Monday 13 February 2012

Salt flats, troglodytes and camels.

Here's me at sunrise at Chott el Djerid, a large endorheic salt lake in southern Tunisia. An eerie, atmospheric landscape of white, green and purple that shimmers into the horizon.
 
 
We visited it on route to Matmata a small Berber speaking town. Some of the local Berber residents live in traditional underground "troglodyte" structures.

The structures typical for the village are created by digging a large pit in the ground. Around the perimeter of this pit artificial caves are then dug to be used as rooms, with some homes comprising multiple pits, connected by passageways.

Here is the entrance to one of the traditional troglodyte dwellings that featured in the original Star Wars film.


                       
Stunning scenery on the way to a mountain oasis and hot spring.


And saddling up and riding out on camels in the desert at Douz - the gateway to the Saraha. My camel seemed to enjoy spitting at its companions and kneeling forward suddenly. Here I am in a rare, in control moment!! . .

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