Tutt takes a Tuc-Tuc

It's been such a busy time lately. Work is manic and takes up my every waking minute throughout the week (and some of the dreamtime ones too). I can't complain, it's lovely to feel challenged and busy. But naturally this is leaving me with little time for adventures and reporting. Don't you worry, we have some lovely big events coming up that will be full of fun and excitement. Not least my Birthday on Wednesday, which I share with Tunisia, and so get a public holiday, and for which gifts have already started arriving at the office from lovely friends in land far away - quadrupling my excitement! Then we have the great race (more on this later) and then Easter, for which I am baking a Simnel cake... one of these days, and then I have some days off and my Mummy and Daddy are coming - yippee!

So I just have a couple of little reports:

1. Ghana Independence Day

Last Sunday we celebrated Ghanian independence day at my church. Ghana is a country that holds a really special place in my heart - it was a country that I had eagerly wanted to visit for a long time, before becoming the first African country that I worked in as a professional. I found the people and culture so open and welcoming. They have this delicious food called Kele Wele which is very spicy plantain deep fried and eaten like chips. The spice mix is delicious and so moreish, but your eyes water and your mouth burns from the chilli. 

Ghana boasts a really specific type of cloth called kente which is a woven fabric with quite a blocky style in warm colours like gold, orange and red, so it was lovely to see lots of the congregation wearing theirs and brightening Tunisia up.

I look forward to returning to Ghana someday soon.

2. A Crazy Ride

I moved into a furnished apartment here in Tunis, because I have moved around so much in the last five years and the thought of painstakingly picking out a load of furniture (again), and then selling it at a loss (again) when life moves me on, was just too much to bear. This said, my apartment is a bit sparse, and as I am due to be hosting soon, I thought a couple of investments are probably in order. I decided that I wanted to buy a sideboard for my living room, and so I found a very quaint carpenter's close to my church and picked out one that fit the bill. My problem is that I don't drive.

I can drive, but the sad fact is that I'm a horrible, horrible driver. Easily distracted, bored and thrown into a panic by unanticipated circumstances, my track record in both the UK and Uganda was pretty dismal. Luckily comprehensive insurance or a sorry smile, respectively, can get you out or a rough spot in each of those places, but I fear that this just won't fly here in Tunis. Plus with a very reliable and inexpensive taxi force here, most journeys can be made very easily. Except when you are buying a sideboard...

So the carpenter, like Jesus, sets in motion a miracle, and orders, what he tells me in French, is a "scooter". Immediately alarmed, I breath a shallow sign of relief when this little beauty flies round the corner: 

A Tuc-Tuc! Just like in India! So we took the Tuc-Tuc all the way from Tunis centre to La Marsa, where I live. It's only about 20km, but it took well over an hour, so low was the top speed. And let me tell you, that cabin is not really designed for two people!
We felt every bump in the road and it really made me miss the boda bodas of Kampala.

3. Tunis Artisan Fair
For this week and next a big arts and crafts fair is being held in Le Kram, another suburb of Tunis. We headed along this afternoon so find out what the Craic was - ahh c'mon it's St Patrick's day, If I can't say it now, when can I say it?

So the spirit of the event seems to be applying traditional Tunisian techniques to more modern art pieces. For example look at these mosiacs! Yes, really:
 

 

There was lots of furniture on offer too. Offering flashes of Tunisian Berber culture, with the comfort and practicality of modern pieces.

And there were scarey puppets... and this is from a girl who in general, does like a good marionette.

Tunisien Patesserie artisans were hard at work. I'm now carb-loading in earnest and so avoid too much high fat, but my friend had some some pistachio brittle which she said was amazing. Cow.

Can you see those bad boys up front? They are my favourites. They look like sea shells all curled up and lovely and deep fried with pistachio sprinkled on. They're actually called "ouedhnines el khadhi" which is Arabic for ears of the judge. The name comes from the idea that the local judge would only listen to the grievances of the citizens intermittently, so when he did, he had to have big ears, because there was alot for them to complain about. During Ramadan these are one of the specialty pastries that are served. I didn't have any today... but next time...

And here's a tower of my second favourite, while we're on sweeties... Nougat!

I just like it because it reminds me of my Mummy.

I just bought some single-girl essentials, like shot glasses and soap - classy!

4. One Week to Go
Enfin, it's just one week to go until the half marathon, and by all calculations, we are ready! Two 18km training runs under our belts, it has been an adventure - I just cannot wait to get it done, and get over that finish line. Then I'm planning a month off, before I start my MARATHON TRAINING SCHEDULE. I must be mad!

Right, off to fix a curry, after many failed attempts to get the right spices (The French word for Tumeric is Curcuma, not to be confused with Cumin or Coriander) I think today could be the day.

Big love xxx