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Coast between Bizerte-Tabarka

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

Our first goal on our way west to Tabarka was to get as close as possible to the Northernmost point of the African continent, called Ras ben Sakka.

We came as close as Cap Blanc, which is just a few hundred meters away, and we did not feel like climbing all the way over rocks and down cliffs. Therefore we spent some time at Cap Blanc, I went down the cliffs to the beach and was surprised to see the huge amount of marine debris there. Many pieces of plastic had already disintegrated into little pieces and were washed round like grains of sand. For the rest the beach was littered with plastic bottles and pieces of wood and plastic rope.

We continued our way along the coast and drove little pistes through many green and brown fields. After having been to Cap Serrat, which we only reached with difficulty because the road was sometimes partially washed away, we followed the piste very close to the actual coastline. At the horizon near Sidi Mechrig some bad weather moved inland and after we enjoyed the breathtaking view down the coast, two mini tornadoes formed over the water, stayed for a couple of minutes in the air and then disappeared again. When we got to Sidi Mechrig, where a small part of a Roman bathhouse is still standing on a rock, the sun had come out again.

Our next destination was Cap Negro a few kilometres further west, which our map had marked as an outstanding viewpoint. Those few kilometres turned out to be very long kilometres because the track was very rocky and could only be driven in low 4×4 gear. Nevertheless, after about an hour (for 10km) through the mountains down the coast we reached Cap Negro. Cap Negro is inhabited by a small number of fishermen who live in a couple of houses. A lighthouse and the police station complete the little village which can only be reached by this horrible track or by sea.

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Bizerte

Sunday, November 8th, 2009

Bizerte is known as the oldest and most European city in Tunisia. It was founded around 1000 BC by Phoenicians from Tyre. It is also known as the last town to remain under French control (until 1963) after the rest of the country won its independence from France in 1956.

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Ghar al Milh

Saturday, November 7th, 2009

A few kilometres north-east we stopped in the small town of Ghar al Milh, which is also known as Porto Farina. It is a small coastal farming and fishing town. The town was an important base for Barbary pirates until it was destroyed by Admiral Robert Blake in 1654. However the harbour and defences were soon rebuilt and it became a base for British and Maltese pirates. In 1834 a huge arsenal belonging to a Maltese pirate exploded and destroyed part of the town. We walked around the harbour with its colourful fishing boats and then continued our tour to Bizerte.

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Utica

Friday, November 6th, 2009

A few weeks ago we visted the ruins of Utica, which is an ancient city near the outflow of the Medjerda River into the Mediterranean Sea, traditionally considered to be the first colony founded by the Phoenicians in North Africa. Today, its remains are no longer located on the coast where it once lay, but further inland because deforestation and agriculture upriver led to massive erosion and the Medjerda River silted over its original mouth. Except for two other tourists, we found the site deserted. It was lovely, a sunny 25 degrees. You can touch and climb over all the ruins, there are no fences. While there are mainly foundations of houses and stubs of walls left, at a few points there is more. The former glory of the place can be guessed by its floors and the remains of the mosaics. Compared to the other antique sites we have seen, this one is small but yet you need a good map in order to find all the ruins, some are overgrown by plants.

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