The oasis of Mides. This oasis is smack dab on the border with Algeria. Every single person in the oasis is not only a farmer or a salesman or tour guide, but also a secret police officer or military guard. Even the kids were packing heat or at least walkie talkies. We got within about 50 feet of the Algerian border.
A group of Japanese tourists arrived in a Land Rover convoy at the same time we did. We were driving on a very nice paved road. These SUV’s came bumping across the desert on a poor dirt road. Obviously, the tour guides were trying to make it look like it was a real adventure to get to Mides. We ruined that image driving there in our pristine little four door sedan. I talked with their guides a bit in Arabic and they started yelling at me about ruining the illusion that they were trying to create.
The Japanese tourists stayed for exactly 15 minutes, then back in the Land Rovers and ZOOM away they went!
Tunisia’s Grand Canyon.
The Land Rover convoy.
One of the rock salesmen. I bought a few rocks from him and got a picture too.
One of the secret police / tour guides.
The Mides oasis.
The Algerian frontier.
Algeria is right there!
Old Tamerza.
One of the many attractions (an artificial waterfall) at the restaurant in Tamerza that has two stuffed lions out front. I highly recommend it.
The canyon south of Tamerza.
This little kitten was wandering around at one of the many panorama overlook points.
A shop on the side of the road near an overlook.
The oasis of Chebika.
