Fall Break, Exploring Southern Tunisia - Heading to Douiret, Oct, 2014

Douiret, Tunisia.  This is now one of my favorite place on earth!  Fascinating!

The next morning we drove from the Sahara, south-east, back across Tunisia.  We were heading to the Tataouine area, which is famous if you are a Star Wars fan.  Various scenes from the Star Wars movie was filmed in locations around this area.
The landscape was definitely sandy and very dry looking, but with the jagged peaks, mosques in the middle of nowhere, and the occasional camel, it added interest to the drive.
There are different types of ancient dwellings in this unique area.  It is famous for it's buildings and structures:  underground, some are individual little rounded huts, and many are built into the rocky hills.  The rugged terrain and hot weather makes you wonder why, when and how anyone could live here.  It was beautiful, quite warm for mid-Oct, but not for the 5-star hotel type person.

A bit from Wikipedia:

Tataouine (Arabic: تطاوين‎ Taṭāwīn), is a city located in southern Tunisia. It is the capital of theTataouine Governorate. The below ground, "cave dwellings" of the native Berber population, designed for coolness and protection, render the city and the area around it a tourist and film makers attraction.

The district is famous for its ksour (fortified Berber granaries) including the picturesque Ksar Ouled Soltane, Chenini and Douiret. These abandoned settlements feature vaulted adobe buildings, or ghorfas. 

Some of the local Berber residents live in traditional underground "troglodyte" structures.  The structures typical for the village are created by digging a large pit in the ground. Around the perimeter of this pit artificial caves are then dug to be used as rooms, with some homes comprising multiple pits, connected by trench-like passageways.

We are driving through incredible history and you have to look closely.  An ordinary mountain holds many secrets...

An old Berber ksour.
These were used to live in and/or store grain.

This is now a museum.  We did not stop although the owner
was out near the road trying to flag us in.  There are not
many tourists visiting this area since the revolution in 2010.

Looking down on a small dusty village.  Fascinating though.  The structures are made from clay/stone and look almost like caves.  Then when you look closely, you can also see underground homes.  Good way to beat the heat!

Our first sighting of old underground dwellings called troglodytes.  These are made up of a big center room dug down
into the earth with various small rooms off to the sides.  The side rooms are underground and are like caves.
Cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Little cave dwellings in the hills.

There is

more here

than first

meets the eye.

Look closely...

You can see small villages, caves and ancient stone dwellings in almost every hillside and ridge.

Look closely again...

Magical!

Fall Break, Exploring Southern Tunisia, Ksar Ghilane & the Sahara - Oct, 2014

Last day in the Sahara.
The actual real desert; sand, no trees, wandering for hours and days without water Sahara... (not me, but what I imagined).
 We got back to camp after our camel ride in the desert, just in time to watch the sun go down.  We all gathered again for a short evening around the fire where a fellow made us traditional bread in the sand.  They had coals that were under the sand, they stuck a loaf of bread in there, and voila, in a little bit we had a wonderful loaf of bread.  It was not sandy either.  We asked about that and they said that because the sand was so fine it did not stick to the bread.  I can't imagine doing this in WA state.  We would just have dough full of sand!
Off to our tents for a good night's sleep.  The next morning we took a quick dip in the pool, had breakfast and then Mark and I went to the spa/hammam where we had a massage booked.  I know, I know:  a spa in the desert?  Yep, and it was great!  First the steam room, next a massage.  Our spa fellow was not weird about massaging people (women) because he had been in the business for years and worked at a busy resort on the Sea.
The others lounged and read at the pool while they waited for us.  One fellow traveler went to put on her swimsuit and found a scorpion inside.  So glad she looked first before she put it on!

Such a beautiful setting and experience!

The morning arrived too early but we wanted to watch the sun come up over the Sahara!  We climbed up the "watch tower" which I think was just built for either a movie or for views such as this.  Nothing in this big tower except stairs and a view point for tourists.  But it is a great spot for photos.  Parts of the movie "The English Patient" were filmed in areas around here.   We suspect that this camp was built for the film crew?  We can't figure out why something like this would be built out in the middle of nowhere when there there are so few tourists to keep it in business?  Lovely spot.  A bit expensive, I think the tents and meals were over $350US a day for a double.  It was much more than any other spot in Tunsia.  But worth the cost for a day or two; just for the once-in-lifetime experience and the great photos!

Waking up early to trek up the stairs in this
tower for the sunset shots!

There are many beautiful sunsets to view in this world.  But it was a magical experience to see the sun come up over the Sahara.  Especially after a night of sleeping soundly in a large tent while recovering from the muscle aches from riding the camels out to see an ancient fort in the middle of all that sand!

Yes indeed.  Oh, the places we will go!