"Visit the Bardo Museum, housed in an old palace. It is an excellent National museum brimming with treasures of Tunisian history dominated by the Punic, Roman and Christian periods and is said to house one of the best collections of Roman/Byzantine mosaics anywhere".
From my diary - the Bardo museum is undergoing renovation so only the mosiacs open, however, these just blew me away. One was of a hand maiden holding up a mirror in which her mistress' face was reflected with great artistry.
It reminded me of Miss Jones' decorations for the hall at Kenilworth Grammar School in the 1960s - roundells then Byzantine saints etc which she got us to fill in with "mosaic" squares. As I remember these were absolutely stunning and fitted into the hall with its long floor to ceiling windows exceptionally well. Maybe this was the start of my love for mosiacs?
"Leaving the capital this afternoon, we drive to Le Kef, via the Roman settlement of Dougga. This magnificent Roman city is perched on a plateau, surrounded by fertile land fed by abundant springs. the capitol, dedicated to Jupiter, Juno and Minvera in 166AD is arguably the most beautiful Roman monument in North Africa".
Dougga very impressive. Baths, amphitheatre, cisterns, houses etc and the streets paved with beautifully shaped blocks.
To Le Kef - my room characterised by leaks from shower, toilet and wash hand basin so the bedroom floor was swimming with water. The landlord came and looked at it and brought me a new floor mat but then our guide swopped with me which was kind of him. I quite like Tunisia - nice people, very green country but the food is not as nice as Morocco (but I'm biased!) A lot of men were wearing the burnoose (I looked it up - A burnous (also spelled burnoose, or bournous; from the Berber and Maghribi Arab. burnus) is a long cloak of coarse woollen fabric with a hood, usually white in color, worn by Berbers and the Arabs throughout North Africa) and there were women uncloaked in the streets. Quite a liberal Muslim country. Interesting to hear the guide (I do know his name but I am reluctant to use it on a public forum as I am reluctant to take photographs of the local people without their permission) .... interesting to hear the guide speak of Muslim's respect for other religions and people.
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