Remembering a Tunisian Farewell
Photo: Horse mosaics, Bardo MuseumThis morning I looked from my room in the Hotel Diplomat for the last time onto the bleached buildings and rooftop balconies of Tunis. A cloud hid the edge of the great continent of Africa.
In the final hours of the conference yesterday, my eyes began to close. As sleep stole upon me, my vision was filled with images of blue-painted doorways, blue tiles and pottery, rows of ancient columns abandoned in the hot sun.
Again I smelled the fragrance of the little nosegays of jasmine buds that are sold by children in the city. Many people buy and wear them. I bought my first for one dinar from a boy of about ten as we sat in the patio cafe of the El Hana, eating French-style chocolate mousse.
In my brief dream I tasted again the flesh of sun-ripened figs, sweet melons, and tiny hard pears. Once more I was buoyed up by the salty sea as I plunged from the scorching sand into the cool relief of the bright water. Again I heard the echoing call of the muezzin, Allah'hu Akbar, God is great.
After our final dinner at l'Orient, I had to say farewell to my new friends, and then, at Tunis-Carthage airport, to this lovely country. One day I will return, inshallah.