March 19. Tunis.

I got into Tunis airport a little after midnight and got to my hotel at 1:00. Like the cities in Morocco, central Tunis is divided into the old Medina and the modern Ville Nouveau. Bad experiences in the medinas of Fez and Tangier had convinced me to get a hotel in the Ville Nouveau. The old and new parts of town are right next to each other, so I could stay in a comfy modern hotel while still only a twenty-minute walk from the twisty and lively medina streets.

 

I had a problem in Tunis-I hadn't read the travel guide. I had no idea where to go. I've spent the last two days wandering around the medina and the modern strip near Bab al Bahr. I'm quite happy that I stayed in the Ville Nouveau. Modern Tunis is dynamic and lively. I had a great time watching the couples promenade up and down the street on a Thursday night. The restaurants in the Ville are also tastier and cheaper than those in the medina. Touts are completely absent. They must assume that tourists won't venture outside the old city. The Tunis medina is nice, smaller and less touristy than the medina in Marrakech, but those who skip the modern city are really missing out.

 

The Tunis medina has one particular souk you don't expect to find: the sex souk. I'd heard that there was a little side street in the medina where half-naked women beckoned from centuries-old doorways. It's a place where Tunisian men can do all the things they can't do with their proper Muslim girlfriends. The thought of a red-light district in the middle of a conservative Islamic nation—in the capital's historic center, no less—was something I had to see.

 

The red-light was one extremely narrow and winding street. It was somewhat close to one of the entrances but still well hidden from sight. I won't say exactly where it is. In the medina  finding little secret streets is half the fun. When you find yourself surrounded by teenage and 20-something men, and there's not a woman in sight, you know you're close. Follow the sound of loud music and try not to get lost.

 

Before anyone suspects anything, I didn't make a purchase at the sex souk. A walk down that street was experience enough. Middle-aged wrinkly women wearing granny panties stood in high heels and feather boas, their lips a bright red and their cheeks painted blue. Young men, most in their teens, ran from door to door peeking inside to see what was for sale. Some houses opened into steep staircases with a gang of women up top. The men ducked their heads and stared upward. Every now and then one of them sheepishly stepped into a house and quickly slammed the door behind him. The whole thing reminded me of the movie 8 ½, when young Guido goes to see the voluptuous Saraghina. The customers were as big and crazy-eyed as Saraghina herself; and despite their age the customers all acted like little boys looking at a woman for the first time. Viewed as a chance to see beautiful women half-naked, my side trip to the red-light was a disaster. As an opportunity to see a hidden aspect of Tunisian culture, it was a great success.

Comments

[Air Jordans]

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[טיולים מאורגנים]

I had a problem in Tunisia, I had not read the guidebook. I had no idea where to go. I spent the last two days wandering around the medina and the modern band, near Bab Al Bahr. I am very happy that I stayed in the New Town.