Adventure Travel - The Sojourner: Tunisia

844 days, 20,256 hours, 1,215,360 minutes, or 72,921,600 seconds. That is the approximate duration of my world tour. I never wanted it to end and now, in a manner of speaking, I suppose it never has to. If you wish to go by country do so by clicking on one above. They are numbered in the order I visited them, more or less. If you enjoy reading about it even a tenth as much as I enjoyed living it then you will not have wasted your time. Grab a refreshing beverage, settle in a comfortable chair, and make a journey across the world, experiencing it as I did. Then get off your ass and check it out for yourself. You're not getting any younger.

Showing posts with label Tunisia. Show all posts

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.

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.

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?

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.

[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.

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?

Sa-HA-ra!!! (Douz to Ksar Ghilane, Tunisia)

Oct 4^th, 2010 - I teamed up with a fellow American (Phil) to conquer the Sahara. We were both excited by the prospect of experiencing the largest hot desert (there's a bigger one in Antarctica) on earth and frolicking among its dunes. From what we both read it was an experience like no other. It turned out to be quite an 'experience' just not the one we had anticipated and hoped for. At least we had each other.

An all night bus from Tunis led us to Douz, a small town on the edge of the Sahara. Our plan was to rent a 4WD and blaze off into the desert with nothing but 80 gallons of water (for when we got lost) and our wits (maybe a bit of cous cous for nibbling). The oasis of Ksar Ghilane is the southern-most tourist outpost but we were willing to head all the way to Tunisia's southern tip if need be. Yeah, our balls are that big (inverse relationship to the size of our brains).

From internet

Oct 6^th, 2010 - “Ksar Ghilane is where you'll understand the power of the Sahara's lure”..... and appreciate the effect of mass tourism on what should be a remarkable place. The first part is directly out of the Lonely Planet while the rest is my cynical addition. We arrived at our camp/hotel in the oasis to find ourselves thoroughly underwhelmed. Although the oasis is interesting it is regrettably filled with some rather shoddy accommodation (our hotel was no exception).

Not only were our sleeping arrangements not particularly inviting they were unnecessarily modern (flushing toilets, hot showers, electricity, etc.). It may sound strange to complain about such things but the whole scene reeks of excess when you consider you are in the middle of a desert. Phil and I were hoping for a cozy Bedouin-style tent on the edge of a dune, not a half-ass tent city (notwithstanding the restaurant, bathroom facilities, and souvenir shops) swarming with middle-aged French tourists. We wanted to shit in the sand, damn it! After reading this paragraph a couple of times I realize one could almost assume Phil and I were on some sort homosexual desert escapade. There is nothing wrong with homosexuals, Phil (he's quite lovely), or escapades but Tunisia is probably not the place to have a Big Gay Holiday just in case I gave that impression.

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

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.

Scooter Dreams (Djerba, Tunisia)

Oct 12^th, 2010 - Sometimes I get the feeling writers for the Lonely Planet don't necessarily visit the places described in their guidebooks. I will admit the island of Djerba has its appeal but it does not measure up to the hype attributed to it in the LP. In all fairness the book does prepare one for the onslaught of mass tourism but it still fosters a glimmer of hope in avoiding the worst of it or fosters the idea that the island will make it up to you. Then again, more bad luck may have tainted my perception.

Phil and I made the village of Houmt Souq our base of operations from which to explore the island. Although it does possess a certain charm I think referring to it as 'so polished and charming it's like eye candy for those living in concrete jungles' is going a bit far. I usually know better than to put my faith in a guidebook description but for some reason in this instance I felt confident. Damn it.

Two If By Fiat Punto (Tunis, Tunisia)

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.

Bizerte, Lake Ichkeul, & Cap Serrat (Northern Tunisia)

Oct 26^th, 2010 - We headed 66 km north of Tunis to the seaside city of Bizerte and found a quaint sh**hole in which to lay our heads for the evening. There is, of course, much more commodious lodging but none of them seemed worth the extra expense. After leaving our bags behind we made our way down the street for a bit of lunch followed by a look around. The old port and medina area is a nice place for a saunter. Something about the cobblestone walkway along the small bay lined with colorful fishing boats and cafes makes one almost want to doze off. Not a bad place to watch the world go by.

Ass of Mutton & Bulla Regia (Northwest Tunisia)

Oct 29^th, 2010 - The north of Tunisia is worth a look even if the glimpse entails merely passing through via a slow meandering drive. Rolling hills, vast tracks of picturesque farmland, seaside cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean, nearly deserted country roads, and an all around mellow vibe make it worth a peek (with your own transport of course). While making a pit stop in the small city of Tabarka we stocked up on necessities, namely six bottles of wine, two bottles of gin, a bottle of vodka, and enough tonic water to bath in.

As you might guess alcohol is sometimes difficult to acquire in an Islamic country like Tunisia (although not as difficult as you would think). As Tabarka is a tourist town certain allowances are made. We took advantage. Tunisian wine is not only fabulous, but fabulously cheap to boot. A deliciously smooth bottle of vino will only set you back $2 to $4. No 'cheap wine' bite and minimal hangover. It's an alcoholic's fantasy. So we threw the box of spirits in the Punto and skedaddled.

Dougga & Hammam Mellegue (Northwest Tunisia)

Oct 31^st, 2010 – Doooo-GA! Doooo-GA! Doooo-GA! No relevance. It just feels right saying it like that. Our guide in Bulla Regia recommended we check out the ancient Roman city of Dougga (Thugga) about 40 minutes from the city of El Kef. She told us it was the best archaeological site in Tunisia (if not North Africa) and that we'd be a**holes not to spend some time there (I might be paraphrasing just a tad).

We arrived in El Kef in the evening, found suitable lodging on the outskirts of town, and ventured to the center for a nibble. We wanted to eat at the hotel restaurant but they were not serving dinner. Why would they? The grumpy gentleman behind the reception desk was kind enough to recommend an overpriced restaurant in town. Merci beaucoup.

I may have ingested mutton again but cannot be certain. Believe it or not unidentifiable meat does not necessarily taste good. I would be remiss if I did not point out that, for the most part, the food in Tunisia is generally decent. It can get a bit repetitive but that may have as much to do with selection as the language barrier and my comfort with known menu items I recognize and enjoy, to include Tunisian salad (tomatoes, cucumbers, and tuna), fish soup, couscous, Tunisian spaghetti (containing the spicy harinssa sauce), a shit ton of bread, olives, all things chicken, and breaded pastry known as brik (stuffed with egg, tuna, or host of other ingredients).

Jugurtha’s Table For Two (Ain Senan, Tunisia)

Nov 2^nd, 2010 - We left El Kef and made our way in the direction of Jugurtha's Table, a plateau mountain in the central west of Tunisia. If the day had a theme it would have been: Richie and Leslie talk to the nice policemen. We were stopped no less than seven times (traffic roundabouts are a favorite hangout) in a single day and were even followed at one stage. Some folks wanted to check our passport and registration. Some just wanted to say, 'Howdy'.

One police dude executed a pointless check of our trunk. Another asked me about soccer. Close to the Table we had to stop and register in the town of Kaalat es-Senan. On the way out the town right below the Table we were tailed to the edge of town and then stopped about 15 minutes later at a checkpoint.

Tozeur & Chott El Jerid (Tunisia)

Nov 4^th, 2010 - Our arrival in the southern city of Tozeur was met with a rather rigorous test of patience. We managed to complete a couple of full circuits through the center of town before finding our hotel of choice. Driving through any sizable city in Tunisia feels a little bit like a video game as much for the pure challenge as the surreality of the ordeal. Close your eyes and pretend you are playing Frogger.

You're the frog. Now pretend you are afflicted with a unique form of 'traffic astigmatism' (inability to see moving vehicles) and have not even a cursory sense of situational awareness. Cross the road. Now you pretend you are the douchbag behind the wheel (i.e. me) and throw in a chaotic mass of frogs. The level of obliviousness is mind-boggling. The boggling of my mind has been a frequent occurrence. It's almost as if folks have taken the pedestrian's 'right of way' as some sort of immutable law of nature that drivers are compelled to obey. You truly have to experience it to fully appreciate the phenomenon.

Mos Epsa & Ong Jemal (Tozeur, Tunisia)

Nov 6^th, 2010 - Me, Leslie, and a father/son Dutch duo packed into a Landcrusier (it came equipped with a driver) and headed to Ong Jemal or 'Neck of the Camel'. This area apparently trumps the nearby 'Ass of the Hedgehog' which is not nearly as inspiring. Ong Jemal is named for an elevated rock formation overlooking a barren plain closely resembling Chott El Jerid.

The route out to the 'Neck' involved a bit of sand-duning a la 4WD (I am afraid my doubts about the Punto's sand dune prowess were on the mark).While getting a closer look at the 'Neck' I tried to stand on the 'Head' but was rebuffed by my 'Driver'. Not exactly sure what he was afraid of (it seemed stable) but I suspect if every Tom, Dick, and Harry went crawling all over the outcrop perhaps it might become 'Headless'. Astute movie-goers might recognize scenery from both Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace and The English Patient in the photos. Not too hard to see the area's popularity with directors. In fact, on the way out there we saw an Italian movie set off in the distance.

Hertz So Good (Tozeur, Tunisia)

Nov 08^th, 2010 - We rented our Fiat Punto for a period of 10 days. You'd think extending our rental would be easy, right? Wrong. Our first idea was to visit the Hertz office in Tozeur (where we were) in hopes of contacting the office from which we rented the car in Tunis (where we weren't). Good plan. It helps if the Hertz office you are attempting to locate actually exists. Ours did not.

Apparently it closed shop. Super. Time for phase two: Call the office in Tunis. We spent three and a half days trying to do so. One of the phone numbers we kept dialing turned out to be the airport itself. They kept transferring the call to the phone in the Hertz office which nobody ever answered….EVER!!

We called the main office. The woman I spoke with could not find my file. She called me back once to tell me so. Her promised follow-up call never materialized. She'd had enough of us. This was a common occurrence. Folks would become frustrated with the language barrier, hang up with the promise of a follow-up, and then never call back. This was better than just hanging up on us initially, which occurred frequently as well. We called other offices. We called the emergency hotline. We scoured the internet. We summoned the angels, the saints, and all the prophets. Would Allah himself turn a blind eye to our plight?

Our dilemma was this: If we were to keep the car past the contract period would there be dire consequences? One woman who told us it should be no problem called us back to tell us we might go to jail. In the span of a few minutes we went from 'Hakuna Matata'to 'You're F***ed!!!'. Seriously?

Chebika, Tamerza, and Mides (Tunisia)

Nov 10^th, 2010 - North of Tozeur you will find three ancient Berber villages nestled within oases abandoned some time ago as a result of torrential flooding in 1969. The villages are adjacent to their much less interesting counterparts that were built after the destruction. I thought we might have to rely on Punto Power to get to these villages but the road is good all the way to Mides, the last of the three. The idea of a mountain oasis piqued my interest but I am afraid the reality was much less scintillating.

First up: Chebika. We drove right past. The road through the palm grove seemed promising but the parking area outside the village looked like a used Landcruiser sales lot. I think there were more tourists than palm trees. Buh-bye. Next up: Tamerza. Our main goal upon arrival was to find a 4.5 km trail to Mides mentioned in the Lonely Planet (i.e. the adventurous route). We never did find the start of the trail head but we did locate a 'guide' willing to show us the way for about $40. We passed. For reasons I cannot explain we neglected to visit the ancient version Tamerza that lay just below the modern one. Not really sure why we did that. Dummies.

Return To Ksar Ghilane (The Sahara, Tunisia)

Nov 12^th, 2010 - My last trip to the Sahara left me a bit unsated but with the firm belief that under the right circumstances Ksar Ghilane might be worth a second look. Those circumstances include having your own transport, lodging near the dunes, horseback riding, and plenty of alcohol. As it happens this time around all those very ingredients were present. Yippy.

A sealed road led us all the way to the oasis of Ksar Ghilane and the Punto took care of the rest (actually, the road inside the oasis is suitable for non-4WD vehicles but I gave el Punto a 'good game' anyhow). We stayed at the 'hotel' (Camping Ghilane) I should have slept at last time. It is nothing special but more than adequate and, more importantly, a two minute walk from the dunes.

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