The expedition diaries Tunisia (15-28 April 2003)                               If you want to have photo or video materials about Tunisia - write us a letter.

Mysterious town Sidi Bou Said Sidi Bou Said, this very "oversmart" little town, is situated not far away from Tunis and Carthage on the Mediterranean coast. It was named in honour of the saint Bou-Said Halaf El Bedgi. He opted for this place to meditate. The Moroccan by origin, the saint Bou Said preached sufism - an Islamic mystical doctrine. Upon the legend, this practicing ascetic could communicate with God without any mediators. He possessed other super abilities - for example, helping patients without medicines. So, to isolate himself from the outside world in this exquisite place, certainly, was out of the question: a lot of sick and crippled men visited him. The looking for spiritual perfection came to his place to be advised and ruled. As soon as the saint passed away, a mosque was constructed at the place of his death. Today's Sidi Bou Said is a small fascinating town. A combination of two colours: bright blue doored and windowed white small houses draw your attention appealing to be inserted in the picture. We strolled leisurely through serpentine narrow neat as new pin streets. You are amazed at an organic combination of old and new: Andalusian styled blue front doors with modern interphones and ancient pig-iron doorknockers. Up-to-the-minute expensive cars are visible in the courtyards of low small houses that look a lot alike. Firmly closed bared windows keep the mystery of the houses. The town gives the impression to hide, our eye falls on "cover", "facade". What the interior is like, is to guess. The life stopped under a hot scorching sun, squeezing into the shade. The single open door gives the view of a tiny courtyard of three similar blue doors, firmly closed this time. The town inhabitants would have been sick and tired of meandering sightseers in streets. So the beautiful white tiled benches with traditional blue-green design are desert. And how easy you can fancy yourself some houses' proprietors sitting on them: they are gazing around them, talking to each another with gestures having made themselves comfortable in the shade of their own residence. A small restaurant of a romantic name "At old kind times", a haunted place of artists and poets, tempts us to have a rest. We find ourselves in the main street of Sidi Bou Said. "Shops of miracles" are grouped there. Exorbitant choice of goods beyond your mind. Your eyes cannot stop to choose something specific, and you can't but hold your hand to the wallet. It is worth entering and rummaging - and apart from a classical set of the most common souvenirs - sandy roses of the Sahara, handmade carpets, Arab scarfs, rough dull scabbarded daggers, and inevitable camel's statuettes, you may find an original stunning ancient object. For example, we were fond of lamps with asymmetric translucent leathered shade. Russian vacationers are evidently known in this small town. Many shops welcome us in almost fluent Russian, smilingly offering to enter, to choose and buy. A quick look back. Think of a wish and leave Sidi Bou Said. This city is said to have been keeping a mystical power till now. It's possible that our wishes, thought here, should come true. Next: >>>  Museum Bardo

e-mail:	Update: 30 March 2004	Support TV company "Svoy Krug"