The view back to Tabarka was as stunning as one I’d ever seen…
The breakwaters of the old harbour reach out and embrace the most exquisite bay...
The Gypsy Biker World Tour finds a little piece of Heaven on the Tunisian coast...
The little town lay nestled on the shores of an exquisite blue sea, with a harbour on each side of a spit of land that jutted out into the Mediterranean… On the western side was a bay that had once been a harbour… Two sets of concrete blocks had been laid out into the sea, forming arms which guarded the shoreline. People were leaping off these blocks and into the sea while I stood watching from high up above the town… To the east, a new harbour had been built, and fishing vessels were lined up at the concrete docks, or waiting to berth with their catches of Sardines and Pilchards…
The bay where people swam and kayaked...
In the bay below me, I could see shoals of fish swimming below the clear blue surface of the water… A few guys snorkeling nearby didn’t seem to notice them, or perhaps were so used to seeing them that they no longer took any notice…
The ancient fort of Tabarka, which guarded the entrance to the old harbour...
Across the bay on a hill facing the sea, stood the old fort of Tabarka, it’s stone walls a testament to the Romans who had built it long ago… Behind it was a newly built lighthouse, painted in the favourite white and blue colours that Tunisians prefer, as opposed to the normal red and blue that the rest of the world favoured…
Looking back onto the beaches and new harbour in the background...
The sight of the many shades of blue and the white beaches was captivating, and I sat on the low wall next to road and looked down and all around me… Cars that I had zooted past in the last hour passed me by, hooting greeting as they went… It was both a happy and sad moment for me… I wished that there was someone with me to share in the beauty of what I was witnessing… I pall of loneliness settled over me as I sat there, threatening to negate my happy achievement of reaching Cap Blanc earlier in the day… I stood up, shaking my head to dispel the feeling and called home to describe the scene before me to my family… I desperately wanted to share this with someone, and felt much better having heard my sister’s and mother’s voice on the far side of the continent…
From higher up, I looked down over the village and wished I could stay longer...
They were delighted that I had reached another of my goals, and wished me a safe journey to Oran… But it wasn’t the same as having someone there with you, not necessarily to talk to, but just to BE THERE, seeing the beauty around us and confirming that it moved them just as much as it did me…
To the northwest of the town lies another bay, more secluded and just as beautiful...
Tabarka… I made a mental note to try and come back here some day…
©GBWT 2010
Thanks for the photo’s of Tabarka; they are exactly as you explained when we spoke the day you arrived there. Your excitement was felt here in Uvongo, RSA; we were all so happy for you. I know that there are days when you feel the loneliness of this solo adventure; but know that we are with you in spirit and will speak to you as often as we can. We would like to also take this opportunity to thank you once again for sharing YOUR wonderful journey with all of us who are your daily followers. You have us HOOKED! Looking forward to Europe, GypsyBiker!!!!!
Ronnie, respect for your achievement!
You made only 1 mistake. Spain is NOT going to win the wordcup so you better hit the throttle and get over here as Tuesday Amsterdam and all of Holland is going to be one big party.
Michel
Win or lose, let’s have a party anyway !!! Who needs and excuse…?? Amsterdam seems a good place to do it in…!! According to legend…!!!
Thanks for the great ride through Africa. Love the posts and the photo’s. On to Europe. Cheers and all the best to you and the Big Fella.. Rich