So after we visited Hammamet, we went to the capital of Tunisia, Tunis. We didn't go to the heart of Tunis, because a month ago, there were some heavy protests there. People came out on the streets because they were not satisfied with the prime minister and his regime. A lot of people died there. They were shot or burned themselves out of anger. A week later, Ben ali and his family left the country for reasons of personal safety.
Because of all the protests, the economy in Tunisia is at its lowest point. Shops were destroyed during the protests and a lot of poor people have stolen food in the shops. The government promised some reforms. Now, the people here don't get enough money to survive. They have to live in very bad conditions. I hope that one day, they will have a good government that looks after them and make sure that they can live the life they dream of.
After all this misery, we decided to go to Medina. A lovely place in Tunis. Medina exist out of 2 parts. You have the old Medina, where you can find a lot of charming streets and squares, and you have the other part that was built by the French people in the 19th century. Medina is also a member of the UNESCO world heritage.
Tourists may think that Tunisia is a very beautiful country, but when you look deeper, you can see that it is a country with a lot of poverty and problems. I hope they will have a better life when all of their problems are gone.
After visiting Algeria we moved on to Hammamet. When we arrived in Tunisia, it looked like a rich and prosperous country. But we had to change our opinion quickly when we decided to make a round trip of two days through the country.
The first day we took a taxi towards a local market. The taxi was so old that it could collapse any moment. After the hellish taxi ride, we arrived to the market place. The donkeys were walking on the street, the fruit was sold from a car and fish was exposed in the heat. There was not a single tourist in sight. Because of that the local vendors tried to persuade us to buy something. The market left a strong impression on us!
After the visit we left with a whole group with a bus to the Sahara. Along the way we first made a stop to enjoy the endless views of the salt desert. There we saw for the first time in our lives a mirage, which happens a lot in the salt desert. After that visit we moved towards the Sahara. The scenery en route was monotonous, earth and olive trees with occasional decrepit houses. Along the road we saw numerous stalls selling fruit and illegal filling stations where petrol was sold in bottles.
After a long drive we arrived in the Sahara. The dromedaries were ready to carry us through the desert. Armed with special clothing against the sun and sand, we left for a scenic drive through the desert. It was e great experience and a very special feeling. After a ride of an hour we went all sleeping.
The next morning we were ready for our new adventure. We had a jeep safari through the Atlas Mountains. It was a hot day but the jeeps were well equipped with air conditioning. The ride was very bumpy but really cool. After the jeep had driven into the mountains, we went on foot. It was such a beautiful view which well never forget!
The last thing we had to visit was Matmata. This is a city where people live in a kind of caves. Many people asked the question whether they are really living there or that it is just a tourist attraction. It was a great experience to take a close look to those special homes and way of living. It was very hotbut we had a lot of fun.
After this round trip we had seen a lot of poverty.Tunisia is a poor country where there is a large difference between rich and poor. It has fascinated us and we have enjoyed it!
