I really didn't know what to expect from Tunisia: I figured it would be one of the best of the North African countries but that leaves a lot of wiggle room. The history here is also very intriguing; more of that later so I don't lose your attention right away. Beside the Camel Rent-a-Car stand and the large number of white-clad (devout) Muslims who just arrived on a Dubai flight, Tunis seemed quite ordinary. The city centre was another story: the sights, sounds and smells of North Africa were everywhere. Heaps of garbage here and there, ripped up or unfinished pavement, stray cats pawing through the rubbish, loud traffic. Still, there is a certain dignity to Tunis: the cafes and coffee shops are always packed with men drinking strong (Turkish) coffee and sucking on apple tobacco through sheeshas (hookas/bongs). Many people complain about the lack of jobs: young kids get a decent education but there is little work in the stagnating economy.
Tunis reminded me of Istanbul to some extent: the old city ('medina') is full of mosques, hamams (baths) and market stalls (souqs) selling everything from cheap Chinese trinkets, to shoes, clothes, pastries, honey-dripping baklava, carpets, fezes, to expensive gold and jewellery. The narrow alleyways and streets are a mystifying maze, guaranteed to frustrate even the keenest sense of direction. Any time I strayed one street over, I got lost. Completely lost. Still, as charming as the medina could be, it needed a serious high pressure power washing. The grim and grit, the decrepid, aging buildings and some of the dark alleys need a lot of fixing. Every so often, the call to prayer from each of the mosques would begin: during the day it can be a wonderful melody. At sunrise, it is less appealing.
Tunisians, themselves, are a wonderful people. The first leader (dictator really) of modern, independent Tunisia worked hard to reduce the power of the Islamic clerics and modernize the country and the economy. The people here come in all shapes and sizes from wealthy to poor, dark and fair skinned, traditional dress to tight jeans and t-shirts. There is nothing typical about this country.
