Tataouine Guide, Tataouine, Tunisia (B)

We found in particular in Tataouine that locals were in equal measure inquisitive and eager/excited to help wherever they could. Children often stared at us as we walked past and the eyes of coffee-drinking men also followed us as we passed by. On one occasion we were walking back from Castello restaurant in the dark when a car idled next to us and the driver (a young boy-racer type guy) said hello and asked us if we needed any help. This level of friendliness isn’t what we usually encounter when traveling. We could only assume that they don’t usually see many tourists in Tataouine. 

The troglodyte cave-dwellings and nearby Ksars (fortified Berber settlements) of Ouled Soltane, Chenini and Douiret make Tataouine an ideal base for tourists to the region. For all the Star Wars geeks out there, Tataouine is the inspiration for Tatooine, otherwise known as Luke Skywalker’s home planet.

Dar Essadeg -This is the point where I rave about Sadok, the owner of Dar Essadeg. Sadok (our hero) not only picked us up from the louage station, he also gave us a tour of his apartment, proudly declaring this apartment was his family home and that his daughter had been born here. He helped out with transport and food recommendations, he also showed us how to turn on and use the various appliances, he even gave me a demo of how to wear a traditional winter cape (originally made with goatskin) and explained that in times gone by locals used it almost like a tent to keep warm. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).