front row? It is interesting for me to go back and read about my experiences at the time. Yes, I could almost taste repression in the air but if you told me the powder keg was about to ignite I would have been incredulous in the extreme. Yet, there it was boiling just beneath the surface. Keep this in mind when reading my Tunisia posts. It makes for a fascinating subtext.]

Oct 9^th, 2010 - Although our time at Ksar Ghilane was disappointing I believe it possible to make a trip there worthwhile. Renting your own vehicle from Gabes, finding accommodation closer to the dunes, checking out the sunset/rise, and splurging on a two hour horsey ride into the ocean of sand would all be trip enhancers. I am going to see about getting a visa into Libya but if it falls through I may give southern Tunisia another go.

So we left the oasis fairly early the next morning (our driver apparently had shit to do) and made our way to the town of Matmata. The tourist hordes descend upon this small town for two reasons: to take a peek at the famous troglodyte homes and follow in the footsteps of the world's most famous Jedi.

The Berbers that settled this area took environmental adaptation to a whole other level and built underground homes that provided shelter from the desert inferno. Resembling bomb craters these dwellings would probably be overlooked if you did not know they were there. Not far from Matmata we stopped at one of these subterranean abodes, had some tea, and then a look around. There is a certain 'human zoo' type awkwardness to such visits but I will say it is worth a look. And, in the end, it does provide a much needed source of income for the locals.