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Story & Photography By Susan McKee
Roman ruins surrounded me as I stood, looking out at the clear blue expanse of the Mediterranean. Yet, I wasn’t anywhere near Rome. I wasn’t even on Italian soil. I was on the south coast of the sea, standing amidst the remains of an enormous Roman bath on the site of ancient Carthage.
Now an upscale suburb of the capital of Tunisia, this UNESCO World Heritage Site once was the second largest city in ancient history (eclipsed only by Alexandria).
I had looked at the map before I set off for Tunisia, and I was surprised to see how small the Mediterranean actually is. There are only about 100 miles of water between Sicily and Tunisia – easy to motor across these days, but sometimes treacherous in ancient times. The seabed is said to be littered with the remains of  Roman transport ships.
Now, it’s a mere two-hour hop by plane from Paris to Tunis. It’s simple to see how this small country hugging the seacoast has become so popular with European tourists in search of sand and sun.
The Phoenicians, who dominated Mediterranean Sea commerce from their homeland centered where modern Lebanon is now, established Carthage in about 800 BCE. Virgil wrote that Aeneas – the mythic founder of Rome – spend time here on his way from the Trojan War. Later, Hannibal launched his elephant-led invasion of the Roman Empire from his hometown of Carthage.
But it was Rome that eventually triumphed over Carthage, transforming it from enemy lair into one of the most important cities of the empire. The ruins I explored were reminders of imperial power and wealth – the extensive bathing complex (with hot springs, cold water pools and more, spread over 4-1/2 acres) was completed  in the second century CE under the direction of the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius.
It’s easy to spend time here, and wandering in the nearby Archeological Park, but all of Tunis awaited me. Who knew that there was an American cemetery and memorial in this North African country! Some 2,841 men and women who died during World War II are buried here, and an additional 3,724 of the missing are memorialized. Mosaic tablets tell the story of the fighting in this part of the world.
 Historic mosaics are the stars at Tunis’ Bardo Museum. I spent an afternoon in this former Ottoman palace filled with both Roman and Carthaginian examples ranging from tomb memorials to entire floors constructed from tiny squares of colored stone.
The next day, I headed to the medina (old town), an oval-shaped warren of streets packed with all the traditional delights of an Arab souk, including brass tea sets, ceramic tiles and colorful scarves. Although the city walls that once enclosed it are gone, a few of its iconic gates remain. The oldest, Bab Djedid, was erected about 1276.
All the posh shops are on nearby Avenue Habib Bourguiba. At its northern end, just before the medina, is Place de l'Indépendance  dominated by the massive neo-Romanesque façade of the Cathedral of St.-Vincent-de-Paul. It may seem odd that a Roman Catholic cathedral built in 1882 still serves its congregation, but tolerance is a mantra in Tunisia, long a crossroads of cultures.
Tunisia is an Arab country with a Muslim majority now, but it once had a significant Jewish population. Nazi occupation during World War II, emigration to Israel, and riots during the Six-Day-War propelled most Jews out of the country. For the 1,500 to 2000 who remain (primarily in Tunis and on the island of Djerba), there is no bigger holiday than the relatively obscure religious festival of Lag B’Omer.
Taking place on 18th day of the Jewish month of Iyar, it celebrates spring (at least, that’s one of the many explanations for the holiday). Some seven thousand pilgrims, primarily those whose families once lived in Tunisia, descend on the island of Djerba each year.
 Although its current building on the island (just off the coast at Gabès) is less than a century old, a synagogue has been on this site for more than 2000 years. There are many legends around El Ghriba Synagogue. One says that a “holy stone” (probably a meteorite) fell to earth exactly here (it’s housed in a niche behind the sanctuary). Another says the stone is from the altar of the First Temple of Jerusalem, which was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE.
Perhaps most surprising is its name: El Ghriba refers to a “wonder-worker”, a specific woman whose body survived a fire unscathed and is said to grant fertility to female petitioners. Those hoping to become pregnant write their names on eggs and place them in the niche with the holy stone along with prayers to El Ghriba.
The festival, which originated in the Sephardic community of Jews who lived in Spain and other Mediterranean lands, draws both the religiously observant and the spectator to El Ghriba. A key part of the celebration is the procession of the  menorah. Unlike the rather sedate candelabra seen in most Jewish households and temples, this is an over-the-top wedding cake of a wooden candelabra mounted on a pushcart.
Not that anyone can see it after the first block or so of its progression through town on Lag B’Omer! The tradition is to throw scarves on it. Masses and mounds of wisps of silk are collected on the menorah, and hundreds of people – men, women and children – walk behind the mound of colorful fabric as it makes its way back to the synagogue. (Since head coverings are required of women entering the synagogue, this huge accumulation of scarves is put to good use throughout the year.)
The whole day is filled with celebration and feasting (the most amazing food comes out of the rather primitive kitchens in the complex across the street from the  synagogue). Prominent Muslim politicians come from Tunis to speak to the crowds, and (at times) the security personnel almost outnumber the visitors. There was a terrorist attack in 2002 that killed more than a dozen German and French pilgrims to Lag B’Omer, and the Tunisian government is determined to prevent a recurrence by stationing sharpshooters on rooftops, mandating police checkpoints and other security initiatives.
The market town of Houmt Souk, which also serves as the capital city of Djerba, contains a welter of shops and open-air booths filled with the specialties of the region, including pottery, jewelry and baskets. Be sure to ask one of the vendors  for a demonstration of the “magic camel” – a pitcher with holes in both the top and the bottom as well as a spout. The lively fish auction is something you’ll not see in other markets, where the wares are typically sold by individual vendors.
Fine dining and great places to stay are available in the larger tourist-oriented towns of Tunisia. Near the capital city, you can’t go wrong with one of the eateries in the posh suburb of Sidi Bou Said (for example, Au Bon Vieux Temps). On Djerba, try Fatroucha, near the town of Middoun. Along the Tunisian coast, any of the seaside  restaurants around Sousse are good choices.
Five-star hotels are found both in Tunis and on Djerba, with the Melia, Movenpick, Radisson, Sofitel and other familiar brands in evidence. One especially luxurious property is the newly-opened Hasrubal Prestige, about eight miles from Houmt Souk on Djerba. In addition to 222 suites (the largest is more than 3,444 square feet and includes four separate bedrooms), there are five restaurants, a beach barbecue eatery and a spa. The Golf Club of Djerba is next door, and the Casino of Djerba is across the street.
© September 2008 LuxuryWeb Magazine. All rights reserved.
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