Leaving Tunisia like Luke left Tataouine

First of all soryy for the lack of photos lately but please check out the face book page to see all the albums of Tunisia.
Well I have been in Tunis a bit and then traveled back to Le Kef to visit my friend Nour's parents and the arcitects again, traveled with Nours friends to the north and saw beautiful scenery, and am now on the verge of leaving Tunisia for Turkey tomorrow. This has sparked both the normal anxiety of going somewhere new and sadness for leaving new friends. But mostly it has sparked contemplation, and Id like to share some thoughts about TUnisia with you; Wanna hear'em...here we go.
Tunisia is a spectacular place. For being such a small country it is jam packed zith interesting things to see. It is truely amazing to me that it is off the American tourist map. Off all the maps really. The country itself has to be one of the most beautifully diverse places ive been to. It resembles Arizona to me in this way. Mountains in the north, Mesas in the middle, and desert in the south. Except the north here looks like southern France or tuscany bordered by the Med.
The entire country is dotted with the most incredible roman ruins and it is not an uncommon sight to see sheep casually grazing amongst ruins while the passengers in the car or bus dont even notice them. The lanscape reminds me of New ,exico as it drys out and then flattens out into oaseses of palmtrees lining the open and vast...and intemidating, Sahara. The fruits are amazing. The food would cure any pepper feins fantasy. The people are very nice...they smoke alot but are nice. Coffe runs like water and is a sign of masculinity...tea is for women or older men who have earned the right to drink what ever they want. Fish is a plenty and cheap along the coast. Sweets are exactly that.
It is just that a month is a long time here. two three weeks would be good for a tourist to see everything. But all said and done Im glad I spent a month here. Im extremley happy I got to see all the sheeps being round up and sold for the big sacrifice in the Islamic calander. (if they only knew) Im glad I got to see this country that is completly Islamic but lacks extremism. The history here runs as deep as the religion and all the religions that came before it. Sufism is widespread here and saints tomds dot the skyline like small white clouds in a pure blue sky. People ask how you are 5 times like morocco and Mauritania. And you tell them thank God more times than that. Football (soccer) of course is the sport of choice qnd the kids have to be the cutest in the world. I met all the representations of the country. I rode with farmers, ate with the help, drank tea with foundation owners and elders, prayed with highly spiritualy eleveated people,was scared by border guards then comforted by them, conversated with kids, ate dates with the labourers, rode long distances with the middle class...what can I say. It has been good. On to Turkey.