Global Arab Network | Re-enacting Monty Python in Tunisia

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Re-enacting Monty Python in Tunisia

Global Arab Network - - Mohamed Tamer

Wednesday, 06 May 2009 15:57

There seem to be adverts for Tunisia smattered all over London these days. And one would be wise to acknowledge their offer. The week that I spent in this fascinating country with the King’s College London Classics Society was not nearly enough and I was aching to stay by the end. Alas cruel dissertation!

For the intrepid Classicist in us all, there are ruins galore to clamber about on and for those keen on sandy beaches and brilliant sunshine Tunisia has plenty to offer as well. Twenty-four of us left gloomy Gatwick in the grey dawn and arrived in Tunis a few hours later. Hopping into a minibus we headed south to the tourist town of Sousse, playing spot-the-minaret to pass the time and wondering at how green the place was compared to the bleak Saharan desert many of us had expected. Upon arriving in Sousse we checked into our hotel before heading out for the last few hours of daylight. Right outside the Medina Hotel was the perfectly preserved ribat, a Muslim fortress designed to fight off infidel Christians. After fighting each other on the walls for a while, we headed out for some dinner and discovered that Carthaginian red wine is remarkably tasty, not too sweet and just lingering on the palate long enough to tingle.

The following day it was off to El Jem, site of an amphitheatre that rivals Rome’s Colosseum in size and trumps it in state of repair. It dominates the small town that clings around it, dominates the approach to the town even, perched on a hill as it is. Inside you could climb to highest seats at the back, cower in the pits where gladiators and animals were kept below and battle it out Gladiator style in the sands of the arena itself. It was a strange feeling down in the depths of the amphitheatre, where so much death and suffering occurred merely for the amusement of a bloodthirsty mob. They, like us, loved their gory action. Unlike us, they enjoyed it for real, not cleverly filmed with CGI.

One of the enjoyable things about Tunisia is the freedom to clamber and explore ancient sites as much as you want. There are no cordoned-off areas, few ‘keep off’ signs and the whole area is there for you to discover uninterrupted. It’s a liberating feeling as you are treated like adults and expected to understand the risks of leaping about high above the ground on unstable ruins.

We then went to Sbeitla, a sprawling metropolis of ruins with baths, theatres, temples and houses. Getting around in Tunisia was surprisingly easy for a large group. At a day’s notice we could summon a minibus to take us wherever we wanted and there were taxis and minivans all relatively cheap for the skint student. On the way back from Sbeitla we stopped off at Kairouan, the fourth holiest city in the Islamic faith, centre of Islamic learning in the tenth century and home to a monstrous mosque, the Mosque of Uqba.

Tunisia has an interesting blend of Classical and Islamic sites. Africa was an important Roman colony in its day, even providing a dynasty of Emperors, so the number of ancient cities still around to enjoy is surprisingly high. These are almost always mixed with Arabic influences, with ribats, medinas and mosques surrounding, even amalgamating with the 2,000 year old townships. The collision of these two cultures blends seamlessly, creating an ambience that is entirely Tunisian.

Tunisia has been a filming studio for years. Jesus of Nazareth was filmed here, along with countless other Biblical films and, of course, the legendary Star Wars where it was not only the set but often an inspiration for George Lucas. Tatooine, Luke Skywalker’s home planet, was inspired by the southern Tunisian town of Tataouine whilst the iconic Jedi and Jawa cloaks are worn by many Tunisians, mostly old men, when it gets cold.

In Monastir, incredibly called the “disabled step-child of the central Tunisian coast” by the Lonely Planet, we found the stage of the legendary Monty Python film, Life of Brian. Having discovered the places where famous scenes like “Romanes eunt domus” and “Welease Wodger!” were filmed, we immediately set about re-enacting them, to the bemusement of the guards and other tourists.

Monastir is also the birthplace of its legendary first president, Habib Bourguiba, a man who was imprisoned numerous times by the French and ultimately was one of the major players in the gaining of Tunisia’s independence. Renowned for his pro-Western reforms, including women’s rights, his face is on every coin and banknote. His tomb in Monastir is an exquisite white building at the end of a huge white courtyard, topped with a shimmering golden dome. It is open to the public and the inside is just as impeccably maintained .

Stunning, and I mean stunning, views awaited us at Dougga, another ancient site, as we raced around the hilltop city examining streets, loving columns and stroking donkeys. Then it was back to Tunis itself, where the famous Bardo Museum can be found with its world renowned mosaics and statues. Just outside Tunis is the ancient city of Carthage, once razed to the ground by the Romans brick by brick, to ensure that it never rose again. We went there expecting to see nothing but grass and signs, but it turns out that the Romans actually built another city on it, complete with baths and a theatre. In the theatre we were compelled by Classical zeal to re-enact the famous tale of Dido and Aeneas to rapturous applause from those who saw it. The extensive baths complex was awe-inspiring even in its ruined form and a detailed picture showed just how impressive it would have been when fully constructed.

And then it was home again, back to London just in time for the sunshine to kick in. Tunisia is a magical place, offering so much more than we were able to cram into our paltry week there. Though now that summer’s on the way, perhaps lying on its many beaches rather than running sweatily around ancient sites is the way to enjoy this small but rewarding country. (London Student)

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