Mahdia, Kairoun, El-Jem and Jerba

Sitting in the internet cafe in Jerba, situated in the south of Tunisia off the east coast in the Med, the sun is beating down on the streets outside (thanks air-conditioning, you are not entirely evil). Local merchants line the small streets of the tiny town of Houmet Souq, the capital of Jerba, peddling their hand crafted wares the likes of which prevail in all the cities and townships across Tunisia.

On Wednesday I was in the remote place of Mahdia. Less than 2 hours by train from Sousse, where I was based for the best part of a week, this town is set on a peninsula darting out into the Mediterranean sea. Bathed in sun it is only a little fishing port and home to some of the finest woven silks in the whole of Africa. Apart from the mosque in the centre of town and the beaches that stretch both north and south along the coast there is not much to see and do there other than sip some mint tea in the cool shade of some olive trees.

The following day I visited the very holy city of Kairoun. The 4th most important religious place in the Muslim world. 7 visits to this city are equal to one trip to Mecca. With a towering mosque dating back to around 600 AD this town is a beacon for tourists. Bus loads of holiday makers are unloaded outside the mosque at regular intervals but surprisingly manage to disappear into the Medina with barely a trace. The tiny alleyways are dotted with carved wood doors and a local tells me that the metal stud work you see, infrequently, has some significance to the Fatimas. Here more than anywhere so far you are hassled beyond belief by locals trying to sell you goods from their stalls or locals trying to dupe you for your money by offering you tours of the city. It can be an intense experience and is often very in your face. Although it may seem rude you often have to totally ignore them unless you are out to haggle for a bargin in which case fill your boots. Eye contact is the best way to draw attention.

Friday and my last day in Sousse and the central coast I headed to El-Jem. A small township about an hour from Sousse it is home to the third largest colosseum from the Roman Empire. Built around 1800 years ago and funded from the lucrative olive oil trade it is a monumental eliptical structure. After 1800 years, as i'm sure you can appreciate, it is not exactly in immaculate condition, however it is still accessible on most of the tiers and you can wander through to the centre stage where you can imagine the gladitorial battles and summary executions that used to be held here. Ironically most of the executions were in the form of Christian hangings and beheadings by the Arabs sometime after the Roman demise.

I'm now in Jerba, as I mentioned before and I shall be here exploring the beaches for the next few days before I venture into the desert and attempt to find Luke Skywalker's home from A New Hope and Mos Eisley Spaceport along with the other top Star Wars attractions.

Until then....Rat a ran wim joct co jappi qaff, WaaaOw!