Tuesday 23rd April

This morning we visited the island of Djerba linked to the mainland by a 7k causeway across a shallow stretch of sea. The island is very low (15m max) & has many scattered houses between what were the oldest olive trees we have ever seen as with most Tunisian dwellings most under construction or semi derelict. The women here where quite distinctive clothes in the form of white tunic dress with embroidered lines & large coloured squares, a head scarf & a straw hat on top. It is quite a crowded place famous for its Fort dating from Roman & mediaeval times & its old Jewish Synagogue which apparently is a place of pilgrimage. This is guarded by armed police & we had to go through a half hearted bag search & detector to enter it. The design appears unusual to us as it has adjacent rooms for women & men rather than a gallery system & we had to remove our shoes before entering. Some old men were reading from the Torah & discussing things when we were there. Next door is a guest house for all the pilgrims. From there we went to see a local potter making pots etc as this is an important local industry.

In the afternoon we visited Zarsis, surely one of the scruffiest places we have seen so far with not a lot to recommend it to us apart from a small museum.