About Djerba Island

Legend has it that Ulysses’s ship was blown by strong seafaring winds to Djerba Island, the land of the lotus eaters. Once on the island, his crew were fed the addictive lotus flowers, by the lotus eaters. His crew quickly forgot about all else and did not want to leave.

If you come to Djerba Island, you might just have the same problem, but it won’t be because of eating lotus flowers. It will be more related to the sunny warm weather that you can count on, when, even in winter the temperature doesn’t normally dip below 15C. Djerba has many features: long stretches of beaches, many resorts, hotels and Les Maisons or Chambres d’hotes (small guest house or bed and breakfast) Hammams, and Thalassotherapy centres that use sea water, seaweed and massage treatments for relaxation and improved health.

You can ride a camel or go horseback riding on the beaches of Djerba and there is a major 18-hole golf course which at certain points looks out to the Mediterranean.

Djerba has a famous historic centre for pottery at Guellala that goes back thousands of years and for centuries it was the sole manufacturer of ceramics in Tunisia.

If you are a history buff, then Guellala’s Museum is not to be missed with it’s beautiful and colourful displays of Djerban life. Houmet Souk’s Museum of Arts and Popular Traditions is another must see. I also visited one Roman archeological site. Djerba Explore Park has lots of activities including getting your picture taken with a baby crocodile.

Maybe you’re beginning to see why lotus flowers don’t even have to enter the picture, and why Canadians wanting to escape the worst winter months might find a pleasant escape on the island of Djerba with lots of activities to take in. Here, it’s not just about a beach holiday, there are excursions to take around the island, towns to visit, many unique and historic things to see, spa treatments…and lots of relaxation.

 

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Dar Belhadj Restaurant, Tunis Medina

If you are looking for typical Tunisian food, this is the restaurant to go to. The restaurant opens at 7:00 pm for dinner and was a 5-minute walk from the Royal Victoria Hotel and is located right in the Tunis Medina. It was very easy to find. When I walked through the Medina to get there, the Medina had transformed itself, it was quiet, all the shops were closed up, it was like another place!

The Dar Behadj occupies a former palace so is very ornate with lots of tile work, colourful painting, curtains separating intimate rooms off to the side, a very atmospheric experience. The mint lamb was recommended, so I had that, and it was very good. Before the main course, they bring you some appetizers which are included in the price of the meal. For 49 Dinars, which translates to just over $21 CAN. at today’s exchange rate it is a great deal. Very much recommended! The musician is playing a sitar.

Because it was later in the evening when I finished my meal, one of the waiters walked me back to my hotel, typical Tunisian hospitality.

Following are photos from the restaurant. The photo quality isn’t as good as usual because I was using my cell phone.

 

Bardo Museum

The Bardo Museum has the largest collection of Roman mosaics in the world and traces the history of Tunisia through its vast collection of mosaics, statues and other artifacts. It’s collection of mosaics comes from many sites throughout Tunisia including Carthage, Dougga and Utica. It also houses many  marble statues that come from Tunisian sites such as Carthage and Thuburbo Majus. The collection in nothing short of breathtaking.

Sidi Bou Said

Sidi Bou Said is a suburb of Tunis with Mediterranean charm in spades. Sparkling white buildings are graced with doors and shutters often painted a brilliant blue, like the sea that surrounds it. Winding cobblestone streets lead to art and artisan shops and artists ateliers.

An enchanting multi-level hillside restaurant, Cafe Sidi Chebaane with blue umbrellas and colourful cushions set on sofa-like seating areas entices visitors to linger over coffee or enjoy a typical Tunisian meal or pastry, wile you admire the sea, marina and Gulf of Tunis beyond.

Photos of Sidi Bou Said and myself with new Tunisian friends.

Carthage

The ruins of Carthage are scattered over quite an area, not far outside of Tunis, in fact a 10 Dinar (about $5 Cdn.)taxi ride will take you there from central Tunis. Once there, if you’re energetic and like to walk you can access the sites this way, or if it’s very hot weather, there are many taxi drivers in the vicinity who will gladly guide you around and wait for you as you visit the sites.

A bit about Carthage. It was founded by the Phoenicians in 814 BC. The Phoenicians were from the area of present day Lebanon and were very skilled sailors throughout the Mediterranean Sea. The history of Carthage is a complex one with many civilizations leaving their mark on this famous and ancient city. After the Phoenicians, the Romans, Vandals (a Germanic tribe), the Byzantines and Arabs all took turns dominating the area. This wasn’t the end of wars and various cultures and countries dominating what became Tunisia the country, but it did gain independence form the French in 1956.

Following are photos of some of the most compelling remains of ancient Carthage.

On Byrsa Hill, visitors will find the remains of  Phoenician Villas, many Roman statues, the St. Louis Cathedral and the Carthage Museum. See also a view of modern Carthage.

The Antonine Baths, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, were built by the Romans (Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius) in the second century and they were once the largest in Africa. They were destroyed by the Vandals in AD 439.

 

Roman Amphitheatre: It was built in the mid 2nd century AD and could hold 10,000 spectators. It was one of the largest in the Roman Empire.

 

Royal Victoria Hotel

I stayed four days here in Tunis at the Royal Victoria Hotel. I asked them to send transportation for me to the airport when I arrived. It is worth doing, even though you are paying more for this service — the service was just under $30 Cdn. When you arrive from overseas, one is tired and jet lagged, so arriving at the airport and meeting someone with a big smile and holding up a sign with your name on it is comforting and knowing you will soon be in the comfort of your hotel, safe and secure.

This hotel used to be the British Embassy, and has been transformed into a beautiful, atmospheric hotel, typically Tunisian in design, with much tile work and beautifully painted door and ceilings. I stayed in room 309 with a lovely balcony overlooking the square below and the Bab Bhar or Porte de France, a gate that is the gateway to the Medina.

So on one side of this gate is the Medina side the old section, and on the other side is the new part of Tunis, or Ville Nouvelle where you find Habib Bourguiba Avenue, the central thoroughfare of Tunis with modern shops, Banks, hotels, cafes and restaurants. There is a central promenade line with trees and the end of this avenue, a statue of Bourguiba and a clock tower.

Hotel photos to follow:

Back to the features of the Royal Victoria Hotel: it is quiet, clean, good security, very pleasant staff, beautifully appointed, with a generous breakfast. For me it was a perfect location with steps away from the Medina and the Ville Nouvelle. Highly recommended!

Medina

Like most Medinas, the section with shops or “souks” is bustling with activity, the residential area is much quieter and makes up 90% of the Medina, the remaining 10% is made up of shops. Historically, a Medina was surrounded by a wall, but the Tunis one no longer has walls around it. The Tunis Medina is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.

Within the Tunis Medina you will find palaces, mosques, libraries, historic buildings…and lots of cats. The souk part of the Medina is divided into areas for leather, clothing, pastries, breads, essential oils, herbs, lamps, metal items, carpets, olives, fruits and vegetables, etc. If you can’t find it in the Medina, you probably don’t need it!

One of the most distinctive features of the residential section of the Medina are the decorative doors, painted different colours, with various designs created by the use of black metal studs. The designs created by the metal studs tell the story of the people who live behind them. Blue and yellow seem to be popular colours in Tunis, but there are other colours used as well. Many have a door knocker in the shape of the “Hand of Fatima”, a symbol used to protect against the evil eye. The layout of the interior of the house has a distinct pattern with a central courtyard and rooms going off from this central core. I love wandering through the Medina!