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People :
Over the centuries many peoples, including Romans, Vandals,
and Arabs have occupied Tunisia.
Tunisians are mostly of Berber lineage, and regard themselves
as Arabs.
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Language :
Arabic is the main language, but French is the dominant
language in the media, commercial enterprise, and government
departments.
Berber-speaking people form less than 1% of the population.
In the tourist resorts shop keepers and hotel staff usually
speak three or four European languages.
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Food :
Tunisian cooking is a blend of European, Oriental and desert
dweller's culinary traditions. Its distinctive spicy fieriness
comes from neighbouring Mediterranean countries and the many
civilizations who have ruled Tunisian land -- Phoenician, Roman,
Arab, Turkish, French, and the native Berber.
Many of the cooking styles and utensils began to take shape when
the ancient tribes were nomads. Nomadic people were limited in
their cooking by what pots and pans they could carry with them,
often building them from the earth where they set up camp.
A tagine is really the name of a conical-lidded pot, although
today we apply the same word to what is cooked in it.
Unlike other North African cuisine, Tunisian food is spicy hot.
There is an old wife's tale that says a husband can judge his
wife's affections by the amount of hot peppers she uses when
preparing his food. If the food becomes bland then a man may
believe that his wife no longer loves him. However when the food
is prepared for guests the hot peppers are decreased to suit the
more delicate palate of the visitor.
Couscous is the national dish of Tunisia and can be prepared in a
dozen different ways. It is cooked in a special kind of double
boiler called a couscousiere. Meat and vegetables are boiled in
the lower half. The top half has holes in the bottom through which
the steam rises to cook the grain which is put in this part.
Cooked this way the grain acquires the flavour of whatever is
below. The usual grain is semolina. To serve, the grain is piled
in the middle of a dish, and the meat and vegetables put on top.
A sauce can be then poured over before serving.
Other popular Tunisian dishes include:
Chorba -- soup with lots of pepper.
Brik -- tiny parcels of minced lamb, beef, or vegetables and an egg
wrapped in thin pastry and deep fried (pictured). Brik is very
popular, but requires careful eating with your fingers if the egg
is not to trickle down your chin.
Bouza -- rich and sticky sorghum and hazelnut cake.
Chakchouka -- ratatouille with chick peas, tomatoes, peppers, garlic
and onions served with a poached egg.
Felfel mahchi -- sweet peppers stuffed with meat, usually lamb, and
served with harissa sauce.
Guenaoia -- lamb or beef stew with chillies, okra, sweet peppers and
coriander.
Harissa -- hot red pepper sauce used with almost any main dish.
Koucha -- whole baby lamb baked in a clay case with rosemary.
Lalabli -- rich garlicky soup made with chick peas.
Makroud -- semolina cake stuffed with dates, cinnamon and grated
orange peel.
Mechouia -- an hors d'oeuvre of grilled sweet peppers, tomatoes and
onions mixed with oil lemon, tuna fish and hard-boiled eggs.
Mhalbya -- cake made with rice, nuts and geranium water.
Salata batata -- a hot (in every sense) potato salad flavoured with
caraway seeds.
Samsa -- layers of thin pastry alternated with layers of ground roast
almonds, and sesame seeds, baked in lemon and rosewater syrup.
Merguez -- small spicy sausages
Tagine -- a stew
Tagine ez Zitoun -- veal and olive tangine
Tagine J'bin -- cheese tagine
Tagine Maadnus -- spinach tagine
Torshi -- turnips marinated with lime juice and served with harissa
sauce.
Yo-yo -- donuts made with orange juice, deep fried then dipped in a
honey syrup.
MEDIA :
There are three French daily newspapers, Le Temps, La Presse, and
L'Action. Other international papers can be found in the main cities
one day after publication.
Government run radio and TV transmit programmes mostly in Arabic,
except for Antenne 2 which is in French.
There are no English programmes, but the BBC World Service can be
easily picked up
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Tunisia- Health and Safety
PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE YOUR TRIP THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN THE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS AS THE INFORMATION BELOW MAY HAVE CHANGED
* Compulsory immunizations:
Yellow Fever
Infection caused by a virus carried by monkeys, transmitted through mosquitos who carry the virus from the monkey to the human. The symptons a re a short, mild fever often leading to jaundice, failure of the liver and kidneys and eventually death. The vaccine is effective. The vaccination is valid for 10 years and is usually only available in specialist clinics or hospitals.
A valid Yellow Fever inoculation certificate is required if arriving from or via an infected area having passed through that area by any other means than a scheduled flight.
A yellow fever inoculation certificate is required if arriving from or via an infected area.
* Recommended immunizations:
* Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A, also called 'infectious hepatitis' is basically an inflammation of the liver caused by a virus A. The virus is picked up from contaminated food and water. The symptoms are a slight febrile disorder, loss of appetite and jaundice. Almost everyone recovers within about 2 months. Precautions include immunization and avoiding salads, unpeeled fruit, sharing crockery and cutlery.
* Polio
Polio or Poliomyelitis is an infection caused by a virus. It affects the motor neurone cells in the spinal cord mainly. The symptoms are fever and headache, weakness in a group of muscles, then widespread paralysis. Sometimes there is respiratory paralysis and rapid death. There is an effective vaccine taken by mouth.
* Tetanus
Tetanus (also known as lockjaw) is a disease caused by infection with 'clostridium tetani' which is present in soil and in the intestines of humans and animals. Infection can enter the body via cuts after which bacteria produce a toxin affecting the motor nerve cells in the spinal cord. This is followed by convulsions and muscle spasms. The vaccine is effective and the disease can also be treated by an antitoxin and penicillin.
* Typhoid
Typhoid or 'enteric fever' is caused by infection with 'salmonella typhi'. The infection is passed from infected water, milk or food or by people preparing food or drinks. Symptoms are a rapidly fluctuating temperature, drowsiness, diarrhoea, abdominal rash, delirium and coma. Immunization is effective. The disease is treatable with antibiotics.
* Food Precautions:
Avoid - unpealed fruit, badly cooked meat, icecubes, untreated milk, ice cream if made from untreated milk.
Take - Extra salt if in hot climates.
* Drink Precautions.
Purify water or make sure it is clean. If you are not sure avoid it. Bottled water, soft drinks (sodas) and beer are usually widely available.
* Crime: Crime is not a particular problem for the visitor to Tunisia. Beware of pickpockets in the markets and take reasonable precautions when travelling alone and avoid travelling alone at night.
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