In Gabes, the allegedly only sea side oasis in the world (all others
are supposedly inland in desert landscape), half a million date trees
grow merrily away, male and female. Taking into account that only
female palms bear fruit, there are still 250.000 of them producing
dates. Then discounting the dates which happen to be at the bottom of
the 63 grades of quality heap, there still should be an awful lot of
dates around the market here in this small Tunisian town.I did not find a single date ....lots of spices, teas and herbs, even
figs - but no dates.The oasis is rich as far as the biggest treasure in a desert is
concerned: water! 10.000 gallons feed the vast orchards of palm trees,
fruit trees an vegetable fields - all from various underground sources.
Going bak even to the Punic Wars and before then to the Phoenician
settlements, Gabes was favoured as a source of fresh water for traders,
soldiers, sailors and of course the local residents.Olives, who are extremely hardy grow in abundance as well. There are 55
million olive trees in the country, But olives themselves were
conspicuously absent from the shelves of the local mini souk. By the
way black and green olives come from the same trees, the black ones are
just harvested later than the green ones, after the oile has been
absorbed by the fruit and coloured it 'black'.
But, is was Friday, Holy Day for Muslims, and only the more 'worldly'
believers had opened their stalls for the caravan of tourists buses
delivering their loads for the obligatory 'shopping stop'.Most of us returned from a visit to Matmata Mountains, which separate
the sea from the Sahara almost for the entire length of Tunisia, ending
in neighbouring Lybia.Up in these barren and stark mountains, almost imitating a lunar land
scape, live the Troglodytes. A tribe of Berber origins, who to this day
lives in underground dwellings. They dwell inside dug out caves, well hidden from the eyes of invading
enemies (at least unjtil cross country roads were constructed) and
protected from the furnace heat of desert summers and the bitter cold
of desert winters. Many are only accessible by rope, as they are dug into the ground like
a huge round well with vertical walls. In two stories below, rooms fan
out from the low center court yard, granaries on the upper floors and
living quarters on the bottom level ones.Today, many owners have opened their underground homes to tourist
visitors. They proudly show off their modest dwelling, offering freshly
baked bread and hot peppermint tea with almonds floating inside.
Hollywood was here...Luke Skywalker's boyhood home was set here. Four
of Star Wars episodes were filmed here, as well as Indiana Jones and
Riders of the Lost Ark, The English Patient and Monty Python's The Life
of Brian.
Welcome orchestra on the pier of Gabes, Tunisia
Trodlodyte house in Matmata Mountains
It maybe a desert, but sometimes it blooms, even in Matmata.
Desert 'spring', water tap beside a Troglodyte home
Blue Doors on every house, the only colour sometimes in a vast expanse of orchre
Incense for sale in the space market
Figs and dried Peppers, but no Dates....
A mountain of Henna for sale in the market
Your trinket engraved with any name you want...
Basket ware for farmers
Berber Woman in traditional veil
Berber Men active with traditional past time - drinking a lot of tea in the cafe houses
