The salt lake of Chott El Jerid is the largest salt pan in the Sahara. Its in the middle of Tunisia close to the Algerian border.

Chott means a lake that is dry in the hot season but has water in winter. In summer this area is covered by a salt crust . Long ago it was part of the Mediterranean sea but now you drive along an elevated causeway. On either side you can see the sun shining on the salt, combined with the shimmering heat this creates mirages.  Halfway along here are souvenir stalls selling desert roses and strange sculptures by the side of the road. Of course the tourists (even us) have to sit in the boat on the dry sea!

 

Mides

 

A drive through the desert took us to an oasis and then  the Mides gorge. It is very dramatic and has a  small village next to it. Photos (mine anyway)  really don’t do it justice. Close by there is an abandoned Berber village. Twenty two days of continuous rain destroyed it in 1969.

 

 

Matmata

The Berber village of Matmata is the most famous of several troglodyte villages.

The houses were cut into the rock to protect from the heat meaning the rooms have a constant temperature of 17°C.

Many of the houses are still lived in  and for a fee  you can visit a typical home and be shown round by the occupants.

Starwars was filmed here and it could easily be another world!

A Desert Camel Ride

 

JP likes camel rides. I have ridden a camel before and was persuaded against my better judgement to do it again. If you survive the camel getting up without you falling off you will soon begin to ache.

A lot.

I was not meant to ride a camel.

End of story.