After a night's rest, we were on our way again, heading for the point nearest to Italy, the tip of Cap Bon Peninsula in the Nabeul Governorate in the far northeastern part of Tunisia. We were told that our first stop would be Kelibia, a fishing port with a population of slightly more than 40,000 and home to Tunisia's National Fishing School. The beaches around it are considered some of the finest of the Mediterranean Sea. Kelibia was founded by the Carthaginians as the fortified town of Aspis in the 5th century BC.It's famous for its recently restored Kelibia Fort on a hill overlooking the harbor and its fruity Muscat white wine, considered by some as the best in Tunisia.
We passed through the main streets of a number of small towns. The side of such streets are studded with all kinds of stalls: folksy ladies fashion. Looks a bit like ladies street in Hong Kong except that it's much less crowded and is in a much more pleasant setting and the style of the garments sold. Perhaps a bit like those in some rural towns in India without their dusts?
Miscellaneous household items
grains, detergents
oranges, mandarin oranges
vegetables
an old man on his way to his daily purchas: what's he thinking of?
The carrots and vegetables all seem huge, certainly much bigger than those commonly seen in Hong Kong
Not only do they sell household goods, they offer motor mechanics service too
But in the countryside, horses and donkeys have not yet been yet completely replaced.
We passed through some rolling hills,
with a very welcoming carpet of fresh green which we rarely find in south Tunisia.
even a field of maize
even an occasional cow. I wonder where they got their dairy products. I haven't seen any dairy farms so far.
grazing sheep
We lunched at a seaside hotel at Cap Bon called Le Pêcheur (The Fisherman)
A bright sunny feel even on the tables
They even got a red flower on its white table napkin
Seafood salad!
Delicious French bread : the last one! Surely not. How could we be content without more!
Tasty fried fish with couscous and potato, carrots and cauliflower: the best fish I have eaten for days.
The entrance to our restaurant
The seaward side of our restaurant
A Sidi Bousaid blue door
Our restaurant
Our restaurant seen from the edge of the sea
A dolphin on its terrace fence
Right outside the restaurant is a huge beach
But the beach shed looks completely deserted
Two of our younger tour group members eating their brains out to get the best angle for their photos
The beach is filled with seaweeds washed ashore
A view from the restaurant terrace
waves coming in, clouds moving in
One really doesn't know where the beach ends. I wonder how different it'd look with a blue sky. But...
After lunch, we continued our coach journey. An additional storey being added. We're told that many ordinary folks in Tunisia would first build one storey of their dream house and then save up money to add another storey to the first only and if needed a third when they have enough savings. They adopt the system of building by installments. .
Another small hotel we passed
Tunisians appear to love colors: red, green....
yellow or orange
and of course blue and white. I wonder if the Tunisians are special in that regard. Could that be a general trait of all Mediterranean people or just Berbers and Arabs?
Another monument we passed by
Lots of new villas for renting or for sale
all with a very Mediterranean feel.
A seldom seen bus stop
A boat shaped flower bed! Effect of the sea on one's mind or even imagination?
For an instant, I thought I was in Bangkok ! A Thai restaurant by any chance?
New villas or hotels?
Residence Yasmine Plaza. Jasmine is the national flower of Tunisia. Built after the "Jasmine Revolution"?
Our hotel in Hammamet
its name: Le Royal but in Arabic
its reception hall
The portico corridor outside the reception hall
the end of the corridor: all marble
The external wall of the hotel is full of bas-reliefs.
A palm in the rising/setting sun/moon?
city of the old medina
The name of the hotel
its balcony
lily
mosque
Sailing
fountain
portico arches
Turkish arches
Cave dwellings of Matmata?
Beaches of Djerba or Hammamet?
coastal town of the Hammamet
Andalucian door
Greek Temple?
The external wall of the hotel is full of bas-reliefs.
A palm in the rising/setting sun/moon?
city of the old medina
The name of the hotel
its balcony
lily
mosque
Sailing
fountain
portico arches
Turkish arches
Cave dwellings of Matmata?
Beaches of Djerba or Hammamet?
coastal town of the Hammamet
Andalucian door
Greek Temple?
The series of bas-reliefs end with a painting
The reception hall of another building in the hotel complex closed for business in winter
Some chairs are left there still
bunches of palm dates in the hotel garden
The way to Malibu beach near to the hotel
The beach full of the prickly seaweed seed pods washed ashore
A lighthouse stretching deep into the bay
The view from the other side of the beach
There is hardly a soul on the huge beach: perhaps because it's late. Perhaps that's because it's winter. Perhaps both.
Want a camel ride? No, thank you, Done that already.
No problem. Have a nice day.
A beach house
I can imagine how in a few months' time, under such palm thatch parasols would be crowded half naked bodies sipping lemon soda upon deck chairs reading their novels, smoking or chit-chatting or gawking and salivating at shapely bodies in motion closer to the water edge.
Another deserted boating shed
Big balls, little balls strewn on the sand
a closer look
At first I thought these were volcanic rocks
When I walked closer, I discovered that they were the seaweed seed pods before they became dry
A dry and crumpled seed pod
A beachful of such seaweed seed pods
Behind the beach there were many such sea side villas
a discarded thatch roof
More of them. Perhaps they'd be re-used in summer?
The dance of the thatch parasols celebrating their winter vacation
broken flower pot?
Some young men and women laughing at how ridiculous they looked on the screen of the digital camera in the snapshots just taken?
Getting closer to the far end of the beach
sea gulls resting on little hillocks of seaweeds
An undulating carpet of seaweeds looking like ridges of a number of mini mountain ranges
a mock 19th century schooner at the port shelter at on the other side of the path
The same a little further off
Another ship in the same shelter
The sun is setting
The schooner in the sunset
Maybe some sailors preparing their dinner in there?
the way to the embankment and the pier
part of the embankment
Looking back at the beach from its far end
Once past the embankment, I found myself inside a yacht centre
The water there as still as a glacial lake
A closer view
A forest of masts
when will they set sail again?
The port shelter at dusk
threatened by thickening rain clouds above
but for the moment, the water is still calm
Three masts in the water
The lights were up
So were those at the side of the narrow bridge serving the inlet
a little further.
finally, the full view.
It was getting quite dark. Time to head back to the hotel for some dinner.
a building at the end of the embankment
The same bas-relief at night
The fountain channel
Yachting
The hotel balcony
The hotel's name
The lion
The hotel car park at night
The hotel at night
Back at the hotel lobby
finally, the full view.
It was getting quite dark. Time to head back to the hotel for some dinner.
a building at the end of the embankment
The same bas-relief at night
The fountain channel
Yachting
The hotel balcony
The hotel's name
The lion
The hotel car park at night
The hotel at night
Back at the hotel lobby
We'd be staying at the hotel for the night. The visits will only start the following morning.
To be cont'd
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