After our whirlwind tour of Bulla Regia, we jumped in the last louage out of Jendouba and made a b-line for Le Kef. We got to Le Kef about two hours before dark. Unfortunately, Le Kef isn’t a real tourist destination, especially in the winter. It took us about an hour to find a hotel. We finally did. It cost 36 Dinars for the three of us not including breakfast. Giovanna negotiated to get a TV with the room. It only received the national station. At least we could watch the special Ramadan soap operas that are shown just after sundown during the month of Ramadan. Right at Iftar, Heather and I went down on the street to an ATM. There NO traffic and there were NO people to be seen. Everyone was home breaking the fast while we were withdrawing 300 dinars to pay for the hotel bill and other upcoming expenses. Back in the hotel room, we spent the following few hours after sundown chilling out waiting for things to open back up.
Once people were back out on the street, we went out to try and find a restaurant that would serve us. After some sketchy situations, we finally found some at another hotel which wouldn’t give us a discount on a room earlier in the day. For starving vagabonds, it was good food.
The next morning we woke up to a lovely view. Le Kef looks out over the central Tell of Tunisia. Farmland stretches out on all sides from the city. The town’s name itself means “The Rock” which is appropriate because the whole town is built up the side of a mountain. We left the hotel, leaving our gear in the room, and explored the town.
The view at night from our hotel room of the town. The Citadel is in the upper center of the image.
This is one of the old Rroman baths complexes in Le Kef. As with almost every city/town/village/cluster of houses in Tunisia, Romans, Phoenicians, Libyo-Puncic tribes, Berbers, and a whole host of other people occupied them in the past. Le Kef is certainly no exception. This particular complex is in the middle of town and between five and ten meters below the current ground level. Houses were built right into the ruins, using parts of the old structure as structural supports. There are still a few buildings on the edges of the site that are supported partially by Roman columns and arches. why bother building new when you have old?
This particular site was free to visit. We gave the man who tends the site a tip for doing a good job of picking up the trash and making sure the site didn’t get overrun with squatters. He was pleased that we recognized his efforts.
The electrical and telecommunications grid is supported by very small poles in Le Kef.
Exploring the old Medina of Le Kef we found some chickens and turkeys destined for the dinner table.
This is the local garbage truck. When all of the streets have stairs, a burro about the only way to do the job.
Inside the Citadel, otherwise known as a Kasbah. It is the equivalent inner keep of a castle for a fortified Medina-style town or city.
Need some coca cola delivered? This guy was coming down from the Berber villages that climb up the flank of the mountain. He seemed happy that we’d take interest in his job.
This is the gate to the countryside. It literally goes from dense city and Medina to green pastures. Walking through the gate is quite the experience. Two Berber women that we met and Giovanna befriended walked through the gate ahead of us. They were headed up to the villages after a morning down in town.
The countryside. There was a large, perfectly flat “field” to the right. Underneath several massive Roman cisterns still hold water that women use to wash laundry with. A wellhead and a staircase are all that betray the presence of the cavernous aquatic underworld above Le Kef.
This is the route up to the Berber villages. I didn’t take any pictures of the villages or the people up on top with my camera. It was somewhat frowned upon by the inhabitants.
After a long and exhausting three days and two nights on the road, we headed back to Tunis. My two traveling companions were rather tired. It was a good trip. We saw a lot and had some fun. Plus, we got out of Tunis for a few days. Too long in one place and I start to go stir crazy!
