Route through TUNISIA. Covered 2500km on the motorcycles.

Oct. 05, 2007. On the Ferry from Trapani, Italy to Tunis, Tunisia.

Checked into this hotel at 3am in the morning close to Zaghouan, which is located at the base of a natural spring and came with a large Hammam (Bath).

Oct. 06, 2007. Our first ancient site visit - THUBURBO MAJUS.

This Roman settlement was built around 27BC.

View of the Capitol Temple.

The site lies in a beautiful valley, with no other population close by.

Mosaics in the baths, also showing that the floor was elevated to allow for floor heating.

Shops in the Agora.

The colonnaded exercise yard.

The colonnaded exercise yard.

Reusing ancient material to build new structures.

The rock used in construction of most of the site seems to be from porous coral.

Mosaics in the Roman Winter Baths.

Scenic view of ancient ruins.

Columns made out of quartz.

Large slabs of granite.

These mosaics are in amazing shape and ...

... not protected from the environment.

Detail of colorful mosaics.

Oct. 07, 2007. Breakfast. Trying out local food. Bought this spread at the local market.

View from our hotel in TABARKA. Motorcycles were parked in front of the hotel.

We stayed here for 25 Dinars ($20.00CDN/night).

Oct. 09, 2007. We keep our base in Tabarka, and make a 260km loop to visit first DOUGGA.

Walking along the Roman Road toward the Capitol.

It is one of the best preserved Roman Cities and added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997.

The Captiol, built in AD 166, forms part of the Forum.

The Square of the Winds. At a closer look one can make out the 3rd Century engraving in the paving, bearing the names of 12 Roman winds.

The four front columns support the remaining fragments of the temple pediment.

The Capitol the most complete building on site.

The layout of the town streets are not orderly, but more of a maze.

Roman Villas from the 3rd Century AD line the hill side.

View from the Dar el Achab.

The Lycinian Baths, dating from AD 260.

One of the entrances to the Lycinian Baths, also called the Winter Baths.

The baths consisted of cold and warm rooms.

The gymnasium was richly decorated ...

... and the floors covered in mosaics and the walls lined with marble.

Part of the Odeon overlooking the surrounding hills.

The Temple of Caelestis.

Inside a Roman Villa.

Mosaic details from a Roman Villa.

A nameless building, with some amazing mosaics.

The Libyo-Punic Mausoleum.

Horses pulling a chariot are displayed on the upper part of Mausoleum.

A water basin.

The theater, where we parked our motorcycles in front of.

The stage of the theatre.

Seating area.

From Dougga we continue to another Roman site - BULLA REGIA.

The Memmian Baths.

Inside the Memmian Baths, which included changing rooms, a gymnasium and the frigidarium.

The outer wall of the Amphitheatre.

A small 4th Century theatre.

The stage.

Corridors below the seating of the theatre.

Another well preserved Roman Road leading to the Villas.

One of our favourite sites in Tunisia, the House of the Hunt...

... Bulla Regia is a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its unique underground villas seen here.

Decending into the underground villas.

Steps leading inside the House of the Hunt.

Its colonnaded basement courtyard.

The mosaics are amazing ...

... and each villa is named after what is depicted in the mosaics found underground.

View from the basement to the upper level. Most of the surface housing no longer stands.

Rooms of the main basement courtyard.

A lot of the underground villas have not yet been excavated.

The New House of the Hunt. Mosaics depicting hunting animals.

Ruby walking through the lower levels of the New House of the Hunt.

Mike sits a the edge for a better picture of scale.

Inside the basement of the House of Fishing.

Rainwater collection basin.

Columns supporting the upper levels.

The courtyard of the House of Fishing.

View from the upper level into the basement.

In the House of the Amphitrite.

These mosaics in the basement of the House of Amphirite are very well preserved.

Each basement room is covered with mosaics.

Walking on mosaics along the basement corridors.

A Christian motive found in the Byzantine Church.

The Roman cistern, later used to store food.

View of Tabarka, which lies only 22km from the Algerian border.

Walking along the harbour west of town....

... which allows for a great view of the Genoese Fort and Les Aiguilles.

The Les Aiguilles (The Needles) are ochre-coloured rock formation, ...

... erorded over time into needle like shapes from the winds and ocean waters.

A rainbow forms just off the Genoese Fort.

The Fort can be seen from almost every location in Tabarka.

Oct. 10, 2007. From Tabarka to Ain Draham is only 24kms and takes us almost an hour, ...

... as the road is very twisty. Ain Draham is situated 1014m above sea level.

We leave Tabarka in the rain, the road is treacherous and as we gain altitude we start riding in the clouds.

A traditional dressed woman in Makthar.

The small museum in MAKTHAR, has some excellent mosaics excavated from the site.

Early Christians used the Greek language in their liturgy and writing. The first Christian text in Latin was written in AD 180 in Africa.

View from the forum to the Trajan's Arch.

The forum.

The best preserved structure on site, ...

... the Trajan's Arch dating back to AD 116.

The North Baths....

... which includes a huge floor mosaic.

The site lies 1000m above sea level.

A theatre, which had seen better days. Only the outer wall remains.

From Makthar we continue to Sbeitla. In the evening we buy our supper at this local market. Different types of dates are for sale here.

Mike checks out the goodies.

Chickens for sale.

Ruby buys tomatos and onions.

The spice section.

Mike picks a handful of Almonds...

... and pays the owner.

Fresh bread.

Sweets. We ate a whole lot of these date cakes called Makhroud while in Tunisia.

More sweets - candy.

Due to Ramadan, a lot of sweets are for sale.

Our hotel in Sbeitla.

Our supper for a couple of Dollars. Diet Coke is hard to find in Tunisia.

Oct. 11, 2007. The ancient site of SUFETULA is nicely kept with flowers.

The most impressive site of the Roman Town of Sufetula the Capitol.

As the sun rises we approach the Entrance to the Forum.

The Arch of Antoninus Pius dating to AD 139.

Our first glimpse of the Capitol.

What an amazing moment, sitting at the steps of the Arch of Antoninus Pius.

The Capitol consist of the Temples Juno, Jpiter and Minerva.

The end temple especially is very well preserved.

Long shadows are formed as the sun rises from the east.

The size of the temples can only be appreciated when a person is in the picture.

View from the temples to the Arch.

Another perspective of size.

The centre temple.

The capitol of the top of a column is the size of Mike.

The west view of the temples.

The olive press.

Here is were olive oil was produced.

The least preserved temple.

Mosaics found in the Bellator Basilica.

The Oval Basin decorated with mosaics....

... found in the Bellator Basilica.

The Basilica at the western end of the site.

Roman Road.

The Oval Basin decorated with mosaics found in the St. Vitalis Basilica.

A huge floor mosaic.

The rebuilt theatre.

The Arch of Diocletian...

...located at the most eastern end of the site.