SUGAR is cool! I advise.
Sahara (2 days)
At first we doubted whether to take a tour that would "take" two of our seven days off. It's a different matter when you go on vacation for two weeks. We went to Tunisia for only a week. But lying on the beach, we decided to take a tour. And as a result, not a drop was regretted later.
At 6.40 we left our hotel. First, "collected" other tourists (from other hotels). So, we all started our route on the bus. The group turned out to be small - fifteen people, two of them children aged six. The guide introduced himself to us and said that we were going on a day trip to Tunisia. The tourists had panic on their faces, and we went to the 2-day Sahara. I, having previously read the reviews, received the information with a smile. Especially when we were "gathered" at the hotel, the guide asked if we were "in the Sahara. " Seeing the commotion of tourists, the guide smiled and said, oh well, since you paid for the Sahara, let's go there.
I will say at once that the tour was well organized and well thought out. We often had stops for excursions or just "sanitary". There was no fatigue from the trip. It is also good that we left early and when we visited places of interest - there were no large crowds of tourists from other groups.
The first stop we had was a visit to the city of El Gem and the Colosseum. Upon arrival, the guide told us briefly and gave us free time to walk around the Colosseum. I can say - impressed, you can feel the breath of antiquity. Large enough Colosseum, with underground rooms, where once there were "chambers" in which people (fighters) were kept.
Then, after the city of El Jem, there were stops near shops and cafes. We tried "Tunisian tea". It is ordinary (a glass of 150 grams, costs 2 dinars - a little more than 1 dollar - for one dollar give 1.35 dinars), but delicious.
This is a brewed green tea with fresh mint, very sweet and with nuts (almonds or cedar).
The next excursion stop was planned in the "Berber" village. , which was located in the city of Matmata. There we saw how these people live. Their houses are dug in the ground, such caves. It's hot outside, and you go in there, and immediately the temperature drops from 40 degrees to 18. The house looks like this - a courtyard and a couple of rooms, a kitchen, a barn. There was a "Berber" grandmother who ground flour and allowed tourists to take pictures with it. Afterwards we went to dine on national food at a restaurant in the desert. We ate salad and couscous with meat and sauce. It was very tasty.
Then we went again - the landscape outside the windows changed periodically. It's green, it's desert. Many cacti grow along the road - they serve as a hedge for olive tree plantations. These cacti are not simple - they have edible fruits.
At that moment, they were blooming with beautiful yellow flowers. And the fruits ripen in September (oh sorry, did not try, they say very tasty). We saw (while driving along the desert) wild camels. It was interesting at first, we stopped to take pictures of them. Later we saw many camels in and they met constantly. Well, I do not know, as if we have cows on rural roads - they have camels: -). While we were driving, the guide decided to entertain us. He says he has a chronic runny nose from air conditioners. And they say he is always saved by medicinal herbs: -). And now give us a try. You need to take a pinch and shove it in your nostrils - if you start sneezing later, then the body is healthy, everything is fine. If there is no reaction to the grass, then you need to see a doctor. And then it just started a mass sneeze, well, what a sneezing bus straight. I will say this about my feelings - it would be better if I did not try this herb: -).
Because the beginning of a strong sore throat, and then sneezing with tears in his eyes: -). To mitigate this, the guide gave us candy: -). He said that on the way back, we will be visited by an uncle who sells this herb: -) those who wish can buy to entertain acquaintances and friends at home. Laughing, our trip continued. And we were at the entrance to the city of Douz (where we have to stay overnight, and we were waiting for camels, etc. ). Again, the guide decided to cheer us up, to stir us up. But he says, they say you know that we will spend the night in tents in the middle of the desert. There are two or three local tents. And if you want, you can spend the night in a big tent together. Varans run around, but you are not afraid of them: -), the locals know how to deal with them. Again, tourists frowned. This turned out to be a joke: -)
So, we arrived in the city of Douz to the "transit" hotel, where we were accommodated for the night.
The hotel is big enough, the rooms are good with a shower and everything a traveler needs. Leaving our belongings there and resting a bit, we went to the desert. First we rode (whoever wanted), or rather flew on hang gliders. Then, renting national clothes, we went camel riding and met the sunset in the desert. Everyone was given a camel. Again, the guide did not forget to joke about us: -) He said that when we ride camels, we need to communicate with them properly: -) Like learn two words that camels take as a command to action. If you want to turn right - you need to say "HOLE", and left - "BREATH". We tried to remember those words. In fact, when we were given a camel - we did not need any commands to tell us and these bald animals do not understand them: -) "Saddled" our ships of the desert, we went into beauty… Beauty, words can not convey - it must be seen.
Around the sand, the dunes… we made a stop in the desert itself, away from everyone and everything. The sand in the desert is not like the river, like the sea. He is completely different. It's small, just like dust. You take it in your hands and seconds later your hand is empty, it seeps through your fingers. We saw the sunset in the desert - a beautiful sight. Then we slowly returned from the desert. After enjoying it all, we returned to the hotel for the night. Dinner was waiting for us there, then we could go to rest in the room, or walk around the area, or swim in the pool. We went to the pool, plunged there, went to sleep - because it was late, and we had to wake up at 3.00 am to meet the dawn in the desert: -). At this the first day of the tour ended, it was full and full of emotions.
So we woke up at 3.
00 in the morning, went to breakfast - does not get up so early, but it is necessary Well, there is coffee with butter We got on the bus and rushed on the spacious roads, waiting for the next day to prepare. As dawn broke, we stopped along the desert to meet the dawn. Beautiful! Beautiful photos turned out. Around the silence, everyone stood almost holding their breath (sleepy as well) and watched the sun rise higher and higher… Admiring enough, got on the bus and drove on. Along the way, as on the first day, we met wild camels.
The first stop was near the salt lake, or as it is called "salt marsh". As the guide told us, salt is extracted there for production needs. We tasted this salt - salty; This lake looks like a big puddle with a white bottom (it is not deep). In places pink, mostly white. Around a bunch of salt. In general, it looks beautiful.
And again, this is in the desert, at the level of 8 meters below sea level. We took pictures, admired and went…
The next stop is "sanitary", where you can drink tea and coffee. We drank Tunisian tea again, which we liked.
Then we drove a little and moved to jeeps, which were also to ride in the desert. But first we went in the direction of the city of Chibeka. Going forward, I was impressed by this place the most. Chibeka is a small town from the new and old part. The old part was flooded in 1969, after which it was not rebuilt. It looks like. . Well, the ruins, the remains of former homes. Near the mountains, rocks. The film "The English Patient" was shot there. When we got home, we watched this movie and looked for familiar places Chibeka is near the border with Algeria. The tour of old Chibeke was conducted by a local guide, not the one who accompanied us.
After making our way through a small gorge, we watched from a height on the city. And began to descend. Below they saw a small lake and a former waterfall. We took pictures; , go on. Around the rock, silence, palm trees…. Well, beauty is simply unreal, it is difficult to convey in words. And then waterfalls awaited us. . some emotions, and no words to describe. The local merchants spoiled the picture a bit with various trinkets. Slowly walking and enjoying, we returned to the city itself. We got on jeeps and rushed to meet the wind… A little about jeeps and drivers. Jeeps are new, a maximum of two years. Further driving on them, it becomes clear why Drivers are professionals in this field, and we are convinced. They are worn neatly and quickly. But when we drove just on the road was not felt at first, in the desert - there is one continuous adrenaline! And here it is - the desert! And we rush in jeeps.
Again, it's hard to put into words the way we rode the dunes, the roller coaster. I was especially impressed when we tried to climb a high hill in a jeep, which is almost vertical… just UHHHHHHHHHHH! Then they just drifted on the sands. Our whole group fit in three jeeps, so one jeep was even stuck in the sand when we went up the hill. Everyone went out to have fun and enjoy the desert while digging a jeep out of the sand. The sand is cool! There were small traces of some animals, maybe the same lizards. Then we went to the place where the movie "Star Warriors" was shot. The scenery has remained since then. We wandered there, took pictures And went to return from the desert. On the way they saw a mirage. However, they said that he was there - I did not see. That was the end of the jeep trip. I said goodbye to the assassin drivers and thanked them, got on the buses and drove on.
We stopped near the shop, where we bought cactus jam (because the fruit could not be tasted). The guide offered to make a stop in the city of Kairan, at the fruit and vegetable market, if you wish. We bought apricots (delicious and sweet). Fruit in Tunisia, the same as here. I did not observe particularly exotic ones there: strawberries, peaches, apricots, watermelons, mulberries - my own (local). Bananas, pineapples, mangoes - imported.
Then we stopped near the oldest mosque in the city of Kairan. At the same time they visited the nearby souvenir shop and carpet shop. I bought a couple of handbags there, at a normal price (with camel skin). Well, little by little we returned to our hotel. As a result, in two days we traveled most of Tunisia, as if making a circle. On the way back, as promised by the guide, a weed salesman came to our bus and called him the local Benladan.
He looked dressed in local clothes, his head wrapped. He got on the bus to us and started shouting showing the grass “shit -.....general amused. And a couple of people still bought this herb - to breed friends and relatives.
A few words about the guide, the man who was with us for two days. Cheerful, talks a lot and tells interesting stories. As it turned out, he received his second education in Ukraine (Odessa). He talked a lot about his country, traditions. A little about the country: an interesting country, a lot is spent on education. As the guide said, if you want to see a school in a city or town, look for the most beautiful building and make no mistake. Many laws for women. They have a "women's day" in August, something in the spirit of our March 8. And every year on this day they pass a law for women that makes their lives easier. Women dress there freely, if someone wears national clothes, just because they like it so much. Do not force them to wear.
So there is a European style for women (men) and national. Many women drive. They hadn't even been stopped before. And the proverb "a woman behind the wheel is a star, everyone sees her - she is nobody" is relevant to them. Now there are sometimes traffic cops next to male traffic cops. Only they can stop women behind the wheel.
This is how we got a two-day tour. I wrote a little, because it's hard to do and put into words. I just advise you to visit Tunisia and visit this tour (worth $ 150 per person). Because we are worth it!
