Last week my family went on a cruise to Tunisia, Malta, and Naples.
In the Souk (market place) in Tunisia, there were stalls upon stalls of every imaginable thing for sale. Colors, texture and *hecklers call to you, tempting you to come sit down, and barter. Each purchase takes thirty minutes or more. There is an art to negotiating a price, and an entire culture experience in the exchange. I loved every minute of it.
We thought it would be more interesting to find a local guide in Tunisia, then to use the guides provided by the cruise. We were not disappointed! We found Karim, he was tall, dark, handsome, fun-loving, interesting, and danced on the bus to Arabian music. If ever you go to Tunisia and you need a guide I have Karim’s number.
Hot fresh mint tea in clear glasses.
Hands of Fatima Arabic style…on blue doors with nail studded designs. My daughter Chelsea, said I have an obsession for taking photos of door handles, do you agree?
On the seventh day of marriage it was a Muslim tradition for a newly married couple to anoint their bodies with Carthage perfume. The woman anointed her breasts, and the man anointed his navel. Then they would embrace, combining their perfume in sacred love.
White and blue windows from Sidi Bou Said.
Handmade Tunisian solider puppets at the Souk.
Beautifully woven carpets, I tried to barter a magic carpet ride, though he thought I wanted to buy a rug. We were both disappointed.
Ceramics for dining on couscous and tajines.
Arabic handwriting made these spices seem exotic.
In front of our bus, there was this donkey being transported in the back of a truck. But the photo I really wanted, was the lamb on a motorcycle, but the driver turned the corner before I could snap the photo.
*Hecklers: The term originates from the textile trade, where to heckle was to tease or comb out flax or hemp fibers.
Photos: Some snapshots of our time in Tunisia, more to come in the days ahead.
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