Tunisia, end

I keep having dreams about the ocean, about getting hit by a big unexpected wave. In Tunisia it was a very warm ocean, so it was funny when I went under twice! After the Mediterranean we went into the pool and then for the first time, sat outside and it wasn't too warm, finally, we were wet. 

It was my first time seeing Muslim women in the water completely covered in clothing. 

The common area was aired out every morning meaning it was extremely hot by breakfast time. I understand the importance of airing out every morning (it's my routine at home) because our hotel room STANK. It had a leaky mini fridge that was broken, and the wood underneath it was moldy. We couldn't air out our room because we wouldn't have been able to be in there with the door open. I remember vividly the sensation of waking up in the morning and the first thing I realize is that smell, overpowering mustiness. We finally got the fridge fixed but that room will never smell right again. 

The sidewalks were not designed for pedestrian use, or any use, due to trees blocking them, forcing you to walk in traffic. No problem, it was actually kind of funny how we kept having to dive in and out of the street. There were a lot of wild cats. Poor things, so skinny! 

Kitty at our hotel entrance.

One evening watching people come out after the heat of the day, I saw crowds on the sidewalks eating ice cream and there were horses waiting for tourists, the horses were as skinny as the cats: ( But no dogs. I never saw a pet dog. I saw one dog trotting along the freeway in traffic, with a purpose, and another dog lying on a sidewalk in the shade, looking dead. I'm told that dogs are still considered unclean by older Muslims but the younger generation is starting to want them. 

It neededn't be mentioned that the hotel had no Bibles in the rooms. 

J, looking toward the ocean, about to be forced off the sidewalk again by a huge flowering tree.

The holiday of Eid al-Adha had just passed, where Muslims around the world sacrifice whatever animal they can afford, and have a family feast. They also save the skins/organs? of the animal and hang the parts on their balconies. Not sure what they are for. The holiday is symbolic of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son. According to custom, 1/3 of the meat must be shared with people too poor to buy their own sacrificial animal.
 

Every single bathroom I visited in Tunisia, including in our hotel, has a little hose for washing your privates after you use the toilet. I was fascinated by this, but didn't use it because it's a hotel and I don't want to know where that thing has been. 

Geocaching with pirate ship.

I only had one slice of watermelon cuz it all had seeds and I was totally satisfied with my 8-10 glasses of watermelon juice per day. The fruit I enjoyed every day was honeydew. They were so lucious, so perfectly ripe, they were like nothing I'd eaten before. I also drank a lot of honeydew juice on the days it was offered next ot the watermelon machine. Exquisite! 

KITTY CAT! This is  a well-fed, friendly, collared hotel cat! My cousin, his wife, and J are in the background making plans. I had ordered some orange juice from the bar for them, no one noticed. 

My cousin's wife's way of dealing cards. I love it. Check out how serious the conversation is between J and my cousin. Wow. Below, it continues:

So many gorgeous goods. There was a shop selling purses and I kind of need one cuz my REI purse from Vermont (!really) is dying after 15 years and I went into a handbag shop. All I saw was something kind of similar to mine, but with plastic fake leather for the body/strap of the handbag. The embroidery on the front was lovely, and I said so. And the seller WOULD NOT let me go. In the end I got away, but heard his voice yelling, in English, "I WILL GIVE YOU THIS  PURSE FOR ONLY ONE EURO!"  *lol* 

My cousin's wife found someone at our hotel buffet with a Michigan State shirt on, and wanted to know if she was affiliated with her college. Um, no, sadly. Why do people wear shirts of universities they know nothing about? I have to say, it is very common in Germany to find people wearing American shirts, like NASA, and you know they have never been to NASA. Also, why is NASA a cool thing?

M&Ms at the Tunis airport. 20 bucks!

On return, I tested positive for Corona. 

A few days later, depsite masks, J also tested positive.

He also went to the doctor for a certificate of illness/recovery, because in Europe the proof of recovery is important (for some reason). 

We just got a bill in the mail - 150Euros for his proof of recovery. Why do we have to pay for this? I refused, I would not submit to another larynx text (pain) and I do not believe a prrof of recovery is important. 

We'll see who is right, in the future. 

For now, we're happy to have seen a new continent, and learned so much, and with such wonderful guides, and I look back on those waves wiping me out with fondness.