October 28, 2022 In the city of Kairouan visiting the Great Mosque and attending a home hosted meal.

Mosques are as prevalent in Tunisia as Baptist Churches are in the southern US.

The Aghlabid Basins, of which only two survive today were built in the 9th century to supply water to the Medina. They are 420 feet in diameter and 16 feet deep. Water was brought to them by way of a 36 mile aqueduct, then distributed to the Medina via underground pipes. Meanwhile in what is today known as Europe….

I’ll let the readers supply a title to this photo.

The old and the new coexist in this and most mosque towers.

Tile is what gives mosques their unique charm.

Separation of the sexes are fundamental. Here the men.

Here the women.

This little boy was so cute and all the group were taking photos of him when he entered. Also, note difference in how the men and women dress.

It was a different feeling among the group when was lovingly carried by his father when leaving after undergoing his circumcision.

Simple, yet beautiful.

The Great Mosque.

Two blocks with Roman inscriptions, the one on the left is upside down. To the builders of the Mosque they were just blocks of stone.

A vanishing point photo that doesn’t quite vanish.

Another reuse of Roman ruins.

Interior.

We met with this Imam who would supposedly answer any of our questions. Most of the dealt with why do the leaders of Islam never denounce Islamic terrorists. If you think our politicians are good at evading answering questions, I’ll tell you this man put them all to shame. The bottom line to everyone was Islam talks peace and respect but does the opposite.

Our home hosted meal was hosted by a three generation family who all lived in the same building. Brothers and their families on opposite side and the grandparents on another floor.

Best brik I ate in Tunisia. And when I told the sister-in-laws exactly that they were talking so fast I couldn’t understand them, but from their faces I knew I’d made their day.

The father/grandfather flank by his two sons. The sons operate a highly successful coffee shop and the family is well off.