During the last three weeks of June I helped CEMAT (the Center for Maghrebi Research in Tunis), where I interned, run the Tunis Past and Present (TPP) program. The TPP program brought 15 American college undergraduates to Tunisia with the intent to expose them to Tunisian and Arab culture and language, and to give them a taste of traveling abroad. This page is dedicated to the 15 friends I made during those three crazy weeks of “living like a Tunisian Rock Star.”
- A Night at Sidi Bou Said -For their first night in Tunisia we took the students to one of the cafes in Sidi Bou Said.
- The Tunis Medina Tour – A guided tour of the Tunis Medina. We visited the Grand Mosque, the Chechia Souk, the Gold Souk, and many other places along the way.
- A Few Out of Place Photos – Some photos that don’t fit anywhere else.
- Carthage Tour – A review of the Antonine Baths, Trophet, Bysra Hill, and the Carthage Harbor is made.
- American World War II Cemetery – We pay a visit to Mr. Green at the cemetery. Some of the students have the honor of folding the flag at the end of the day.
- Hammamet – We spend a lovely night and day in Hammamet taking in the Medina and the beach.
- Dougga – We tour Dougga. Unlike in the winter, Dougga is now cast in the golden yellow of summer. I also stumble upon an underground aqueduct.
- Le Kef – We visit Le Kef and explore a soon-to-open museum.
- Bulla Regia – Dr. Miller rescues some baby birds in one of the underground houses at Bulla Regia.
- Tabarka – We check out the fort and wander about town a little.
- British World War II Cemetery – The Massicault Cemetery is visited on the way back to Tunis.
- Kairouan – No visit to Kairouan is complete without a trip to the Mosque of the Barber, the Grand Mosque, and all of the other fun sights in town.
- Monastir – We visit the Ribat and Habib Bourguiba’s tomb. The guards enjoy having their picture taken.
- The Cafe – Our bus had some engine troubles that two highway patrolmen pointed out to our bus driver. We stopped in a small town at a cafe that never sees tourists to wait while the bus engine was repaired.
- The Oasis Tour: Nefta – We took a carriage ride through the oasis to watch some men harvest dates. Afterward we stopped at a stand to try some oasis smoking plants.
- Starwars Land Cruiser Tour – The Mos Espa film set and other props from the StarWars films are located in the desert. We discover that sand people still occupy the ruins.
- Tozeur – The moon was full over the oasis in Tozeur.
- Chott Jerid – A daytime stop in the middle of the Chott to see the salt sights.
- On The Bus – Some candid shots from our many hours on the bus.
- Camel Ride – Camels were procured for a short ride into the Great Sand Sea.
- Matmata – At Matmata we see the typical StarWars stuff. We also get to feed a baby camel.
- Djerba – We visited the Synagogue and a folk museum on the island.
- El Jem – We tour the ancient coliseum and find an interesting garbage can.
- Farewell Party – The last night in Tunisia for the TPP students and my last night before heading to Germany.