The day starts early, it's 7.30 and we are on the road.  Tataouine is just over 100k from the border, we are headed North West in the opposite direction.  Fine with me, Lybia has some issues and we really aren't keen to see them.  Today we will visit with Tunisia's most photographed woman in Tunisia! She lives in the the Berber mountain village of Chenini.  Dating back to the 12th century, this former fortified granary or ksar is built high up on a mountain peak.  Today most of the village is in ruin, some caves are still used for storage and a few inhabitants.  Most of the Berber villagers have moved down the valley to more modern homes.

 The most photographed woman in Tunisia..... and the Berber woman who wanted a picture with her. LOL.  Seriously, this Berber woman is 83 and still lives in the caves.  She appears on most of the Tunisian tourist brochures promoting the area.  She liked having her picture taken, smiling all the time, her beautiful tooth catching the sun.  I mean it when I say one tooth.  Funny, she knew exactly when to hid it, I could not find one picture of her with the lonely piece of enamel showing.   Look closely at the photo, she has a tattoo extending from her lower lip to the bottom of her chin.  In Berber society, this was the wedding ring, marking the woman as married.  The tattoo often outlasting the marriage. Today, this practise is no longer done....the woman are a lot stronger now so it is to hard to hold them down to keep the lines straight. Kidding!

She earns a living by weaving and modelling of course.

The kitchen. A hard life to be sure.  Back on the road.  About 1 hour later,  Ali stops the truck indicating he want to show us something.  We get out and watch him flip rocks,  one, two, three this continues for a few minutes.  With each overturned piece we hear a phrase in Arabic, Sadok is now doing it too.  OK, so maybe this is some Tunisian Sun God tradition, offering thanks for a successful trip.  Just as we are about to follow their lead, Ali grunts, waves and points for us to come.  Here is what the search revealed.

A Scorpion.  We found a few of them.  Enough excitement.  150k to go.  The Spice market at Gabes.

Arriving in Sfax, the rural life is over.  This is a bustling city.  Manufacturing of phosphate, the main industry, with old olive production and fishing rounding out the economy.  Sfax is old, founded in 849 AD.  We are being dropped off at the entrance to the 11th century Medina,  for a walk through the market,  to get to our hotel.  This is the real deal, not a tourist spot, a bit on the dingy side, but full of life. If you can't find it here, it doesn't exist.  Sadok, our intrepid guide is a bit anxious, he is speeding along while we stop to check things out.  It would be easy to get lost in this maze of tunnel like streets, he knows it...... we are oblivious, enjoying the unfamiliar gyrations of the market.

On to the 5 star Golden Yasmine Led Olivier's Hotel, the last hotel of our trip.  This one is truly exceptional.  It feels like a Fairmount Hotel.  We have dinner in the private dining room. Service is excellent and not traditional. YES!!!

Tomorrow, we are visiting El Jem and on of the finest Roman coliseums on earth.

Be well

Salaam