Malta And Tunisia - Blog # 7

                                                       Tunisia: Blog # 7

                          A Minaret: We Have Reached Tunisia

                                More Evidence Where We Are

                            Where Is Lawrence Of Arabia?

Not Exactly Peggy, Our Oxnard Pigeon Friend. However, This Hawk Was Just As Friendly!

            Anyone Want To Go On A Ride Or Get A Photo Op?

       Unlike Other Countries, We Did Not See One Woman Guide

These Characters Looked Like Police, Walked Like Police And Talked Like Police. They Were Police! One Of Them Joined Our Tour For "Security Reasons!"

Leaving The Port Required Several Security Check Points. Bus Driver and Tour Guide Had To Show ID's---Very Strange!

    On Highways And In City Center, Police Randomly Stopped Vehicles As Well as Buses - Checked ID of Drivers and Occupants.

        Figuring Something Was Going On We "Goggled" Tunisia

    Returning Back To Ship From Touring Several Armed Police  Officers Were Stationed At The Gangplank. 

Although There Were Some Modern Buildings, Most Structures Were Old And Rundown. Much Like A Third World Country, Debris Was Strewn along The Highway. Also, There Were Many Crazy Drivers. Most Of Them Got Their License In A Cracker Jack Box!

Typical License Plates

Tunisia Appears To Be A Moderate Moslem Country. Women Can Choose To Wear Western-Style Clothes Or The Typical Religious Garb Which Covers Most Of The Body

              Tunisia's Carthage Was A (Historical) Trading Center

                                        Minaret And Mosque

Unlike Other "Liberal" Moslem Countries, We Were Not Permitted To Enter - Why? We Were Not Moslems

            Elaborate and Old Door - Entrance To The Mosque

The Antoninian Baths Were Fashioned After 

Rome's Baths Of  Caracalla

We Got The Feeling This Part Of North Africa Is Somewhat Arid

FYI: Tunisia Does Get Rain And Some Snow

                        Date Palm Tree Not Ready For Harvest

      Small Coffins: From The Phoenician To Roman Times, Sacrificing Babies To Please The Gods Was A Common Practice 

Off To The Side Of A Walkway, Jerry Discovered Part Of A Pillar Inscribed With, "Caesar."

        The Baths: Those Two Pillars (And Others) Held Up A Roof

    There Were Separate Entrances And Baths For Men And Women

Using The Baths Required Taking Advantage Of Different Water Temperatures

For "Health Reasons," It Was Expected To Take A Cold Bath At The End Of The Process: Closed The Pores!

    The Area Was Also Set Up For Recreation, Socializing, Etc.

                        "Local" Person Exploring The Baths

On To The Center Or Commercial Area

There Were Many "Warnings" By Our Guide: "Don't Take Pictures Of Government Buildings!" He Thought We Were Taking Photos Of Some Government Agency When It Was Actually A "Selfie" 

          Casbah Area: The Citadel Of A North African Country

           As We Were Walking In This Area, Women Tended To Have

         A Purpose As They Were Going To And From. Men Seemed 

        To Be Sitting Around, Talking And/Or Looking At Their Phones

The Medina: Looks Like A Lot Of Shoppers. In Actuality (And A Surprise For Us), Most Of The "Shoppers" Were From The Ship?

Very Few Local Shoppers - Store Keepers Were Standing Around, Looking At Their Cell Phones, Etc.

                    There Was The Typical Jewelry Section

                 And Stores Selling Gold "...At The Very Best Price!"

             Signs In Foreign Countries Are Always Interesting 

Typical Handmade Items - Similar To What Can Be Found In Other Countries

                           Carpet Weaving Demonstration

Wealthy Family's Home - They Live Upstairs On Second Floor

Jerry Wandered Off The Beaten Path And Came Across This Home. 

As We Were Returning To The Bus, There Was A Tight Walkway. A Man Noticed Arlene With Her Cane-Seat Device And Let Her Pass. I Said To Him, "Shukran" (Thank You!). He Turned To Me, Smiled And Patted Me On The Arm! (Two Strangers Made A Connection!)   

                                              

  Jerry Finds A Manhole Cover

                                Students Waiting For A Bus

                Sheep Crossing The Entrance To A Highway