Another day, another ruin-The extraordinary country of Tunisia.

Returning recently from a bike, hike and sailing expedition in Tunisia, I was completely captivated by this charming country. Located on the northern coast of Africa, sandwiched between Algeria and Libya, I call it the forgotten land in the Middle East. With so much noise and squabbling from her neighbors, this little Jewel sites quietly awaiting visitors from around the world. The Tunisian people are delightful. They are a mix of Muslims, Christians, and Jews. They live in relative harmony. Their government is their own type of democracy. A traveler may feel safe when there, especially in the capable hands of a recognized guide.

The northern part of the country is much like southern Italy. You feel the Roman/Italian influence in the rolling lush hills, dotted with vineyards, which, by the way, produce excellent wines. They are hoping to market the wines in the West soon.
Southern Tunisia is very different. Hot, areas in the Sahara desert, the Berber people live in homes built into mountainsides, allowing for the ultimate coolness; the Troglodyte people live in the desert, in homes dug 20-30 ft below the surface of the ground. A courtyard is in the center of the deep hole, surrounded by the family rooms. George Lucas, the great film producer/director of Star Wars fame, came to Tunisia, fell in love with the people and the country and proceeded to film his Star Wars features there.

The Roman ruins are the stars of the traveling show. Because of their climate, warm, dry, lack of tourists and huge buses roaming around, low pollution; the ruins are in almost pristine condition. The city of Dougga, about 2 hours from Tunis, is a perfect example. It is laid out on top of a rather step hill, just like in Italy. Two spires or columns are seen from a distance announcing the arrival into the city. I spent 3 hours wandering around the city, following chariot wheels marks, entering ancient ruins of shops along the way; sitting and enjoying the amphitheater, which is used today for special events. You could almost hear the Romans in their bathhouses, the men discussing the day’s events in their latrines, the children playing in the courtyards that were inside their homes. It was spectacular.
Further south in the town of El Jem is the great Roman coliseum. It was the place chosen for the filming of Ridley Scott’s ‘The Gladiator’. The massive structure is amazingly in tact. The floor of the building is still used for concerts and elevator shafts are still there where they transported the animals up onto the amphitheater floor for the fights. Yes, we picnicked in the shadow of the gladiators. Their holding rooms, the places where they worked and practiced their skills were cool and inviting. You could almost hear their ghostly whispers as they prepared to fight and die in front of their ruler.

We were all hoping to see Russell Crowe come out to greet us-but he did not. We left this magnificient speciman of Roman architecture in complete awe.
Tunisia scratched a Middle Eastern itch for me. You can experience the Middle East and not worry about bullets or missiles flying overhead. You can partake of the Muslim culture, and come away with a greater understanding of this region of the world.