Blogs from Sousse, Tunisia, Africa - page 2

About 30 minutes North of where we live is the small coastal village of Hergla. We had heard it was a beautiful place so we decided to go up and have a look. Unfortunately we had just missed the bus which runs every half an hour so Russ but his bargaining skills to the test and got a good price on a taxi. Hergla is tiny but it has great views over the rugged coast and a splendid vista of the new Enfida airport which will soon open. The houses are mostly whitewashed with a brilliant blue trim and it is a treat to wander around its tiny streets observing the local characters. Seeing an old lady walking her donkey through the lanes is a treat for anyone! The little harbour is quite picturesque too with ... read more

A couple of hours away from Sousse by the metro train is the small town of Mahdia. It helps if the staff at the metro station put you on the right train though! Ours only went as far as Moknine, half an hour short of where we wanted to go. We had to wait a further 30 minutes to get on the correct train, frustrating but not the end of the world. A few minutes’ walk from the train and you find yourself in the medina. Unfortunately we were there on a Saturday and it was dead. There was nobody around and we were fair game to all of the traders in the touristy shops. On a Friday there is a huge market so no doubt the streets are bustling. With a lack of atmosphere for ... read more

Woke up early morning and went to El-Jem to see the Roman Colosseum. Houssem said he will be having lunch with his friends and for me to join. The louage which is the easiest form of travel between two places however at times can be very time consuming. Even though I got to the louage station at about 845am by the time we left to El-Jem it was about 930am. It took nearly 1hour. The Colosseum was magnificent. Most of it still remains. I got back to the louage station at 1230pm to be in time for lunch however the louage left El-Jem at 1300 and by the time I got back to Sousse most of Houssem’s friends had gone and only 2 people had stayed back. We went and had lunch at the Art Food ... read more

Woke up at 715am and did the 3s's and went to the bus stop at 8 and met Bilal. We took the bus which cost 410millis and took the train to Monastir. Monastir is a brilliant place. The Ribat is gorgeous and the beach is stunning too. When you climb the rocky area which is connected to land by a little bridge you could see clearly through the turquoise blue water. One couple asked me if I could take a picture of them. They spoke to me in English and I was quite surprised because generally everyone mistakes me for a Tunisian and I thought they were Tunisian too. When we spoke I learnt that they were a Pakistani couple from London living near to where I live and working near the Heathrow airport. What a ... read more

Following on from the previous year's week-long stay in Marrakech, the man-made resort town of Port El Kantaoui in Tunisia seemed like a suitable enough destination to 'compare and contrast', and although this place lacked the distinctly unique feel of Marrakech, it did seem as if the tourist infrastructure was firmly in place. Oddly enough, this was the second visit to Tunisia, and a 30-year gap had separated the two trips, so it is fair to say that recollections of the first visit were but a faded, distant memory, therefore it was enough to consider this trip a fresh experience. Port El Kantaoui is a largely artificial resort, the centrepiece of which is a pristine marina, where the town gets most of its Mediterranean allure from. Nightlife is relatively muted, and you might gain the overall ... read more