Tunisia > Amphitheatre of El Djem

It feels a bit like the last day of the trip has arrived when I join the breakfast buffet in the hotel lobby. Tomorrow we travel home again. At half past eight, we leave Sfax. We drive north along the coastal route. Today one of the highlights of the trip is on the program: the amphitheater of El Djem. The amphitheater is the third largest theater from Roman times. The largest is the Colosseum in Rome. Then follows the amphitheater of Capua, also in Italy. After just over an hour’s drive, we enter El Djem. Before going to the theater, we visit the El Djem Archaeological Museum. The museum shows several mosaics found during excavations in the region. Next to the museum is a restored Roman house. Around the open courtyard are the living quarters. The house is somewhat sterile in its restoration, but the original mosaic floors are impressive. Mohamed tells us that there used to be three amphitheaters in El Djem. The first was close to the museum. A second was built on top of that, and finally, two thousand years ago, a new theater was built in El Djem.

Tunisia - The impressive amphitheater of El Djem

When we arrive at the amphitheater, the size is clearly visible. The building was completely intact, Mohamed sighed, but during World War II the Germans fortified themselves in the complex. The Allies bombed the historic building, causing part of the arena to collapse. Through one of the gates, we enter the arena. Gladiator fights were held here in the past. The emperor watched from a balcony. In the cellars beneath the arena were the quarters for the wild animals on one side and for the gladiators on the other. With a makeshift lift, the animals were hoisted into the arena. After Mohamed’s explanation, we have time to walk through the amphitheater ourselves. I climb the stairs and view the arena from the emperor’s balcony. A few local boys climb over the fence to get inside. They take the stairs up. I follow them via the stairs to the highest level of the theater. From here, I have a view of the entire amphitheater and the town behind it.

Tunisia - View of the arena as the emperor once had

We gather again by the bus. On the way there, I was talking, but I still manage to find the way back to the bus parking lot. In a suburb of El Djem, we stop for lunch. It turns out to be a large dining hall where several travel groups eat. The lunch is buffet style. Not the most Tunisian ambiance. It doesn’t get better. After lunch, we drive along the coast to Hammamet. Here lies the hotel where we also stayed the first night. Because we arrive early in the afternoon, I have some time to walk to the beach. There is little activity on the beach. The sun loungers stand empty. One camel driver rides through the surf, hoping to persuade tourists for a ride. The sea is calm and there is hardly any wave action. As the sun sets, the temperature drops too. At the bar, I order a glass of red wine. The waiter is generous and pours large full glasses. I estimate that he won’t get three glasses out of one bottle like this. We get a bowl of nuts with it. When a fellow traveler joins and also orders wine, she gets less than what we still have in our glasses.

Tunisia - The sun sets on Hammamet beach

The waiter probably notices her look. Laughing, he takes the bottle and pours more. He also tops up our glasses a bit more. Tonight is the last evening that we are together as a group for dinner. When the waiters are arranging tables to seat twelve people together, some travelers choose to sit apart. Probably yesterday’s irritations still play a role here. The waiter looks a bit surprised. It’s the first time for me that a group trip doesn’t end with everyone together. Perhaps this is typical for this trip. Tunisia is a beautiful country with wonderful destinations, but within the group, the social cohesion to make it a true group experience is missing—no matter how different we are as individuals. With the remaining group, it’s actually just as pleasant, and the buffet dinner is excellent. In the evening at the bar, a special Tunisian show is performed. A musical performance accompanied by drum, with a traditional masked dance and a belly dance act. When we want to order wine, it turns out it’s only possible by the bottle. One glass in the evening is not an option. With a few fellow travelers, I share a bottle of red wine.