TUNISIA- PART II THE SOUTH- EL KEF, TERMERZA, DOUZ, SFAX, EL DJEM

We were hoping that El Kef would bring us into a southern atmosphere, more traditional than the north but there was torrential rain and a spectacular thunder storm which we watched from our grotty hotel room, at least we had a good view of the fortress being zapped by fork lightening. Not much to detain us there, had a quick look at the Sidi Bou Makhlouf Mausoleum, tomb of a sufi saint. The El Qadriya mosque is also important to Sufism in Tunisia.

We decided to make the long drive down to Termerza/Tamerza an abandoned old town and insignificant new town situated in the largest mountain oasis in Tunisia. The town was abandoned after the river flooded for 22 days in 1969. It is located north of the salt lakes and receives fresh water from the nearby hills near the border with Algeria, 6km from Mides.

We found a crazy ramshackle place to stay just on the other side of the main stream through the oasis, it didn’t matter that it was a bit of a shack, it was warm, the river flowed, there was a waterfall with maidenhair ferns, peacocks strutting and roosting in the trees, the date palms grew abundantly ,the owner had lots of friends dropping in and playing great Tunisian music with drums and horns, there was an amazing gorge just down stream and we found a guide for the trek over the mountains and through another gorge to Mides for the next day. Bliss!  
 To watch a video- See blog post
 http://finca-al-manzil.blogspot.com.es/2014/06/magical-stay-in-termerza-oasis-southern.html 

OUR  TREK FROM TERMERZA TO MIDES WITH GUIDE HABIB

Lonely fort at Mides on the Algerian border, we had to inform the police we would be hiking in this sensitive area

Back in Termerza Habib and friends playing some wild Berber riffs

We left Termerza with regrets but this was a road story. On the way to Tozeur we stopped at another mountain oasis, Chebika. Yet more wonderous green date palms
along the river, water in the desert is simply magical.

 

Onwards to Tozeur, a town known for its brick making, many of the old houses in the medina retain the intricate patterns made with these small sun baked bricks. On the way we have our first sightings of camels grazing in the hamada desert....childish excitement and wonder at the lovely calligraphic brand marks.

From Tozeur we drive across the preternatural  Chott el-Djerid, my first experience of seeing/not seeing fata morgana, objects float on an illusionary endless sea, really the vast salt plains, sparkling white salt reflects the dazzling sun………fabulous.

DOUZ, the beginning of the great Sahara. A comfy hotel where we were the only guests. The town was full of camel drivers with no more trade across the desert and no more tourists for tame rides  to the edge of town with the first vistas of the dunes, still the camels survive and look upon their fate with total disdain and slowly moving jaws.

DOUZ,  was as far south as we could go on this trip, time to start heading back to the coast and the great sea port of Sfax.  On the way we pass through the weird landscape around Matmata famous for the troglodyte communities. The landscape is harsh, the semi-cave dwellings make sense  in the baking temperatures. 

More camels including a gorgeous baby with 10cm eyelashes!

SFAX, an amazingly complete medina behind the ancient walls. It is not a tourist town at all so the  souks sold everyday useful objects, the new town was bustling and working with areas of perfectly preseved colonial buildings.  The atmosphere was breezy and fresh. We

found another great chicha place, Café Diwan, a beautifully restored merchant’s house from the XVIII century, a wonderful very ancient mosque, the kasbah fortifications, intricate  doorways and the most delicious fish restaurants.

CAFÉ DIWAN

                                                         

MUSÉE DES ARTS ET TRADITIONS POPULAIRES IS HOUSED IN THE BEAUTIFUL XVIII DAR JELLOULI

Back to Tunis but on the way we stopped at the jaw dropping amphitheatre at El Djem . It was built by the Romans around 238 and was mainly used for gladiator fights and chariot races.It is  possible that construction was never completed

Much  is crumbling but the essence  still remains. 

I shot this little video standing in the exact centre of the arena, quite a strange feeling,  to think of all the blood and adrenaline spent on this spot 2000 years ago.

Finally back to Tunis and the night ferry  to Palermo after a 2500 km journey. Magic and madness!

  Ma'a as-salaama Tunisia!