This year we decided to have a rest in Tunisia, on such a distant and mysterious continent for us called Africa. Prior to that, rested several times in Turkey and Bulgaria. We had been preparing for a trip to Tunisia for a long time. We studied the guidebook, read a lot on the Internet, carefully selected the hotel and resort in terms of price-quality ratio. And here is the choice: the city of Sousse (20 km from Monastir airport), the El Hana Beach *** hotel, the cost of a trip for three (two standard rooms) is about 70 thousand with half board meals for 11 days (from 18.06. to June 29.2008).
We arrived at midnight, but since local time is 2 hours behind, it was still 10 pm in Tunisia. At the airport, a mandatory formality: filling out a card arriving in the country (fill it out strictly in English, French) Customs officers almost never look into it. But save the spine until the flight back, it must be presented to the customs officer when crossing the border. Unlike ours, Tunisian customs officers are not serious people, all with jokes and jokes. And if you know French, you can chat about this and that. Our customs officer, for some reason, begged us for cigarettes and chocolate! Later it turned out that Russian cigarettes are highly valued in Tunisia. Their cigarettes are not of the best quality and cost from 60 rubles per pack. For example, after bargaining, we bought a large folding beach umbrella on the beach for 8 dinars (160 rubles), a pack of opened PalMal 6 cigarettes and a lighter (the original price was 25 dinars - 500 rubles).
El Khana Beach Hotel is huge and its location is very good. It stands on the first coastline, the beach is right across the road. Very beautiful landscaped area. A lawn where you can lie under palm trees. Two pools: one indoor, one outdoor. Animation both during the day and in the evening. The hotel has a shop, a hairdresser, a beauty salon, several bars, an open restaurant. The architecture of the hotel is interesting, but not for everyone: long, semi-dark, winding corridors, painted, like almost everything in Tunisia, in the Moorish style: blue and white. It has its own national flavor. So don't be scared. We didn't get a sea view room. Not even dollars helped, we were refused. But we had a room with a view of the city, and it suited us very well. The street is lively and colorful. The balcony is huge, there is a table and two chairs. It’s even interesting to sit on the balcony, smoke, drink and eat. The rooms themselves are large. The room size is larger than the usual standard. The room is made in the national style. The bed is comfortable and cosy. Slept well. The air conditioner worked properly. Plumbing, of course, is not new, but the bathroom is clean, the water is always hot. The quality of cleaning leaves much to be desired, even if you leave a tip. But this is a feature of the nation, I guess. The Bulgarians are also not “ah” in the service. This is service in the blood for the Turks, they try, as a rule. But, if you are not driven by the service, then this hotel is for you, as, indeed, the country of Tunisia. But it’s better to refuse room 208, there is not a bathroom, but a shower (cramped! ) And there is an unpleasant smell from the kitchen all the time (something with ventilation is visible).
The overlays were at meal times at the hotel restaurant. Well, they can’t cope with such an influx of tourists: there were always not enough cups, forks, spoons, plates. There was confusion in seating at the table (each table is assigned to the restaurant card). But the food for men was in full: several types of meat, fish, side dishes for dinner. There were few fruits: watermelons and plums.
But, I realized that it was possible to go without food at all, since there are so many cafes and restaurants around where you can eat cheaply and tasty. Portions are usually large. And what there fruit cheap! The shops have everything from fragrant strawberries to huge sweet watermelons! And what dates! Mmm…! If you haven't eaten Tunisian dates (in Tunisia! ), then you haven't eaten dates at all.
From national dishes, try couscous and national Tunisian tea with pine nuts (now we are “hooked” on it and periodically drink at home).
There is no sizzling heat, and in the evening it becomes cool in general. The breeze is constantly blowing from the sea. The sea is shallow. The sand is light and very fine, in its structure, almost like flour. Because of the wind, there are constant waves and it's fun to ride them. But in Sousse, for some reason, the beaches are not cleaned. Maybe because the strip of the beach stretches along the city and these are mostly public beaches. The hotel on the beach has its own area. Umbrellas are free, but sun beds-mattresses are paid (2 td (40 rubles). We took the only time, because we don’t like to spend hours on the beach. We already tanned perfectly “in the course of the play”, as they say: the tan is beautiful, bronze. We had our own umbrella (see above) and we got by with it, but you need to protect yourself from the sun with “non-stick” creams.
Sousse is an old city, built by the Phoenicians (Punniks, as the Romans called them), then completed by the French. In 15-20 minutes walk from the hotel (to the left) you can get to Medina (Old City). Don't get lost there, but wander. There are many shopping arcades there (but be careful, the prices there will be called exorbitant, they will well reduce if you bargain, but this is not a fact that you will buy cheap. Tip: first look at how much it costs in the store). In Medina, you can see the Main Mosque (3 td), the El Kobba Museum (2 dt), there is also the Archaeological Museum, but we did not reach it. And very close to the hotel there is an olive tree museum (the sign hangs).
We didn’t go to the Sahara, it seemed a little expensive, the tour costs 200 td per person (12.000 rubles for three) plus the cost of souvenirs, tips and others. I read that for two, somewhere around $ 500 is obtained. If you have the opportunity and desire, then go, tourists are delighted with this excursion. We limited ourselves to the purchase of "sand roses" brought from the Sahara (2 pieces for 5 td (100 rubles).
I liked the excursion Tunis - Carthage - Sidi Bou Said - Bardo Museum with lunch. Very rich and interesting, we saw a lot of beautiful places, took a lot of photos (60 td per person). In Tunisia, the capital, we visited an Orthodox church (there are only two in Tunisia).
The second excursion is the El Zahra laser show in a staged Bedouin village near Sousse. It also made a strong impression. The laser show itself is unforgettable, impressive. Against the background of the black African starry sky, you will see the whole history of Tunisia. This must be seen and no videos will help you. There you will also attend a Bedouin wedding. It was this time when we were on the show that Russian television came and filmed the program “Around the World”. Two weeks later we saw ourselves on the channel "Russia"!
On our own, we went to Port El Kantaoui (on a sightseeing train). A beautiful port, Hannibal Park, a color music fountain, a zoo, souvenir shops, cafes. From there we went on a 2 hour boat trip. They promised dolphins and fishing - they deceived me. But it was fun. We swam on an aquascope to see the depths of the sea and fish. Experienced disappointment. The whole performance is a feeding of a flock of fish by a person in scuba gear and live sea urchins, which the same scuba diver got. Then they returned to the port. Gave 45 dt. In the port at the pier, the variety of fish is much larger and free of charge. You can feed yourself. So decide.
In general, Tunisia, Africa left vivid impressions in our souls. You just need to be able to accept the country you come to, the way it is. After all, you are a guest there, so don’t grumble, don’t swear, but absorb information, look, walk, find out. Each country has its own history, culture and traditions. After all, this is something that you will remember for a lifetime, and not that the telephone in your room did not work or you saw garbage on the street.
I will say one thing, as soon as we got on the bus that took us to the airport, on the way back, I looked back at the streets, the people who walked there, the setting sun and... tears flowed from my eyes. Some revelation. After all, I was so calmly going back. But something got stuck. Have a good rest! If you have any questions, write to: ekat_2@rambler. ru
We arrived at midnight, but since local time is 2 hours behind, it was still 10 pm in Tunisia. At the airport, a mandatory formality: filling out a card arriving in the country (fill it out strictly in English, French) Customs officers almost never look into it. But save the spine until the flight back, it must be presented to the customs officer when crossing the border. Unlike ours, Tunisian customs officers are not serious people, all with jokes and jokes. And if you know French, you can chat about this and that. Our customs officer, for some reason, begged us for cigarettes and chocolate! Later it turned out that Russian cigarettes are highly valued in Tunisia. Their cigarettes are not of the best quality and cost from 60 rubles per pack. For example, after bargaining, we bought a large folding beach umbrella on the beach for 8 dinars (160 rubles), a pack of opened PalMal 6 cigarettes and a lighter (the original price was 25 dinars - 500 rubles).
El Khana Beach Hotel is huge and its location is very good. It stands on the first coastline, the beach is right across the road. Very beautiful landscaped area. A lawn where you can lie under palm trees. Two pools: one indoor, one outdoor. Animation both during the day and in the evening. The hotel has a shop, a hairdresser, a beauty salon, several bars, an open restaurant. The architecture of the hotel is interesting, but not for everyone: long, semi-dark, winding corridors, painted, like almost everything in Tunisia, in the Moorish style: blue and white. It has its own national flavor. So don't be scared. We didn't get a sea view room. Not even dollars helped, we were refused. But we had a room with a view of the city, and it suited us very well. The street is lively and colorful. The balcony is huge, there is a table and two chairs. It’s even interesting to sit on the balcony, smoke, drink and eat. The rooms themselves are large. The room size is larger than the usual standard. The room is made in the national style. The bed is comfortable and cosy. Slept well. The air conditioner worked properly. Plumbing, of course, is not new, but the bathroom is clean, the water is always hot. The quality of cleaning leaves much to be desired, even if you leave a tip. But this is a feature of the nation, I guess. The Bulgarians are also not “ah” in the service. This is service in the blood for the Turks, they try, as a rule. But, if you are not driven by the service, then this hotel is for you, as, indeed, the country of Tunisia. But it’s better to refuse room 208, there is not a bathroom, but a shower (cramped! ) And there is an unpleasant smell from the kitchen all the time (something with ventilation is visible).
The overlays were at meal times at the hotel restaurant. Well, they can’t cope with such an influx of tourists: there were always not enough cups, forks, spoons, plates. There was confusion in seating at the table (each table is assigned to the restaurant card). But the food for men was in full: several types of meat, fish, side dishes for dinner. There were few fruits: watermelons and plums.
But, I realized that it was possible to go without food at all, since there are so many cafes and restaurants around where you can eat cheaply and tasty. Portions are usually large. And what there fruit cheap! The shops have everything from fragrant strawberries to huge sweet watermelons! And what dates! Mmm…! If you haven't eaten Tunisian dates (in Tunisia! ), then you haven't eaten dates at all.
From national dishes, try couscous and national Tunisian tea with pine nuts (now we are “hooked” on it and periodically drink at home).
There is no sizzling heat, and in the evening it becomes cool in general. The breeze is constantly blowing from the sea. The sea is shallow. The sand is light and very fine, in its structure, almost like flour. Because of the wind, there are constant waves and it's fun to ride them. But in Sousse, for some reason, the beaches are not cleaned. Maybe because the strip of the beach stretches along the city and these are mostly public beaches. The hotel on the beach has its own area. Umbrellas are free, but sun beds-mattresses are paid (2 td (40 rubles). We took the only time, because we don’t like to spend hours on the beach. We already tanned perfectly “in the course of the play”, as they say: the tan is beautiful, bronze. We had our own umbrella (see above) and we got by with it, but you need to protect yourself from the sun with “non-stick” creams.
Sousse is an old city, built by the Phoenicians (Punniks, as the Romans called them), then completed by the French. In 15-20 minutes walk from the hotel (to the left) you can get to Medina (Old City). Don't get lost there, but wander. There are many shopping arcades there (but be careful, the prices there will be called exorbitant, they will well reduce if you bargain, but this is not a fact that you will buy cheap. Tip: first look at how much it costs in the store). In Medina, you can see the Main Mosque (3 td), the El Kobba Museum (2 dt), there is also the Archaeological Museum, but we did not reach it. And very close to the hotel there is an olive tree museum (the sign hangs).
We didn’t go to the Sahara, it seemed a little expensive, the tour costs 200 td per person (12.000 rubles for three) plus the cost of souvenirs, tips and others. I read that for two, somewhere around $ 500 is obtained. If you have the opportunity and desire, then go, tourists are delighted with this excursion. We limited ourselves to the purchase of "sand roses" brought from the Sahara (2 pieces for 5 td (100 rubles).
I liked the excursion Tunis - Carthage - Sidi Bou Said - Bardo Museum with lunch. Very rich and interesting, we saw a lot of beautiful places, took a lot of photos (60 td per person). In Tunisia, the capital, we visited an Orthodox church (there are only two in Tunisia).
The second excursion is the El Zahra laser show in a staged Bedouin village near Sousse. It also made a strong impression. The laser show itself is unforgettable, impressive. Against the background of the black African starry sky, you will see the whole history of Tunisia. This must be seen and no videos will help you. There you will also attend a Bedouin wedding. It was this time when we were on the show that Russian television came and filmed the program “Around the World”. Two weeks later we saw ourselves on the channel "Russia"!
On our own, we went to Port El Kantaoui (on a sightseeing train). A beautiful port, Hannibal Park, a color music fountain, a zoo, souvenir shops, cafes. From there we went on a 2 hour boat trip. They promised dolphins and fishing - they deceived me. But it was fun. We swam on an aquascope to see the depths of the sea and fish. Experienced disappointment. The whole performance is a feeding of a flock of fish by a person in scuba gear and live sea urchins, which the same scuba diver got. Then they returned to the port. Gave 45 dt. In the port at the pier, the variety of fish is much larger and free of charge. You can feed yourself. So decide.
In general, Tunisia, Africa left vivid impressions in our souls. You just need to be able to accept the country you come to, the way it is. After all, you are a guest there, so don’t grumble, don’t swear, but absorb information, look, walk, find out. Each country has its own history, culture and traditions. After all, this is something that you will remember for a lifetime, and not that the telephone in your room did not work or you saw garbage on the street.
I will say one thing, as soon as we got on the bus that took us to the airport, on the way back, I looked back at the streets, the people who walked there, the setting sun and... tears flowed from my eyes. Some revelation. After all, I was so calmly going back. But something got stuck. Have a good rest! If you have any questions, write to: ekat_2@rambler. ru
Translated automatically from Russian. View original
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