NO MARMITE IN TUNISIA
Life In Tunisia For British Expats
Entertainment
Entertainment For All The Family
Evenings out in Tunisia during the summer months are very different to those in England. Firstly we have the weather, guaranteed, almost every day of the year. I still have the very British habit of watching the weather forecast every day, but you can definitely be certain that you will need neither brolly nor cardigan however many times you go out. 
Entertainment can be as lively or as quiet as you please, ranging from discoteques, hotel based animation, or restaurants (open-air of course!) to theatre and festivals, mint tea in a pavement cafe or simply sitting on a beach under the stars. What you won't find in Tunisia are drunken fights or even ladies thowing up all over pavements, which has become commonplace in Britain. Children are not frowned upon when seen out late at night and are welcomed in most places.
Concerts And Festivals
If your French is good, theatres, cinema performances and concerts like the recent performances by Mariah Carey in Tunis, Rhythm and Blues in Hammamet Yasmine and the Jazz Festival in Tabarka are all advertised in La Presse, a daily Tunisian newspaper (link below) or you could also check out the Wanadoo Tunisia website (link below) which includes dates and performances for festivals this summer (2006) in El Jem, Hammamet and Carthage.
Photo credit to the Tunisian Tourist Office
Fun Roman Style
If you like something a little bit different the Dougga International Festival, held between July and August this year (2006), in the Roman amphitheatre itself will host some of the biggest names in the classical and theatrical worlds. Just bring a cushion and enjoy!
Mosaic Making In Bizerte
The annual International Festival of Bizerte held also between July and August (2006) will give visitors their chance to attend a summer school and learn about arts, crafts and mosaic making.
If you have satellite television, the Tunisian channel, TV7 Tunis, available on Arabsat and Hotbird has been showing different parts of the country this summer and the many events taking place.
If any of you are aware of something great happening in Tunisia and wish to let us fellow Brits know, please either email me on nomarmiteintunisia@yahooo.fr or talk about it
in the online guestbook.
SUMMERTIME FUN IN HAMMAMET
SOUSSE SUMMER 2007
In Sousse, this summer, expats living there were waiting to see what happened with the gigantic, hot air balloon, which appeared at Menchia Beach. Looking extremely stunning in the night sky, we now have the updates, further down the page, including amazing photographs and all the info and prices!
Medinat Azahra Parc
Discover 3000 years of Tunisian history.
Learn about 6 cultures, the many civilisations who have conquered, lived and died, fought, won and lost battles and who make up the fascinating story of the country of Tunisia
Browse and experience the wonders of the ancient craftsmen
Live the life of a nomad Bedouin, sharing their traditions of bread making, goat milking, dancing and songs
Marvel at the knights competing on pure blood Arab horses in tournaments and races
Enjoy dinner and entertainment in the Restaurant Alzahra
Witness 100 actors perform a spectacular sound and light show, never before achieved in Africa
2007 Prices
15 Tunisian Dinars for the show
15 Tunisian Dinars for the dinner
25 Tunisian Dinars for the show and the dinner together
Discounts for children
Opening Times
Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 8.00 pm
The Sound and Light Show commences 9.30 pm
300 metres from the autoroute Tunis - Sousse
Take the Kalaa Kebira exit turning left towards Kondar
For more information visit the website
http://www.medinat-alzahra.com/
Man In The Hat's Visit To The Cultural Centre Hammamet
A place that I had been eager to visit for a long time was the International Cultural Centre in Hammamet.
The former house and gardens of one of Hammamet's most famous residents Georges Sebastian, has been enjoyed also by famous visiting intellectuals and important personalities such as Sir Winston Churchill and Field Marshall Rommel.
It has been described as one of the most beautiful villas in the Mediterranean, where one can tour the house and gardens, enjoy refreshments around the sumptuous pool, or during the summer months be entertained in the open-air amphitheatre hosting concerts such as the recent performance in the summer of 2007 by the Blues Brothers!
It was therefore a little disappointing to say the least, that by September everything seemed to be closed and finished for the winter. The gardens, exactly as described, were glorious, although I suspect that originally when the house was first built, there would not have been the noisy traffic as an added feature, from the nearby road between Hammamet and Hammamet Yasmine!
The pool was half empty, the house even emptier, with only a disgruntled looking cleaner, who seemed to take an instant dislike of me (must have been the hat!)
I was glad that no refreshments were being served, as Ramadan had already started, but if this was not the reason, as many tourists do not visit Tunisia in the summer months, but choose the slightly cooler ones to do their sightseeing, this seems to be a little short-sighted on somebody's behalf!
One definite plus is the amphitheatre! Try and take in at least one concert there during the summer months. With views to die for, straight over the sea, I believe that it would not matter who the artists were, but to sit there on a balmy, summer night, enjoying the views and taking in the atmosphere would definitely give one their money's worth and more!
Conclusion
Entrance is 3 dinars for the house and grounds (2007). Concerts are extra and advertised on the walls outside of the centre, by van and loud speaker touring the towns, in La Presse daily newspaper or on Mosaique FM, the local radio station.
Worth visiting, but only in the summer months!
Stunning Menchia Beach, Sousse, And Its Hot Air Balloon!
Email From Menchia Beach, Sousse, 7th January 2008
Hi Melanie
Up to date photo of Hot Air Balloon taken today 7th January - temps were 20
degrees at hottest part of the day! Cost 20 dinars - tethered balloon
rises to 150 metres - lasts about 15 minutes. Went up today - panoramic
views amazing! (My house looks like a doll's house from on board!) At base
which is very smart & clean in red & white, there is a wifi cafe, pottery
shop, outside cafe area and ample parking. The road in (opposite Emeraude
Bleu) is completely finished now - no longer a dirt track.
Speak later
Sandra
