A Tunisian Iftar: ESL Lesson

A Tunisian living in Dubai describing the Tunisian Iftar to his Indian friend.

•      What’s a typical Tunisian Iftar?

•      We always have soup and brik.

•      Brik?

•      It’s a fried pastry stuffed with eggs, potatoes and parsleys, and sometimes we add tuna or meat.

•      Looks like samosa!

•      Yep. We usually have grilled salad, too. Peppers, tomatoes, and onions are grilled and crashed.

•       What about grains? Do you eat rice?

•      Yes, we sometimes eat couscous; steamed granules of semolina served with stew spooned on top.

•      Sounds tasty! 

Couscous (Wikipedia)

Brik (Wikipedia)

Salad Mechouia (Wikipedia)

 

Remember The Timeless King Of France: Saint Louis

 Saint Louis in America, Canada..... and Tunisia 

On the peak of Byrsa, a hill in Carthage, a coastal suburb of Tunis, a cathedral is located among the Roman ruins scattered throughout the ancient city.
Now the structure - today known as the Acropolium - is no longer used as a place of worship, but as a venue for concerts. The cathedral now features a variety of Tunisian and international musical performances.
This building evokes memories of one of the most pivotal conflicts between Muslims and Christians - the Crusades.

The Cathedral 1890

In 1270, King of France Louis IX, or Saint Louis, left his kingdom and landed in Carthage - an event now referred to by historians as the beginning of the Eighth Crusade. However, the king was so sick and weak that he could barely hold his shield and sword. Three weeks later he died, and a small chapel was built. Today the site is still frequented by French and international tourists.

Saint Louis Statue Carthage Museum

In 1830, the ruling Bey of the Tunisian Monarchy Al-Hussein II ibn Mahmud, authorized the consul of France to erect a cathedral dedicated to the king few meters from the chapel marking his burial site. The French consul sent a letter to Tunisia's former monarch stating the following:
Praise to god, to whom all things return!
We cede in perpetuity to His Majesty the King of France a location in Malaga, sufficient to raise a religious monument in honor of King Louis IX at the place where the prince died.
We commit ourselves to respect and to make respected this monument consecrated by the king of France to the memory of one of his most illustrious ancestors. Greetings from the servant of God, Hussein Pasha Bey. May the Most High be propitious! Amen.
The 17th of Safar of the year 1246. Done at Bardo the 8th of August 1830. For the Consul-General Mathieu de Lesseps.
After several examinations, officials charged with determining the location of the cathedral's construction concluded that it would be built on the ruins of the Roman Carthage in Byrsa.
The layout of the structure is typical of a French 19th century Byzantine-Moorish cathedral. The construction style - resembling a Latin cross - spread throughout France in the 19th century. The building is 65 meters long by 30 meters wide, with a facade framed by two square towers. The center of the cathedral's cross-section lies beneath a large cupola surrounded by eight steeples, and a smaller cupola is located above the apse.
The church contains a nave and two aisles separated by arches passing above. The ceiling is adorned with beams featuring sculpted, painted, and gilt arabesques. The stained glass is also embellished with arabesques

Inside the Cathedral

. The cathedral also hosts a great bell, weighing six tons, in addition to a four-bell carillon.
Today, the cathedral is open for visitors. The entrance fee is four Tunisian dinars, and is paid separately from those tickets offering package deals of the other sites in Carthage.

Escape the Heat: A Road Trip Along the Coast from Tunis to Madhia

Maybe you are fascinated with the richness of Tunisian culture or maybe just want to enjoy the sea breeze, relax on the beach and eat some good seafood. Why not take a road trip to escape the heat of Tunis and drive along the coast east of Tunisia from Tunis to Mahdia. It is a lot more cooler along the coastal seaboard. One of the best ways to undertake the trip is by a leisurely car drive and ideally it would be good to do the trip over a couple of days.

Tunis To Hammamet
Leave Tunis early in the morning and drive to Cap Bon, the coolest region in the north east of Tunisia. The drive should take about an hour. Cap Bon is situated on the peninsula that looks like a curved finger protruding into the sea. There are lots of attractions to discover along the way, starting with the thermal springs of Korbus and continuing on to Hammamet through Haouaria, Kerkouane and Kelibia.
Before you get to Korbus, the drive along the coastal road to Soliman is one of the most spectacular in all of Tunisia, offering breathtaking views across the bay of Tunis, back to the hills of Sidi Bou Said and Gammarth as well as the northern beaches of the capital.
The small village of Korbus is wedged between the hills and the sea. The hot water springs here are rich in minerals, making it a favored destination for Tunisians looking for relief from rheumatism. Many who visit insist that it helps cure rheumatic problems
Continuing north from Korbus, the road cuts inland, passing through gentle hills and farmland. At the northern tip of Cap Bon, Haouaria is a good place to stop for lunch. Restaurants specializing in fish are affordable and many offer amazing views of Zembra island as well as sea breezes. La Daurade is one of the most highly recommended restaurants at the water’s edge. In the restaurant staff and fisherman can demonstrate the traditional way of fishing under water.

Continuing to Kelibia, you may stop at the archeological site of Kerkouane. This UNESCO world heritage site is considered to be one of the best examples Punic culture. Unlike other cities such as Carthage, the ruins of Kerkouane have been left untouched since its destruction in 255 BC. The excavated foundations of houses and public baths can be seen and the city’s urban layout of streets, squares and temples is still clearly visible. The museum contains items discovered on the site that provide evidence of the daily life of its inhabitants.

The town of Kelibia, boasts the biggest fortress in Tunisia. The fort is at the top of a hill that resembles a shield. It is open for visitors and the fee is 5 dinars.

Haouaria, a good spot for lunch with an amazing sea view

Mansoura, two kilometers from Kelibia, has the reputation for being one of the best beaches in Cap Bon, with white sand and clean water. Those who like to swim in the surf might even encounter a wave or two.
All required facilities are available in Kelibia, and it offers a good place to stay overnight. Bungalows and hotels are available but reservations in summer should be made at least two days in advance.
If you need to push on, an hour down the road is Nabeul, a busy, diverse city that is also the administrative capital of Cap Bon. Nabeul is a good place to stop for a mint tea in the medina. It’s also well known as a center for pottery, although prices in the main tourist drag tend to be higher than in many parts of Tunis.
A little further down the road is the touristic resort of Hammamet which offers a multitude of accommodation opportunities and resorts. With lots of restaurants and night clubs scattered along the coast, this is a place where tourists and well-to-do Tunisians come to party, especially on the weekends. Carthage Land, a big theme park in Yasmine Hammamet, is open until 2am. Tickets for rides are on sale.
Hammamet to Sousse
Traveling from Hammamet to Sousse, means that you are moving from the largest touristic resort in Tunisia to the second largest. To improve the Tunisian economy, governments in the 1960s and 1970s decided to expand mass tourism and encouraged the building of new resorts. The port of Kantaoui is one example. Built in 1970s Kantaoui is a town built for tourism, around a large marina.
Although it lacks much of the charm of more established cities in the region, Kantaoui remains popular. The port is very active during summer, nights are exciting with sea breezes and the smell of the jasmine flowers sold by street vendors in traditional dress. Some restaurants have big screens in the public squares, especially during big sporting events such as the football World Cup and Euro Cup.
Nightclubs and discos are scattered throughout the resort, including Samara, Bora Bora and others. In summer Bora Bora usually broadcasts a live internet stream from nightclubs in Ibiza. At night, the mix of locals and tourists gives Kantaoui an impressively international feel.
South of Kantaoui, a vast row of resort complexes stretches along the sandy beach. At the other end lies Tunisia’s third largest city, Sousse. The first settlement here was established here by the Phoenicians in the 9th century BC. The Punic and Roman civilizations may have come and gone, but modern-day Sousse still boasts a remarkable architectural heritage, based around the 7th century medina.
This coastal medina, with its narrow, winding streets, raised walls, mosques  and a fortress with a high tower ribat is also on the UNESCO world heritage register. At night all of these historical monuments are illuminated.
A new archeological museum has just opened in the kasbah on the western fringe of the medina. It offers visitors the chance to learn more about the evolution of the city and features some spectacular Roman and paleo-christian artifacts. The entrance fee for the museum is 5 dinars. It is open from 9am to 7pm in summer.
Sousse to Mahdia
From Sousse, take the A1 highway to El-Jem. In the morning the temperature is cool and the visit of its amphitheater is exciting. It’s the best preserved in the Mediterranean and the third largest after the Flavian Colosseum of Rome and the amphitheater of Capua in Italy. Nearby there is an excellent museum featuring Roman sculptures and mosaics as well as the reconstruction of a Roman villa.
40km away is Mahdia, the first Shiite capital in Islamic history and a walled port for Turkish pirates. The old medina is built on a 1.4km long isthmus and was believed to have been built to escape the Sunni hostility toward the Shiite rulers. The port was also used as a base for pirates who used to attack Spanish vessels. The main entry to the old town is a huge gate known as Bab Zouila. The port is situated on the edge of the isthmus. Its cemetery is among the unique coastal cemeteries in Tunisia. The coffee shops and restaurants inside the gates of the Medina are quite affordable.

A coffee shop in Mahdia

Mahdia is 200km from Tunis. On the way back to Tunis stop and visit Monastir, the hometown of Habib Bourguiba, the first Tunisian president. The house of his parents has been turned into a museum and his mausoleum is open for visitors. It is a domed building with two minarets raised at the main entrance. Also, the Ribat with its high tower has a beautiful view of  the town of Monastir and the sea beyond.
For scuba diving fans, you can contact the center of diving in the marina of Monastir. It’s an opportunity to discover the seabed of the Tunisian coasts. A sea cruise is also available to the beautiful islet of Kuriat.
For more information, Tunsia map and guide books, you may contact the  tourism office in Tunis downtown, it’s near the watch of Habib Bourguiba street or Tunis Barcelone train station.
The number for the Tourism Office downtown is (+216) 71341077

Tunisia Wild Beaches

While most people spend their summer in the sweltering heat of the city or jammed into popular beach resorts, a clever few have discovered one of Tunisia’s best-kept secrets: it’s wild, uncrowded beaches. Some are isolated and hard to get to, even with a car. Others are tucked away on the doorstep of large cities and it takes a local to explain how to get to them.

Cap Negro

Tunisian summers can become unbearably hot, with daytime temperatures over 40 not uncommon. To make things worse, crowds in big cities – especially those who come with their cars – add to the intensity of the summer heat. Simply put, summer days in the city can be stinking hot and not that much fun. That’s why pretty much anyone who is able will head to the coast, where the sea breeze and cool waters make the summer bearable.

Since the 1960s, a large percentage of Tunisian people have settled in many of the coastal cities. In fact, the top four most populated cities – Tunis, Sfax, Sousse and Nabeul – are all coastal cities.  The economic boom in the 1970s led to the building of many large hotels along the coastline and to the development of big industries in these populated cities. The new industries have negatively affected water and air quality along much of the coastline.
Despite this, only 18% of 1200km of Tunisian coastline has been developed. While the focus of development has been on eastern coastal cities, the northwestern regions have been largely overlooked. This means that although these regions remain relatively undeveloped, they boast some of the most pristine beaches for visitors who want to get off the beaten track. Luckily, many of these beaches are also easy to get to by car.
Northwest Beaches
Today, car owners can easily escape the heat of Tunis. A trip to the virgin lands of the north west is a wonderful way to get away. The A3 highway and main roads connect these near-virgin lands to Tunis.
From Bizerte to the Tunisian-Algerian border, an amazing belt of green landscape can be visited. The strip starts at Cap Serrat and reaches all the way to Cap Roux, a few kilometers from the Tunisian-Algerian border. A cork oak forest lines the coastline and hidden coves wait to be discovered. If you are the adventurous type, camping out on the beach is always an option, but be sure to not sleep in the forests, as they are very delicate. Also, the homemade bread that vendors sell on the side of the road is delicious and highly recommended.

Southeast Beaches If you want to explore the gorgeous southeastern coastline, there are many beautiful beaches that might tickle your fancy.
The village of Metouia – some 10 km north of Gabes – contains a peaceful maritime oasis that is only a short car ride away. The beach in the village is a particular gem because it is one of the only in Tunisia to be backed by a maritime oasis. The village came into existence because of its proximity to a spring of water and still remains untouched by touristic development. The village population is barely 9000, but it increases to about 45,000 every summer after the return of the Tunisians who pass most of their year in Europe. With so many people in summer, this can hardly be described as undiscovered, however out of season visitors should be able to find their own private piece of sand.
Ras-Ermal Peninsula in the south east of Tunisia is the most frequented wild beach in the Tunisian south. It’s located on the island of Djerba. Visitors may contact the organizers in the marina of Houmet Essouk to organize a trip to the beach. It’s known for the flamingos that come to nest there every year. The peninsula is marshy with salt-wort vegetation. Usually the boats that take the travelers dock near a large beach. If you are lucky, you might see some dolphins on the way. Usually, visitors spend around two hours discovering the island. An entertaining program is arranged that includes a traditional fish lunch and  local music.

Monastir

The hometown of the first Tunisian president, Habib Bourguiba, was going to be the capital of Tunisia in the 1970 and 1980′s. Bourguiba built a summer presidential palace here that was completely abandoned after his overthrow in 1987. Nowadays Monastir is a destination point for foreign visitors thanks to its airport built in the 1980s. In the summer time aircraft belonging to big tour operators can be seen landing and taking off.

Monastir Ribat, view of the watchtower

Monastir is derived from the Latin term Monasterium, monastery in modern day English.  The Mausoleum of Sidi Ghdemsi and other ruins are visible from Monastir’s marina.  Arab invaders built a monastery-fortress referred to as a Ribat on top of the ruins of christian monastery. The Arab ribat is known as the Ibn Jaad ribat.

The main attraction of Monastir is the ribat built at the end of the eighth century when the governor of Ifriqiya (the name of Tunisia during the middle ages) was named by the Abbasid (a monarchy that ruled a large part of the Islamic world) from Baghdad. It was a part of numerous fortresses that line the North African coast from Alexandria to Tangier. They used to communicate with one another using fire signals lit from their respective towers. The ribat was inhabited by Muslim warrior monks and served as a refuge for the town population during the Byzantine assaults. When the Mediterranean Sea fell under the control of the Arab Navy, the role of the Ribat  was limited to religious and educational purposes, but starting in the sixteenth century the ribat regained its military use when the rulers modified the structure with canons, some of which are still present today.

Jewellery from Ribat Museum

The prayer hall in the first floor of the Ribat houses the museum of Islamic Arts “Ali Bourguiba Museum” and exhibits collections of Egyptian and Tunisian religious manuscripts as well as funeral stelaes from Monastir with Kufic inscriptions and ancient jewelry.
Cost of a visit is: 5 TND for an entrance ticket and 1 TND for a camera ticket.
Some 40 meters from the ribat, a large monument, the Bourguiba Mausoleum was built in 1963 in the western corner of the official cemetery of Monastir. It’s topped with a gilded dome surrounded by two green domes. Two minarets were raised at the entrance both 25 meters long. The mausoleum houses the tomb of the first Tunisian president in the central room with marble graves and his family members are buried in the adjoining rooms. On display in a small museum close by, are many of the belongings of Tunisia’s founding President. Visiting the mausoleum is free of charge for Tunisians and foreigners.

The main entrance of Bourguiba Mausoleum

Bourguiba died in April 2000, two days later he was buried in his hometown and many presidents attended his funeral including the then French President Jaques Chirac and the then Palestinian leader Yasser Arafet.
For  ten years popular celebrations of Bourguiba’s death were banned by the Ben Ali regime. As a result of last year’s uprising Monastirians were able to commemorate the anniversary of his death for the first time. Statues of Bourguiba are scattered throughout the city.

Statue of Bourguiba as a child in downtown Monastir

Unfortunately, the old town of Monastir was demolished in the 1960′s when Bourguiba decided to modernize the country.  Subsequently the Medina lost its old authenticity and charm.
Just off the coast lies one of the most beautiful islands in all of Tunisia, Kuriat. In the summer local travel agencies organize small cruises to the island. Kuriat is quite rocky and covered by sand. It plays an important role in the conservation of the ecosystem. It’s an important stop for migrant birds, such as the slender billed gull. In addition it’s a good area for several breeds of sea turtles to nest, among others being the loggerhead sea turtle. To visit the island you can contact a local travel agency or the reception of any hotel.
The hotels of Monastir are quite large and luxurious but far from the town and attractions. Supermarkets and coffee shops are rare. Locals think that tourists don’t contribute to the economic growth of the town because a large amount of the visitors stay exclusively in the hotels especially after the introduction of the “all inclusive” hotel.
After the catastrophic season of 2011, estimates for this season are optimistic, said Mr Hichem Nouira , a native of Monastir and hotel manager. He also said that the new government decided to make the old Presidential Palace a museum for Bourguiba to contribute to the development of tourism in Monastir.

Funs And Memories At Happy Land Dah Dah

Are you searching for a place in Tunis where you can have fun with your kids? Or do you want to have fun like you were a kid again?
Happy Land DahDah gives you the opportunity to spend a lovely time with the whole family. Since its opening in 1995, many families have visited the fun park to spend an afternoon or evening relaxing and enjoying the rides. School holidays and Eid Alfitr (the day that marks the end of Ramadan) mark the highest number of visitors.

The Entrance of DahDah

Tunisia Live recently went to the fun park to enjoy the rides and talk to locals and visitors about why they liked going there.
Anis, a local resident, said that he has liked Dah Dah “since the park’s opening.”
“I often used to come and spend hours with my friends. Now I’m 35-years-old and I come with my wife and my son,” he said.
For Mr. and Mrs. Ben Arbia, a Tunisian couple living in Paris and on holidays in Tunis, visiting Dah Dah brought back happy memories. “We still remember the first time we met here, fourteen years ago when we were in high school,” said Mr Ben Arbia. “Now we live in France but when we visit Tunisia we come to the park and relive the best moments of our lives.”
Although entry to the park is free, tickets must be purchased to enjoy the many games and rides scattered throughout the park. The price of one ticket is one dinar while a booklet of twelve tickets is ten dinars. Each game and ride costs from one to three tickets.

Roller Coaster Dah Dah

Among the most magnificent rides is the Ferris Wheel- worth three tickets. It gives you the opportunity to see the whole city of Tunis including the airport, the mountains, the hills and its huge lake with the islet of Chickly in the middle.
Other rides allow you to live amazing adventures like the dream boat and the roller coaster. They cost between two and three tickets.
Kids have also are able to enjoy the experience. To the left of the entrance is a space dedicated to children. Bouncing games, trampolines and mini bumper car games are available. Some of these games are located in a covered hall, while others are outside.
Restaurants and shops are also available. You can find them in the entrance of the park, and the price of food and drinks is reasonable. For example a café direct – a coffee with milk – costs no more than two dinars. Billiards and bowling are also nearby.
Happy Land Dah Dah is situated in the main street of Berges Du Lac and can be reached by taxi that costs around six dinars (from Tunis downtown) or by bus number 28 that drops you off in front of the entrance.
The park is open from 2pm until 10pm and until midnight on Saturdays and during summer.

Abu El-qassim Echabbi

Sculpture of Abu El-qassim Echabi park

 Ras El-ain Tozeur

Abu El-qassim Echabbi (1905 1934), a native of Tozeur, was the son of a judge who sent him at the age of 12 to study at the Zitouna mosque in Tunis. He subsequently studied law, but was more interested in poetry, which he read widely. Goethe, Lamartine and Gibran Khalil Gibran were particular influences.

By the age of 18 his own poetry was being published and in 1929 he delivered a famous and influential lecture in Tunis on the "the poetic imagination of the Arabs". Rejecting the stifling weight of the past as represented by classical Arabs poetry, he made a plea for the poet's "freedom to imagine". His own work, while retaining the essentials of classical form and language, expresses a distinctly romantic sensibility. He spent his summer in Ain Drahem, north west of Tunisia, where he wrote his poems. His poem the Will of Life has been taught across the Arab World.
He died at 25 of a cardiac attack. (By Rough Guides Tunisia)

Rome And Its Provinces

Rome and its provinces; Eljem museum Tunisia, House of Africa

In the 2nd century, Rome had made the Mediterranean as its own lake. Africa (actual Tunisia), Anatolia, Spain and Gaul(France) are the biggest Roman provinces. Every province used to supply Rome with gold; wheat, silk and metals.
One century later, Caracalla had granted the Roman citizenship to all free inhabitants of the Roman empire. This law is known as the Antonin Constitution. The purpose was to simplify the tax structure and the administration.

The mosaic above shows the unity of Rome. Minerva, the goddess of war in the middle symbolise Rome surrounded by its provinces. Africa, Anatolia, Egypt, Spain and Gaul. Africa wearing an elephant ear, Spain with olive tree branch, Diana represents Sicily and Isis represents Egypt. 

Camp In Tunisian Sahaa: Timbain

Timbain is a camp in Tunisian Sahara; near Douz

Moorish Heritage in Tunisia

Ibn Khaldun Statue in downtown Tunis

Look around the cities and towns of Tunis and you will see the footprints of many different civilizations. Carthage and Rome are the best-known examples perhaps, but many other ethnic groups have come to these shores as conquerors, as traders, as migrants and as refugees. For most of the last 4,000 years, Tunisia has welcomed people from around the Mediterranean basin, and Africa, who have brought their own histories, cultures, languages and religions. Each has made their own contribution to the richness and diversity of contemporary Tunisian culture.
Two of these groups are the Andalusians and the Moors. Both these people came as refugees from Spain during the middle ages and settled in Tunisia over several centuries, bringing with them culture and traditions that have become an important part of Tunisia’s cultural heritage.
For many centuries much of the Iberian peninsula – modern-day Spain and Portugal – was under the influence of Moorish culture and Islam. The architectural masterpieces of the Alhambra palace-fortress in Granada or La Mezquita in Cordoba, to cite just two examples, still stand as testaments to the wealth and cultural sophistication of this society. From the eleventh to the fifteenth centuries, however, the peninsula gradually fell under the control of Christians in a process known as the reconquista, which continued until 1492 when the last Moorish city, Granada, fell to Christian Spain.
As a result of the reconquista, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco received two distinct waves of Muslim Spanish migration. The first group – Andalusians – were Arabic-speaking Muslims who started to arrive in 1230. Often wealthy and educated, they had few difficulties integrating with local populations in urban areas such as the medinas of Tunis and Sousse. For example, the historian Ibn Khaldoun (1332-1406), born in Tunis, was from an Andalusian background. He was the first to write about the Amazigh in his book Almuqadima; the Introduction. Today, his statue can be seen in downtown Tunis, opposite the cathedral and French embassy.

The second group consisted of Moors. After Granada fell under the control of the Christians kingdoms in 1492, Muslims were forced to convert to Christianity and adopt the Spanish language and traditions. Despite a ban on Islam, Muslims practiced their religion secretly until their expulsion in 1609 to Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.
This expulsion under Phillip III in 1609 marked one of the most significant waves of Moorish immigrants to the country, and their arrival made a large impact on Tunisian culture and popular memory. Some of the wealthier Moors chose to settle in the north fringe of the Medina of Tunis- Bab Souika, Bab Carthagene and Bab El-Khadhra. Many farmers and poorer immigrants settled in several villages scattered throughout the Medjerda Valley and in other parts of northern Tunisia.

Chechia Market Tunis photo 1900

In contrast to the experience of the Andalusians, the Moors had a more difficult time integrating into Tunisian society. Arabic and Islam had been banned for over a century in their Iberian homeland, and the Moorish communities that settled in the countryside in particular, were considered by the established communities to be culturally influenced by Christianity. Moreover, these migrants were not only Muslims: Spanish Jews were also expelled from Spain and joined the Tunisian Jewish community that has existed here since the Diaspora, more than two and a half millennia ago.
Moorish Heritage in Tunisia 
When the Moors left Spain following the reconquista and settled in North Africa, they brought with them their knowledge, culture and aesthetic tastes. Together, the contribution of the Moorish and the Andalusian in Tunisian culture can be seen in the daily life of the Tunisians, particularly in domains such as cuisine, architecture and clothing.
Testour, founded in 1609, is an authentic Moorish village located in Northwestern Tunisia. The urban planning of the town follows Spanish norms- with windows and doors opening onto the streets rather than inner courtyards. The minaret of the city’s mosque is reminiscent of the church bell-towers in Seville and Toledo. A square for bull fighting was even erected before the blood-sport was banned by the local authorities a few decades after the village was founded.
Today, the original layout of the village is still visible and the minaret of the mosque can be seen from the GP5 road on the way to Teboursouk and the archaeological site of Dougga.

The Medina of Tunis is one of the best witnesses of a Moorish contribution to the artistic life of Tunis, not only in terms of architecture but also culture and tradition.
The minarets of many of the mosques were designed by Moorish architects as were a number of palaces and schools, including Bir Lahjar. The colorful and eclectic ceramic wall tiles you can see throughout the medina are also of Andalusian origin.
The chechia, a red felt hat, is another notable Moorish contribution. Souk Chaouachine in the Medina houses the biggest felt-hat workshops. The first waves of these communities who settled in the Medina of Tunis installed the souk very close to the Zitouna Mosque in the heart of Tunis, since the felt-hat is a symbol of wealth and nobility.
Furthermore, the Moorish and the Andalusian architectural influence can be seen in the construction of bridges in Medjerda Valley. In Medjez El-Bab, around 70km west of Tunis capital, a bridge can be seen from the GP5. It was built in 1677, when the Ottoman rulers ordered a bridge to be built on Medjerda valley to make the work of tax collectors easier. The construction was supervised by Moors since they had experience in such work.

Medjez el bab Bridge supervised by a Moorish engineer

Ridha Mami is an expert on the Moorish Culture in Tunisia and in the Mediterranean who teaches in Manouba University in Tunis and Madrid University. He told Tunisia Live that the Moorish heritage can be observed in several common family names of Tunisians including Morou (Moor), Tlatli (from Toledo) and Qortbi (from Cordoba).   Mami also argued that one of the most significant contribution of the Moors to Tunisian culture is in cuisine. The names of many dishes have Spanish roots. Ojja for example is derived from olla the pot. Moreover, in Soliman, some 40km south of Tunis, a typical pie is made from cheese and parsley: Banadhej. This name has been derived from the Spanish term empanada.

Testour Mosque: the minaret follows the model of Sevilleans chruch bell-towers

In addition, Moorish heritage extends to the arts, and especially especially music. The traditional music genre of Ma’luf has Andalusian origins. In particular, two Tunisian musicians have left their touch on this music, Habiba Msika (1903-1930) and Khmaies Tarnen(1894-1965), both of whom came from Moorish families.

The Other Face of Kairoaun

Kairouan is the fifth-biggest city in Tunisia with more than 150,000 inhabitants. It’s 155 km south of Tunis and 65 km west of the Sahel – Tunisia’s eastern coast.
The Arabs founded the city in the 7^th century and made it into a military base during their conquest of the Maghreb and Spain. Later it became the capital of Ifriqiya, the Arabic name for Tunisia in the Middle Ages, and was the largest metropolis in the western basin of the Mediterranean Sea for more than three centuries.
Nowadays, Kairouan is the most visited city in central Tunisia, thanks to its rich Islamic heritage. One of the Prophet Mohamed’s companions, Abou Zumaa Balaoui, is buried there. During Mouled – the festival that celebrates the birthday of the Prohpet Mohamed – thousands of visitors from Tunisia and abroad descend upon the city.
Kairouan is blessed with an important architectural and cultural heritage. With its massive, ancient walls, Kairouan’s medina remains one of the most authentic in Tunisia. Its grand mosque even served as a model for other mosques constructed in the Maghreb as well. Designed in the form of a citadel, it bears witness to the city’s military origins.
The Backroads of Kairouan
Despite the large number of visitors who come to Kairouan each year, relatively few take the time to explore the hills and mountains behind the city. Those who do explore these backroads are rewarded with wonderful views and the opportunity to experience some of Tunisia’s impressive pre-Islamic heritage. This dates back to pre-historic times and includes the Byzantine era in the 5^th and 6^th centuries AD. Much of this history is ignored not only by many Tunisians but by specialists in the field as well.

Ksar Limsa

Ksar Limsa
Ksar Limsa is often described as one of the most beautiful and most complete Byzantine monuments in Tunisia.
 With walls gilded by sunshine and crenellated towers, this fortress overlooks the valley of Oued Mahrouf some 30 km north-west of Kairouan near the village of Al Ouesllatia. 
The fortress is rectangular in shape, flanked by 13-meter high towers in each corner. The walls are around eight meters high and a crenellated parapet protects the wall walk.
 The inner courtyard measures 31 meters in width and 28 in length. The walls were built by stone collected from the ancient Roman town of Limisa. Constructed in the 6th century, it is a typical “castellum” built by the Byzantines to protect the town from attack.
Rock Art in Djebel Ouesllat 
This large and impressive mountain covers more than 130,000 hectares. Although it’s hard to reach and lacks water, this mountain has known human occupation for over 5,000 years.

Rock Art in Djebel Ouesslat

Ouesllat mountain contains an impressive quantity of wall paintings that demonstrate the existence of disappeared species. The paintings show that the white rhinoceros, the great ancient buffalo, as well as antelope, giraffe, hyena,
 and ostrich, once lived in the region.
Precious details about daily life are also revealed, such as hunting and family life. Domestic animals, such as cows, goats, sheep, and dogs, are well-illustrated in bucolic pasture scenes.
This mountain’s more recent history is likewise remarkable. The tribes of this mountain were very hostile towards any central authority and historically supported all kinds of rebellion against it.
In the beginning of the 18^th Century, the hill tribes supported Hussein Ben Ali, the founder of the Husseinite monarchy that ruled Tunisia until 1957. During a bitter civil war between Ben Ali and his nephew, Ali Pacha, local villagers were punished by the Pacha for their support of Ali, who was murdered by Pacha and whose death was avenged by his sons – the ultimate victors of the war. All of the olive trees were cut down and the inhabitants were exiled during the Pacha’s reprisals.

Oueslatia

These days the region is largely deserted, despite its fertile soil, and the abandoned villages have been left untouched for two hundred years. They stand witness to this important and bloody period of the Tunisian history.
The villages of Ouesllatia and Ksar Limsa can still be visited by car if one takes the regional roads – 99 and 46 – from Kairouan. Guided tours can be also organized from Kairouan.

Camels in Tunisia

The one-humped camel dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) was first domesticated some 4000 years ago. In Tunisia, the Berber tribes of the south used it for their transportation. Then in the beginning of the first century BC, Romans started using camels to explore the hinterland of Tunisia. The camel was represented in Roman artistic works such as mosaics and reliefs in the second and the third century. The camel was also depicted on Roman coins.

A mosaic exhibeted in El Jem museum depecting Silenus riding a camel

One of the most significant mosaics is the “Dyonisiac Procession” in the El Jem museum where Silenus the foster-father of Bacchus is riding a camel instead of donkey and Bacchus is riding an African lion instead of panther.

The dromedary has a special status in the life of nomads because it is the base of their economy. The Bedouin classification of the camel notes four basic varieties based on the color of the coat. The Mehari is a small, white camel used for races and hunting and can reach 70km per hour. The Tunisian border guards in the Sahara desert in Tunisia’s south are known as the Mehari troup due to the camel that they use. The second is the red camel which is used for goods transportation, especially heavy goods. The third is the yellow camel that is usually bred with females from other varieties, and the male is consecrated as a stud to produce other varieties of camels. The last variety consists of a dark-coated camel that is often used for smuggling and is called a Lazreg by locals.

Camel milk is healthy and rich in proteins that can’t be found in cow or goat milk, and is regularly drunk by Tunisians. The milk is particularly rich in insulin and is recommended for people with diabetes. The milk mustn’t be boiled because it loses its nutritional value. Camel milk tastes similar to cow’s milk. If a traveler wants to try the milk they can ask a local camel guide.
Mixed breed camels are the best for eating. Many restaurants in central and southern Tunisia serve camel meat at good prices. Kairoaun is one of the best places where you can try the meat. Its mild flavor makes it well-suited to dishes such as couscous.
The camel is the base of the economic life of the Bedouin tribes. The hair is sheared in April and May. Since it is light and durable, the hair is then used as an insulator and to make clothes that protect from the extreme heat of summer as well as the cold nights and winter days. Nomadic tents are also made from the hair. The traditional north African coats Qashabia and the Barnous are made of  camel hair and can be purchased from handicrafts shops in traditional Tunisian markets.
Driving through the Sahara, foreign visitors can see wandering herds of camels that are usually assumed to be wild. But each camel in these herds have an owner that they go home to.
Today, the camel contributes to the development of cultural tourism in the Tunisian south. The camel ride is one of the main attractions of the Tunisian Sahara that gives the visitors the opportunity to experience the life of a nomad.

Camels waiting for riders Douz

Douz, known as the gateway to the Sahara, is one of the most frequented resorts in the south. Visitors have the opportunity to ride camels thanks to specific stations built for that purpose. Ali Arouri, a manager of a camel station in Douz, said that the best time to enjoy camel rides is in the spring between March and April, when the weather is cool and the temperature doesn’t reach over 30 degrees.
Independent travelers can organize multi-day camel treks through the desert. Appel du Desert is one of several companies that organize à la carte trips. The average price range for a week-long trip is 500 euros per person for a group of ten people.

The Catacombs of Sousse

From the first century AD, Christians were considered a threat to the unity of Rome and were oppressed and persecuted by Roman authorities for more than four hundred years across the empire. In fact, they were not even allowed to bury their dead in ordinary cemeteries. Thus, they resorted to “catacombs,” which were underground passageways for burial and religious purposes.
Africa, the early Roman name given to the province of modern-day Tunisia, was no exception. Christians here were oppressed and killed in several amphitheaters scattered throughout the ancient province.
The catacombs of Sousse, discovered by the French army in the 19th century, are the only in Tunisia that are open to visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of these underground vestiges of Christianity in ancient Tunisia. They are comprised of galleries stretching over five kilometers and contain at least 15,000 graves, dating back to the end of the first century AD. Either two or three levels of tombs are dug into the galleries’ walls as well as niches holding lamps to light the depths of the labyrinth.
One gallery, known as the catacombs of the Good Pastor, is the only section open to visitors and extends over 1.6 km. Its ancient walls house approximately 6,000 graves.
The burial practices employed in Sousse’s catacombs often involved dipping the corpse in calcium-rich lime and shrouding it with cloth. Once the body was interred, the grave was then covered over with tiles or marble slabs on which the names of the dead were frequently written. Some objects that were buried with the dead can be found in the museum of Sousse.

Catacombs of Sousee

Many sections of the catacombs have not been excavated due to urbanization encroaching on top of the archaeological site. Nejib Ben Lazreg, a Tunisian archaeologist, said that many Tunisians are not aware of the importance of the ruins. So far, only two hundred meters of the catacombs have been restored.
“The excavation of any site needs to be funded,” he said. Ben Lazreg pointed out that there are other catacombs in the coastal cities of Lamta and Salakta. Nevertheless, their excavations have been on hold since the end of the 1990s due to the lack of funding as well as the construction of new buildings above them.
The catacombs of Sousse are open to visitors at an entrance fee of 4 Tunisian dinars.

The Bricks of Tozeur

Tozeur is a city in southwestern Tunisia and home to the country’s biggest oasis containing hundreds of thousands of palm trees. Its economy is based on the export of dates and “Saharan” tourism. In fact, more than 700 thousands visitors – both Tunisians and foreigners – come to enjoy the beauty of its mountain oasis.
Scores of ponds are scattered throughout the oasis and outside its confines. The layers of silt found at the bottom of these ponds provide the essential raw material for the local brick industry. With summer temperatures reaching 45 degrees, the extracted silt takes little time to dry and assume its yellowish, hardened form that is known in its Arabic name as “toub.”
Walking around the old city of Tozeur, one is immediately confronted by intricate, geometrical patterns of “toub” that decorate the buildings’ façades and the walls of the old city’s narrow passageways. These yellow bricks astonishingly maintain houses cool in the stifling heat of the summer and even warm in the cold winter.

Brick of Tozeur

Abdelhamid Haddan, a writer, painter, and artist, described the manufactory process of the brick of this yellowish brick. Mud and sand are mixed together and then soaked in water. Afterwards, mulch is added. The mixture is then moulded within small rectangular wooden frames and left to dry in the sun for one day in summer and ten in winter. Finally, the bricks are baked in a kiln under extreme temperatures reaching over 1000 degree celsius.
Haddan pointed out that the brick’s production is very economical. 1 cubic meter of clay can produce in turn 1000 bricks. The brick measures 17 cm by 8 cm and 3.5 cm high and weighs 728 grams.
The technique of Tozeur’s brick-making is Mesopotamian in origin and brought by the Arabs in the 8^th century. Due to the similarity of environment, Arab settlers found Tozeur to be a propitious location to continue their brick-making traditions, claimed Haddan.
For those who plan to visit Tozeur, Haddan’s book The Brick of Tozeur is available in the city’s libraries in English as well as French and can be consulted for more information.

Legendary Tunisia

When it belonged to early Mediterranean civilization, the land of Tunisia featured in two of the oldest and greatest poems in the world: Homer's Odyssey and Virgil's Aeneid.

In Homer's Odyssey, Ulysses on his way  home from Troy with the rest of companions reached of Lotus-Eaters. Archaeologists refer it as the actual island of Djerba, 500 km south-east of Tunis capital.

In Virgil Aeneid, Aeneas was hosted by Dido, a princess from Phoenicia who escaped her city Tyre after the assassination of her husband. She founded Carthage and became its queen. Aeneas, the prince of  Troy who escaped it after the siege and the capture by the Greek. Aeneas destination is to found Rome from the ashes of Troy.

Aeneas was surprised by a storm that turned him to Carthage. He was welcomed by its ruler Dido. Shell fell in love with him but his mother Venus ordred him to leave Carthage and found Rome. Dido suicided after his departure while he arrived in Italian shores.

 Virgil inspired by two muses(Clio the muse of History with the writing tablet and Melpomene the muse of tragedy with mask)  writing the Aeneid (the 8th verse):
Musa mihi causas memora quo numine laes.... 
O muse put me in mind.....

The Aeneid of Virgil was written under Octavius, the son of Caesar and the founder of the Roman empire. He decided to rebuilt Carthage and made it the capital of Africa Proconsularis. Carthage was destroyed by the Romans in 146BC and the territory was considered accursed. Octavius wanted to find a religious excuse to rebuilt Carthage again. Dido and Aeneas symbolise Carthage andRome, her suicide may symbolise the end of Carthage. Aeneas may refer to Octavius who rebuilt the Roman Carthage.      

The Synagogue of Djerba

From one of the oldest Jewish sanctuaries in the world, The synagogue of Djerba, Some Tunisian Jew reading the Torah  

Introduction To Roman Tunisia

After the unification of the Italic peninsula, Rome came into conflicts with Carthage, a commercial power. The Roman ambitious started to emerge. They considered the Mediterranean Sea as theirs "Mare Nostrum". Thus the position of Carthage is strategic. With its destruction in 146BC, Rome became the new ruler of the territory. They ruled a territory that included the western and eastern coasts. Numidian kingdom stayed independent after the support of its king Massinissa.  With the strait of Messine, Rome controlled the universal wealth for more than six centuries.    


During the Roman civil war, the rulers of Numidia supported his rival Pompey. Caesar sent his army to Africa and defeated them in 46BC at Thapsus, actual Ras-Dimas , Tunisia.

To punish the Numidian kings, Caesar decided to annexe their kingdom to the Roman territory. The Numidian kingdom includes the east of Algeria and the west of Tunisia.This part was called Africa Nova "New Africa" while the first territory was known as Africa Vetus "Old Africa"  The new roman province  was ruled by a governor named by the Roman Consul.Since it became Africa proconsularis. Even with the transformation of Rome into an empire,Africa kept the name of proconsularis.

Map of the Proconsularis: It included the eastern part of Algeria

Come To Tunisia

Dear customers

I invite you to discover Tunisia. I organize private tours for groups and individuals.
The price is negotiable. It depends on number of the clients and other issues......
The price includes normally the service of English Speaking Guide and transportation (car, bus,  4WD....)  

Tunisia is a rich country, more than 3000 of history. Nowadays 8 sites are listed by UNESCO as a world heritage. Here i offer you a trip to discover these sites: UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Tunisia

 Photos from Tunisia : Different photos to show the richness and the diversity of the Tunisian culture.....

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Tunisia By Henk Overberg

 It has been interesting to follow from afar as a disinterested but not uninterested observer the developments that have been taking place in Tunisia since the self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi, which sparked off the Arab Spring.   I have been fortunate to lead groups to visit Tunisia three times: twice prior to the revolution and once just before the recent elections.   We enjoyed all our visits to Tunisia, were made very welcome, and learnt a lot about people and country.  Within the time of our three visits, the country has certainly changed.

Two things that struck us especially were the changes in attitude: of the bureaucracy we came in contact with, and also of the people we met while travelling city and country.   We well remember how custom officials obstructed and delayed our arrival at Tunis Airport.  We had us wait for hours for no purpose, before they even started to think of issuing visas.  This upset our people greatly: we spent much time afterwards calming them.   Whenever we had to deal with officials we struck the same unfriendly attitude.  On our last visit officials and police had lightened up considerably, welcoming us with open arms, and were in general enthusiastic and helpful.   People we met on our pre-revolution visits were circumspect in their comments about officialdom. Where a comment was made they often mentioned frustration with the corruption of officials, unreasonable levels of taxation, restrictive rules of business, and the like.

Such attitudes had disappeared on our last visit early October 2011.   People had energy: they expressed hope that long established problems could be resolved and that a new future was dawning.   The hope was mixed with fear: hope that things might become better, but also fear that the old patterns might linger.   Much was expected of the forthcoming elections.

Looking at the situation from afar, it seems that the elections have had a positive effect on Tunisian society.   Moderate Islamists form the majority in government, and they are allied with centre-left groups: there seems to be no wish to establish an Islamist state.   A new constitution has been introduced.   The violence seen in Egypt, Libya and Syria has largely been avoided.

MR Henk Overberg in Matmata, Tunsian south east.
He is a senior lecturer in Deakin university Melbourne Australia

I think a number of factors have been at play here.   First, the old authorities, symbolized by ex-President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, went quickly.   Second, there was little foreign interference, so that the proxy wars in Libya and Syria have been avoided.   Third, the army played a far less intrusive role in the transition than it has done in Egypt, which led to a greater public acceptance of transitional arrangements.   Fourth, Tunisian society is relatively homogeneous, and there has neither been the inter-tribal warfare that has so disfigured Libya, nor the Islamic-Christian confrontation that is complicating the situation in Syria.   Without wishing to trivialize the suffering of Tunisians during the revolution, the level of antagonism in Tunisia was lower to a degree than it has been in Egypt, Libya, and Syria.

Will it last?   There is a real chance that it will.   The West had hoped for a transition to a Western-style secular political establishment.   Given the situation in Tunisia before the revolution, that was never likely to happen.   The polity under President Ben Ali was secular, but its secularism was linked with deep-seated patronage which generated wide-scale corruption.   In this context a secular outcome of the revolution was too much to hope for.   Yet with a moderate Islamic government in charge there is hope for the future.   Some of the signs have been good.    First, relatively uncorrupted elections were held.   Second, the population has by and large accepted the outcome.   Third, a constitution with reasonable democratic safeguards has been put into place.   Fourth, the whole process of transformation has been achieved in a context of relative absence of violence.   The next elections will provide a further measure of the success of the revolution.   If the present government is returned, well and good.   If such elections point to a change of government, then it remains to be seen whether the present lot in power will relinquish power without violence or corruption.   If such is the case, then Tunisia may well feel that a new future has dawned.