Tunisia-Med-Sahara Day 10

Day 16-11 - Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - Travel to Douz/Chott El Jerid/ Camel ride/Discover Bedouin Wedding Traditions

This is a travel day so we got up a little earlier to organize our belongings. We were ready for breakfast at 7:35. Several groups were leaving this morning so the portico was congested with 4-wheel drive vehicles on their way to the desert and the full size buses were ready to roll.

Our departure time was at 8:30 so I had a little extra time to take a few photos and talk with other travelers. It is always interesting to compare our experiences.

We got on the bus at 8:35 and went directly downtown to the main street. A few of our group went to the bank, several to the post office, some to the medina, and we found the back streets for some interesting perspectives away from the regular tourist attractions.

Riadh met us back at the bus at 9:30 and we left the city of Tozeur and began our journey to Douz. Our route took us over the treacherous salt flats, the Chott El Jerid.

Khamis told us tragic stories of people who tried to cross this ancient dry sea bed before the causeway was built. The average temperatures in the summer are 45º C (120º F). People who live on the edge of the salt flats live solely off of the date palm trees in the occasional oasis.

We were 8 meters below sea level as we crossed the flats. Our driver stopped for us to take a few photos. An enterprising company is now harvesting the salt for commercial purposes.

Not too much further, there was a unique stop in the middle of the dry salt lake. It was literally a wide spot in the road but there were desert rose vendors, primitive toilets, and a small café.

We had 20 minutes to explore the immense salt flats and then we were back on the causeway traveling south, southeast. We might as well have been on the surface of the moon.

Our trek across the causeway took us to the end of the dry lake bed and back to the sand dunes of the desert. We stopped at a small home site with sandstone outcroppings and primitive Berber tents.

The owner had a pet falcon, a beautiful and well mannered bird named George who was very patient with the tourists who wanted his photo – and for no charge!

We went a little further to the oasis of Souk Lahad where we were able to see the hot springs and then the tall cooling towers that treat the 130º F water as it comes from the ground and then is usable.

There were men bathing in the water, a little warm for a hot tub, but great for a bath. Two of the young men took me to the top of the tower so I could see the pipes as they came out of the ground and the process of taming the hot springs for irrigation.

This land is rich with these hot springs and the government has built many water treatment plants to help the people have fresh water. When the water comes from the ground it is laden with sulfur, iron and other minerals and has to be treated.

At 12:45 we reached Douz known as the frontier of the desert. It is warm here, 72º with only 37% humidity and a steady 5.1 mph breeze to keep everything cool.

We were met at the hotel reception with a welcome drink, a cool orange juice like Tang. While we waited for our keys I checked out the internet – there is no wi-fi in the hotel, only 2 computers in the lobby.

The porters took our bags to the rooms and we received our keys. This is another of the Golden Yasmin chain and an oasis motif also. We had had our buffet lunch and then took a little time to type the first part of the day’s chronicle.

We met Khamis and Riadh at 3:30 and went a very short distance from our hotel to where I had seen a large herd of camels on my walk after lunch. We were dressed in turbans and jalabas for our excursion in the desert.

The camels here in this part of the Sahara are really dromedaries, as they only have one hump. Each of us got on our individual camel and Gennie and I were linked together with a young man of about 14 leading our beasts of burden.

Khamis had arranged for a 45 minute ride; we went out into the sand dunes and then circled back to the camel corral. We had ridden camels in Jordan and in Egypt, but this ride seemed much more comfortable – perhaps the Tunisian saddles are more padded in the right spots!

The ride was quite fun but it was wonderful seeing Ireland and what a great time she was having on her first camel ride! Margo and Dan chose not to go, but the rest of us had a group photo taken, the harsh sun is not very forgiving for photos.

After we had finished our ride, thanked our guides, and made our clothing adjustments, we were back in the bus and off to a virtual Bedouin wedding.

Khamis asked for volunteers and Barbara was coerced to act as the bride but none of the guys would step up to marry her. I volunteered; the man’s part was easy. I was dressed in a red felt hat and a white robe with matching slippers.

Barbara was dressed in a wedding gown, with jewels and a veil. The young women of the home painted elaborate henna tattoos on her hands and wrists.

Then the local family helped us to discover the rituals of the ceremony. We were led into the room with music and incense to greet our guests.

The guests were served mint tea and took photos of the happy couple. While the ladies danced and the young men did a ritual dance with poles, we sat quietly and watched. It is not often that I am sitting quietly and not taking the photos!

There was a chance to ask and answer questions. Gennie went in to another room to take a photo of Ireland getting a henna tattoo and the women asked her if she wanted them to decorate her hand also. She agreed and will go back to the States with a remembrance of her trip to Tunisia.

We arrived at our hotel at 6:15 to finish writing the journal and get the sand and camel dust out of our hair. Dinner was in our hotel, as this is a very small town with not many accommodations for large groups such as ours.

Accommodations: Sun Palm Hotel - - - Meals: B, L, D

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Another interesting series of experiences. The salt area sounds like the Great Salt Lake. How do they compare?

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Day 13 - Saturday, April 22, 2022 - Depart for U.S.

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