Weather report: 
I have no words for how HOT it is here. So much sweating.
Good grief, there was an awful lot of blind trust going on today. A bit of a cluster trying to hook up with our tour guide after we got off the ship. The (somewhat coordinated) rendezvous involved Anna and I getting onto a shuttle, which took us to a random white van, which then took us to another car, from which our tour guide, Aymen, emerged.
Sidebar: Normally, I don’t get into unmarked random white vans (kidnapper vibes), but the guide on board was able to produce tour guide credentials, and there were other people from our ship on the van.
Aymen ended up being a great ambassador for Tunisia. He took us to some famous spots, and some “secret spots”. And I’m pretty sure we agreed to come back and see more of Tunisia with him. Aymen told us he’s very famous in old Tunis. Can confirm. That man seemed to know just about everyone.
First Stop: The Ancient Ruins of Carthage and Roman Baths
Carthage was once the powerhouse rival of Rome, but today it’s mostly columns, crumbled stones, and Aymen trying to get us to visualize what it all used to look like. Aymen knew all the things about these sites, but if I’m being honest, it was way too hot today for me to focus on very old rocks.
Boiling heat aside, was able to conjure the realization that these sites are a humbling reminder — even the most powerful civilizations eventually crumble.
This was a new one: went to use the bathroom at Carthage and was met by a male attendant, who was passing out toilet paper to each woman as she went into the bathroom. We were allotted six squares each. Single ply. Anyone have a square to spare?!? 
Here Kitty, Kitty
Tunisia has a shit-ton of street cats. They are everywhere, and Anna stopped to pet all of them. I petted none of them. Not because I don’t like cats (I love cats), but because I don’t like parasites. Or rabies. Kidding, not kidding. The locals mostly seemed to regard the cats as a nuisance. Our waiter at lunch offered to ship the restaurant cats home to Anna, free of charge.
Sidi Bou Said: Tunisia’s Santorini
Walked through the beautiful town of Sidi Bou Said. Aymen drove us to the top of the town so we could walk down without “climbing a mountain first”. I really appreciate Aymen. Sidi Bou Said reminded me a lot of Santorini with its bright white buildings and cobalt blue doors. And throngs of people.
Aymen was very excited to show us the traditional doors of Sidi Bou Said. There were two knockers mounted on each door — one higher and one lower, and they each make a distinct sound. The lower knocker (used by women) had a softer sound, while the higher one (used by men) produced a louder, sharper knock. Might be practical, might be misogynistic. Might be both.
The Ancient Medina of Tunis: A High-Pressure Maze
Next: a walk through the ancient Medina of Tunis. SUPER glad we had a guide in there — without one, I’m pretty sure we’d still be trying to find our way out. Have always wanted to walk through an authentic gold souk, and can now check that off my bucket list. Aymen made a b-line to one particular gold souk. I’m all but positive this is part of an orchestrated system: tour guides bring clients to a store where they are friends with the owners. I wasn’t in the mood to shop around, and the sales at this souk were decidedly low-pressure. Anna and I each found a gold ring, and I think my ring might be my favorite purchase from our trip. So thank you, Aymen.
However.
Did not enjoy the high pressure, tag team rug sales. After specifically telling Aymen we did not want to shop for a rug, we were ushered into a store with a special rug room, and given mint tea — “for hospitality” (btw, mint tea is fantastic). And then the rug show began. Rug after rug after rug after rug. I had to say no eleven different ways, each one more ridiculous than the last. I think I ended on, “my husband doesn’t allow me to buy rugs on Thursdays”. And we finally escaped without buying the rug we didn’t ask for.
Sardinia tomorrow!
Travel date: June 12, 2025
I laughed through the whole post!!! We were just there on July1st through the 3rd. It was hot then too. We went to all of the places you went. I didn’t touch any kitties, but I’m sure one was on its death bed. Our guide assured us that all of the Medina folks fed and cared for them. I saw a bowl of rice outside someone’s door. 🙄 Anyway, such an amazing time. Except that with the floors being tiles and mosaics, I wouldn’t notice when there was a little step. I’m amazed I didn’t fall. And the stone alleys in the Medina? crazy walking.
Those tiles! Agree – gorgeous as they are – they are a slip and fall hazard. I caught myself more than once!
Looks like an interesting place to visit. And I like the way you told us about it.
Thank you so much, Randy! Cheers!
I don’t want to be a nit-picker (for fear of you again saying I’m the lost older brother to Ken or something to that extent) but we’re the other people from the ship really on the van or were they in the van? Damn, I do sound like Ken! I need professional help!!
I should hire you as my editor, Gary!
I love, love, love Tunisian food – actually more than Moroccan – and have wanted to visit for the longest time. Glad to have seen a little thru’ your eyes. All my friends working as tour guides get a cut from whatever their clients purchase from the shops to which they take them – part of life I am afraid! *grin* I do like the look of the rug the two guys are holding up . . and the ring you bought . . .
Honestly, I liked that rug, too. But I was so completely overwhelmed by the tag team sales, and I wasn’t about to spend *thousands* of dollars on a rug I knew nothing about in terms of quality and value!
Sidi Bou Said really gripped us on our Tunisia tour…until we realised it is alcohol free.
Hahahaha! I thought the same thing. I really wanted a beer with lunch, but Fanta orange for everyone!!
It has become much more this way the last few years. Was there two and a half decades ago and Tunisia had amazing wines!
Tunisia does produce some wines – mostly reds and rosés. A lot of French varieties were introduced during the years of the French protectorate. Most of the wines are for export or the hospitality industry. I would have liked to taste some, but no time, and no opportunity. Cheers!
yep. 25 years ago i stayed on Cape Bon mainly to be near Kerkouane. basing myself in Kelibia (Clupea / Aspis). That area produced some very nice rose s. (don’t know how to put an accent on that on this keyboard!)
Hi Simon…oh there’s plenty of places in Tunisia where you can get a drink, just that Sidi Bou Said isn’t one of them!
and then Sardinia? I think you might really have enjoyed taking my book with you : https://www.amazon.co.uk/TANIT-Lost-goddess-Central-Mediterranean-ebook/dp/B0DBHTQST4
Damn. We didn’t hear one word about Tanit on our Carthage tour. I would have enjoyed that information!
that is amazing! they did not drag you to the tophet then?
They did not!
The story of its discovery is actually quite interesting
Not responsible for the ChatGPT response but this is what it says – i would dispute some aspects of it. Tanit was a major goddess of ancient Carthage, one of the most important deities in the Punic pantheon. She was especially revered from the 5th century BCE onward and became the chief goddess of Carthage, often worshipped alongside Baal Hammon, the chief male god.
Key Aspects of Tanit:
Goddess of Fertility and Motherhood: She was associated with life, fertility, the moon, and possibly war or protection. She was seen as a nurturing figure but also powerful and protective.
Consort of Baal Hammon: Tanit was often considered the wife or consort of Baal Hammon, the god of storms and vegetation. Together, they were the leading divine couple in Carthaginian religion.
Symbolism: Her symbol, often seen on stelae and religious artifacts, consists of a triangle or trapezoid (body), a horizontal line (arms), and a circle (head) — forming a stylized human figure. This “Tanit symbol” is unique to Punic culture and is widely found in archaeological sites across the western Mediterranean.
Tophet of Carthage: Tanit was prominently worshipped in the Tophet, a sacred precinct where urns containing the cremated remains of infants and small animals have been found. Scholars debate whether these were child sacrifices or ritual burials, but it’s clear that Tanit was closely associated with these rites.
Spread and Influence: Tanit’s worship extended beyond Carthage to other Punic colonies like Sardinia, Malta, and southern Spain. Her cult sometimes blended with local deities or adapted to new regions.
Modern Perspective:
Tanit is often studied in the context of Phoenician and Punic religion, and she reflects the cultural and religious syncretism of the Mediterranean. Though much about her remains mysterious due to the limited surviving Carthaginian texts, she stands as a powerful figure representing both the life-giving and demanding aspects of ancient religion.
Ask ChatGPT
Thanks for the valuable information!
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