Marhaban!

(Blogger log in menu was all in Arabic...I think I accidentally just flagged my blog as obscene. Took forever to figure out which link to hit to log in! Dammit, Blogger, quit trying to make things convenient and changing languages on me every time I travel!)

Marhaban. I'm told that's Arabic for hello.

Hello!

We are in Tunisia. We arrived at night and my first impression of the coast was that it looked like a cross between the Texas Gulf Coast and Santa Fe. All low trees, marshes, beaches and low slung houses.

The hotel is huge. Huge, posh and really gorgeous. Especially at night. Whoever designed the place is a master of lighting and has done some gorgeous light effects all over the halls, foyers, lounging areas (of which there are many, you can lounge for hours here and never twice in the same spot!) and rooms.

Yesterday we got up and hung out by the pool. I managed to avoid sunburn on my upper half, while my calves (famous last words "Oh my calves NEVER sunburn!") are red and sunburned as hell. Oops. So now I have to figure out how to even it all out. I suppose I will reverse the lounge technique of yesterday, this time with legs in shade and upper body in sun.

Oh and seriously, word of advice? If you come to a place where lots of Europeans come for sun and holiday (I think we are one of maybe two American couples here) don't be shocked when you see every manner of topless woman lounging about. And, boys, simmer down, because most of them? NOT pretty. Like the ones you might enjoy seeing keep 'em covered, but the droopy ones, the mosquito bites and the INCREDIBLY LARGE SCARY ONES are all just hanging every which way and then some. I mean, holy crap, if those things are gonna hang to your waist, maybe you should stop trying to tan them. They just leave white marks on the belly where the sun didn't hit!

By 2 pm I had burned myself so we went in to the nearest town, Houmt Souk, to check out the weekly market (not so good) and the souks (better). The town is lovely, at least in the older area, all white buildings with brilliant blue window surrounds and doors.

Note the traditional Tunisian birdcages hanging on the right side.

On the right is a Catholic church.

Me in a doorway. Isn't the blue gorgeous?

Our hotel is wickedly over-priced so we bought some shower gels and sunburn creams at about 1/4 what they charge here. Seriously, I was gonna buy some shower gel here (granted a maybe semi schmancy kind from the Thalasso Spa on the premises) but when they told me at check out the price was 64 Tunisian Dirham (about 58 US) I had a heart attack and fled the place. We also got some bottles of water at 1/10th the hotel price.

We had a very nice dinner at a local fish restaurant. Two bottles of rose wine, I can highly recommend Tunisian wines. I also had a traditional Tunisian Salad, which was oh so yummy. I took a picture.

MMMMMMMmmmmmmmm..........

OK, time for my 11:30 water aerobics class! Then more lounging. This vacation is hard work!