Wormhole Activity (Tunis, 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. 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.]

Sept 14^th, 2010 - Europe was a detour premised on an ill-advised gamble involving a member of the opposite sex. I enjoyed my time but to be honest it all felt a bit too familiar. It was nice to relax and soak up some modernity (riding a bicycle via an actual bike path, Starbucks, going to the movies, etc.) and visit friends (folks I'd met earlier on my sojourns) but in the end something was missing. 

After Prague I decided to move to the next logical destination: Tunisia (perfectly logical if you account for wormhole activity). It felt like time for a new continent. About a month ago I read an article regarding this country on the Mediterranean and believed it was time to have a look. So here I am…..in Africa. Cue Shakira, Waka, Waka.

Upon my arrival in Tunis I was greeted with beautiful weather and a laid back atmosphere. For some reason as soon as I left the airport I felt instantly at ease.  My arrival in Tunisia just happened to coincide with the end of Ramadan (Friday, September 10^th) and the commencement of Eid ul-Fitr (the celebration of the end of Ramadan and the breaking of the fast). Tunisia is a secular state and although 99% of people are Muslim the government has taken great pains to suppress fundamentalism and extremism. In other words there is little to fear for westerners choosing to visit Tunisia.

'Set It Off' & The Funky Cold Medina (Tunis, 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. 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.]

Sept 16^th, 2010 - I saw a man on the main street of Tunis wearing a t-shirt adorned with 'May I Have Your MSN? I'm a Hotmale'. Sweet. I thought it a might queer (as in odd or strange) that folks would be celebrating the end of Ramadan by driving through the streets while honking, screaming, and blowing plastic trumpets. It turns out they were merely getting psyched up for the Algeria-Tunisia soccer match. I'm silly. 

Although the context is currently Tunisia I've noticed that outside Western culture there is little adherence to the concept of a line (or queue as it were). Want to eat? Get a cup of coffee? Buy a SIM for your mobile? Tram ticket? Put your head down and plow through. Otherwise, you will be standing on the periphery for ages basking in your own politeness. It is not that folks are necessarily rude (probably), it's just that custom dictates a free-for-all. Take no prisoners.

Bardo & The Picky Pocket (Tunis, 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. 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.]

Sept 18^th, 2010 - Allow me to vent: Blaaaaaaaaaaaah!!! Arrrrrrrgh!! S#$t!!!! F%$k!!! Son of a b###################tch!!!!!!!!!! A thieving assface hath purloined my wallet (by wallet I mean a binding clip with my ATM card, credit card, driver's license, and more money then I should have been carrying). I decided to stuff my skinny ass onto the local tram in Tunis. Dumb. Just plain dumb. Some dipshit reached in my pocket and made off with the loot. I am not exactly sure how it happened because as soon as I realized I was vulnerable I became acutely aware of the danger. By then it was too late. Fiddlesticks.

To be honest I am not sure exactly when I lost it. I had tried to board the tram ten minutes prior but it was so packed I could not get on. It is possible I was hit then. Who the hell knows? I remember that shortly after snapping the photo below a woman standing on the tram started pounding on the glass from the inside. I thought she may have been requesting that I cease and desist from taking photographs. Perhaps, she actually witnessed the act of thievery and was trying to warn me. Who the hell knows? 

Zionist Plots, Saddam Hussein, & Ashraf (Tunis, 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. 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.]

Sept 22^nd, 2010 - I decided to mix it up. Why confine myself to meeting strangers on the street when I have the internet at my disposal. Enter Ashraf. Ashraf contacted me via Couchsurfing to say hello. Seeing as I am always interested in gaining local perspective I suggested we meet up. As I waited in front of the theater on Habib Bourgiba Street I had two more random encounters. While I was enjoying some of the Tunis' youth engaging in a break dancing sideshow a young gentleman approached and inquired as to whether or not I was awaiting a performance at the theater. I answered in the negative and told him I was waiting for a friend. He seemed to want to know exactly when my friend would be arriving. I said he was on his way. A strange conversation about Facebook ensued whereby my new friend wanted to know if in my 'Profile' section I indicate that I am interested in meeting men, women, or both. Riiiight. I am not really sure if this was a covert way of asking me what team(s) I play for or what the hell was going on. Could the area in front of the theater be a sub rosa cruising range? Dunno. When I replied that my profile indicates 'women' he seemed to be a bit disappointed and departed.

The gentleman standing to my left then asked me if I liked watching the break dancing, to which I responded in the affirmative. He mentioned something about having a marketing job and then submitted his resume for approval….to me. Wasn't really sure what to do with that. Luckily, Ashraf showed up just in time to save me from having to give some sort of critique or interview. Obviously, unemployment is a big problem in Tunisia.

What Lies Beneath? (Tunis, 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.]

Sept 28^th, 2010 - I saw a man walking on the street wearing a t-shirt pronouncing: I'm drunk. She's fat. It's on. Charming. Another chap was sporting a hat that read simply: Fuck In The Box, presented in the logo style of the fast food chain Jack In The Box. I need one. 

I must admit that Tunisia has captured my attention just as much for what it is as for what it is not. The dynamics of Tunisian society are rather complex, starting with its history and due in no small part to the throngs of interlopers that have called modern day Tunisia home at one time or another. The Phoenicians, Romans, Vandals, Berbers, Byzantines, Turks, Arabs, Spaniards, and French have all left their mark. It can be somewhat dizzying to keep track of all the influences. 

First you have the arrival of the Phoenicians that eventually established ancient Carthage (now a suburb of Tunis). Their defeat in Third Punic War at the hands of the Romans saw the end of the Carthaginian Empire and their dominance over the western Mediterranean. Next came Roman hegemony followed by a short period of control by the Vandals, the rise of the Arabs, a brief interval of Spanish dominance, the rise of the Ottoman Empire, the colonial French era, and finally independence. And don't forget the Berbers that were here for the duration. Simple.

Nowadays, most folks would define themselves as Arab and profess to be followers of Islam (about 98% are Sunni Muslims). In light of this it may be somewhat surprising to discover that there is a rather pungent air of tolerance and understanding, at least in Tunis. How deep does mutual acceptance go? From my stand point thus far it is difficult to draw my own conclusion. I am not sure if professed tolerance masks practical discrimination. I do know that there are small populations of Jews (less than 1%) and Christians (about 1%) still living in the country, mostly in the Tunis area if I am not mistaken. The island of Djerba is home to one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world (they've been there for over 2,500 years) and is an important pilgrimage site. Although there appears to be tolerance for Jews in general I am not quite sure about people's attitude toward Israeli Jews in particular. My intuition leads me to believe a fair amount of resentment exists.

J.I. - Jesus Incognito (Tunis, 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 1^st, 2010 - Tunisia is 98% Sunni Muslim. If I were a Christian missionary I suppose I could view that statistic as the basis for an act of futility or choose to see it as one 'hell' of an opportunity. Think of all the potential converts. Fish in a barrel? Only one problem. It is technically illegal for non-Muslims to proselytize to Muslims. Missionary groups are allowed to be here but not allowed to go full throttle, at least not with the 'yet to be convinced'. They are allowed to preach to the choir, so to speak, but considering the very small population of Christians (or Jews for that matter) it is not as if there will be large revivals. And even then there are strict requirements on gatherings. It is legal for a Muslim to convert to another religion just not at the behest of a non-Muslim. What if they see the light on their 'own'? Well, game on I guess. 

Sooooooo you are allowed to be a non-Muslim. Muslims are allowed to convert but it has to be....organic and spontaneous....I guess. Non-Muslims are allowed to practice their faith but are not allowed to proselytize. Non-Muslim foreigners are allowed into the country but not allowed to conduct any type of 'missionary' activity, at least not with those outside their faith. See where I'm headed with this?

Two If By Fiat Punto (Tunis, 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 23^rd, 2010 - I am no longer Han Solo. Han Duo's the name. Leslie of Portlandia is my new travel comrade. I guess you can say we met in cyberspace. Some time ago she began following my blog and sent me a message informing me that she was considering a similar venture. We kept in touch periodically and to make a long story short she arrived in Tunisia a little over two weeks ago. Hijinks ensued immediately. And without hijinks what an insipid world this would be.....

I decided to meet her at the airport fearing that her taxi driver would commit a ritual fare screwing. They are notorious for this, at least from the airport. Initially, we were told that the fare would be 15 ($10) dinar but after voicing my displeasure I was informed that the meter would be engaged. Sitting in the backseat I watched as Mr. Cabby Man surreptitiously pushed buttons to increase the fare every time he placed his hand upon the gear shift adroitly employing the Sub Rosa Knuckle Technique. Naughty cabbie. I decided it would be better to wait until we arrived to the center before formally lodging a complaint.

The Great ‘Mos-KAY?!’ of Kairouan (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.]

Nov 14^th, 2010 - After Ksar Ghilane our Tunisian extravaganza began to wind down a bit. We spent a not-so-memorable night in the not-so-quaint seaside town of Mahdia. The next day we passed our morning at El Jem, an ancient Roman colosseum right in the center of the town by the same name. I was actually expecting a semi-secluded archaeological site but disappointed to discover it was right in the thick of the busy center, almost like a contemporary sports arena.

The vibe within was no less modern. Lots of tour groups, steel grates, a souvenir shop selling DVDs, so on and so forth. The backdrop of a modern Tunisian city was fairly intriguing but the whole scene felt a wee bit artificial, almost like a reconstruction. Worth a look but not terribly compelling.

‘Windmill’ of Mauritania (Tunis, Tunisia)

Nov 16^th, 2010 - Don Quixote had his windmills. We have the embassy of Mauritania. For reasons probably lost on most we have decided to make a run at Mauritania. Why? Well, why not? A visa is necessary prior to entry. And where do you get a visa? Bing!....At the embassy of course! All you have to do is find it. After doing an internet search it was not entirely clear there even is a Mauritanian Embassy in Tunis but I had to keep the dream alive.

I did find a lead on Visa HQ but the information was suspect.  At the top of the page it stated that the search fostered no results but as you scroll down you find an address and a couple of phone numbers. Other websites failed to even list an embassy for Mauritania at all. Q-Q-Quagmire.

So I did what I thought to be the most logical course of action, I emailed the US Embassy in Tunis and inquired about the address. It's America. They have to know, right? They promptly provided a location and phone number. I felt no need to continue searching. After all, it's America, right? America knows everything. Fuck yeah.

The next morning we hailed a taxi and thus began the ordeal. After a brief explanation the driver and I agreed on where the hell it was we were trying to go. He had the address. He knew the street. Rock on. He began by screwing us right off the bat. While I had my nose buried in a map (looking for the street in question) he tinkered with the meter and added about four dinar to our fare. At the time I merely made a mental note. He seemed to know where he was going so I figured I would raise Cain after we'd arrived at our destination. We never did.