Houmt Souk is the largest city on the island Djerba and its capital. This city is small but gerbick standards, it is huge. It is here that concentrated the life and trade of the island. Visit Houmt Souk we recommend every tourist who came to relax on the Sunny Tunisian island.
Located in the city are the main attractions of the island as a Bazaar/market and the Fort Borj El-Kebir or Ghazi Mustafa. Also in town you can visit the seaport, to see a mosque, an amphitheater, and just to walk the streets, breathing in the flavour of Eastern life.
To get to Houmt Souk you can hike or take a taxi. The most comfortable and inexpensive way to get to the capital of the island is by taxi the cost of taxi depends on the distance of about 10 Dinar one way. Tours frequently take tourists to the market of Houmt Souk shopping and leave for an hour and a half. Therefore, in order to leisurely tour the city and get acquainted with its history and culture, it is better to go to Houmt Souk independently.
The market in Houmt Souk is the largest market on the island. Besides, prices on this market are somewhat lower than in other markets of the island, for example on the market in Midoun.
Market square in Houmt Souk located in the heart of the old city and is a colorful Kingdom of the many colorful stalls and shops filled with exotic Souvenirs and Tunisian products.
To get into the heat of a trade it is best to come to market in the first half of the day. It was at this time in the market is full of life, there is a lively trade, and many tour buses bring crowds of tourists.
On the market you can buy typical Tunisian and gerviskiu gifts, painted ceramics, leather goods, carpets and blankets, traditional clothes and shoes, spices, coffee, Tunisian olive oil and dates, and other goods, of which there are many unreasonable.
The owners of the treasure are very friendly and welcoming, always smiling and talkative. Easily inferior to the price, if they are to bargain. Bargain they love and sometimes you can throw the price in two or even three times of the original cost. So the first rule of the market is to haggle and again haggle. For example, a liter bottle of olive oil is 7-8 Dinars, a box of dates from 5 Dinars, and the leather bags from 15 Dinar.
On the market, in one of the departments, fish auction takes place. Although all the action is on the Tunisian language, and it was not entirely clear, but it is easy to understand the crux of the matter. The owner of fresh catch picks up its prey and sets the price, well, and then everything happens on the basis of who will give more money. Although the smell is quite rich and typical of such places, a strong smell of fish, but the spectacle is quite interesting.
Rousseau tourists in 2016, the large influx arrived on the island. And enterprising local people are not forced to wait long. For several months, local traders and employees of public areas become nice to speak in Russian. We were even surprised how quickly they grasp everything on the fly, tell them the phrase in Russian, it will repeat a couple of times and easily used in everyday life.
Polipuses and walked in the market, you can sit down in one of the many cafes, enjoy a Cup of famous Tunisian coffee or fresh juice. Fresh orange juice is very tasty and very refreshing on a hot day. Here only ice they make of the smelly water, so buying juice, it is better to say that you without ice.
A glass of freshly squeezed juice costs 3 Dinar. Moreover, the volume of glass they are always different, which is the clean hand, once it may a glass 200 ml. and the second 300 ml.
For the hungry, there also will be what to eat
After the market we headed to the sea and the seaport.
Along the way you can see the life of local residents. Houses here, the characteristic blue-white color, a small cafe, shops and hairdresser.
Garbage! Garbage everywhere, on roadsides, near cafes and houses. Well, that, although the North, but this is Africa))
Almost at the port we were met by the Marina of Djerba. The hotel is looking good, but to settle it is not recommended. The fact that all the more or less decent beaches located in the tourist part of the island, where a high concentration of hotels (district of Midoun), but here is no place to swim.
In addition, Houmt Souk is a port city. Here flocked for centuries, fishermen, merchants and artisans of all stripes. And of course, we could not ignore this is such a significant part of the island.
On the way to the port we see a pretty bleak picture. All the same rubbish, old boats and ships, already tilted and rusting, it's abandoned.
Water, garbage, live crabs. They then face off the power then climbs on top of each other. Well, how else, the morale of the need to dilute the intimate pleasures))
But the port itself. Small. To the port we went quietly. Although there was a barrier and a guard who was fast asleep on a chair near his post. However, he did not notice.
And these brown-yellow ships, excursion. That they take tourists on a tour to the island of Flamingos. On any island of course you may bring, the island is just spit, and flamingos there are already long gone. You will be dropped off at the "nose" of the spit, where, they say, a lot of algae, odor and paid chairs. But to see flamingos in another place of the island and in very skudnenko quantity. But that's another story, not related to Houmt Bitch nothing, about it we will tell in one of the following articles.
Head to the East from the port, in order to visit one of the main attractions of Djerba - Fort Borj El-Kebir.
On the way from the port to the fortress we pass fishing boats, a few of which a few fishermen still unload my morning catch.
And there is the Fort, build in the distance
On the way to the Fort we pass the amphitheatre, unmarked. During our visit it was closed, but they say in lestee time on its stage hosts concerts and performances.
The amphitheatre in all its glory, can be clearly seen from the walls of the fortress
Fort Borj El-Kebir or Ghazi Mustafa/Ghazi Mustapha Tower Bordj el Kebir, use both names. Both of these names correct, or rather, the fortress is full of historical name of the Borj El-Kebir, and Gazi Mustafa is the current name of the Fort, which fortress acquired in the 16th century on behalf of the Turkish commander. At that time, Tunisia was dominated by the Turks, they expanded the fortress, after which the citadel had an extra floor, battlements and corner towers and loopholes. In General, something like that, bordj-El-Kebir and Gazi Mustafa two names for the same fortress/Fort.
But what is written on the signs near the Fort
The fortress of Gazi Mustafa is the most outstanding and monumental attraction of the island of Djerba. Its history dates back to the 9th century. Also the fortress referred to as Spanish.
The entrance to the castle is paid. The entrance ticket costs 7 Dinar (TND), the right to photo and video - 1 TND.
Inside, the fortress of a modest size. This is mainly crumbling walls and a series of corridors, rooms and passages.
The walls of the fortress is made of sand and stone
There are indoor facilities where you can learn the history of the Fort
In one part of the Fort you can see a small white mosque
And meet the Keeper of the Fort))
The fortress walls offer a view of the coastal strip, the Mediterranean sea and the surrounding area
In fact, in the fortress not unusual. Provided, however, that the city and the island as a whole, can not boast a large variety of attractions is possible and even necessary, for personal development, go for a walk here.
After visiting the Fort we wandered around the nearby streets, where I caught a taxi and went back to my hotel, unlimited food and alcohol.
