TUNISIA December 26, 2011: Americans in Tunisia — Day 6 (No Carpet)

Greetings from Gabes, Tunisia

Following a buffet breakfast at the Hotel Olivier Palace in Sfax, we strolled the quite empty medina of Sfax (considered to be one of the best preserved in all of Tunisia). Apparently the Sfax medina is closed on Mondays so we got an odd sense of the place — absent the usual crowds, hawking, and goods for sale. Still we managed to chat with a few folks (broken French and broken English), including one guy who I photographed and who gave me his Facebook page so we can be “friends” and so that I can post the photo I took and tag him. Sfax is a lot like other “second cities” especially those in less developed countries. A bit dusty and worn, the remnants of some great spaces and boulevards, and the confusion of new stuff that’s been constructed in the last century. But as before, people were very friendly, helpful, and eager to know where we come from.

A few wonderful moments that defy explanation, like the cell phone stand in the centuries-old medina in Sfax playing (actually blasting) Bob Marley music… or the many stalls selling torn blue jeans… or the women wearing blue jeans under their long robes with chadors. I’ve been tempted to buy one of those long robes with the pointy collars and have it altered to be knee-length… Mike thinks it would look like I’m in the KKK… but the robes are all black or brown.  Mike’s been using his flip cam (last year’s birthday present), making little films… but he looks like a CIA spy carrying this small device close to the chest without moving…

We got on the road at about noon (after I attempted to print a few documents at the reception desk, but the printer died after the first 6 pages; will need to try to print in Gabes) and then we headed south to Gabes.

The road was good; traffic moderate (except in cities); we’re getting the lay of the land with regard to driving (although Mike has been doing most of the driving). Our little Renault definitely has some tire problems and we’re pretty certain that within the next day or so we’ll need to change at least one tire. (There is a spare in the trunk!)

It’s pretty clear that this area was originally under water. Now it’s flat, scrubby brush, and lined periodically with very small complexes of stands selling assorted goods, including food.  About an hour into the drive, we decided to stop for “lunch” at one of the roadside stands that we are now quite comfortable with. Seemed as if they were making some kind of kabobs on a barbecue. Sat at one of the plastic covered tables and ordered the chicken and also a cous cous. Chicken turned out to be an entire bird (tasty, just too much food) and the cous cous was definitely a meal unto itself. Ate as much as we could, and headed back out to the road.

As we approached Gabes, the geography changed.. you could sense we were heading toward the beach and the Mediterranean. Temperature also rose about 8 degrees. Along the way to Gabes many roadside stands appeared selling dates, baskets, ceramics, and fruit. We attempted to find Hotel Chems where we had a “reservation.”  Several wrong turns and people helping with directions… and we arrived at the rather large (several hundred rooms?) hotel, situated on the beach, but without any direct access to the water (seems as if you need to go out the front of the hotel, down the road then head to the beach… but cannot go directly from the hotel for “security reasons.”

From what we can tell, we might be the only guests here — or maybe one of just a handful. Hard to know. Decided to stroll the town a bit…. and then to relax in our room (actually I have work with me, so I focused on that)

One of the guidebooks suggested a restaurant in town called L’Oasis..but we asked at the desk about wine and learned that the Oasis was wine-free… but that there was a restaurant down the street from Oasis with same kind of food but has wine.. (They must think we are alcoholics)… so at around 8:20 we ventured out of our “compound” with some guard opening the gates (frankly we are not at all worried about those wandering the streets; more concerned about those lingering in the bar in the hotel all day. Anyway, we ventured into town (first time we’ve driven in the dark in Tunisia) and of course could not find the place, based on the directions the hotel gave us…. Stopped some people who initially thought we wanted the Oasis Hotel (which we knew we didn’t want because that is right next door to our hotel).. but then someone seemed to know where it would be .. so we turned around, headed in that direction and found L’Oasis (no wine) and the place a few doors down the street — Mazar where they had wine. We opted for the latter.. winos that we are.  Looked OK… only one other person having dinner (he was having some kind of spaghetti). Reviewed the menu and decided on a lamb brochette and a cous cous.. But they were “out” of both of those items.

Turned out they had only four items (although the menu was pages long)… Sort of like when we traveled in Russia many years ago where they gave you a 10 page menu but said “Beef Stroganoff”.. meaning that was all they actually had.. So the waiter at Mazar told us he had a filet, dorade, and guess what — “beef stroganoff!”… I opted for the dorade; Mike opted for the filet.. He kept asking for “rare”… I knew this was a pipe dream.. About 20 minutes later.. out came well done filet.. and a very nice dorade.. We had Tunisian wine..

Made it back to the hotel.. and now some television (I think they have another Tommy Lee Jones flick on tonight)… no CNN.. and then we are off early tomorrow to head to the troglodyte houses of Matmata (I think similar to the cave houses in Capodokya and also the underground cave houses in Guadix…) and then we head on to Medenine…

More tomorrow.

Fern