Fresh Fish and Clever Cats

The first week or so of this trip has gone at a breathless pace. My fellow traveller Eva had a mere 9 days to spend in Tunisia, so we tried to see everything there is to see in southern Tunisia in about a week. Needless to say this is a venture doomed to fail - but not for lack of trying! 

And we did see many lovely and interesting things and places - which no doubt will feature in this blog at some future date. We were just much too busy doing the looking to have time to write about what we saw.

My travelling companion has now flown home and deserted me on an island inhabited by pirates - or at least their descendants. This island has been a home base for some of the Mediterranean’s most renowned pirates, including the Barbarossa brothers - old Redbeard and bros. In honour of this piratric legacy, the harbour hosts a fleet of tourist cruise operating mock pirate ships, that are questionable both historically and aesthetically. (The foremost ship in the image is called Barbarossa, as all you Arabic readers can see).

As you will all have guessed from the spoiler above, I am currently on the island of Djerba off the coast of Southern Tunisia - specifically in its charming capital city Houmt Souq.

For several days to come I intend to adhere to a strict daily regime of doing next to nothing, since I think this may be as nice a place as any for some down time. And I must say, I’m staying in one of the most charming hotels I’ve been to! 

 

 

Hotel Erriadh is a an old funduq (inn). Funduq were originally built to house the travelling merchants of camel caravans in Ottoman times, when Houmt Souq was the islands most important trading centre. These funduqs are a typical feature of Houmt Souq architecture, which in other respects resembles a Greek village more than anything else I can think of: Low buildings, whitewashed walls, blue doorways and a plethora of clever cats (the last of these not strictly speaking an architectonic feature, but much to my liking).

Typical Djerban artifacts include beautiful bird cages and striking carpets - sometimes they come with a complimentary cat. The cat on the birdcage lives in my hotel and seems to have a form of monomania for the yellow and green canaries that live in the cage. She’s hard at work stalking her prey night and day. I’m not sure the canaries approve.

Among its many attractions, Djerba houses some of the best fish restaurants in the world next to its fish market. 

In fact I am writing this entry in one of these restaurants, having just enjoyed (in the full sense of the word) an amazing portion of grilled fish. There was a strange slapping sound in the background just now. It turned out to be a fishmonger in the stall next to the restauraunt bashing an octopus with force on the stone floor - no doubt to get the ink out. Below an image of the basher and his octopedian victim.

This fishmarket is busy throughout the day with customers comparing prices (low) and quality (excellent). 

The fish are strung up on bits of string then held aloft with much pride and a - no doubt convincing - running commentary on their excellence.

  

An there is, indeed, no doubt about their excellence. I can attest to this, as I pick my teeth with a fish bone and sigh in satisfaction.