I have an idea for a new concept in travel and tourism. We all know about "eco-tourism," well I am going to be the architect of "taste-tourism." As I tell you about my trip to Nabeul it will, hopefully, become clear. We decided to take the…Read More

I have an idea for a new concept in travel and tourism. We all know about "eco-tourism," well I am going to be the architect of "taste-tourism." As I tell you about my trip to Nabeul it will, hopefully, become clear.

We decided to take the public bus service from Hammamet to Nabeul and waited at the bus stop just round the corner from our hotel. No one else was waiting so we decided to take a chance and hang on. There was no timetable so we had no idea how long we might have to wait. Luckily it wasn't too long. We scrambled on board and the rather grim-faced driver gestured for us to move back away from the doors. There were already a number of people standing so we moved towards them. But the driver still kept waving us towards the rear of the vehicle. Thankfully a kind lady took pity on us and pointed to the very back of the bus where there sat a guy on a little platform with an ancient ticket machine in front of him. We had got on at the wrong end of the bus! Still you live and learn. Having never taken a bus in Tunisia before how were we to know?

The bus had very few seats. It seemed it had been designed that way to maximise the amount of passenger space but this has its drawbacks. The driver seemed to me to be going pretty fast, but maybe this was heightened because it was on less than smooth roads so you were tossed about the bus, struggling to hold on for dear life. Being market day in Nabeul, the final destination of the bus, there were lots of tourists on the bus with children and the children seemed to find it quite a difficult journey. What with the heat and jerky stop-starting motion of the bus, some children began to get upset. It seemed to be hard enough for adults to hold on to the straps without having to make sure the children were safe too! But this, I suppose, shows why the organised trips with tour companies is so attractive to some tourists.

Our destination finally reached, we followed the crowds towards the market area. At least on market days, Nabeul is a lively, bustling town. We walked along a busy road, teeming with traffic. In the centre of the road between the two lanes were lovely beds of flowers but the real treat lay a little further up the road.

For centuries Nabeul has been the centre of the ceramics industry in Tunisia and wherever you go in the country you will see the distinctively painted wares for sales in the markets and medinas. In tribute to the town's main industry, there is a giant ceramic bowl of giant bright ceramic oranges standing in the centre of a busy roundabout. Whilst totally kitsch it's rather striking and brings a splash of vitality and colour to an otherwise ordinary dusty street.

And so to the market - the focus of this piece. I am sorry to say that Nabeul Market is strictly for the tourists. There are actually only about half a dozen "different" stalls here. The other two hundred or so other stalls are merely clones displaying exactly the same goods.

The main wares are ceramics - white earthenware with bold painted designs in orange, purple and blue, pretty ceramic fish to hang up to ward off the "evil eye," leather bags and shoes, and these awful wall ornaments in the form of the heads of Arab horsemen, swathed in a leather head-dress (truly naff), the ornate glass and brass pipes described by the stall-holders as "hubbly bubbly" pipes, for smoking the strongly flavoured and scented tobacco, not marijuana as many tourists think, stalls selling belly-dancing outfits covered in sequins and fezzes and traditional Tunisian men's hats - smaller than a fez and without the tassel hanging down, low quality but cheap jewellery and barrows selling richly coloured spices - you will see lots of "saffron" for sale; quite how genuine this is I don't know. We bought some and it seemed OK but how can the world's most expensive spice be bought so cheaply, even in Tunisia?

Here and there you can by freshly squeezed orange juice to refresh you as you plough through the never-ending plethora of stalls. There are also a few cafes around the market with tables outside where you can recharge and watch the world go by.

I was a little disappointed with Nabeul market. I had imagined because of the high number of Tunisian folk on the bus that they too might be buying everyday goods here but sadly I was wrong. How odd to say the highlight was an oversized bowl of ceramic oranges!

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In the markets and the medinas of Tunisia, you are expected to haggle. Haggling is fun and, if you do it properly, will make sure that you don't go home with some worthless rubbish you've paid a fortune for. To start off, don't start haggling for…Read More

In the markets and the medinas of Tunisia, you are expected to haggle. Haggling is fun and, if you do it properly, will make sure that you don't go home with some worthless rubbish you've paid a fortune for.

To start off, don't start haggling for something you've no intention of buying in the first place. Don't waste the shopkeeper's time. If you mention a price, you are obliged to pay it -- your role is to go up not down! You should roughly end up paying a third of the price the stallholder originally demands, but this is not always the case. Don't insult the trader by sticking to a ridiculously low price. Think about how much you would pay for the item at home and work accordingly.

At first, our feeble attempts amounted to a couple of weak attempts and then drifting slowly away from the stall at which we were called back and negotiations would recommence at a more reasonable level.

In my experience, those traders who realised that I was new to haggling were helpful rather than trying to take advantage of my inexperience. I think I may have paid a little bit more than I needed to for some leather sandals, but I liked them and would have paid a lot more for them at home.

Most traders are able to converse in English and French (and some even in German), which makes things easier, but you can get a little bogged down when you convert from dinars into your own currency.

Some of the traders are great performers and will feign huge disgust as you make your opening offer. This is (usually) part of the act. When I was trying to get the price down on some silver jewellery, the stallholder told me that he would go bankrupt if he accepted my price and started to mop his brow as if overcome. He even asked me if I was Scottish (implying that this would explain my reluctance to part with more money).

Don't be nervous. The stallholders will realise that you haven't haggled much before and very few will try to swindle you. Have a price in mind before you start and remember that if you still think you're not getting a good deal, look somewhere else instead until you do.

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Hammamet's medina overlooks the sea, next to a pretty sandy beach where the fishing boats lie for the evening. As soon as you approach the medina you will be besieged by young men trying to lure you to the family shop inside the medina walls.…Read More

Hammamet's medina overlooks the sea, next to a pretty sandy beach where the fishing boats lie for the evening. As soon as you approach the medina you will be besieged by young men trying to lure you to the family shop inside the medina walls. Usually they will greet you like an old friend claiming that you should recognise them because they are the waiters from your hotel.

The first time you visit a medina can be quite daunting, especially for women. Mny of the men will try to grab your hand, touch you, or even ask for a kiss. Usually you can tactfully shake them off, but if they persist, a stern "labass" or "la shukran" should do the trick.

If you are purposely looking to buy tacky souvenirs, come to Hammamet's medina. You will be hard placed to buy anything of any great value or quality and most of the stores and stalls sell the same things. Hammamet's medina is basically a vaudeville or pantomime experience. The young try to tempt you in, you shake your head, they call out "Hey English" or "Hey German" and so on until they know where you're from and then tell you some bizarre facts about somewhere in your homeland. Or maybe they have a cousin who now lives in your country, or maybe they once visited themselves -- and so it goes on.

A young man might openly offer to be your guide around the medina. You don't need a guide so if you don't want that then stand firm and say no. He may follow you for a little bit offering titbits of information and pointing out things of interest but stand your ground, say no again and then ignore him. If you wander away from the stores and stalls you enter the residential area and the medina is still home to a couple of hundred families. Look out for the iron door knockers in the form of the Fatima's hand, along with the fish, this symbol is used by Moslems to ward of the evil eye. If there is one knocker on the door, then one families lives in the house; if there are two, then two families live there and so on.

After dark, the medina can be a little scary, there are occasional street lamps but not many. We had a young man guiding us so felt a bit safer. We didn't have to tip him, but of course he did expect us to follow him to his family's store after the mini-tour.

So, what can you buy in the medina? Cheap jewellery (although there is some quite nice silver), terrible sparkly belly-dancing outfits, toy camels of various hsapes, sizes, and colour, wall ornaments of Moorish heads (the head-dresses being made of swirls of leather -- truly awful things!) and the ubiquitos chica pipes and tobaccos.

(See also entry about haggling in markets and medinas.)

The best time to visit the medina in Hammamet is aound sunset. The minaret of the mosque will be beautifully lit up and the temperature will have dropped to make wandering around the narrow streets and cramped stores mor bearable. Bear in mind that although the medina these days is rather a tacky affair, it is still a historic place and, containing the mosque within its walls, it is also a holy place as well as home to many people. Therefore, it is advisable to dress discreetly, women should not wear shorts and should have arms covered too. Not only is this respectful but may also lessen the amount of male attention you may receive.

Hammemet's medina is well worth a visit to explore the residential area with narrow lanes of fresh-looking whitewashed houses. Less interesting is the selling area, but if you are looking for cheap souvenirs, the medina has them by the bucketload.

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The medina in Tunisia's capital city Tunis has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, which protects it from unsympathetic developers. That said, parts of it are run down and decrepit, but for me that just added to the atmosphere. The many alleyways…Read More

The medina in Tunisia's capital city Tunis has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, which protects it from unsympathetic developers. That said, parts of it are run down and decrepit, but for me that just added to the atmosphere. The many alleyways form a labyrinth of souks and passages, where many hours can be spent stumbling upon sights and smells of centuries past. The streets are named, so it is possible to navigate without a guide; even so, it did take me almost an hour to find my way out! In the heart of the medina is the great mosque, a stunning religious building as well as being a useful landmark when needed. Locals will take you up to the rooftops above some of the shops to see stunning views of the city - and they don't seem to mind when you politely refuse to visit their shop afterwards...Close

Sidi Bou Said is said to be the most beautiful village in Tunisia, and certainly did not disappoint. Easily reached by train from Tunis, a short walk up a very steep hill leads you into an artist's paradise of whitewashed cottages, with intricately carved,…Read More

Sidi Bou Said is said to be the most beautiful village in Tunisia, and certainly did not disappoint. Easily reached by train from Tunis, a short walk up a very steep hill leads you into an artist's paradise of whitewashed cottages, with intricately carved, studded wooden doorways and blue painted balconies. The village is a heritage centre, and all the inhabitants have to adhere to a strict building code, which regulates the colours and materials used. Even the station is of the same matching shade of blue. This beautiful sight is further complemented by the rich magentas of bougainvilleas and vivid greens of the palm trees. And if you can't paint, don't forget your camera, or pick up one of the many watercolours being sold in the shops. The cafe in the heart of the main square offers refreshing mint tea and the chance to soak up the wonderful atmosphere - what a place for people watching.Close

One of the highlights of the trip was a very touristy but hugely entertaining camel ride into the fringes of the Sahara from Douz. The Tunisians bill Douz as the gateway to the Sahara, and turning round, the village of Douz was still visible…Read More

One of the highlights of the trip was a very touristy but hugely entertaining camel ride into the fringes of the Sahara from Douz. The Tunisians bill Douz as the gateway to the Sahara, and turning round, the village of Douz was still visible from our rest stop - no major trek this - but with selective vision and a bit of imagination, you can be right in the heart of the world's largest desert. Our camels (actually dromedaries, as they only have one hump) were roped together and ambled along slowly at the guide's walking pace, their rolling gait and propensity to nibble at any stray leg or shoelace added to the fun. A quick buck was also to be made by charging the more gullible in the tour party to dress up in robes and headgear. One word of caution, though - the exotic-looking horsemen offering rides on their horses were extremely persistent when it came to collecting their fee.Close

Don't misunderstand me: neither I nor my friends were invited into a local home. Oh, we so wished it but Tunisian people, though very polite and helpful, are a bit wary of tourists (why shouldn't they be anyway?) and simply don't open their homes to…Read More

Don't misunderstand me: neither I nor my friends were invited into a local home. Oh, we so wished it but Tunisian people, though very polite and helpful, are a bit wary of tourists (why shouldn't they be anyway?) and simply don't open their homes to strangers. So I have no idea of what their homes look like, but if doors are a good indicator f the interior, then they must be beautiful! I have never seen doors so richly ornated or so charming or so colourful. Even simpler homes have bright doorways and make you want to go in. I am not surprised that the home is the centre of Tunisian life - if i had suh doors I would be proud of my humble abode too.Close

Carpets? Even if you dont need one, it'll be really hard to leave Kairouan without one. It's the carpets' capital - and everyone will try to sell you one. If you are weak, you'll most likely come home with one: in this case make sure…Read More

Carpets? Even if you dont need one, it'll be really hard to leave Kairouan without one. It's the carpets' capital - and everyone will try to sell you one. If you are weak, you'll most likely come home with one: in this case make sure at least it's hand-made. How to do this? Easily? Turn it backwards: if the design is the same as the design on the front, then it's handmade.
When you walk through the souk it'll be easy enough to say no - or in the worst case just to keep on walking and ignoring the yelling salesperson. The real problem starts when you enter a carpet shop - especially when you are cheated into one. Touts will stand outside and tell you to go inside: it's a Mosque, the Governor's house, someone famous house and that the architecturee is wonderful (it's true btw)... Once you enter you'll see that yes, that USED TO BE what they told you but now... roll of drums... it's a carpet shop. We fell in the trap and got stuck in there for over an hour - they simply would not let us leave - we only managed to escape because I was offered a "precious" carpet at a very convenient (still expensive) price. I spotted it as a machine-made one, an heated argument followed (I just pretended to be really offended to be cheated just to get to the exit door) and finally declared I would not buy from a dishonest man. Only then we are allowed to leave.Close

Architecture: my passion! In Tozeur I found many details to delight the eye. The entire area has a typical architecture that's unique all over Tunisia.The best examples (around the 14th century)can be found in the old area, the Ouled el Hadef, which is better known…Read More

Architecture: my passion! In Tozeur I found many details to delight the eye. The entire area has a typical architecture that's unique all over Tunisia.The best examples (around the 14th century)can be found in the old area, the Ouled el Hadef, which is better known as the Medina.

Let's start with the colour: ochre - like the desert surrounding the city. Then comes the layout: little lanes zigzagging in all directions - with many dead-ends; getting lost in them is delightful, one sees so many wonderful corners. And finally the architecture: bricks are used creatively to create all sorts of geometric shapes and designs. They do that by not levelling them: so the designs are created by bricks slightly sticking out.

What I liked best was the fact that no house looked poor - although some of them - judging by the people going in and out - must have surely been modest. Compared to rich merchants' houses their decoration were much simpler - yet not poorer. And rich merchants' houses, though more richly ornated, still did not seem too lavish or luxurious... the feeling I had was that no one really wanted to show off their wealth - but if they had any wealth (a lot or a little) they used it to the entire community's advantage: embellishing their living quarters but never in such a way to show their superiority of wealth.Close

it was the year 1984 - and, being sixteen, I surely had nowhere to go on Saturday night - so I remember being stuck at home watching (shame!) the eurovision song contest. I also remember the Italian duo singing in the contest: Franco Battiato and…Read More

it was the year 1984 - and, being sixteen, I surely had nowhere to go on Saturday night - so I remember being stuck at home watching (shame!) the eurovision song contest. I also remember the Italian duo singing in the contest: Franco Battiato and Alice. They did very poorly that year, basically because they never wrote/sang easy-listening or too popular songs. I often wondered who in the Italian music-biz they had offended, to be sentenced to sing at the Eurovision. Their song was "the trains of Tozeur"

When I happened to travel to Tunisia - a visit to the town of Tozeur was part of the tour - so as our driver Said was approaching our daily destination, the lyrics of the song came back to me. Here's a rough English translation of some of the verses:

in the border towns they look at the trains drive-by
the desert streets of Tozeur
and for a moment I feel like living
at a different pace
the trains of Tozeur drive-by slowly again

ok, these lyrics would never win a literary prize - but they got stuck on my mind... and I kept looking out of the rover's window - staring at those tracks - hoping to see one of those trains - wondering how special they would be. My curiosity was never satisfied - those trains don't exist any longer.
The different pace of the song - however - was still there. As we reached Tozeur and went for a discovery walk we found it very silent: the few people we met walked slowly and silently past us - no one shouted - no one tried to sell us anything... it felt for a while like we were the last survivors on earth, and everyone else was a ghost.

we moved on, passed some shops and a market, decided to stop for a drink at an outdoor café. The chairs, other than falling apart, looked like they had not been used in ages - the tables were dusty... a silent waiter came up to us, we ordered some coffee, he nodded silently, came back with two delicious coffees, we paid.. he never spoke a word, just waved his hand at us when we left

If there's one thing i'll never forget of Tozeur is the silence that permeated the air - not a hostile silence - just one of deep tranquillity.

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