My Trip to the Tunis Medina/ The day Katie was spoiled beyond all reason

This morning I woke up early because I was told my host sister and her husband were going to take me to a mosque. I was very excited and thought that I would be attending a prayer service with them. Instead it was the start of an individual tour through a world heritage site, the Tunis Medina.
The first place I was taken was to the Sidiki School. The almamater of my host brother-in-law, the university was built in the 1700’s. The school is the classical style of an old Arab home and is based around a center courtyard. I would have been given a tour but the classes were in session. After I left the university we walked through the government place where all the magistrates are held. Next week is a national holiday so all of the buildings where decked out in red, white and of course, pictures of the president.

Both my host sister and her husband Sofen work toward preserving historical houses in the medina, for this reason they have free rein of all the historical sites in the city. Sofen was born in the Medina and knows the ins and outs of the labyrinth of souks. For this reason I was given the precious opportunity to be shown by a expert historian who not only knew the meanings behind each product but he seemed to know each shopkeeper by name and brought me treats and gifts (read the title). I have entered the medina before but each time from the main tourist gate that faces avenue Bourguiba. Once I enter I usually get overwhelmed by the pushy shopkeepers who have absolutely no concept of personal space. This time however, I was traveling with Tunisians and I felt safe and was unaccosted even in the “dicey” parts of town where the leather tanners work (now I think this is because Sofen looks like a shorter version of Andre the giant but that could just be me).

The old Arab cities seem to be senseless maze to western outsiders but in reality everything has a reason. The high winding walls keep the heat out in the summer and in during the winter however the major reason for these walls is for defense. The medina is in a strict layout based around the central mosque with the “superior” trades like in the grand souk of the chechias (the small red hat worn by respected men) and gold to the souks of leather and blacksmiths. Sofen took me around all of these souks teaching me about each one, I learned about how the Souk of gold was originally a Jewish souk and in the souk of perfumes I learned that musk is the basis for all traditional perfumes. For my breakfast we found this tiny hole in the wall that sells delicious breakfast sandwiches make of butter, dates and honey in soft sweet bread. After the adventure in the souks we went to Sofens work, which just happens to be in the place of the Bey (king) in the 1500’s before they moved to Bardo. There was no one else in the massive house and I was given a private tour of the courtyard, parlors and individual apartments (once again see title).
After all this I imagined that I was being spoiled enough for one day by we had to drop by Emna’s work. If I thought that this would be dull I was sorely mistaken, Emna also works in a old mansion about 300 years old. I was given free rein to explore while she took care of her work. As you may imagine I went a little crazy running up and down old stairways but I didn’t stray to long because her desk was set up in the mens salon, which is the most ornate part of the house. During this time I met some of Emnas co-workers and they suggested that she take me to a few more museums (heartbreaking I know). I then was given a whirlwind tour of the center for popular arts and traditions which has recreated 19th century life be using hilariously fake dummies. After that we went to the tomb of the Bey, which was four central rooms filled with tombs (women separated of course). The tombs are bizarre with the bays chosen headwear on top the tomb but no mention of the name. As we where all heading home (after I ate my delicious cactus fruit and washed it down with Turkish coffee) Emna tried to smuggle me into a mosque. She knew how disappointed I was that I didn’t get to see the interior of the Zitouna Mosque and was determined to so me the interior of another. We covered our heads with scarves she brought for the occasion and she took my hand. We were quickly ushered into a small side door by the groups of men standing outside of the mosque. This was the room for the women that was surrounded by walls made of something like straw. These walls allowed in sound from the main room but didn’t allow anyone to see out or in. Emna was not happy about this because she wanted to me to see the main room. We left and then she lead me to the main door of the Mosque where I looked into the main room. It was quite beautiful with mats covering the entire floor and marble columns. Emna then told me to take a picture, I asked her if that was rude. She told me no, prayer was not going on now and the mosques where for all people. The moment I took my camera out of my bag, men started yelling at me and grabbed my arm. Emna then got into a argument with them and I put my camera back not wanting to make things worse. We where then forcibly escorted from the courtyard. Emna was very angry and told me that those men “where not the guardian of the mosque’ and that it should have been fine to take a picture from the doorway. She is a very religious person (for example I asked her about how she felt about the small women’s room and she said “at peace”) yet she was very shook up by how we where treated.
After all of this it was time to go home except….I had told them when I first came that I had worked at a zoo. So they took me to the Tunis zoo! It was a little zoo with outdated cages and exotic animals like raccoons and mallard ducks. Still I had a great time and it was a great way to end one of my favorite days in Tunis.

Ok this is my 4th time trying to post this....So i'm not even going to try adding on pictures. I promise to add picture when I return to the south in a week. Thats right im going to the land of palms, dates, sand and STAR WARS. I AM SO EXCITED!

anyway I promise to add many many pictures when I return. I won't be able to get online for a week but I will have my cell on me if you need to contact me.
I really miss everyone and will be home in five weeks!

<3
Katie