Algeria > Old Mosque in Sidi Okba

A breakfast buffet is ready on the fifth floor of the hotel. A fine breakfast with fresh bread. We hadn’t gotten the impression that there were many guests staying at the hotel, but the extensive buffet suggests otherwise. At eight o’clock, we walk into Biskra. The hotel is in the old town, near the souq. Biskra was a popular spa town in Roman times. In the 19th century, many artists and intellectuals came to the city. Many shops are just opening their doors. Everywhere people are sweeping the streets in front of their shops and arranging goods outside. We walk past clothing shops, shoe stalls, and arrive at the fruit and vegetable section. We are nodded to kindly. A few people try to ask where we are from. The rest probably assume France, as most tourists are French. By half past nine, we are back at the hotel. Today, we leave the mountains and drive into the desert. Yesterday there was some confusion about the route. Our itinerary says we would visit El Kantara, but we are told that this is not feasible because it lies on the route to Timgad, which would mean one and a half hours each way for a historical Roman bridge. We do, however, stop at the old Sidi Okba Mosque, which was on our program but not the driver’s.

Algeria - The minaret dates from 686 AD

The mosque was built around the tomb of Sidi Okba in 686. He was a friend of the Prophet Mohammed. We enter the old mosque. The caretaker explains that the pillars are made from palm trees. He proudly shows a cedarwood door that is over 1,000 years old. In the center of the mosque is the tomb. The mosque is magnificent. From the outside, the old, slightly leaning minaret is visible—the second oldest minaret in Africa after the minaret of Kairouan in Tunisia. We also view the new mosque, which is much larger and beautifully decorated. For us, the lights are turned on—fluorescent lights, to be precise. From Sidi Okba, we drive further into the desert. The landscape becomes drier and flatter. The first sand dunes appear. In the distance, we spot a small group of dromedaries roaming freely between the dunes. Further on, we drive between two salt lakes, covered under a layer of sand. The salt’s structure and color are lost, making them more like sandy plains on either side of the road. Around 11:30 a.m., we stop in a small desert town for coffee.

Algeria - A dromedary in the desert

I order a cappuccino. It turns out to be instant coffee from a sachet—cloyingly sweet. This pairs with the small cake I try, reminiscent of baklava. While drinking my coffee, I am surprised by the street scene: a constant stream of trucks drives through the small town. The street looks messy and dusty. Life here is entirely different and much more primitive than in the cities we’ve visited so far. Even as we continue driving, we occasionally see dromedaries along the road. The driver translates a message for us. I think I understand that we will first have lunch at the souq in El Oued and then go to the hotel outside the city. When we stop at the souq around 2 p.m., we can explore it ourselves. The driver emphasizes that he will watch over our luggage. We see no place to eat and cannot imagine a suitable dining spot here. He probably meant that we could explore the souq first and then have lunch somewhere. We wander through a few streets, mostly clothing shops. Then we decide we’ve seen enough and head to a restaurant. The menu is only in Arabic. Using Google Translate, we manage to get a rough idea. Some translations are quite funny: “Salad between the cars.” We point to a few chicken skewers in a display and order fries with them.

Algeria - Dining at the resort La Gazelle dOr

Drinks we take ourselves from the fridge. The La Gazelle d’Or resort is a little outside the city. It is a large complex with villas, luxury tents, a swimming pool, and various sports facilities. Before being taken to our villa, we say goodbye to the driver. He is returning to Constantine today. Tomorrow we will have a different driver. We thank him with a tip. Then a golf cart takes us to our villa. The rooms are luxurious and spacious. In the afternoon, I go to the pool. The water is very cold. I decide to jump in with a big splash. Once in and swimming, it’s pleasant, but I don’t stay long in the cold water. On the side, I order a beer. We are accompanied by dozens of flies—so many together is unusual. Waving my T-shirt, I try to keep them off. As soon as the sun disappears, it becomes chilly. I quickly return to my villa, feeling cold. Dinner options are limited to the resort’s restaurant. We can eat inside or outside on the terrace. The terrace seems too cold. A large buffet is laid out. I order a beer with my meal. Several times, we return to the buffet for starter, main course, and dessert. When we want to pay afterward, the total is 5,200 Dinar, about 25 euros. This seems to be only for the beer and wine. Could that be right? With this question in mind, we walk back to our villa.