Tunisia: El Kef

Located 100km inland, like Bulla Regia, El Kef was also a Roman colony, but remains a town to the present day. The town perches on a small hill topped by two forts, mostly of Ottoman origin. There are remains of Roman baths, fountains, and aqueducts.

Even though we were in town on a Friday,the mosques didn't seem particularly busy. We had expected otherwise. We did run into a few restaurants that were not tightly shut, but they only served a single set menu. We are beginning to think that while Ramadan iftar "break fast" in other countries may be a feast, Tunisians are more restrained, maybe like observing Lent, which makes more sense to me.

Our hotel room was above a vegetable street market and had a view towards the Fortress.




Though the El Kef Fortress (Kasbah) is free to visit, boys will be boys.


View from the Fortress to a northern section of the city wall (1st below) and a video of a similar view (2nd)




The Fortress Parade Grounds.


Video: Walking by the El Kadiria Mosque During Friday Prayers


Remnants of the Roman Aqueduct.


The tourist office was closed but there was a helpful ceramic tile map outside.


The Art Deco CIRTA CINEMA


Two views of the Streamline Moderne Art Deco CTAMA Building.




Inside the Medina.


Walking through the souks (shops) inside the medina.


The Fish Market.


The amazing arches of the Roman Baths.


John in the Medina near the Madressa.


Corner fruit and vegetable market.


View to the Fortress at Night

Tunisia: Roman Dougga

On our way from El Kef to Tunis, we stopped at Dougga, a UNESCO archeological site. The last time we came to Tunis we were not confident enough with using the louage. We are finally checking it off.

Dougga is a good size site. It has preserved public as well as private buildings. The crazy thing is villagers were living among the ruins until the 1950s when the Tunisian government created Novelle Dougga and relocated everyone to it. The best of the mosaics were moved to museums.

Without the mosaics in situ, I wasn't particularly impressed with Dougga, but I realized the significance of Dougga lies in the 2nd century BCE mausoleum, a rare example of the confluence of Egyptian, Greek, and Punic/Libyan, and bore a stone plaque (now in the British Museum) in both Punic and Libyan scripts, a "Rosetta Stone" for the ancient Libyan script.

House of the Trifolium


12-Seat Public Latrine at House of the Three Cyclops. Later in the trip, at the Bardo Museum, we will see the mosaic of the Three Cyclops that was removed from here.


Standing on the road to Carthage is the Eastern Gate: Arch of Septimius Severus




Check out the Greek Columns on the 1st level, and the 4-horse chariot on the 2nd on the Libyco-Punic Mausoleum.


The view from the Temple of Saturn.


We take a rest on the top row of the Theatre ruins.




Ourselfies at the Forum Complex with the Capitol building behind.


The Capitol Pediment depicts an eagle carrying the emperor up to godhood.


The View through the Capitol's Columns (1st below) and the iconic view (2nd below) from a spot that was a habitation until the 1950's.




Temple of Juno.


The Western Gate is the Triumphal Triumphal Arch of Alexander Severus.


The view to the surrounding countryside from near the Licinian Baths.


Licinian Baths




Another view back to the Capitol as seen from the Licinian Baths.


Walking to the exit along a field of fava beans.


Panoramic view of the site with Theatre at left, and Capitol at right.

Tunisia: Bulla Regia

On the way from Tabarka to El Kef, we stopped to visit the Roman archeological site of Bulla Regia. Thought to be the capital of one of the Numidian kingdoms, Bulla Regia became a Roman colony and prospered with olives and wheat from the surrounding plains. Though it's a small site, the prosperity is still visible in the traces of the mosaic that covered all the rooms in over a dozen villas that have been excavated. While the best ones have been preserved in museums, a few were left in situ, as many villas have living areas underground to shield from heat, a unique feature of the site. Bulla Regia is exquisite.

Below is the rolling green agricultural landscape of northern Tunisia as seen from the shared taxi. The near fields are fava beans; the far, wheat and grass.


The site is a 10 minute taxi ride from the town of Jendouba.


Tickets are 8 tunisian dinars for international visitors, about 2.75 USD. There was a slight rain when we arrived, but it stopped in a few minutes.


Palace Ruins.


Theatre Ruins


The House of Venus and its underground rooms and mosaic.




First below, a view of the House of the Hunt from a small hill, then second from down below in the dining room.






And a few more photos: the so-called New Hunt Mosaic.