Tunisia

It’s crazy how quickly six days go by; I had no idea it had been that long since we’d posted anything. And pretty eventful days they were: from Nefta out in the dessert we made two different stops in Djerba, an island in southeast Tunisia, another night in Tunis, and then off to Malta, the 26th country of our adventure and my 81st country ever. Here are some highlights.

The small, dusty town of Er-Riadh. Not a lot to do there except the synagogue and our nice hotel. I'm intrigued by the business decision to build what Lonely Planet calls perhaps the nicest hotel (not fanciest, but most interesting) in Tunisia in this town. It was pretty empty during our brief stay...

The small, dusty town of Er-Riadh. Not a lot to do there except the synagogue and our nice hotel. I’m intrigued by the business decision to build what Lonely Planet calls perhaps the nicest hotel (not fanciest, but most interesting) in Tunisia in this town. It was pretty empty during our brief stay…

Our first stop after our time in the dessert was the tiny town of Er-Riadh on the island of Djerba. There’s really not much there except two draws: the oldest synagogue in Tunisia and perhaps all of North Africa, and a very cool hotel and restaurant. Now, by “oldest” synagogue they don’t mean the building itself is old; in fact it’s pretty modern (more on that in a second). But the site dates back a couple thousand years and it’s still the site of an annual pilgrimage for Tunisian Jews that was just starting when we were there.

Security in the area was pretty phenomenal; lots of heavily armed police and military personnel, and lots of traffic stops. While I was out for a morning run one day I saw a local pickup truck that apparently didn’t know there was a traffic stop on his regular route: I heard him slam on the brakes and could smell the burned rubber and, as I ran past, saw his tire on top of the bed of spikes meant to stop people from running the stop. Obviously it worked.

Entrance to the synagogue. This armed guard was after we'd gone through security and all that.

Entrance to the synagogue. This armed guard was after we’d gone through security and all that.

The need for security is an awful story. In 2002 someone bombed the synagogue during the annual pilgrimage, killing somewhere around 20 people. Maybe they thought that would prove whose religion rocks the most or something. At any rate, now there’s a lot of security.

One of the highlights of Tunisia was the food. Some of the local salads were phenomenal, and always plenty of olives and harissa when you sit down. Even the local wine was good!

One of the highlights of Tunisia was the food. Some of the local salads were phenomenal, and always plenty of olives and harissa when you sit down. Even the local wine was good!

Next stop was down to the beach. Not much to say and no pictures to post. Tunisian beaches are for big, big hotels and they’re just not the kind of places Mark & I like to stay in. It was beautiful but still pre-season, meaning it was empty. Cavernous and empty. And too cold to go in the water. A nice little break, but ultimately not very interesting.

Then two days ago we flew into Malta. We’d originally wanted to take a boat, and Lonely Planet said it was possible, but Lonely Planet is apparently out of date. So we flew in and have pretty quickly fallen in love. It’s a tiny country – it’s one-tenth the size of Rhode Island – but packs a bunch of great sites. So far we’ve explored Valletta, the smallest national capital in the EU, and took a bus around part of the island today. Tomorrow we’ll do another bus to see more of the island and then we’re headed to Gozo, the second island in the country – the really small island – and then off to Sicily. Hard to imagine that in eight days we can cover an entire country but like I said it’s small.

In our two days here we've fallen in love with Malta. Gorgeous bays and inlets, beautiful architecture, even interesting history.

In our two days here we’ve fallen in love with Malta. Gorgeous bays and inlets, beautiful architecture, even interesting history.

The buildings are all made of stone this color, but they add great color in the window bays!

The buildings are all made of stone this color, but they add great color in the window bays!

Our adventure today included a tour of Malta's Inquisitor's Palace, where the Inquisition was centered here. We learned that they were really just missionaries trying to help the locals live more Christian lives. Torture was rare and they really cared about the health and comfort of people. Really. That's what we learned.

Our adventure today included a tour of Malta’s Inquisitor’s Palace, where the Inquisition was centered here. We learned that they were really just missionaries trying to help the locals live more Christian lives. Torture was rare and they really cared about the health and comfort of people. Really. That’s what we learned.

Lunch was in this too-perfect-to-believe fishing village. Fish soup, octopus, swordfish carpaccio, and sea bass between the two of us. All spectacular, with good, local, and cheap wine. It doesn't get much better!

Lunch was in this too-perfect-to-believe fishing village. Fish soup, octopus, swordfish carpaccio, and sea bass between the two of us. All spectacular, with good, local, and cheap wine. It doesn’t get much better!

Our bus ride today took us to the Hagar Qim Temple, a nearly 6,000 year old pile of rocks that may be the oldest human structure on earth. Big rocks!

Our bus ride today took us to the Hagar Qim Temple, a nearly 6,000 year old pile of rocks that may be the oldest human structure on earth. Big rocks!

More of the ancient ruins

More of the ancient ruins

And finally, this. Everything that could be wrong with a Martini. Either shaken or on the rocks, not both. No citrus - not on the glass, in the glass, or on the stick with the olives. And definitely not all three. And no straw. Ever.

And finally, this. Everything that could be wrong with a Martini. Either shaken or on the rocks, not both. No citrus – not on the glass, in the glass, or on the stick with the olives. And definitely not all three. And no straw. Ever.

Next to the old ruins, this was the view. I should be down there reading but we ran out of time. Here we are, traveling the world for the rest of our lives, and we still don't have enough time!!

Next to the old ruins, this was the view. I should be down there reading but we ran out of time. Here we are, traveling the world for the rest of our lives, and we still don’t have enough time!!

We’re splitting our time in Tunisia into three parts: urban (Tunis), desert (here in Nefta), and beach (coming next on the island of Djerba). So we’ve spent the last three days here on the edge of the Sahara Desert. We are quite near the Algerian border and can see the Atlas Mountains that stretch over North Africa from Tunisia to Morocco. Vast expanses of nothing for miles and miles. A few widely dispersed oases. Honest-to-God mirages, where you think you can see water ahead but it’s not really there. The set where the original Star Wars was filmed nearly 40 years ago. Great food, especially the local salads. Daytime temperatures that are brutal in the sun, yet you can sit comfortably in a restaurant with no air conditioning because of the cooling breezes. Flies. Camels. Markets. Vast salt lakes that haven’t had water in millennia. Sometimes you just pinch yourself to make sure this is all really here, not just a movie.

Overlooking the ruins of Tamerza, one of three oasis villages in the area destroyed in 1969 by 23 consecutive days - 23 days! - of torrential rains. All three villages were rebuilt on newer sites since you don't just let oases go to waste in the desert.

Overlooking the ruins of Tamerza, one of three oasis villages in the area destroyed in 1969 by 23 consecutive days – 23 days! – of torrential rains. All three villages were rebuilt on newer sites since you don’t just let oases go to waste in the desert.

This is the oasis at Chebika. You can see a little pool and waterfall down in the canyon where we would soon be swimming.

This is the oasis at Chebika. You can see a little pool and waterfall down in the canyon where we would soon be swimming.

Mark, swimming in the oasis pool. The guy lurking in back of him is one of four 50- or 60-something Italian men who were *biking* through the region. Yup, biking in the desert.

Mark, swimming in the oasis pool. The guy lurking in back of him is one of four 50- or 60-something Italian men who were *biking* through the region. Yup, biking in the desert.

Mark in the pool

Mark in the pool

Miles and miles of nothing. This is a genuinely intimidating area; you wouldn't want to get lost or abandoned out here.

Miles and miles of nothing. This is a genuinely intimidating area; you wouldn’t want to get lost or abandoned out here.

Yes, Star Wars was filmed out here, and some of the set is still here. Interestingly, parts of The English Patient were also filmed around here.

Yes, Star Wars was filmed out here, and some of the set is still here. Interestingly, parts of The English Patient were also filmed around here.

This is real desert

This is real desert

Another canyon

Another canyon

One evening we went to the weekly market in Tozeur, the "big city" in the region. Colorful, atmospheric, and aromatic, you could get pretty much anything you wanted here as long as what you wanted was cheap.

One evening we went to the weekly market in Tozeur, the “big city” in the region. Colorful, atmospheric, and aromatic, you could get pretty much anything you wanted here as long as what you wanted was cheap.

One of the sad things in Tunisia is how bad the tourist industry has been damaged by the political turmoil in the region. Many of the hotels that were once listed in Lonely Planet, like this one, are now closed and abandoned. It breaks your heart to think of how many jobs have been lost, particularly when our experience at least is that it's a spectacular place to travel in, and completely safe.

One of the sad things in Tunisia is how bad the tourist industry has been damaged by the political turmoil in the region. Many of the hotels that were once listed in Lonely Planet, like this one, are now closed and abandoned. It breaks your heart to think of how many jobs have been lost, particularly when our experience at least is that it’s a spectacular place to travel in, and completely safe.

We've seen some great signs, like this car rental place in the airport. When we walked into the airport in Tunis, the first sign we saw was for a flight to Bengazi. A year ago I'd never even heard of the place! My favorite signs, though, are the warning signs for camel crossings on the highway. Seriously.

We’ve seen some great signs, like this car rental place in the airport. When we walked into the airport in Tunis, the first sign we saw was for a flight to Bengazi. A year ago I’d never even heard of the place! My favorite signs, though, are the warning signs for camel crossings on the highway. Seriously.

One last shot from the desert

One last shot from the desert

The beautiful cliffside town of Sidi Bou Said spills over the Mediterranean just outside Tunis.

The beautiful cliffside town of Sidi Bou Said spills over the Mediterranean just outside Tunis.

We are wrapping up a four-day visit to the Tunisian capital of Tunis, and it’s been fun to wander around a city bursting with so much color and texture. In the background is a colorful history going back to the arrival of the Phoenicians almost 3,000 years ago. Subsequent waves of Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Berbers, Turks, Arabs, and French all left their marks as well.

We love the beautiful architecture, ancient monuments, vibrant markets, and flavorful cuisine. But most of all, we’re amazed by how stunningly blue the Mediterranean sea is all across the huge Bay of Tunis.

Tonight we’re flying south to Tozeur to spend four days at the edge of the Sahara desert. But first we’ll leave you with a few more shots of this colorful city by the sea.

Exotic doorways invite our curiosity everywhere we go

Exotic doorways invite our curiosity everywhere we go

We were blown away by the massive collection of Roman-era mosaics in the Bardo National Museum.

We were blown away by the massive collection of Roman-era mosaics in the Bardo National Museum.

Like this plate of Tunisian salads, our food here has been beautiful and delicious.

Like this plate of Tunisian salads, our food here has been beautiful and delicious.

And yes, Jim too helped contribute to the vibrancy of Tunis with his colorful new shirt he picked up in Marseille

And yes, Jim too helped contribute to the vibrancy of Tunis with his colorful new shirt he picked up in Marseille