Hot Springs Tunisia.Whilst driving along the route beside the Sahara desert we came across a hot spring and cooling tower. Water was being extracted from the spring but needed to be cooled as the water came out of the ground in excess of 50 degrees…Read More

Hot Springs Tunisia.

Whilst driving along the route beside the Sahara desert we came across a hot spring and cooling tower. Water was being extracted from the spring but needed to be cooled as the water came out of the ground in excess of 50 degrees centigrade.

How to cool boiling water in the middle of the desert?

The cooling tower was made of concrete approximately 100 feet tall and the water pumped to the top of it where it was released to cascade down what looked like a washing board but on a greater scale. There were vents in the layers all the way down which allowed air to pass through. This helped cool the water which then came out at the bottom. It was possible to put your hands in the water here but not for too long as it was still quite hot. The use of the cooling towers can help the water temperature to drop by approximately 10 Degrees Centigrade it is then cooled further through a series of concrete canals.

The water passed along a concrete channel to reach a small pyramid type structure where the water rose to the top then cascaded down the side channels cooling it further. The water was then carried away along a complex of concrete water channels and then used for irrigation purposes for crops in the nearby fields. The water is then stored in giant ponds.

Approximately 5% of water is lost through evaporation but by the end of this cooling method the temperature can drop as low as 35-37C. The water is then transported away to the oases where it is used to irrigate giant green houses and fields of fruit and vegetables. Because of the rapid drops in temperature at night some of the heated water can be pumped around the giant green houses to maintain the temperature to optimise fruit growth. The types of fruit grown in the greenhouses include different kinds of melon and tomatoes. It is also useful for watering the camels and apparently they prefer warm water to cold water. Not only this the water is slightly salty so it encourages the camels to eat as well.

It is interesting to think that there are 100s of bore holes that have been drilled to source water. In the summer the temperature in the desert can reach 70C but it can also drop below zero to around -10 in December. Some of the geothermal water is used to heat houses, swimming pools and to provide heat for the hammams.

The water is used for various things in the following percentages.

Oases 72.9%
Greenhouses 24%
Washing and camels 0.3%
Tourism and swimming pools 0.8%
Hammams 2%
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Douz.Douz is a small town on the edge of the Sahara desert in central Tunisia. It is known as and often referred to as the Gateway to the Sahara. In days of old it was an important stop off for the camel trains on their…Read More

Douz.

Douz is a small town on the edge of the Sahara desert in central Tunisia. It is known as and often referred to as the Gateway to the Sahara. In days of old it was an important stop off for the camel trains on their routes throughout the Sahara. The town was actually an important stop as it was an oasis where the merchants could rest and their camels replenish their stocks of water prior to their trek through the dessert.
We only spent one night in the town and were so tired we actually never ventured out from the hotel at all. We arrived after dark after a long day of travelling and sightseeing en route so I can not really comment on the town at all.
In the morning we were up early because we were to go on a camel trek into the Sahara dessert. It was quite an experience and something that none of us will forget in a hurry. After our camel trek into the Sahara we returned to the camel base and then headed off into the town to visit the market.
The Market.
As it was a very important Muslim feast day the market was packed out with people looking to buy a lamb or sheep to slaughter that afternoon as part of their celebrations. We went to the sheep market which was absolutely crowded with people all expecting and feeling the sheep to make sure they bought a nice meaty and well looked after sheep. The sheep were chosen then taken off by the new owner who either walked it or carried it on their shoulders where they were taken to their cars or motorbike or any other means of transport that was available including horses and carts and open backed vehicles.
After visiting the sheep market we continued into the spice and food market where every kind of spice imaginable were laid out on trestle tables. The smells of the spices were quite pungent. There were all kinds of stalls selling boxed goods and vegetables and fresh fruit. There were stalls selling every kind of thing you can imagine from the insides of motors to toilet seats and toilets. It was so packed you more or less were forced to walk in unison with the crowds. It was quite an atmospheric experience seeing all kinds of sights sounds and smells. It certainly was a market that teased and tantalised the senses and definitely one to experience as it is an interesting sight.

Later the next day we were to witness something quite horrible all the skins of the dead sheep that had been slaughtered and eaten the night before were collected on the back of carts, and lorries and presumably taken off to be turned into rugs or carpets or other such items.

Douz did seem quite a busy place while we were there in the town centre and well worth a visit but only for passing through as I don’t think there was anything there that would attract me to stay longer.
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Camel trek in the Sahara.We got up at some ungodly hour to have breakfast prior to being taken down to the camel station where we put on Berber style Galabeyas and donned head scarfs for our trek into the dessert.The camels were lead…Read More

Camel trek in the Sahara.

We got up at some ungodly hour to have breakfast prior to being taken down to the camel station where we put on Berber style Galabeyas and donned head scarfs for our trek into the dessert.

The camels were lead out of the camel shed tied in groups of three or four camels each herded by a man who lead them to where we were waiting. They appeared to be quite graceful as they were led towards us slowly ambling in a straight line in single file. All the camels lay down and looked quite awkward as they went down as if their legs buckled and they fell to a lying position. Some of the camels looked quite docile whilst others bared their teeth with their foaming mouths wide open. Amongst the camels was a small white baby camel which looked really cute.

Getting on the camel.

Here is where the fun begins.

The first person mounted the camel and all of a sudden at the command of its herder the camel growled lurched forward and stood my friend who was on the camel shot backwards as the camel raised itself standing onto its front legs then it reared up and stood gracefully although he was making the most horrible growling noise. All of us were hurled up into the air as we mounted our camels and the beasts stood up. There was a lot of growling and noises as the camels stood up. Some of the camels had muzzles on as they were a bit frisky. The camel I was sitting on was quite fruity and the herder kept looking up towards him quite fearfully. Although he was muzzled he certainly was a bit of a handful to manage.

All of a sudden we were off heading into the Sahara. The camel ride is not the smoothest of rides. We were not quite sure how the camel should be ridden……..do we ride it like a horse or do we just sit there. Most opted for just sitting on it motionless and my camel was growling all the time and at times I was a bit worried that he would turn around and take a lump out of my leg. I certainly did not like the look of his teeth when he was growling and slobbering all over the place. He was attempting to rub himself up against the other camels. In the end I was led off on my own by a herder as he was a bit too frisky. Once he was on his own and away from the other camels he was quite settled and we continued to ride into the dessert.

There was absolute silence in the dessert you could practically hear a pin drop. Once we got to the half-way point of our trip we all got off and down to stand on the sand. The sand is absolutely super soft almost like talcum powder. Apparently the Berbers wash themselves by rubbing the soft fine sand over their bodies. As the sun rose it became quite hot. We got back onto the camels for our return trip back to camel base.

It was a brilliant ride into the dessert there was something very special riding on the back of a camel. For me personally it was over far too quick I would have loved to have gone for the whole day despite the fact that I am no lightweight and it must have been quite something for the camel to carry a big lump on his back for a couple of hours.

I thoroughly enjoyed my camel ride as it was the first time on a camel and I would certainly recommend anyone having a ride if the opportunity ever arose. It certainly is quite different and cannot be compared to riding a horse or an elephant. Riding a camel is a unique and unusual experience. It was a brilliant experience and one I would highly recommend.
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This is the only ship’s tour we took, and it was on the first port of call. Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, was at one time the center of trade between Europe and the eastern Mediterranean and was considered as one of the wealthiest cities…Read More

This is the only ship’s tour we took, and it was on the first port of call.

Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, was at one time the center of trade between Europe and the eastern Mediterranean and was considered as one of the wealthiest cities in the Islamic world. Turks took the city in the 1500s and the rulers {Beys} had unlimited power until the French occupation in 1881 to 1956. A salt lake separates Tunis from the Mediterranean Sea.

The ships port at La Goullette is about 10k from Tunis. A taxi costs around $6 per person. La Goulette did not impress me. The town seems to be a pattern of narrow streets snaking around decayed buildings. Small cubbyhole cafés are filled with men and rattletrap vehicles of all kinds vie for space.

Sidi Bou Said

This enchanting village (20 min from the port) is spectacularly situated at the top of a cliff, with stunning views across the gulf of Tunis. The dazzling white houses, with their blue shutters and doors, blaze like sapphire gems in the early morning light. Cobblestone streets and narrow alleys aflame with Bougainvillea and sweet-scented jasmine tantalize the senses. Jasmine, the national flower of Tunisia, is grown in every garden; every balcony drips with bunches of the white blossom. The town is spotlessly clean, and as we are the first tour bus to arrive, we see it at its best.

The town {Sidi means saint} was named after Bou Siad Halif El Bedgi, an ascetic holy man. He went to Mecca in the 12th century, and upon his return, he settled in the village and preached the mystical doctrine of Sufism. Bou Said was also a renowned natural healer. The village filled up with his followers and pilgrims seeking healing. He died in 1286; his burial place is beneath the 13th-century mosque located in the village.

In the 1900s Baron Rodolph D Erlanger, a rich European nobleman and artist, built an Anglo-Oriental mansion, which is still there today {now a museum}. He convinced the bey to mandate that every house in the village be painted blue and white {still compulsory}. The village became a mecca for writers, artists, and government intelligentsia; the holy aspect of the village was lost.

We had two hours to explore independently, so we began our walk up the steep main street. My head was constantly on a swivel; every door was a work of art. All were painted the mandated blue, but embellished with black studded patterns ranging from Moorish arches and delicate stars to Art Deco geometric motifs

The former mansion of Baron De Erlanger was closed but we saw postcards of the interior-it is stunning. Another museum {Dar El Annabi}, depicting typical Berber traditions, was open. We paid our 4€ admission each (including mint tea} and entered.

The facade does little to prepare you for the interesting interior, including a splendid intricately tiled courtyard, brimming with vibrant blossoms, spills out of huge blue stone jars that surround a lovely central fountain. Winding narrow staircases of blue wrought iron lead to a mezzanine and eventually to the rooftop. Blue doorways and small shuttered balconies lead the eye upwards toward an incredibly azure sky.

The main floor is furnished to replicate a typical Berber home. Wax females seated upon a sofa are decked out in heavy brocaded gold and silver wedding finery.

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Exquisite copies of marriage certificates written on parchment scrolls hang on the wall. In those days, wedding feasts were celebrated for two weeks, with the bride’s family footing the bill for food and accommodations.
On the opposite side of the room, male wax figures seated around a large table write up a marriage contract.

Upstairs are prayer areas, ritual-bathing fountains, and richly decorated traditional bedrooms. Stairs hardly wide enough to place a foot lead up to the rooftop, overlooking the turquoise bay. Just off the main courtyard, a small store sells souvenirs and cold drinks. Free mint tea in tiny cups is also offered. The museum is located on the left side of the main street of the village.

After leaving the museum, we continued up the main street. At the very top is the celebrated Café Nattes. Once you have huffed and puffed your way to the top, and mastered the art of walking on well-trodden cobbles, you have to climb the steps that lead to the black-and-white horseshoe-arched doorway.

The interior is spacious and intriguing. This café was once part of a 13th-century mosque; it has a seductive mystical aura. It was unlike any café I had ever been in. Striped pillars lead the eye to startling red and white roof beams. A few people were seated crossed legged on straw mats {Nattes}, from which the café takes its name. Beautiful gold and silver filigree birdcages contain songbirds, plus an eclectic mix of artifacts, old wireless sets, and black-and-white pictures of the saint adds to its charm. We ordered Turkish coffee, which was served in the traditional way in a silver samovar; it was deliciously thick, rich, and sweet. Along with the coffee, we had fresh beignets, which were hot and rolled in sugar. Calories? None!

By the time we left the café, the streets were packed with tourists. We took a winding walk down to the beach; it was so hot that I swear I was perspiring out of the shoelace holes in my sneakers! At the bottom, we turned and looked back at the incredible village. Touristy? Yes, but it was still worth seeing.

This tour cost $65 per person. It included a trip to the souk in Tunis. I believe you could half the cost by sharing a taxi with another couple. As a ship’s tour, I would recommend it.

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The Arabic name "Sahel" means coast or margin. In the case of the sub-Saharan, Sahel it is the margin of the desert, but in Tunisia, it is the little bulge in its east coast. Ranging back from the east coast, these fertile plains have long…Read More

The Arabic name "Sahel" means coast or margin. In the case of the sub-Saharan, Sahel it is the margin of the desert, but in Tunisia, it is the little bulge in its east coast. Ranging back from the east coast, these fertile plains have long been the heartland of the country's agriculture and an important power base - both Habib Bouguiba and Ben Ali come from this region, and it contains Sfax, the country's most prosperous city.

As far as the tourist is concerned, the region's main jewel is Kairouan, the country's spiritual capital. However, for this little travelogue, I am going to concentrate on its other jewels, the towns of Sousse, Sfax, Monastir, and Mahdia.

Sousse rivals Hammamet as the centre of the tourist industry in Tunisia. This is evidenced by the continuous strip of hotels stretching from the city northward for many miles. In the past, the tourists baking in the sun and enjoying the soft white sand were in the main Germans. Lately, however, they seemed to have been usurped by the British and the East Europeans seeking bargain basement prices for four-star hotels with one-star food and service. These hotels are all much of a muchness, but I would recommend one restaurant - l'Escargot, which serves excellent French food in a delightful environment. It is opposite the collection of Hana hotels in the town centre.

Sousse is not just a strip of hotels and a tourist trap, however. The medina or old Arab city is full of interest and has a host of interesting medieval buildings, such as the Great Mosque, Ribat (monastic fortress), and Kasbah (administrative centre/fort), which contains a very interesting museum and great views over the city. In addition, its narrow maze of alleys hide a number of interesting old buildings, souks (covered markets), and the usual souvenir shops.

A little down the coast, Monastir is growing into another huge tourist centre. There are ever growing numbers of package-deal hotels filling up the beach space between the town and Sousse. It even has the second busiest airport in the country, constantly loading and unloading pre-tanned and tanned tourists and shuffling them to and from their hotels. The town itself has also been transformed, as if for the tourists. The area around its two great monuments - the Ribat and Habib Bourguiba's mausoleum has been totally razed, and so the place has a sort of fake Disneyland feel to it, with none of the rough and readiness of some of the other Tunisian towns. Having said that, it is still very picturesque and pleasant for a wander, especially with the two fine buildings noted above.

Forty kilometers farther around the coast is Mahdia, and although tourism is stretching its tentacles this way, at the moment it remains relatively unspoilt. The old city (the medina) is much smaller than its Sahelian counterparts, but retains a certain pride. There are fewer alleys and old buildings to explore, but it is more a place of reflection to enjoy the peace and quiet and soak up the light and colour of the place in one of the delightful cafés, perhaps sharing a table with some of the old men in the Place du Caire enjoying the shade of the fig trees.

It is also one place where you don't have to stay in a big tourist hotel a few kilometers out of town. The Hotel Jazira is a small bed-and-breakfast within the old town and is only a few metres from the sea. I was tempted to cast a line out from my bedroom window to join the other fishermen who were close by in their rowing boats. Another highlight of Mahdia is going for a sunset walk around the rocky peninsula. Here are the remains of a port built by the Fatimids in the 10th century and now used by local fishermen to tie up their rowing boats. It is surrounded by a sprawling cemetery, itself a botanist's delight, with many wild flowers carpeting the graves and meandering paths.

Heading inland from Mahdia, we come to El Jem. In fact, a number of dead-straight roads seem to converge on this little town. Not surprising, I suppose, as its main claim to fame is Roman, and that of its huge amphitheatre nestled in the centre of this small Sahelian town. Built around 300AD, the amphitheatre is better preserved and not much smaller than its more illustrious counterpart in Rome, the Colosseum. Estimates of its original capacity run to 30,000, much more than the present or past population of the town. There is also an interesting museum not far from the amphitheatre if you can follow the signs around the back streets for a kilometre or two, containing a number of interesting mosaics and the remains of a Roman house.

One place that has no need or desire for the tourist dollar is Sfax. It has grown on the riches of phosphate, which is mined deep in the interior, but which is shipped from here. Also, there are the millions of olive trees that dominate the interior of the Sahel region. Sfaxians are famous throughout the country for their business acumen and are known as the "Jews of Tunisia," perhaps a compliment or perhaps not. Despite that, the medina is worth a wander, having many of the goods to be found elsewhere in the country, but at much cheaper prices. Despite their business acumen, the Sfaxians are less inclined to rip the tourists off. For me, however, the main reason to come to Sfax was to catch the ferry to the Kerkennah islands. But that's the subject of another page...

If you want to see the pictures from my trip around the Sahel and read about other sites in Tunisia and North Africa, visit the website Wanderings Africa.

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We’d first heard about the Kerkennah Islands from Paul Theroux’s book about his trip around the Mediterranean. Theroux is known as a crabby individual who seeks out places to visit where no one else goes – usually with good reason. He went to the Kerkennah…Read More

We’d first heard about the Kerkennah Islands from Paul Theroux’s book about his trip around the Mediterranean. Theroux is known as a crabby individual who seeks out places to visit where no one else goes – usually with good reason. He went to the Kerkennah islands for two days in winter and described them as desolate, flat, and arid, with dying palms and ratty fronds. However, I also read the more charitable Rough Guide, which informed me that many people return year after year and describe the place as the most beautiful spot they know. The clincher was the fact that our neighbour had been recently and had a very relaxed, faraway look in her eye when extolling its quiet virtues. In any case, we had seen pretty much the rest of Tunisia in our two years here and thought, why not. It would be excellent place to chill out for a while, and there would be few tourists.

The first problem, however, was getting there. We knew the ferry left from Sfax and presumably left from the port. We found Sfax and we found the port – but there was not a single sign for the Kerkennah ferry. Once we found the ferry, we were told, "Sorry, this is the wrong entrance. You need to go out of here, turn left, turn left again, and look for a small gate with no markings on it and you’re there." This was Tunisia after all. Fortunately, we had arrived in plenty of time. Although there was no timetable as such, we were told the ferry would be leaving in two hours time, and amazingly, it did, and we were disgorged at the other end just over an hour later.

Our first view of the islands from the ferry was as a thin smudge on the horizon, which later revealed a rather flat island covered in palm trees. We soon left the ferry dock behind and were driving through a rather arid, flat landscape, noting that, close up, the palm trees were rather straggly and certainly not the fine variety most often seen on beaches in Bounty Bar adverts. Despite this, there was a pleasant otherworldliness to the scene as close to rural idyll as you can expect on land that is bone dry and supports nothing but these frail palms and the odd fig tree.

There is only one "resort" on the islands, resort being rather a misnomer. What it means is a beach with four or five hotels strung along it. In fact, two of these hotels are not even on the beach, but curiously, a kilometre or so inland, as though shipwrecked in an area of windblown scrub. On the map, the area appeared built-up, but, in fact, there were only the hotels and nothing else. Anyway, we decided that we would start with the first and then see which one we fancied. As it happened, we stopped at the first, the Cercina, and went no farther. It was just what we wanted. In the Asian style, there was a restaurant building with a large, shady terrace and then the accommodation block – maybe five or six rooms each with their own little balcony and the whole lot facing a picture-perfect bay. The rooms were basic but spotlessly clean, and you simply couldn’t beat waking up in the morning throwing open the shutters and looking out to the placid waters of Sidi Frej bay. There was only one drawback to the place. The islands are very low-lying, but that also means the water is extremely shallow. It only gets to thigh depth even quite some distance offshore. And it’s the same all the way around the island.

One of the reasons we came to Kerkennah is that we wanted to chill and not do too much, but that doesn’t stop a little bit of exploration. The Kerkennahs are really just two islands – a small southern one where the ferry docks and a larger northern one connected by a causeway apparently built by the Romans. We completed our explorations in a day. There were lots of quiet, pretty, sleepy little villages often near sheltered bays, separated by the endless palms – it seems nothing else can grow on these barren, low-lying islands. The small towns also seemed remarkably free of cafés packed with men smoking and drinking coffee, which you see all over Tunisia. In fact, there were plenty of houses, but where were the people?

Using the Rough Guide, we spent some time trying to find the best beach on the island. We did find a nice beach, but I don’t think it was the one mentioned, as it was no better than any other, but also no worse, just extremely quiet, not a soul about. It didn’t matter. We didn’t even have the energy to find the one "sight" on the islands, the Borj el Hissar, a ruined fort on the coast built a few hundred years ago. I think we had already switched into "Kerkennah time."

Back at the hotel, after our exertions, we enjoyed cold drinks and some of the best food in Tunisia, especially the seafood. The Kerkennahs are famed for their octopuses, and indeed, at the little ports, you see plenty of the pottery jars used to catch them by luring them into a false sense of security. In addition to the restaurant in the hotel, we also went to the Sirene, an excellent restaurant in Remla, the main town on the islands and the only place with a petrol station and a bank. Here we dined on the seafood platter on successive days it was so good.

After three short days and nights, it was time to leave. Paul Theroux and the Rough Guide were both right. It is a bit of a desolate place, but also one of the most relaxing and, somehow, rewarding places in all Tunisia.

For more tales of Tunisia and many pictures, visit the website Wanderings Africa.

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This entry is to serve as advice to any weary travellers looking for refreshment in Tunis. Cafes and coffee shops are very different. Cafes are essentially a male domain and in Tunis you can find cafes inside the medina and dotted around the New Town.…Read More

This entry is to serve as advice to any weary travellers looking for refreshment in Tunis.

Cafes and coffee shops are very different. Cafes are essentially a male domain and in Tunis you can find cafes inside the medina and dotted around the New Town. These are easily the nearest thing you'll find to a British pub, although most we saw didn't sell alcohol. These places serve soft drinks and the ubiquitous highly sweetened (usually mint) tea. They are places for men to meet and discuss the days business. Some have TVs and often the men are watching football. The cafes are normally pretty open so you can look right in without much effort and decide whether you want to give it a go. Women are generally OK with a male escort, but I didn't see any Tunisian women in any of the cafes. If you do venture in you may or may not be approached by Tunisians wishing to chat. We found most drinkers to be fairly reserved and not particularly bothered by our presence. If invited to join in when the waiter brings down the pipe from behind the bar, give it a try. Contrary to belief, the tobacco is neither illegal nor mind-bending! Theer are various flavours of heavily scented tobacco - the most common being vanilla or fruit flavours.

Coffee shops, on the other hand, attract a mixed crowd of, mainly young, Tunisians and here the French influence really shows. These places can be found all over the New Town. A word of warning - there aren't many seats in these establishments. You stand at high counters around the outside of the room which is great to watch the world go by through the windows but not so fun if you've been plodding round the medina all day!

There are all kinds of flavoured coffees and the usual choices of espresso, latte, etc and an amazing array of pastries. These are usually laced with honey and strewn with almonds and pistachios - sadly, I'm allergic to nuts, but they looked delicious.

One or two places have outdoor tables, but the pavements are so narrow it's pretty perilous.

Whatever your tastes and depending on how adventurous you are there is something for every weary and thirsty visitor to Tunis.

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Sadly we never found out the name (if it had one) of this little cafe tucked away in the depths of the medina. However, I shall never forget how much we enjoyed it and I would be depriving you if I did not tell you…Read More

Sadly we never found out the name (if it had one) of this little cafe tucked away in the depths of the medina. However, I shall never forget how much we enjoyed it and I would be depriving you if I did not tell you about it.

The cafe has two floors and is tiny; at first it seemed to be full, but then we looked up and spotted a tiny upper floor with a couple of tables so we tentatively entered the cafe. We couldn't see the stairs at first but the "waiter" beckoned us on and then pointed the way. We sat down at the front of this upper area and from there we could look down to see the cooking area, the other diners and people wandering by through the medina. There was no menu save for a small blackboard downstairs which we could not decipher. It was in Arabic, not French, leaving us with a challenge on our hands. In due course, the waiter appeared again and he started by wiping the plastic table cloth where we were sitting - it seemed to have no effect - his task completed it was as sticky as before! This young man, while friendly, spoke only minimal French, but he did his best to help us order. (In his filthy white overalls, he looked as if he might have also worked the night shift at the abattoir before coming here, but we were unperturbed.) How lucky it is that couscous is the same word the world over! That was me sorted - I had seen others eating something I fancied so no problems there! My partner, however, eats fish, but no meat. I explained this in French, but I wasn't sure how much he'd understood. I couldn't see anyone else eating fish who I could conveniently point at so we took a chance. We also ordered a bottle of water.

The waiter left a couple of pieces of paper on the table before descending with the order. He returned with an enormous bottle of water, two glasses, and a huge loaf of crusty bread from which he tore off a massive hunk and placed it on the table.

While we waited for our food, we wathed our fellow diners; it was lunch time and most diners seemed to be fairly smartly dressed so we imagined them to be local business people on a lunch break. Everyone was talking loudly and with purpose, excitedly talking with friends and colleagues. Almost directly below us we could see into the hive of activity that was the kitchen. A huge basket of eggs sat on the edge of the counter and seemingly every couple of seconds a hand reached into it and took a couple more to crack into a frying pan. My food arrived first and, moments later, my partner was presented with a plate of chips and an egg. Thankfully there was no meat on it, but was a plate of chips really all I had managed to order after all of that hard work?

My couscous was delicious. A huge mound of grain a more than generous pile of tasty vegetables, three lamb chops and a lovely spicy sauce over the top. Usually in hot weather I struggle to eat very much but I found an unheard of appetite! The bread was great for mopping up the juices and I greedily ploughed my way through this feast while my partner ate egg and chips!

But . . . when almost all the chips were gone, the waiter re-appeared with a beautifully cooked fish! Whether this was intentionally served in this way or whether it had simply been forgotten, we don't know, but it was very good fish and had been cooked in spices like paprika and turmeric making a tasty coating. Watching some other diners we realised what the paper we had been given was for. It was in lieu of a napkin/serviette. We followed suit, but the paper was so thin and shiny it served only to move around our faces the remains of our meal! We didn't care though - there was nothing else to use and everyone else was doing it so we followed suit.

We payed as we left at a high table, behind which a very old man was perched. Again, on the table was more paper in case you wanted to try once more to move the lamb juices around your face!

If you look around the medina you will find this place. Do eat there - I can't recommend it enough. Delicious food (less than £4 for two meals, the bread, and a huge bottle of water) and great surroundings. The best experience of my day in Tunis!

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Tunis is a city of contrasts. Away from the medina are the modern streets of the New Town. It's here that you can see the French influence; the main Avenue Bourgiba looks like it's been lifted straight from the French Riviera with its Neoclassical architecture…Read More

Tunis is a city of contrasts. Away from the medina are the modern streets of the New Town. It's here that you can see the French influence; the main Avenue Bourgiba looks like it's been lifted straight from the French Riviera with its Neoclassical architecture and little railed squares of green down the central reservation. There are beautiful baskets of flowers hanging from the buildings, and exotic palms give it a real feeling of Cannes. This is the less secular and more European side to the city. The only religious building in the area is the fantastic Catholic cathedral with its colourful mosaics, which has recently been restored to its former glory.

The city's food market on Rue Allemagne is worth a visit, but don't leave it too late -- stallholders start packing up early afternoon. A word of advice here: don't walk through the fish market wearing open sandals!! Look out for the guy selling fresh herbs and whole spices -- he sells his own blend of harissa and it's hot!!

The New Town makes a welcome change from the hot and dingy passageways of the medina, but for shopping and bargains, it has to be the medina every time.

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A louage is basically a big taxi. Most towns have a louage point - a noisy and usually fume-filled parking lot where the white and red vehicles wait until they have as many passengers as possible before setting off. When you arrive speak to one…Read More

A louage is basically a big taxi. Most towns have a louage point - a noisy and usually fume-filled parking lot where the white and red vehicles wait until they have as many passengers as possible before setting off. When you arrive speak to one of the drivers and tell them your destination. He'll wave his hand vaguely, try to head in that direction and you'll probably need to ask again to be told which vehicle to get in. You are meant to wear seatbelts, the driver usually doesn't although the signs over the motoway says he should. Locals usually have a word with the driver to arrange to be dropped off places other than a town's official louage station, my advice would be to stick to the main louage station and alight at the proper terminus.

Somewhere close to the final destination, your fellow passengers will start paying. There are usually three rows of seats. Help out by passing money forward to the driver who will then risk life and limb getting change from his trouser pocket whilst negotiating the busy traffic.

We travelled from Hammamet to Tunis and paid around 5 Dinar for the pair of us - less than half the cost of the train (although that's pretty cheap too)There are two main louage stations depending on whether you are coming from/going to destinations north or south of Tunis, but both are pretty central.

Trains to Tunis from the coastal resorts only operate during peak commuter times so the louage has the added advantage of running all day. Bear in mind that the driver will only go when he feels he has enough passengers. If it seems to be taking a while to fill up, you and your fellow passengers may be able to negotiate with the driver to pay a little extra to compensate for empty seats if you are keen to be on your way.

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