Tunisia the debrief

Wowsers!!! What a week its been.

And now for the debrief.

Tunisia, a been huge part of my life for nearly 50 years, the place that I loved very much and was really excited to go back to.

Like everywhere it has changed and moved on. The country has had political problems ( on going ) as well as  a terrorist beach attack. The tourist industry which was its mainstay ( unlike its neighbour Libya whose wealth was from oil) suffered badly from both of the previous things.

As the tourist industry boomed over the decades they seemed to lose sight sight of what made Sousse and Port el Kantaoui so good, the fact that they were different place. There is now no distance between them just miles of hotel complexes and shopping malls. losing  their boundaries.

I stayed in the Marhaba Salem, which in another life  was known as The Salem, it was then a small inconsequential hotel. It is now revamped, extended and with a sister hotel The Marhaba Royal Salem  is a very large complex.

I was in All inclusive, in a double room overlooking the pool.

So when I arrived after the airport debacle with the 'mini bus' that was not, and no sleep, to arrive at the hotel and be told by a very  officious reception person that as I was on my own I would be in a single room, I was not best pleased. I pulled out my documentation to which she just threw it back to me, saying single room. Not a great start.

I waited for everyone else to get their key and then asked her to get the manager, as I had paid for a double room.

Eventually she begrudgingly backed down and I was shown to my room. 

And then  we had dinner!!!!!

You were given a card with your details and told to show the Maitre'd.

So at lunch I did,  I was told that breakfast and lunch you could sit anywhere, show the card at dinner and you would be allocated  a table for your stay, easy peasy..................you'd think!!!!

Tipped up for dinner after hospital visit with broken nose, stinking headache etc, shown to little table for 2, go to get dinner from buffet come back to some fierce looking Germans  sitting at my table.  Go find Maitre'd and am now the object of everyone's attention. you could have heard a pin drop in the dining room as all eyes focused on me.

Maitre'd apologises says he thought they had gone home.

I'm sat at my new table. Eat dinner mortified and scuttle to my room.

Next evening, go to my table sit down with dinner  and then furious  Polish couple come and start shouting, once again I am the object of everyones attentiton. I am shown to another table, my new table, my table for the remainder of holiday. So lets skip to end of holiday, every night I have been humilitated in the dining room as I have been sat at someones table. I'm not really someone who can easily fly under the radar and hearing some English couple talking about me in the bar after dinner was not what I wanted. Huge fat thumbs down for the sorting out of dining facilities for a single traveller.

I also did not like that in the hotel, bar staff and waiters( yes even after the above) were constantly  asking for a tip, yes actually asking!!!! along the lines of , ' do you have some money for me' ,I don't think you can be more blunt that  that. I am always prepared to  tip however not when asked straight out.  I sat one afternoon and watched to see if they did it to others and they did to every person they served., and again it seemed that only the odd person  was carrying money with them. (it was an all inclusive so chances during the day with beach and pool of having cash on your person was quite low)

I also always tip the end of my stay along with my cleaner who was wonderful, but for the bar and waiting staff, I didn't feel like doing it.

Maybe I was in the wrong, but having stayed in hotels all over the world and All inclusive I have never been asked for a tip!!!

And so it is with a very heavy heart that I say that my 50 year love affair with Tunisia is over and this is the last time I would visit. I didn't have a bad holiday as I believe your holiday is what you make it, and I always try to make mine the best I possibly can. What I did have was a some rubbish experiences in a hotel that doesn't know how to  deal with single travellers. 

This was my personal experience and as for visiting Tunisia if you want to see some of great historical ruins. I would highly recommend it, it is swathed in history from the Punic region, Carthaginians through to Romans, there are amazing places to visit.

If you like Star Wars there is a tour for you which is mainly sets but I guess you'd enjoy it. Do go to  Carthage, Dougga, El Jem ( amazing Roman amphitheatre). Karouan ( The Great Mosque), if fact any that have  great history attached. 

I also had been in Tunisia when they had filmed the 1st Star Wars,  Jesus of Nazareth and The Life of Brian ( the paintng of the wall scene was in Monastir)

I may have fallen out of love with this North African country but there is lots to see there.

And now to start planning my next jaunt.

Last day

How quickly the time has gone, and how lovely to have another chance to visit Tunisia. The weather has been wonderful and just what I needed even my post covid cough seems to have eased up  over the last week, which is a blessing in itself.

Last days are always tinged with ' I should have..' I should have done that' 'I should have tried that', I however  have no I should haves, I came, I relaxed, I tanned. That was the purpose of the trip.

Friday dawned grey and rainy which was alright by me , giving my wind burnt bulk a bit of respite.

I decided to go for a walk and clock up some steps.

Out from the hotel, turn left and walk.

Quick trip back in to the Palm Centre for some 'essentials' (more pressies for me) and then I decided to have a walk to the Tour Khalef  the first hotel I stayed in ) via the Mahaba ( next door to  the Tour Khalef and also somewhere that I had stayed). 

I was  amazed by the flora and stopped every few minutes to take photos of the hibiscus, bougainvillea, and various unknown flowers. The knarly old olives that I saw the other day, were starting to form olives on their branches, summer is on the way.

As I walked down toward the hotels I was struck by the amount of buildings that stood in front of them,  when I first came here,  there was nothing  in front of them and over in the distance you could see Khezama a tiny town in the outer reaches of Sousse ( and where my 18th  birthday cake came from). Now Khezama reaches the multi carriageway road  and buildings are right up to the tennis courts of the hotels.

The Marhaba had not changed ( apart from the chain name) and had the obligatory  body scanner at the door before you go in  ( as do all tourist hotels for added security). 

To get to the Tour Khalef  I had to get past a security gate, and then go through  the body scanner ( I think I could be glowing soon) then get past the security team, all for a cup of coffee in the bar, where interestingly people were allowed to smoke! I came out smelling like an ashtray.

It had changed there was a huge fountain at the entrance the old mural along the wall had gone. 

inside the  hotel had the same layout  and had modernised the furnishings etc ( obviously ) but the intricately carved ceilings,walls and marble pillars remained, you'd have to knock it down to replace these. These were the one thing that I remembered  so well from my first visit, the wonderful Islamic carvings

After a coffee, I set off to walk in to Sousse, it was still only 9.30am and raining, however the temperature was super hot and the rain was drying the minute that it hit the ground.

I took a taxi back home after another trip around the souk, I didn't buy anything. And spent the rest of my day dodging showers and watching TV. as well as napping.

As last days go it was just right.

Case was packed and ready to go.

Next stop the airport.

 

Check up day

 

So yesterday I had to go back to the hospital for a check up, taken by Hichem the taxi driver, in his nose breaking taxi. give him his due, he open the door and held it for me, I realised how quickly it closed if he didn't which is really scary, children could have lost fingers!

Anyhoo, had an x-ray ( yes I may well be radioactive by now) had  a doctor look up my nose which has internal bruising! and then told all looked good. Skipped out of the hospital, giving an elderly gent who was shuffling along the pavement a cheery 'asleema' only for him to stop and just have a pee straight in front of me. 

Can I ever just have a 'normal' holiday?????

I then got Hichem to drop me at the local shops and had a wander around the Palms Centre.

I exited with 3 full bags, lots of pressies ( sorry mainly for me) and all for the princely sum of 43 DT, less than the price of a 'genuine stainless steel corkscrew' in Port El Kantaoui.

Now I just have to get them home  in one piece.

Walking back to the hotel I saw remnants of the old Sousse, knarled old olive trees that hadn't been ripped up to build new holiday complexes. This road I knew well, before it became a triple carriageway, I walked it many times when it was just an ordinary road, No shops, only a smattering of small hotels and nowhere near as many cars. However modernity moves everything on.

The day had started out cloudy, windy and overcast, but by noon it was still windy but the sun was out, the  deceptive weather that  burns you, so having coated myself in factor 99 I headed down to the beach for some sunning and sleeping ( I had missed the call to fitness thank goodness). I managed to get a good hour ad then decided it was too 'burny' outside and went in to the bar for cocktails ( well come on, what else did you think I'd do)

I had planned to get the train up  to Tunis at some time on this holiday, however there is some civil unrest at the moment in some areas ( the city being one)so I decided to shelve that plan. To be honest just being around Hammam Sousse and Port El Kantaoui has been good.

I wandered through the grounds  of the hotel,

I love the flora of the Mediterranean countries always great to see, Jasmine was always the scent that I associated with Tunisia as the jasmine sellers would come round the hotels in the evening, again something that seems to have died out.

I managed a siesta  and then went for dinner, its been a bit of a none adventure day which was good considering what this week has been like, 

The remainder of the evening was me tasting various wines and watching some really good TV.

And today is my last day, so I need to fill it appropriately.

Happy Friday

Please don't  worry I didn't buy any of this soap to bring home as gifts........although I was tempted!!

pool day turned to beach day

 

Another day another early start, I went for breakfast at 6.30pm and ready to hit the pool at 7am. The notices all around the pools ( there are 4) and at the beach  saying reserving of loungers is not allowed, had made me get up early to get my spot.

Ha!!

Every lounger around every pool had towels on! Seriously!! and not a body in sight!

So I  headed down to the beach and found a spot to while the day away. Scorcio before 8am just how I like it, and I settled down for a nap or two.

By 10am the beach was buzzing and so the call of the Animation team started, with screams of 'wart polo', 'yog n stretch', ' beach volleyball' echoing around the the loungers, and usually very close to my lughole, followed by ' dont be lazy'.For the love of god I am on holiday I've just realised that I have to get up at 3am to get a pool spot, go peddle your wares somewhere else. However the call  of ' water eyerobics' was the last straw for me, all I wanted was a bit more shut 'eyerobics'.

And then amongst this cacophony of over exuberant yelling, I heard the call of 'Travisty show tonight'. This may not mean anything to you but it took me straight back to the late 70's early 80's. All hotels in Tunisia had their own nightclubs for their guests and around 11pm they had a floor show, sometimes a fakir ( he often rubbed his back make ooohh sounds when he got off his bed of nails), sometimes a contortionist, an old Russian gymnast, whose husband accompanied her around and always looked as if he was going to have a nervous breakdown as she performed. Belly dancers and snake charmers and jugglers completed the weekly troupe, well nearly........

The travisty show was big  business. It was a transvestite show, they couldn't say the word then and they still can't today. Back then it was a group of English drag queens, they looked to have  combined age of about 200 so I'm guessing it isn't them tonight( I'm hoping it isn't!!!). They were less Rupaul and more Danny le Rue, you get the picture.

All good fun.

At around 3pm I thought that  it was time to take my rhino hide inside for some moisturising, stopping off in the bar for coffee and cognac, as you do.

Then upstairs to make myself beautiful, one look in the mirror at my black eye and still swollen hooter  meant that I abandoned any idea of tarting myself up and had a nap until 5pm ( with out the call to fitness) and was down for dinner at 6.30pm.

I wandered down to the beach just before sunset and basked in the cool sea breeze. Total peace except for the waves splashing on the shore.

Fishermen were out on the waters edge and did catch a few fish  whist I was there.

As I walked back  I heard the call to prayer

You cannot see the mosque but I stood by an open window on the corridor listening.  I have always found it mesmerising.

Today I am at hospital at 8am  for a check up  on my nose and  then I may pop into Sousse and have a wander around the Ribat, before heading back for a bit of roasting on the beach. 

And finally 

Happy Birthday to my friend AL who is celebrating a milestone birthday,

And get well soon to my  lovely friend Alison who is in hospital in Cyprus, like me, she just wanted a bit of sunshine.

Have a great Thursday.

Another day another walk down memory lane

 

 

Day 2 dawned a beautiful day which meant only one thing, breakfast at 6.30am and on the beach by 7.15am, Yes I really did, got a nice spot on the beach and settled down for some serious tanning time.  My nose was looking very swollen despite ice packs and my eyes slowly turning black,so shades were de rigour.

A couple of dips in the sea made for a wonderful morning, and I decided at 2pm to get ready and head up to Port El Kantaoui.

The Port was built in 1979 around an artifical harbour, I first stayed there in 1982 in the stunning Diar el  Andalous  apartments, there is a very long story about this stay, which includes a cat giving birth on our doormat and so much rain it was coming out of the kitchen units.

I later stayed at the  Hannibal Palace

Beautiful hotel, lovely grounds and right in the Port itself.

The entrance to the Port is rather grand I always think

The marina provides 340 moorings and there were quite a few boats and yachts in when I walked around.

There were also fish!

There are many tourist shops in the port, I was looking for a corkscrew and  was offered one in 'genuine  stainless steel' for 49DT ( about £13.50), I couldn't be bothered to haggle over a corkscrew so headed off to the Magasin General where I 'surprisingly' got a 'genuine stainless steel' one for  8DT ( about £2.20)

You've got to admire him for trying and normally I would haggle but yesterday was not one of those days. As for said corkscrew, well I know its obvious but I will reveal more before I go home.

I then got  a little surprise when I went round a corner and found a camel in an enclosure

I don't like animals in enclosures and this poor camel should have been with other camels, however it looked remarkably well looked after.

It was a lovely afternoon, I did get a taxi both ways and I now know that the doors close too quickly  on most of them so I am now very , very careful.

Day 2 done and dusted. here we go day 3.

Day one comes to a close

 

So May 15th turned into a very long day, having not had any sleep since Saturday evening, and not managing any sleep  on the plane, the plan was to just keep going until bedtime.

After my lovely walk along the beach I decided to head off into town, and although in 'All inclusive' at the hotel, I thought that I would go to Le Bonheur, opposite the Ribat and souk , for a snack. I have had some very lovely meals here on last few visits.

That was the plan but the pull of the souk was too strong and I went for a walk through the tiny streets taking in the sights and the smells of the walled city.

The alluring smell of spices laid out for all to see, was mixed with the various aromas  coming from the cafes where men were smoking hookahs, throw in fragrant coffee and the whole olfactory experience was a little over powering, which is good to have experienced ( more of this later).

Shops full of leather good, brass plates being engraved by hand and colourful ceramics where there for all to see.

I need a much larger suitcase!

I headed out of the souk past the Sula Centre,a huge indoor modern day souk aimed at tourists who don't want to walk the narrow streets on their own ( obviously not a shop that I go into!! I then crossed the main road and headed to the restaurant.

This was my chance to have some of my favourite things Starting with ordering a half bottle of Magon Rose, Magon is one of the best Tunisian wines  and named after the Carthaginian agronomist who wrote the first guide on  how to make wine. ( not quite as dumb as I look!)

Tunisia has 7 AOC's pretty impressive for a Muslim country

To accompany this I  had a plate of harissa ( fabulously spicy paste not to be confused with the poor imitations sold in the  shops in the UK) olives and bread.

I was super impressed with the napkin too, anywhere with a linen napkin rates in my books

I then had a staple Tunisian snack, brik a l'ouef

this is a thin disc of pastry/dough. Think the thinness of filo pastry and you are close. An egg is broken into the centre and the edges are sealed and the now semi circle  is quickly fried, it is served with fresh lemon, I cannot tell you how good this is, the crispness, the cooked egg and the lemon taste, its very moreish. This can also be served with a filling of tuna, although I have also had it with veal and potato inside. 

It was wonderful to sit outside and watch the world go by.

I then started to head home and set off walking, seeing one of the former 5* hotels ( and believe me in the 70's and 80's this hotel was the choice of the rich and famous)  now empty,  windows removed  walls crumbling, paintwork peeling, a sad demise to a stunning hotel. This hotel sat on the Rue de Corniche with stunning views over the sea, such a sad end.

After clocking up over 14K steps I decide to jump  in a taxi to go back to the hotel, ahhh, the best laid plans of mice and men!.

Taxi stops, I go to get in the back, door swings shut quickly  contacts with my nose as I am still trying to get in, a flash of incredible pain, masses of blood and a trip to hospital where it seems I have a hairline fracture just about my septum which was badly cut. I am still having ice packs on it and  I await the bruising !!!

So as first days go it was pretty eventful.

Lets get day two underway.

Tales from Tunisia

 

Asleema!

And welcome to my first few hours back in Tunisia, this is about my 3000000 visit ( that really is only a slight exaggeration), and I am trying a hotel I haven't been to. It is in between Port El Kantaoui and Sousse.

After a drive up the A1 to the airport at 2am in the morning and then managing to get checked in straight away, I headed straight for champagne. Then a nightmare flight with a screaming baby and a guy from Middlesbrough who had no volume control, any chance of sleep went out the window.

Arrived at Enfidaville in a full on storm , the plane landing was reminiscent of  our landing in Iceland March 2022, except we could get straight off the plane.

Then I was sent  by rep to get in the 'mini bus', outside the door on the right,I walked the length of the car park to be told they had changed to a coach!!! Had to walk back in the pouring rain, saying words that a lady should never say!

Anyhow  got to the lovely hotel and had my all inclusive band on in 30 secs flat and the a cocktail in hand in less than a minute, this is the life

Headed for lunch and had a lot of salad ( I will reboot my Mediterranean diet this hol).

I then set off in the rain for a walk down the beach

This view is a huge part of the last 50 years of my life, I have been coming to Tunisia since the mid 1970's and  how always loved it. I can name nearly all the hotels on the beach front going into town ( to be continued).

The pictures show the Tour Khalef, the first hotel that I stayed in, as with all the hotels now on the beach they have strong security after the killings a few years ago.

The Tour Khalef  was way ahead of its time with amazing branding on everything from curtains, to soap boxes. All based on the star shapes that you can see in the picture, these house the balconies. And the logo also  featured THE Tour Kahlef which is the lighthouse.

 

I will try to post more pics of the hotels I have stayed at as the week goes on .

In the meantime, I am now off to enjoy a bit of all inclusive.

Getting ready

 

Well it is just over a week until I head off on my next jaunt.

Holiday haircut done

Holiday diet fail

Airport hotel booked  

Car parking sorted

Insurance in place

Money ready for  conversion on arrival ( closed currency)

All the clothes in my wardrobes on bed in guest room!!!!!

Don't you just love the build up to holidays?????

 I have decanted all my essential toiletry items into smaller bottle so as not to be carrying the weight of a small child in my toiletries bag, and the best thing ( and yes I am late to the  towel party) is a microfibre beach towel, which is about 100 times thinner than my 'bar towel' beach towel and dries in record time. Which means that there is extra space for 15 pairs of shoes. ( I jest!)

I have also organised a birthday present delivery as the recipient ( like me) is on hols when the big day comes around so it was essential to get it there early.

So next stop will be the airport and the champagne bar.

I'm a tad excited.

Next blog will be when I am insitu.

Now off  to enjoy an extra Bank Holiday weekend and see our new King crowned.