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  • Mary Kieran Gap Year
  • Mary Kieran Gap Year

Tunisia

A short but fine adventure by Mary Kieran Gap Year Read more
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  • Trip start
    March 20, 2024
    Mary Kieran Gap YearTunisiaTraveler

    Day 70: Tunisian Independence Day

    March 20, 2024 in Tunisia ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F

    We arrived to Tunis at 5am and marked several cafes near our hotel for coffee, knowing Google isn’t always accurate on opening times. Even though Dakar and Guinea are 95% Muslim, we found that the people did not strictly follow the Islamic practice of fasting during Ramadan. However, Tunisia is not the case and almost all cafes and restaurants are closed until 6pm for breaking fast. Further research also showed us that March 20th is actually Tunisian Independence Day to celebrate their freedom from French colonialism. The streets were decorated with their flag.

    We arrived at our hotel, which is owned and managed by mother Raja and her two daughters Farra and Ferial. We learned the wonderful story that Raja always wanted to own a boutique hotel and her family and friends thought she was crazy. She bought the property and then started adding floors and decorating it with timeless pieces, including traditional Moroccan architecture. It’s now one of the most successful boutique hotels in Tunis and it’s absolutely beautiful. Recommend that if anyone visits, they stay at Dar Souad Boutique hotel.

    They checked us in at 7:30 am so we could sneak in a nap, and next we ventured out to Sidi Bou Said neighborhood which Tunis is famous for. Loved walking around the streets, water, and beaches and eventually found a tourist based restaurant that was open to grab some couscous (their National dish).

    Finally, we headed to the ruins of Carthage to see some of the Roman bath houses and coliseums. The ruins are littered through modern neighborhoods and next to tennis courts, cathedrals, and parks where we met a very nice street kitty.

    We ended the evening with a traditional Ramadan Iftar where everyone joins for a meal after breaking fast. The restaurant was packed and had a pre planned meal of the day. It was really cool to see the chefs and wait staff rush to hand food out as fast a possible to all the people. 10/10 amazing experience!

    Hotel: Dar Souad Boutique Hotel

    Restaurants:
    Café Essaad
    El Mida

    Food:
    Couscous Royal
    Couscous Fish
    Soup frik hout
    Brik a louef
    Duo de Salads
    Grilled merguez
    Grilled Daurade
    Doucer dEl Mida
    Mint Tea

    Spots:
    La Marsa
    Sidi Bou Said    Read more

  • Mary Kieran Gap YearTunisiaTraveler
    1

    Day 71: Medina & “Warmth of the People”

    March 21, 2024 in Tunisia ⋅ ☁️ 75 °F

    At the previous evening’s Iftar, we spoke with a Tunisian couple who lived in France and Canada for several years, and when we asked what did they miss the most while living abroad, they said, “the warmth of the people.” And we felt that today!

    We ventured into Tunis City Center and Medina with a large bag of laundry looking for any open laundry mat. We found one, but they were closing in 1.5 hours. The father and daughter deliberated for several seconds, and they agreed to take the laundry in. We walked around the center and enjoyed the building designs and Independence Day decorations in the meantime.

    After picking up the laundry, we accidentally bumped into an older man and apologized. He said, “cafe?” and pointed to two non-descript doors. We said no thank you at first, but Mary noticed he was wearing a Spock Star Trek t-shirt and she told him she really liked his shirt. He bowed, shook our hands, and said, “Cafe?” We had to say yes now. Little did we know the door opened into a male only Hookah den (which Tunisia is known for) with smoke and dimmed lights. We doubled checked with him that Mary was allowed and he nodded many times. We got some coffee and orange juice and enjoyed the beautiful mosaics, colors, and atmosphere. When we left, we shook hands again and departed.

    We then enjoyed walking around the central market and watching the vendors sell fish, nuts, fruit, and vegetables. Everything was colorful and street cats ran around our feet.

    Next we ventured in the UNESCO site Medina with traditional Arab architecture. Due to Ramadan it was mostly closed and empty, and this was right around Kieran’s hunger limit. However, we stood outside a restaurant and this man came up and asked if we would like to eat. We said yes, and they opened up the cafe and served us soup, salad, brik (fried egg in bread wrap), and lasagna. When we left, the owner gave us a free orange. The man then met us on the street, took us into his perfume shop, and we caved on a lemon message oil. Finally, he walked us into a carpet shop to see an incredible view of the city. We departed ways and said goodbye.

    We ended the evening grabbing some chawarma and chatting with two German girls we met at breakfast. It was a wonderful day with memories and people we won’t forget.

    Restaurants:
    Maakoulet Echem

    Food:
    Salade Mechouia
    Shorbat frik
    Brik
    Lasagna

    Spots:
    Medina
    Tunis City Center
    Central Market
    Terrasse avec vue panoramique    Read more

  • Mary Kieran Gap YearTunisiaTraveler

    Day 72: El Jem Roman Amphitheater

    March 22, 2024 in Tunisia ⋅ ☁️ 75 °F

    Determined to visit the Sahara Desert on Gap Year (yaaas Dune), our research told us Tunisia had the best travel logistics and cost for visiting. Driving in South America and Africa is a different experience as lanes, shoulders, side walks, stoplights, and waiting your turn does not matter. However, we took a chance and picked up our manual rental car and navigated out of the city. Kieran took first shift and did fine with the motor bikes, drivers, and toll booths.

    While most men think about the Roman Empire, they can’t imagine the full reach they had in Europe to West Asia and North Africa. We drove to the city of El Jem and visited one of the largest and most preserved Roman Amphitheaters. The atmosphere was perfect as a mosque nearby rang out afternoon prayers. We grabbed a kebab and continued our trek into the desert country side.

    We stopped in Gabes for another Iftar with lamb and squid couscous. The owners were extremely kind and welcoming even though we didn’t have a reservation. We drove on to Matmata for our hotel, which is nestled in the desert mountainside. Stay tuned for our next post which will invoke memories of nerds everywhere.

    Hotel: Maison d'hôtes Dar Driss    Read more

  • Mary Kieran Gap YearTunisiaTraveler

    Day 73: A New Hope for Dune Messiah

    March 23, 2024 in Tunisia ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    That’s right friends, we’re in Star Wars country and have the Sahara to make Dune references.

    Tunisia is the filming location for many scenes from A New Hope, Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and the Last Jedi. There is a real town named Tataouine and the ancient/modern troglodyte homes inspired Luke Skywalker’s childhood house. We visited Hotel Sidi Diss where they filmed scenes inside the Lar’s homestead.

    Next we drove south to get as close as possible to the Sahara dunes without an organized tour guide. The car didn’t have four wheel drive so we knew we could only drive so far. Our effort paid off and we were able to park a 20 minute hike away from true dunes. The hills were huge and the sand was so soft. Partially for good friend Raj (mostly for ourselves) we recreated many Dune scenes.

    We drove on to the town of Douz which is the official gateway to the Sahara for Tunisia and visited a local museum on the Sahara nomads. We ended the evening with a local tour guide camel trek to watch the sunset in the Sahara dunes. The colors were so beautiful and we captured a few more Dune reference shots.    Read more

  • Mary Kieran Gap YearTunisiaTraveler

    Day 74: Blast Them!

    March 24, 2024 in Tunisia ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F

    We continued our Star Wars journey to Tozeur to see more filming locations. The day started at the Chott el Djerid which is a salt flat that fills with water and drys in regular cycles. It is the largest salt pan in the Sahara desert.

    Next we visited Djebel Sidi Bouhlel, also known as Star Wars canyon where Luke met Obi-wan and R2-D2 and C-3PO were attacked by Jawas. We had fun hiking through the canyon, recreating more Dune scenes, and throwing rocks.

    We continued to the Lars Homestead outside film set on the Chott el Djerid and the Earget Dunes where R2-D2 and C-3PO first land. Our final tour stop was Mos Espa where a young Anikan Skywalker lived. The day was filled with fun but also thoughts of family/friends who loved these movies, especially Mary’s late cousin Ben who passed away on this day.

    We visited one last dune and said goodbye to the Sahara desert, starting a 6 hour journey back north.    Read more

  • Mary Kieran Gap YearTunisiaTraveler
    1

    Day 75: Monastir

    March 25, 2024 in Tunisia ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    Last day in Tunisia we enjoyed the stunning costal town of Monastir. We scored an excellent hotel for $27 dollars the night before and woke up to a marina full of boats.

    We visited the Rebat, where Monty Pythons Life of Brian was filmed and had a wonderful ocean view on the tower. We also walked along the Bourguiba mosque plaza.

    We drove two hours back to Tunis and saw the ruins of Carthage one more time before boarding a 6:30 PM flight to Morocco. Tunisia was amazing and the people were so friendly so recommend everyone adds it to their list.

    Hotel: Marina Cap Monastir - Appart Hôtel

    Spots:
    Ribat
    Bourguiba Mosque
    Marina Cap Monastir
    Carthage    Read more

    Trip end
    March 25, 2024
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