The ship here docks in La Goulette which is about 9 miles from the centre of Tunis. The port is relatively new and designed to look like a Medina, so very welcoming and well set up with the government administration officials at the exit to stamp your entry document (given to you by the ship). La Goulette has a 16th century fortress and is a great landing point for the trip into Tunis to the east or north to Carthage and Sidi Bou Said, only about 5 miles away.
Tunis was a vibrant capital that combined tradition and modernity in a pleasing chaos. Close to the colonial city lies the Medina of Tunis which is one of the most sumptuous of the Arab world, with its maze of alleys, souks, its gates and its unique architectural blend.
For the history and mythology buffs head north from the port to Carthage, the ancient capital of an empire that rivalled Rome to dominate the Mediterranean world. Here you will find the ruins of the Amphitheater, Villas, theatres etc., definitely worth a visit.
A little ways from Carthage is the village of Sidi Bou Said, a beautiful spot overlooking the Gulf of Tunis with narrow streets, lined with blue and white houses, surrounded by flower gardens, did someone say that it reminded of Santorini in the Greek Islands.
One could easily combine all the above in a private or taxi tour. If you wanted to stay close to the ship and the port there is also a nice sea side boardwalk close to ship with some shops and restaurants.
So what did we do today, well, none of the above, lol. Yes, we continue to break our standard port rules, call us crazy. Worth it? Absolutely. Through the cruise critic folks we jumped on a tour taking us 2 1/2 hours east of Tunis to the Roman Ruins of Dougga. We had 2 vans going with 6 people in each van along with a guide and driver (again, 12 person vans so plenty of room). Once we left Tunis we had a police escort taking us to the site of these ruins. They were there just to ensure no traffic delays, so how nice was that.
Dougga was a Berber, Punic and Roman settlement in northern Tunisia. The current site covers about 65 hectares with UNESCO qualifying Dougga as a World Heritage Site in 1997, believing that it represents “the best-preserved Roman small town in North Africa. Dougga is a Roman City with a view as it is set on an enchanting hillside surrounded by olive groves and overlooking fields of grain with forested hills beyond. It was built using the yellowish tan stones it has the mellow tones blending harmoniously with the brown, tan and dark green landscape of the Kalled Valley and the Teboursouk Mountains.
Nestled into the hillside, the outstanding theatre whose 19 tiers could accommodate 3500 spectators. It was built in 168 AD by one of the city’s wealthier residents, Marcius Quadratus. Even the nosebleed seats have not only a spectacular view of the valley but could hear a pin drop on the perfectly designed stage. Today, this theatre is still being used in the summer months of the Dougga Festival. I could go on and on about this site and the other ruins it contains but I will let the pictures help intaking it all in. There is one I will point out and that is the 2 century BC Mausoleum which is the country’s finest pre Roman monument. With only our 2 vans going here and separating our groups upon arrival, it was like we had the entire site to ourselves, absolutely amazing. HAL currently does not have tours going here but this could change in the future. One of my pictures does contain the contact information on this independent tour company, Discount Travel Services (DTS), our excellent guide was, Adel and Driver, Ramses.
I’m still going through the pictures but this post will be in several parts, hope you enjoy…
Quote of the day, “Traveling’s not something you’re good at. it’s something you do. Like breathing”. - Gayle Foreman
We stopped at a “typical village” for some local flavour
Email address for our tour company, family run, Discount Travel Service
No comments:
Post a Comment