On the edge of the Sahara

Hello from Tozeur. This tour has been great in showing the diversified landscape of Tunisia. From an almost European landscape and feel in the north to the Berber influence and desert landscape we have today. We spent the morning about 7 miles from the Algerian border in the oases of Chebika and Temerza. Beautiful contrasts. Unfortunately this post is going to be short due to the differences in computer keyboards. The qwerty type keyboard is not used here and it is almost painful for me to type and make sense.

As soon as I get the opportunity I will upload some photos of what we have seen so far. The people have been very welcoming and in many places we are asked why more Americans dont come to Tunisia. I wish I could give a quick answer, but I don't know why as a society we do not travel to this part of the world more. I mean, I do, but I just don't find the answer very logical, or based on facts. Americans are a rare sight in the Middle East and North Africa, but the place is crawling with Europeans, they come here in droves.

Ok, more to come later, its lunch time.

Tunisia!

We had our first day of sightseeing here in Tunisia, in the capital city of Tunis. Our day started in Carthage, which is a beautiful site. The views are spectacular, to match the importance of the site and it's history. We also visited Sidi Bou Said, a small hillside town of white and blue buildngs, and lots of tourists. It is a cute town and will remind you of a Greek island village. The gardens and architecture are very enjoyable, as well as the views. We ended the day in Paris, I mean downtown Tunis, with it's tree-lined boulevards and sidewalk cafes, not to mention all the signs being in French, it is easy to make the mistake. There is even a sort of Arch de Triumph, which is really one of the arched gateways to the old city, or medina.

The people have been welcoming and hospitible, but sometimes communicating can be a challange if you don't know any French or Arabic. English is the third language here, but most people are fluent in French.

My computer time is limited so this is a short post, but there will be more to come! We are enjoying Tunisia, and will head south along the coast tomorrow. Hopefully I can add more then.