The Sahel

The Sahel, the large flat coastal bulge between the Gulf of Hammamet and the Gulf of Gabés,
has long been one of Tunisia's most important regions, both economically and politically.
Already in pre-Roman times, the area was already dominated by agriculture. The Romans
transformed the area into vast groves of olive trees, which is still the dominant feature of the
region. The wealth generated through the trade of olives and olive oil financed such
spectacular building projects such as the amphitheater at El Jem. In the fertile soils south of
Sousse, the area provides winter salad vegetables for sale in local markets as well as northern
Europe.

While we were driving through the countryside, we spotted some workers harvesting some of
the small black olives in a grove alongside the road. Fine nets were used to catch the olives.
Women, dressed in bright assortments of patterned dresses, performed additional sifting with
handmade plate-sized sifters. Olives were then placed in large, woven baskets, with two
women each carrying the heavy load by the two reinforced handles. Children and donkeys
also helped out. I would have loved to stay longer and observe the process and take more
photos, but the overseer instructed the people to go back to work and we had to continue After
a European-style breakfast, we headed off towards our first destination, the fishing village of
Mahdia. The olive tree groves became more numerous and thicker, standing proudly on the
rich ground. Perhaps this was one of the areas the Romans grew grains and other items for its
empire. Children wearing uniforms walked alongside the road to school, chattering in Arabic
as they clutched their book bags. Cows grazed in the grass, happily munching away. Sheep
abounded, tended by their master.

We arrived when the Friday market day was in full swing. We walked past the local market
outside the medina, where food, produce, cheap plastic ware, and lots of second-hand clothes
were up for sale. We entered the medina through the Skifa el-Kahla, a massive fortified gate
remaining from the original Fatimid city, dating back to about 916 AD. In the narrow, dark
vaulted passageway of about 50 meters, women dressed in traditional clothing were selling a
variety of clothing and beautiful fabric.

The bright sunlight hit us as we stepped out of the passageway and into the cobblestoned
medina. Women clenched white shawls between their teeth, revealing only a partial glimpse
of their bespeckled face or weathered skin. Men sat and chatted on the mosque steps or
beneath the shady trees of central square. Lining the narrow streets were small shops selling
jewelry, woven silk, shoes, as well as workers carrying out their trade. Local shoppers carried
their goods in woven baskets, sometimes each carrying a handle. Unable to reach the fishing
ports and other sites, a return visit is necessary.

The town of Mahdia now claims sardine fishing and tourism as its main industries. Much of
the medina’s original walls were gone, blown up by the Spanish troops in 1550 when they
abandoned the city to the Turks. The original Fatimid mosque was also destroyed in the
process. Located on the tip of the peninsula of Mahdia, the large fortress Borj-el-Kebir stood
on the highest point. Aside from the panoramic views of the city and the clear water, there
wasn't’t much left to see in the fort. We then entered the main part of the medina and
wandered a round for a bit
Still heading south, we stopped at Sfax for a brief tour. The second-largest city in Tunisia has
a well-developed port that handles the export of phosphate (nearly 50 million tons/year) from
the mines at Gafsa. Many of the products I’ve seen in Tunisia are manufactured or packaged
from this coastal city. The rather unspoiled medina, with its wonderful walled entrance, was
used as a location in the film The English Patient. Unfortunately, we arrived at a time in
which nearly all the shops were closed, removing the rather chaotic liveliness and interest I
have come to associate with medinas..