We went to Tunisia in 2009, before the Arab Spring and all the things that have happened since. I don’t want to dwell on the Arab Spring (there are plenty of sites out there for that), but I think I’d be remiss in talking about Tunisia without saying something.
As a tourist, I couldn’t really “see” or “sense” the bubbles about to explode. Maybe I was just young and naive, or maybe it wasn’t apparent if you didn’t spend more time there. I don’t know. Yes, there were little things that just seemed off at the time, like how our guide said he had to check in at least 2 times per day with the authorities, since we were all Americans, to tell them our location, destination, and to make sure everything was o.k. We’ll never know if this was really true–or not–or if they were checking to make sure we weren’t press or something else. And of course if you had read just a little deeper, you were well aware of ongoing turmoil, including concern from NGOs on human rights records, news censorship, and the general corruption of the ruling elite. But the Tunisians also were proud of their successes and pretty moderate society. If you’ve gone to Tunisia both before and after the revolution as a visitor, please chime in, I’d really be curious to see how your impressions have changed.
I’m definitely glad we went–it was a fascinating place and the first time I had visited a predominately Muslim country. Call me strange, but I actually enjoy waking up to the call to prayer most mornings. Much better than beeeep beeeep beeeep. Their archaeological sites are absolutely incredible (Dougga and El Djem are deserving of their own posts), as is the country’s long and varied history.
That said, we spent two weeks there which I think was a wee bit too long. Particularly because we were on a tour, and couldn’t linger where we wanted and move on (city-wise) from what was just meh. For example, I’d have loved to spend more time in Sidi Bou Said, but I was ready to get out of Sousse after a morning walk.
However, Tozeur, Tunisia was one of my favorite places. When I imagined an “oasis”, I imagined a place like Tozeur, where all of a sudden, palm trees and life appear out of nothing. Bonus, the locals even called me Anna Kournikova, since I was blond. That was enough to seal my affinity for the place.
That was sarcasm. I just thought it was awkward.
So this flashback photo Friday, here are some pictures of my two favorite things in Tozeur: the Tamerza Canyon and the Star Wars Set, both a few kilometers away from Tozeur. Tozeur is also well known for its dates, if you are a fan. I don’t love dates or hate them, and it was fun to try them right under the trees from which they were harvested.
Tamerza is the largest oasis in Tunisia, and I believe was settled first by the Romans. Tamerza Canyon was a bit busy with people, and we didn’t go during “high” season, so I’d definitely advise going early.
There seems to be controversy over whether the Tunisians should maintain the Star Wars set or not. To-date, they have not. It’s totally taken over by sand, and desertification is taking it’s toll. Deserts move at a rapid rate when there is nothing standing in their way, and that is definitely what has occurred here. I’m on the fence…I didn’t think it was any less cool because there wasn’t a museum, or because the structures haven’t been maintained. In fact, it gives it sort of an eerie sense about it, and I appreciate the non-commercialization and lack of availability of Star Wars toys to buy. Plus, it seems sort of silly to have the Tunisian people invest in it–I’d much rather see that money going towards preserving the Romanian and Carthaginian ruins that exist throughout the country. But that’s just me.
Have you been to Tunisia either before or after the revolution? What were your favorite places?
