At 39,000 Feet

This is a day half spent in an airplane. Inshallah, we will get back to New Westminster tomorrow morning. Right about now, we are just flying back to Dubai to catch a fourteen and a half hour flight to Seattle. That will provide plenty of time to get on board and then bored en route.

So for today's blog entry, I will just post a few pictures taken yesterday in Tunis. They were taken as we enjoyed time at a cafe the Avenue Habib Bourguiba.

Our Final Day in Tunis

I feel cheated that this is our last full day in Tunis. I guess being able to visit was a gift. I really ended up liking this country. I hope with all my heart that the political situation here works out well for the friendly people we've met. In that past, I worked with colleagues who used to spend time here and now I know why. It has been an interesting and welcoming place to see.




Tomorrow we head back home. We don't have to get to the airport early as our flight will be at noon. After five and a half months, it will be a welcomed time. We are taking Emirates and therefore need to fly back three time zones, stopping in Malta, in order to catch a direct Dubai/Seattle flight. Then, a short Alaskan Air hop will put us into YVR in the morning on Wednesday. I guess I can't say much here during the flights.

It has been a really interesting winter. We are so damned lucky!

South on Commuter Rail

As yesterday consisted of a bit of travel northward from Tunis, today we thought we'd head south.



Sunday morning down through the Medina was, of course, quiet. We walked to the main train station of Tunis. On the way we did stop to see a huge supermarket and an enormous public market. We paid a nominal fee of around US 0.50 to head to our destination of Hammam Lif, about 22 kilometers away. The commuter train was very impressive with new cars and comfortable cloth-covered seating. In around a half hour we got off at the seaside town.





The town was interesting but the sea was certainly nothing to blog home about. Yesterday's journey brought us to places with diplomatic housing but today we went to an area where ordinary folks can afford a home. After walking about, we decided to see the very end of the line as we figured it was only another five or so stations past our original destination. We paid an addition Tunisian Dinar for the both of us and rode to the Erriadh station. Again, it was pleasant enough to watch the scenery from the air conditioned comfort but there was not much to see.

Coming all the way back took around 45 minutes back into central Tunis. We found a place to eat a quick meal at a restaurant close to where we are yesterday's lunch.

North on TGM Light Rail

Today we got up and got going at a normal time. We're sleeping pretty soundly and have perhaps caught up on the final two 4:00 AM mornings in Luxor. We left the Dar Ya at around 9:15 AM.

Jay read about the Light Rail that runs north from the Marine Light Rail Station. We can now navigate through the Medina's twisting alleyways quickly. It took 10 minutes to get down to the city proper and another 30 minutes of leisurely walking to get to the station. We bought the tickets for TD 1.150 which is about $US 0.60 to head to Carthage.




There were a number of stops in Carthage but we exited in Hannibal. It seems as if the ancient Roman ruins are spread all over. We didn't see the amphitheater and decided it wasn't worth it to traipse all around in search of little ruins. We had just come from Egypt, after all. So, we talked to the ticket guy at the little station and he let us back on to go to Sidi Bou Said.





The town was not far but quite up! It looked very Mediterranean and perhaps could have been a Greek Island scene. We saw the road continued past the great lookouts. It wound down and toward the marina we'd seen from above. We checked it out and hoped we'd not have walk the three kilometers back up the same way. It didn't appear as if we could continue forward on the road past though. Then we spotted the steep hiking trail. I'm glad we've decided to retire when we still are physically able to do the stuff we meet.

We made it up and avoided the tourist shops completely. I refilled the water bottle from a fountain fed by a natural spring. We returned on the train and got back into Tunis at around 1:15 and were hungry. We found a restaurant and I had rice and fruit of the sea, or seafood. French is so damn colourful!

Nap time ensured after we got back up into our little haven in the Medina.

Getting the Lay of the Land

Start with a seasoned section of Mediterranean Mughrib. Add about 400 years of Turkish influence. Let simmer with healthy portion of French colonialism for approximately 70 years. What do you get about sixty years later?

Tunis, I think I love you.








Today, we must've walked eight kilometers and the day's not over yet. We are looking forward to hanging out down at Place de La Victoire after dark. I especially love the Medina, the old city, where we are staying. The passageways and alleys are full of shops and food stalls. Walking through the picturesque covered areas reminds me of Fez, Jerusalem, or maybe parts of Istanbul. I'm so happy we get a chance to see this before leaving for Canada next Wednesday.

LXR / CAI / TUN - Day 162

This will be the last entry in the category of Winter 2015-16. Another one of our early-retirement winters is nearly complete!

Actually, at the time this will automatically post, I hope we're in the air heading towards Cairo. As we had to be over at the Luxor airport for our 7:30 AM flight, we left Villa Diletta at nearly dawn. We're connecting in Cairo on a Tunis Air flight later today. In fact, as that flight schedule moved a bit later, we'll be sitting at the airport for nearly four hours.

We're due to get into Tunisia at about 3:10 PM local time. How nice knowing the hotel will have a taxi waiting for our arrival! I may not get around to adding any more information to this entry. Then again, I might be bored at the Cairo airport and use up E£15 in prepaid in Vodfone data credit.


Added Note: Our transfer from Egypt Air to Tunis Air worked out fine.