Overnight in Paris

October 13, 2024

An overnight layover in Paris is always a good idea. Weekend construction on the airport rail line meant a longer ride to the city center this afternoon with a bus as part of the journey.

There was a poster for a piano and violin concert on a window near the hotel at a nearby church (1). Unexpectedly, the chuch felt Orthodox; it turned out to be Greek Melekite Catholic (2). A good walk around l'Île Saint-Louis ended the day.

The next morning, I overheard some school teachers from Massachusetts who apparently flew to Paris on Wednesday. "I took 2 personal days," "I called out sick," "I convinced my principal a trip to Paris was professional development." The others were jealous of the last approach.

(1) A block away there was a poster for a performance of Fauré's requiem I saw later. If I had known, I would have gone there instead.

(2) The Great Schism of 1054 split Christianity into eastern Orthodox (based in Constantinople) and western Catholic (based in Rome). In 1729, disputes within the eastern church led a splinter group, known as the Greek Melekites, to recognize the authority of the Pope (rather than the Patriarch of Constatinople). They have retained the Orthodox form of liturgy.

Église Saint-Julien le Pauvre, with Orthodox altar

Concert end

Icon of Archangel Michael. Note Greek letters at the top 

It takes skilled people to bring Notre Dame Cathedral back to life

Notre Dame, expected to reopen in December

Tren Banlieue de Sahel to Sousse

The Tren Banlieue de Sahel (Sahel Commuter train) goes frequently to Sousse, 35 minutes northwest of Monastir. On the ride, sea salt harvesting was visible to the east.

Walking through the narrow shopping street, the Ribat (1) (fortress) tower guided the way. The fort was built beginning in 821 C.E., when the Byzantines and Arabs were vying for control of Sicily. The platform at the top of the tower offers views of the mosque, town, and the adjacent commercial harbor. Arriving to visit the mosque at 12:02, I discovered that the mosque closed to visitors at Noon on Saturdays. Seeing no reason to linger in Sousse, a larger and more industrial city (2), I hopped on the next train back to Monastir.

Most of the shops were closed for midday, but the Monastir Ribat and tower remained open. The fortress is the oldest extant in Tunisia, construction having started in 796 C.E. There are narrow stairways leading everywhere, sometimes to a dead end.

The tower sported a red Tunisian flag blowing in the southeast wind aloft in the more open area above the castle (3). The view to the azure sea and the cooling sea breeze invited me to linger at the tower's top.

(1) Ribat is derived from the Arabic word for garrison.

(2) A train station to the south of town is called Sousse Zone Industrielle.

(3) In the golden age of sail (late 1700s to early 1800s), calm at sea level, with a breeze aloft was known as a t'gantsl (a contraction of top gallant sail) wind, the only sail high enough on the mast to catch the breeze and propel the ship.

Harvesting sea salt, view from the train

Wandering through Sousse 

Someone is taking care of the cats

Ribat entrance seems to have repurposed old Roman columns 

Ribat de Sousse

Views from the tower

Roman mosaic on northeast corner of Sousse city walls

Back in Monastir

At Ribat de Monastir

Qaraiya Brach view from Ribat tower

Views of Grand Mosque

One of the Ribat guards

Sunset from Jazirat Sidi al Ghudamisi, once an Island, now a penninsula 

Marabout Sidi Al-Ghadamisi Shrine

Twilight

Lighthouse flash to the northwest

Late day in Monastir

October 11, 2024

Monastir lies on a penninsula on the Tunisian coast. A cheap mid-day flight was offered from Nice. Clearing immigration, I headed toward the airport train station. A blue metal fence blocked the way (1); thankfully, someone had hacksawed off two of the pickets. Chucking my bag through permitted me to duck under and access the station. 

Formerly known as the Phonecian city of Ruspina in antiquity, the Arab city was enclosed by walls beginning in the 700s C.E. Walking from the station through a western gate, the main commercial street was buzzing with activity, and the usual cacophony of cars and shop touts. After passing the large Bourguiba Mosque, the Ribat (fortress) was visible across a park. The hotel was nearby (2) in the marina area.

The Ribat and other building are lit at night, making for a pleasant walk in the city. Scanning the horizon at the sea, I saw a lighthouse (flashing white every four seconds) to the northwest against the background of the lights from the shore.

(1) There is a path leading from a cross street in the other direction.

(2) A variety of hotels span the seacoast between the airport and city center (a). Preferring to walk places, I opted to stay in town (b). As it happened, my hotel caters mainly to French pensioners on package tours. Most guests seem never to leave the gated compound, which functions much like a cruise ship, with meals, pools, and activities, including thumping music until midnight. The reception clerk even put a wrist band on me.

(a) There is a train station called simply "Hotels."

(b) Checking in, the clerk told me (in French) that he was giving me a fancier room than booked. Later realizing my limited French, he asked if I understood. I replied in my pidgin French that he was giving me a fancy sea-view room. "No," he replied in French "a room with a view of the cemetery," he said with a mischevious smile.

Olive groves, view from the plane

The train arrives at Monastir

City gate 

The Monastir Ribat

Ribat at night

Bourguiba Mosque entrance

Square minaret on the Great Mosque of Monastir