Final Daze

All good things come to an end. And so I too have now bid adieu to Tunis. This country has been a pleasant surprise with an endless wealth of history and all the layers of historical artifacts and buildings that go with it. There has been much to love and admire. Here are a few of my favourite things.

Arabic writing

Arabic letters are a treat! The writing is truly beautiful: curving, swirling and flowing most pleasingly.

They also make for some great graffiti!! Text graffiti has never been my favourite - until now. Admittedly I have no idea what is written on the walls - or even if in all cases these forms create complete words or sentences - but the form of Arabic text is there and the form is lovely!

Why, even a very valuable international brand looks better in Arabic.

Medinas

No surprises there for anyone, who has read previous entries. The medinas, or fortressed old towns, are far more pleasing to the eye and imagination than the new parts of town. 

New buildings in Tunis tend to look rather bleak on the outside. Painting the outside of your house is the hight of decadence - or more likely an unnecessary expense for people trying to make ends meet. So in many villages the houses are concrete or brick, square and featureless, with just a few small windows if any. Maybe the insides are more lovely - certainly in the old houses of the medina, the houses open up to wonderful inner courtyards and the interiors are decorated with lovely old tiles. The beauty is revealed only on entering.

The doors

In the medinas, the doors are the only thing to give a glimpse of the beauty that lies within some of the old buildings. 

Whether in prime paint or showing signs of life and layers of paint, these beautiful old doors are some of the prettiest I’ve ever seen.

The cats

Tunisian street cats seem to have an unerring talent for picking the most scenic spots to recline. 

Wether you like cats or not, I defy anyone to claim they are not the most photogenic of animals! The glorious harbour feline above goes out to my friend Anna - with love.

The mosaics

I have become a mosaic fan on this trip. I’ve seen impressive mosaics before in various museums, but seeing them in situ in the houses of Bulla Regia made me appreciate them in a totally new way and to realize, how truly stunning they looked in ancient villas. 

Also, how durable they are. The impressive Bardo museum in Tunis houses some lovely mosaics. Many of them are installed in the floor - but not cordoned off: Visitors walk right over them.

These mosaics may also include pivotal historical information. For example, did you know that baseball cap is an ancient Roman invention?

The Fishermen and the Sea

Be it octopuses, squid or fish, the fishing industry is still alive - and not dominated by the huge trawlers that do so much damage to fish and the marine environment. 

Here you still find commercial fishermen, who make a living (possibly a meagre one, but a living none the less) by setting out in their small wooden boats at sunrise to lay a few nets.

The markets

Huge shopping malls outside city centres with the usual Mc Donald’s, Starbucks and Major Brand clothing stores? I think not! Tunisia is still the country of local corner shops and food markets. These places are full of colour, noise, goods and cats.

The people.

My first impression of really lovely people still holds true after five weeks. I found people polite, honest, helpful and welcoming. (Photo above courtesy of Eva).

There is a rather lovely tradition here, where if you want to thank someone especially sincerely, you place your hand on your heart as you thank them. This is usually combined with a long and sincere look of thanks.

So shukraan to all I say, using up 25% of my Arabic. Hand on heart.