Tunisia > The ruins of Dougga

Last night we discovered that we can reach the restaurant faster from our room by going around the other side. All the rooms are situated around the pool. It turns out that yesterday afternoon we almost walked all the way around. The restaurant is busy. Many athletes are also present. I select some sandwiches from the buffet. At half past eight, everyone is back in the lobby. By bus, we leave the capital Tunis. We drive southwest toward Dougga, a journey of just over two hours. As I look outside, I see the buildings of the city decrease. We drive through a rolling landscape with low vegetation. There is remarkably little construction along the roadside. As a result, there is little life along the road. On the hills, mainly olive trees grow, stretching for miles. Occasionally we pass a small village. Many houses are painted white, which reflects the sunlight. The minaret of the village mosque towers above the houses. In Tunisia, minarets are mostly square towers. They are not the slender round or octagonal minarets found in other Islamic countries. I find the towers above the villages look more like church towers. Around eleven o’clock, we approach Dougga. Dougga is one of the best-preserved Roman cities in North Africa and is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The archaeological site contains ruins such as the Capitolium.

Tunisia - The pillars once framed an openair theater

First, we arrive at the theater. The well-preserved theater could seat 3,500 spectators. Dougga is a large complex. We walk among the remains of the Romans and the Punics. We arrive at the Capitolium. The temple dates from the second century AD and is dedicated to the Roman gods Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva. In front of the temple, we take a group photo. Via the lower part of the complex, we walk back to the parking lot. Near Dougga, we stop for lunch. After that, it’s another three-hour drive to Kairouan. The road is much worse than the roads around Tunis. Today I sit in the back. I shake a lot when the driver has to take a bump. Around half past four, we enter Kairouan. Mohamed indicates that we will visit the medina tomorrow morning. Most of the stalls are already packed up now. Tomorrow we will also visit the Great Mosque of Kairouan. Today, we stop at the bazaar. The bazaar turns out to be an upscale souvenir shop. On the ground floor, souvenirs are sold. On the first floor, there are wall hangings. I’m not interested in these. I climb the stairs to the rooftop terrace. I like the view over Kairouan better.

Tunisia - Three temples once stood in a row at Dougga

I see the last rays of sun shining on the tower of the old mosque. Around it, I see the houses inside the medina walls. This is where we will walk tomorrow. After everyone has finished shopping, we drive to the hotel. The rooms for tonight are located in a former barracks. The hotel is beautifully restored. After placing our luggage in the room, we take a dip in the pool in the courtyard. The water is cold. Very cold, even, and much colder than I expected. Still, it’s nice to swim once you get used to it. Dinner is served buffet-style in the restaurant. The buffet is smaller but fine for choosing from. Especially the dessert buffet is extensive. Since we cannot order wine by the glass, we choose a bottle of wine for our table of four. After dinner, we walk into Kairouan. The old mosque is beautifully lit, but the courtyard is closed. Also, almost all shops in the medina are closed in the evening. A shoemaker is still working on repairs. He waves happily at us. We alternate by taking a street to the left and then a street to the right. The covered sections look a bit spooky with the shutters closed. We try to find our way back to the hotel.

Tunisia - The water was quite chilly in the hotel pool

An older man on a bicycle passes by and greets us. He gets off and walks a bit with us. In a mix of French and German, he explains how to get to our hotel. He gives me a business card. When I’m back in Kairouan, I should call him. Then I can eat at his house, he says. Unfortunately for him, we will leave Kairouan tomorrow. We end the evening with a drink at the hotel bar.