At Sea and Then Tunisia

The day after Palma de Mallorca was spent at sea as we traveled southeast to Tunisia. Days at sea are nice, because they help to slow the pace and provide a chance for further relaxation. Watching the sea is always fascinating—a little like watching a campfire, I think—the shape always changes, there are the occasional other ships in the distance, and birds can sometimes be seen, even far out to sea. We spent a fun couple of hours in the Crow’s Nest lounge, which is on the highest deck of the ship and which has a 180º forward view. Our new friends Murray and Margaret from Australia played cards with us. We taught them to play “I Doubt It”, which turned out to be a laugh riot. Later, Kathie and I enjoyed a little time in the casino, where I succeeded again in hitting my favorite number (31) on the roulette wheel a couple of times.

Yesterday, we arrived in the port of La Goulette, very near to the city of Tunis. Let me say before I describe our day, that Tunisia is not a country that was on my radar screen of places to consider visiting during my lifetime. This is only because my attention has always been drawn elsewhere. So, the fact that HAL included Tunisia in the itinerary for this 20-day Mediterranean adventure was pure serendipity, and what a fascinating visit it was! Our first contact with the continent of Africa, Tunisia is only about 100 miles from Sicily across the sea.

Shortly after we docked and all the lines were tied off and while most passengers were still rising and dressing for the day, we began to hear a rhythmic pounding noise, which I first thought to be a construction site sound. However, when I looked down from our verandah, I discovered several amazing Tunisian groups on the dock working to welcome us. There were four or five dromedaries (one hump, not two like camels have) and riders in colorful desert garb riding back and forth. A four-person group was playing music, including a rather loud drum (the sound we heard) and a couple of instruments rather like bagpipes but with very different sounds, while a woman dressed in bright green danced. At the far end of the dock, a small marching band, with brass and drums, all dressed in bright red, was completing a march past the ship, while playing and drawing passengers to disembark for the day.

Tunisia turns out to be an increasingly attractive port for cruise ships. It now ranks 7^th in the Mediterranean and 17^th internationally. Tourism is a major revenue source for the country, and its agricultural output is supposedly quite significant (olive, olive oil, dates, etc.). We were told that their president is well liked and that he has led many beneficial reforms in education, health care, and communications in the country. He was evidently originally a computer scientist and engineer. That explains a lot! He promoted a subsidization of computers and broadband Internet into virtually all homes.

The land was originally held by African Berbers, but it has been invaded and held numerous times by Vandals, Romans, Greeks, French, Turks, and Arabs. Christianity once flourished throughout northern Africa, but Islamic invaders eventually turned the various countries, including Tunisia, to Islam. Very small Christian communities are still present, but today, the evidence of Islam is everywhere, with minarets and mosques visible throughout the various cities we visited—many of them are beautiful structures. At the same time, the reforms in Tunisia seem to have given women a more equal footing than what I understand to exist in other Moslem nations. Women may wear head coverings or not, as they choose, and we saw a full range of older style, newer style, and no head coverings for women moving about. Women have the right to vote, and we were told that there is essentially an equal pay for equal work expectation. Also, government and religion are separated. There are six political parties.

Our first stop on our tour was to the Bardo Museum. Hundreds of mosaics have been discovered in Tunisia, many from the period of Roman domination, but there are others from other periods as well. Our guide indicated that they are finding so many that they do not know what to do with them all. The Bardo is being doubled in size to accommodate a larger collection and many more are in storage. Still others have been donated to museums and collections in other cities. We did indeed see a number of amazing pieces, some quite large, others quite detailed. Their scenes provide important historical context. Also in the collection are numerous statues and items of jewelry. The building that is the Bardo museum is interesting in its own right. Ceilings of some domes are covered with the most intricate carved stucco or plaster.

Next, we visited the Medina within Tunis. The word medina means city, but this Medina is a UNESCO world heritage site filled with a maze of tiny streets and souks (markets). Mosques, minarets, and colorful government buildings are near or within the Medina. A carpet shop demonstrated rug making and presented a number of its carpets. We think we like our Turkish carpet better, but the Tunisian ones have some distinctions, especially from Berber influences. Perfumes, hats, engraved copper plates and other items are available, and the vendors in the souks are very, very aggressive in trying to get you to buy something, anything.

We drove from the Medina out to Carthage, which is now essentially a suburb of Tunis. There we were treated to a buffet lunch. Nearby, we saw remains of a Roman aquaduct that had once carried water from the Atlas Mountains some 80 or more miles to Carthage, the original stronghold of the Carthaginians prior to their overthrow by the Romans. Later we drove past other Roman ruins, including an amphitheater, and then we were given a guided tour through the ruins of what had once been a magnificent Roman bath. There, our guide also took some time to explain the progression of Punic wars, including Hannibal’s efforts to defeat Rome from the north after crossing northern Africa, using barges to cross the ten miles of the Mediterranean near Gibraltar, and then proceeding east across lower Europe, crossing the Pyrenees and the Alps with his men and his elephants. Though nearly successful, eventually, Hannibal was driven back to Carthage.

Near Carthage is a small village of about 3,500 people called Sidi Bou Said. This mostly blue and white picturesque village sits atop a hill and has become a major tourist destination, though aside from its charm is mostly a set of souvenir shops.

The complete surprise to me of the entire day was our guide’s decision to stop at the North African American Cemetery near Carthage. Almost no other tour buses did this detour, so we were pleased that our guide understood how this might be of interest to the majority of us who were U.S. citizens. He had been explaining the impact of the 2^nd World War in the region and on Tunis and Tunisia and mentioned that 7,000 U.S. soldiers were buried nearby in the only U.S. cemetery maintained in Africa. These would have been soldiers involved in defeating Rommel’s German Afrika Korps. I was stunned by the beauty of the site and the rows upon rows of white crosses or stars of David. It was a beautifully maintained facility with a pretty stone wall surrounding it, perfect green grass and gardens, memorials, and administrative buildings with a small contingent of personnel monitoring the grounds. I was moved to tears by the opportunity to pay my respects to men the age of our fathers who fought here in what was probably the last “good war” in which the U.S. has been engaged.

The entire day was completely fascinating—a new and unexpected country; first time in Africa; impressive people, culture and geography; additional introduction to the vast spread of antiquities throughout the Mediterranean and beyond; and an opportunity to pay regard to those in this honored American cemetery.