Doha, Qatar
The skies were clear and on the way to Tunisia, we could see one of the most recently constructed hotels, Katara Towers, opened to the public in January 2023. The building is shaped like crossed scimitars, the popular Qatari double-sword design. It is actually 2 hotels, the Fairmont and the Raffles, each occupying one side of the Towers. The hotels are ultra luxurious; the suites have private pools, cinemas, personal butlers, and much more.
It rained when my husband and I landed in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. The weather was surprisingly mild and even chilly sometimes. It was not what I expected from Africa in April. We took a taxi to the hotel, checked in and went to have a look around. There was military presence on the main avenue due to the recent protests against the president and the immigration issues but the city was back to its usual business.
The streets were full of traders selling everything from old shoes to packets of serviettes. Trash was everywhere, piled along the curbs and in the corners.
Tunisia was a French protectorate from 1881 to 1956 by treaty. The Tunisian government ruled the country under the guidance of France that helped to modernize Tunisia. The old grand buildings built by the French are still standing. Some were renovated but many look derelict and uninhabited.
A local man offered to show us something interesting. We followed him to a carpet store and then up the steps to the rooftop.
We thanked our guide and gave him a small tip, walked around the market and the city center, found no open place to eat in the Ramadan, bought some food at a supermarket being too hungry to wait till the sunset, had dinner in our hotel room and called it a day.