Temancine and Telmahet - Hospitality to the Max

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After breakfast, we found Nasser sitting in the hotel lobby. When he saw us he jumped up and asked if he could take us on a tour of Tourgourt. He said he had come to visit his family who lived in a nearby oasis called Temancine. So first, he took us to the market place and showed us around. I took a photo of a camel herder and afterwards the herder asked for a photo payment and started arguing with Nasser and Habib while a huge crowd gathered around. Nasser ended up giving him 3 dinars.

Then Nasser invited us to go to his village, and what a treat we were in for. We drove for about 10 minutes by taxi through an ocean of golden sand dunes, and there was an oasis on the horizon; a date palm grove with a village hidden inside; it's only sign of being there was a minaret that stuck out of the middle of the greenery.

Nasser explained that the village was over 1000 years old and he first took us for a tour of a section of Temancine that was in ruins and he told us that it was once a palace with a king. We walked through the ruins of what looked like it had been something fairly impressive, with old faded paintings and carvings on the walls. Then we went into Temancine. What a place! It was similar to Beni Isguen, being inside walls, and all the houses connected to each other. The "streets" were just wide footpaths between the houses and no cars or motorbikes came inside. All was quiet except for some Koranic chanting coming from inside the mosque, which we passed and where there were dozens of pairs of shoes. You had the constant feeling of being watched and, every now and again, you would hear a shuffle and people would run away from us and shut the doors, then peer out at us in bewilderment. I dont' know why we looked so scary to them!

We arrived at Nasser's family home and went inside. A group of girls all got up and raced into the other room, giggling. We were given cushions to sit on and a boy soon brought in tray after tray of food fit for a king! We started off with tea and biscuits, then the soup came in. It was "tomato and wheat" soup. Next came the a cous cous served with lamb, potato, tomatos and peas. Then salads, then date cakes and more tea. The boy came in again and cleared away all our plates.

We sat and talked for over an hour, then we walked across to the next village; Telmahet. There was a wedding in one of hte houses and only women were allowed until the evening. So Habib said; "Go and have a look" at the same time as the women were signalling me to come in. I was followed by a huge crowd of noisy women and children, singing, shouting and playing drums, and was presented in front of the bride who had was being dressed up in colourful scarves and jewellry. Her face was covered, but the women all uncovered her face especially so she could see me, and her eyes lit up. They begged me to stay with them, but I politely declined and made my way out of the crowds again to the safety and sanity of Habib and Nasser.

We left these two amazing towns behind just when the sun was setting and just as the call to prayers rang out from the two minarets ...

We invited Nasser for dinner at our hotel and had yet another enjoyable evening together.

Later, Habib and I were talking and it all started to make sense. Nasser had been following us from the day we arrived in Ouagla just for an opportunity to be hospitable. He had turned up in every place and restaurant and hotel. I was amazed and humbled by the fact that he had gone to such extremes to extend his hospitality to us.

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Comments

[bob doe]

cool
wow i like your journal, gave me lots info on algeria, im doing a re port, thanx