Tunisia > The mosque of Kairouan

Breakfast at the hotel is somewhat simpler than in the past few days. This will likely happen more often as we travel further south. I take some pieces of baguette with cheese and have an omelet prepared. Today we leave at eight o’clock. I had expected that we would walk to the mosque in Kairouan, but we travel by bus. The Great Mosque of Kairouan, built in 670, is the oldest mosque in North Africa. The mosque covers an area of 9,000 square meters. As soon as I enter the courtyard, I see the 31.5-meter-high minaret. The mosque also served as a defense in the past. The surrounding walls are eleven meters high, and the minaret functioned as a watchtower. Beneath the courtyard was once a water reservoir. The courtyard slopes down to the well, allowing rainwater to be collected. Opposite the minaret is the covered prayer hall. The space is off-limits, but through the open doors, I can view the heart of the mosque. The floor is covered with carpets. At the back is the mihrab (prayer niche), the oldest still-in-use mihrab in the world. Directly next to the mosque begins the medina—a labyrinth of narrow streets. Many houses are painted white with blue windows and doors. Last night the streets were deserted; now there is more life to be seen. I follow Mohamed through the medina. The maze appears large enough so that I don’t end up in the same alleys as yesterday. It could also be that I don’t recognize them in daylight. When we exit the medina again at the double main gate, one traveler is missing.

Tunisia - The 315meter minaret was also used as a watchtower

Mohamed walks back, annoyed, to look for her. She had gone into a shop to buy something. The bus picks us up here again. We have a long drive ahead to Tozeur today. We leave Kairouan heading south. The buildings give way again to olive trees. As fencing, cactus plants have been planted—a natural and effective method. On main roads, the speed limit is ninety km/h; in villages, fifty. Especially in the villages, speed controls are common. Oncoming drivers warn about these controls. Everyone drives carefully past the police. Police are also present at major intersections and roundabouts. Cars are stopped at random checks. It seems mainly to be to check if all papers are in order. We are also checked at one of these checkpoints. Around eleven o’clock, we arrive in Sbeitla. Here lies the ancient Roman city of Sufetula. It once had facilities such as a forum, baths, a theater, and markets. From the entrance, we walk among Roman and Byzantine ruins. What remains preserved is the Capitol, a complex consisting of three temples dedicated to Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva. Before I get back on the bus, I go to the toilet for a moment. There are still two hours of driving until lunch. Outside, the landscape becomes increasingly barren and flat. We enter the desert. The asphalt road runs straight through it. The quality of the roads is good. The asphalt is reasonably maintained. There are no potholes like in some other countries. Around two o’clock, we approach Gafsa. Mohamed explains that this city originated around a landfill. People without income try to find goods of value in the trash. Whatever they don’t need, they throw back onto the streets. This is why Gafsa is also called the ‘garbage city.’ Especially after the revolution in early 2011, the city’s population has grown significantly.

Tunisia - Temples on the Capitol of ancient Sufetula

I find it remarkable that despite the poverty, most houses are built of stone. In Gafsa’s more upscale district lies the Jugurtha Hotel. In this luxury hotel, lunch is ready. The dining room is decorated like a Bedouin tent. The TV screens showing sports somewhat detract from the atmosphere. After lunch, we prepare for the last leg to Tozeur. The sun is already setting and is directly in front of us. This makes driving tiring, especially for the driver. On both sides of the road is one big sand plain. Only low vegetation grows here, which can survive well without water. It rains only a few times a year here. Tozeur is one of the most southerly large cities in Tunisia. In the center, we visit the Dar Cherait Museum. This is a private museum founded in 1990 by Abderrazak Cheraït. During his life, he collected various unique and traditional objects. These items are exhibited in a traditional Tunisian palace. Not only are the objects interesting to see, but the palace also gives a good impression of how people lived in the past. In the museum hangs a large portrait of Cheraït. He passed away earlier this month. At the end of the afternoon, we arrive at the Ras El Ain Hotel in Tozeur. The rooms are in apartment-style buildings. Again today, finding the room is a bit of a challenge. The signs are unclear. A security officer shows the way to our room. A spacious room with four beds. Plenty of space. In the evening, after dinner, we have a glass of wine in the lobby. We share a bottle.