Tunisia Trip -- Part Twenty Two

The next morning we were back in the Land Cruisers heading for the "Lost Oasis" of Chebika. The site had once been a Roman garrison named "Ad Speculum" and in later times was a Berber refuge. Today the original settlement has been abandoned, but the "lost" oasis has become a major tourist destination.


Here's what the oasis looked like as we approached. The mountains in the background are part of the Southern Atlas range -- the "Djebel el Negueb". We would get to see them up close.


After disembarking we trudged upward through the abandoned settlement.


And further upward...


Through a really narrow defile...


And still higher...


Looking back at the way we had come...


And we were still not at the top. There were some youngsters scrambling around on the high slopes, but none of us old guys felt up to joining them. Time to head back down.


Someday, my child, this will all be yours.


Heading back down -- they made the descent easy.


Looking back at where we had been.


At last, the oasis itself. This supposedly is one of two waterfalls in Tunisia. Not much for those of us from more forgiving climates, but it drew people from miles around.


Then it was back into the cruisers for a short trip to the next oasis through some of the most spectacular mountain vistas I've ever seen.