Cool blue Tunisia

It's a carefree blue, that. The kind of blue that makes me draw lots of fresh sea air into my lungs and breathe out everyday worries on to the breeze.

Just a few hours in Sidi Bou Said and I feel like I have been on holiday for weeks. Surely it must be those blue doors, set off against whitewashed walls with wrought iron balconies mirrored in the sunny African sky above and the beautiful Mediterranean Sea beyond.

Captivating ceramics

My fellow travellers and I try to avoid the cruise-ship masses that have descended on this little town outside Tunis today.

Since it can become a bit of a tourist trap, it is worth seeking out the shops in the side streets where souvenir prices can be as much as three times less than right at the bus stop and around the main areas of interest.

Ceramics are at the order of the day at the souqs. It reminds me of what is on offer in Morocco, although the colours and designs are softer, rounder and more peaceful. The same is true of the people. They are gentle and kind, with more than an earful of travel advice and historical insights for those who are keen to listen.

We walk along the cobbled streets and spot a yellow door in between all the blue ones. Our curiosity reveals a charming hotel, complete with Phoenician mosaics and a typical blue door leading into each room. The receptionist tells us that Hotel Sidi Bou Fares used to be a Sufi school.

No wonder then that the serene atmosphere now puts us in relax mode.

In typical tourist style we click away and keep walking until we find a sheesha bar with a view of what is possibly the beginning of the Atlas Mountains on the other side of the bay.

Here, travellers and locals are lazying about on cushions, enjoying their hubbly-bubbly pipes in the sunshine. We order almond tea, which arrives in tiny glasses and tastes just like the sickly sweet Moroccan mint variety.

The almonds are floating on top with a few fresh mint leaves. It is not my favourite but in the spirit of this day I enjoy it a lot.

We take a taxi to the ruins of Carthage. Before I get in the car a local lady lures me into her shop with some jasmine oil. I buy a handmade perfume bottle to save the oil in — for those days when I want to smell like the white flowers and open the blue door of my mind.

Home to the rich

On our way we pass several ancient looking walls as well as the ruins of a palace. In between these remains stand luxurious modern villas, which confirm that the rich still dwell here.

On top of this hill called Byrsa, once stood the beautiful city Carthage. The infamous war leader Hannibal called it home. I think of all the bloodshed that was staged here and the wind sends an extra chill down my spine.

According to legend, Carthage was founded in 8BC by the Phoenicians under Queen Dido. It became a rich and enviable sea port that was eventually destroyed by the Romans because they saw it as a threat to their regional power.

The view from here is exquisite: lush green, a wide sea and inky mountains beyond.

Today the city of Tunis decorates the natural backdrop. I live a thousand lives as I take in this important historical site. All the legends become real to me now.

Historians don't know much about the original city because most of the culture and records were destroyed. Which is probably why most of the stories about Carthage and Hannibal are based on legends.

The Romans eventually reconstructed the city, which became one of the largest and most influential cities around the Mediterranean. Even after Rome fell in the 5th century, Carthage continued to prosper.

We visit the Antoinine thermal baths a short drive from the ruins of the original city. They are situated right on the shore and from the ruins it is clear that it was a great and royal structure.

I later read that these Roman baths were one of the largest to be built during the Roman Empire. After many wars, Carthage was completely destroyed when the Arabs arrived and destroyed the Roman statues.

Built on ruins

A lack of building materials in the vicinity meant that the ruins were used to build new cities in the area such as Tunis. So, although the foundations of the Phoenician as well as the Roman cities are still visible, many others have been scavenged.

Today Carthage is a suburb of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. During the Summer Festival, the reconstructed Roman theatre is still used for shows. We test out the acoustics from the metallic stage. Even when we say it softly, our friends in the “audience'' can hear every word. It seems that nothing and everything has changed here in Carthage.

After the serenity of Sidi Bou Said and the richness of history and culture in Carthage, we decide to have our meals. Our taxi driver suggests dinner in La Marsa or La Goulette, depending on whether we feel like seafood or Italian.
We opt for a seafood restaurant just off the beach in the La Goulette area.

The waiter brings a platter of fresh whole fish for us to choose from and we end up with a feast of mussels, prawns and fish on our table, served with thin fries, the way the French do it.

That night I sleep well for the first time in weeks and wake up refreshed, ready for a breakfast of fresh fruit and almond tea as my daydreams float away in the breeze.

— Lize de Kock is a UAE-based
freelance writer

Go there . . . Tunis . . . From the UAE

Emirates flies daily.
Fare from Dh3,580

Tunis Air flies four days a week. Fare from Dh2,940.00
Alitalia flies daily via Rome. Fare from Dh2,830

Qatar Airways flies four days a week via Doha.
Fare from Dh2,830

— Information courtesy: The Holiday Lounge by Dnata.
Ph: 04 4298576