Preview of Wareameye's blog at TravelPod. Read the full blog here: http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wareameye/22/1254478857/tpod.html This blog preview was made by TravelPod using the TripAdvisor™ TripWow slideshow creator. Entry from: Tunis, Tunisia Entry Title: "Sbeitla and Kairouan" Entry: "Our attempt to leave at 6:30am is thwarted by the fact that someone's phone got knocked off the hook last night, and the wake-up call didn't come through. Everything happens for a reason, however, and the delay changes our plans so that the day works out better anyway. When we arrive in Sbeitla to tour the ruins of the 3rd century Roman town of Sufetula, it is clear that no matter how quickly we run through the site we will not make it to Kairouan before the noon closing of the Grand Mosque because today is Friday, the Islamic day of congregational prayer. Knowing that takes the pressure off us and our driver, and we can relax and enjoy the Roman site at a leisurely pace. Arriving in Kairouan we eat lunch, then visit the famous sites in the city including the Aghlabid Basins, built in 860, the tomb of Sidi Sahab (a companion of the Prophet Mohammad), and the Great Mosque which is one of the oldest (and largest) places of prayer in the Islamic world, and the fourth most important pilgrimage destination after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. So we missed the noon deadline to enter the courtyard and peer into the Mosque itself, but now the Imam is giving the Friday sermon and the doors are wide open, and even though we cannot take photos we are able to peer in and get a sense of the size of the structure and how the people attend the event. Our guide has mercifully spared us the daily shopping stops that others typically insert (unasked) into the schedule. Today we indulge him in one visit to a carpet shop. The merchants reveal their wares with gusto, but only a few are seriously interested in purchasing something. While they shop, most of us wander through the Medina of Kairouan. We hit the road again, and make it to Tunis exactly at 7pm. We bid farewell to one of our traveling companions tonight who must leave tomorrow, then go to the Café de Paris to sit on the sidewalk and watch the people. It isn't long before we are surrounded by gorgeous young men who are giving us the beautiful Tunisian eyes. It has been a long day, but one which I consider a complete success!" Read and see more at: http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/wareameye/22/1254478857/tpod.html Photos from this trip: 1. "Arch of Diocletian" 2. "Temple of Juno Group Photo" 3. "Among the Ruins" 4. "Distant Temples" 5. "The Roman Theatre" 6. "The Stage Area" 7. "Aghlabid Basins" 8. "Mosque Courtyard" 9. "Grand Mosque of Kairouan" 10. "Kairouan Medina" 11. "Shopping" 12. "Dazzling Array of Stuff" 13. "Cafe Culture" See this TripWow and more at http://tripwow.tripadvisor.com/tripwow/ta-0126-ee78-2a9b?ytv4=1

• published: 01 Apr 2011
• views: 398