The latest upheavals in Tunisia have created new barriers to tourists keen to view the country's beautiful mosques. 'Infidels' are apparently no longer allowed to sully the interiors of remarkable buildings like the great mosque in Kairouan or the family friendly Mosque of the Barber. This is a serious disappointment and an obstacle to a tourist trade already wobbling in the face of possible dangers, however real or unreal. Tourist cars being stopped by heavily armed Garda, and or military road blocks searching for possible terrorist arms caches and, more believably, for good bribes from the arms carriers or anyone else, appear to be part of the new status quo. After all everyone has to make a buck somehow when systems and institutions begin to fail......
Friday, 9 November 2012
North Africa Again
The latest upheavals in Tunisia have created new barriers to tourists keen to view the country's beautiful mosques. 'Infidels' are apparently no longer allowed to sully the interiors of remarkable buildings like the great mosque in Kairouan or the family friendly Mosque of the Barber. This is a serious disappointment and an obstacle to a tourist trade already wobbling in the face of possible dangers, however real or unreal. Tourist cars being stopped by heavily armed Garda, and or military road blocks searching for possible terrorist arms caches and, more believably, for good bribes from the arms carriers or anyone else, appear to be part of the new status quo. After all everyone has to make a buck somehow when systems and institutions begin to fail......
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Recent upheavals in Tunisia are having unfortunate effects for the tourist. It appears that the interiors of mosques are now closed to 'infidels' - that at least has been the experience of travellers lately visiting Kairouan. Cars are also being stopped by heavily armed Garda or military on putative searches for smuggled arms caches. The story is that they are taking bribes from both innocent tourists and the terrorists when they find them. With systems and institutions failing everyone of course has to make a buck....
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