Tunisia
Mid-August, after completing TEKA III’s deck painting job in Cagliari, Sardinia, we rested two nights at the Malfatano anchorage before pointing the bow south to Tunisia. SeaScape and Good Company joined us for this adventure.
Nine hours later we pulled into a harbor on the south side of Isle Galite, an island belonging to Tunisia (84 miles south of Sardinia). An interesting experience happened while we were in international waters. A green and yellow helicopter with Guardia Finanza insignia came out of nowhere, low and loud. They buzzed us 360 degrees, then hovered mid-ship and the two persons aboard only glared and stared, not attempting radio contact at all. Our boat profile is unique and we suspect they were curious enough to get some details without verbal contact. Their assignment is deterring smuggling. Since we had nothing to hide, we did not change course or speed, and soon they just pulled up the nose and flew off. What a deal! Like on tv or something.
Next morning we proceeded on to check in at Tabarka, Tunisia. Dealt with winds and waves most of the way, but we tucked inside the breakwater before lunch. First order of business: check in. In Tunisia they speak Arabic and French. John and Joan from SeaScape were invaluable. He spoke Arabic; she, French. The Police did the passports; Customs checked ships provisions on paper and in person on the boat, then issued a cruising permit; Marina had a set of papers for our moorage, and of course we had to change money at the bank. By the time we got all that accomplished we were hot and tired, so found a nice waterfront restaurant.
We learned from our guidebook that Tabarka had been an important shipping port during Rome’s heyday, especially for shipping the beasts that fought in the Coliseum.
Almost all the boats in the harbor tied up to a seawall. With such availability, the locals had easy access to us, whether to just say hello, sell us something, ask if they could use our fresh water hose to rinse off the kids after a day at the beach, or request we give them our American flag. SeaScape had their flag stolen on the last night An earlier night Marvin and Nancy on Good Company woke up to find someone walking around on their sailboat. It turned out to be a marina policeman who came on board to move a bicycle from one side of the boat to the other for safety sake.
The woman who washed her children off with fresh water from our back deck faucet enjoyed chatting with me in French (which I don’t speak), while I studied her kids. I asked if the girls (about 12) were “dou-ble” (twins), and she said, “Oui!” then pointed at the boys (about 6) and said “Oui” again. The boys were so cute. They giggled when they got stripped and washed in front of me, and also when their sisters changed a bit more discretely. Before they left, the little guys saluted me smartly and I commented to myself, I hope when they grow up and become fighter pilots they remember the kind American lady who let them wash off and giggled with them over their situation.
Wednesday we set up a private van tour for Thursday with Ulysses Travel. Driver, Omar, and van were due at marina at 6 a.m. We were ready; he didn’t show until 7 a.m. on our clocks. Later that day we learned there is a time difference between Sardinia and Tunisia and we could have slept another hour.
Excellent tour around the countryside; visited three places; had lunch at a roadside grill where we chose meat hanging up on a hook which they then grilled for us; and enjoyed watermelon slices on a mountainside picnic spot near the Algerian border before returning to Tabarka. Two of the three stops were ruins and the other a museum where marble had been quarried for those other places so long ago.
Dougga: most spectacular of Tunisia’s Roman ruins, 65 miles southwest of Tunis. It had been occupied since 300 B.C. and now a World Heritage site. They had excavated 25,000 out of 40,000 hectares. We met a guy, Heddy, who guided us for an hour, entertaining us with jokes and stories. The old Theatre held 3500 people with both box seats and cheap seats. It had a large stage and is used each year in July/August for festivals. Ruts in the stone show chariot tracks leading up to the rich folks’ entrance.
The capitol, slave market, mosaic floors, aqueduct system, city gate, Temple of Caeletis, and panoramic views gave one a sense of the community that thrived between 300 B.C. and 300 A.D.
Bulla Regia was a town established about 500 B.C. Baths, 2 theatres, forum, underground villas, House of Amphitrite with Venus mosaic were all we got to see before a rain/dust storm hit with some vengeance.
Friday we cleared the port of Tabarka and 66 miles later pulled into the harbor at Bizerte. More formalities, even though we had already officially entered the country. Each port wanted to see your papers and when you left Tunisia, you had to leave the boat cruising permit with the proper authorities, and have spent all your Tunisian dollars. Saturday we arranged a 3-day land tour down to the Sahara and back.
Sunday afternoon Good Company’s Marvin and Nancy, SeaScape’s John and Joan, plus Tipper dog, and us boarded a van for a short trip to Hammamet, south of Tunis. We overnighted there and early Monday a.m. met our driver, Salah, who did an excellent job driving us 610 miles along the coast, through some desert, and back across the interior to Hammamet. There another van took us to Bizerte and the boats again.
First day, first stop: El Jem, a well preserved coliseum, but not as grabby as Rome’s. It seats 30,000 (more than the town population so they expect extravaganzas drew folks from all over), and now hosts the Summer Symphonic Music Festival for locals and tourists.
In Sfax, Tunisia’s second largest city, we intended to explore the Medina (a shopping mecca), however most of the stalls are not open on Monday. If you wanted a backpack or a pair of shoes, no problem. Tipper dog sure gathered an audience. Most Tunisians are afraid of dogs and even though she is a small one, they moved away from her as she approached.
In Gabes on the main drag we shopped in their souk (mini mall), buying Larry’s birthday present before leaving (the salesman insisted on a sale as we climbed into the van). Driving towards the desert we passed a maritime oasis, stopping to see a Berber home inside a dune. The doorway had a large jar poised over the entranceway and hand prints on the sides for good luck. Inside they had an outer courtyard with one woman washing clothes. Offshoot rooms included kitchen, storeroom and a room where an older woman sat on the floor grinding flour. An inner courtyard channeled off into three bedrooms; one had a tv. Outside behind the dune a camel watched us check him out. This whole area, Matmata, is famous for some of Star Wars filming.
Douz, Gateway to the Sahara, called us for camel rides or rides in a horse drawn cart. We chose the cart thinking it might be easier for our backs than a camel. Wrong!!! Sand everywhere. Palm frond fences made dunes of the ever blowing grains of sand. Saw lots of dates in the oasis palms and purchased some dates in the Kairouan market the next day, along with some interesting cookies with dates as filling.
Chebika is a ghost town now. In 1969 it rained for 22 solid days, flooding the whole village. Everyone moved to a new location; now geared to tourists who come to visit the old ruins and oasis.
We bade farewell to our guide, Salah, back at Hammamet, then continued on to Bizerte by another van. There we found the boat had done well during our absence.
Sicily next.
