Travel Swap Surprise!

If you've been a regular reader of this blog, you'll remember an entry from January about a travel swap project I began. I sent off some goodies to my travel swap pal in France, but until yesterday, I had never heard anything back from her. When I opened the mailbox yesterday afternoon, there was my travel swap surprise! Postmarked from Tunisia, it puzzled me at first...what is this, I muttered to myself. I ripped open the mailing envelope and found among other things, a note of apology from Nadja about not getting this to me sooner. No problem! I certainly understand, and it's even more of a treat to get it quite unexpectedly. What she sent was not stuff from France, however, but from one of her favorite travel destinations, Tunisia!






If you're like me, you probably don't have a really clear idea where Tunisia is...thus the map! When I think of Tunisia, I think desert, camels, maybe even Bedouins. But as I quickly learned from reading some of the information that Nadja included, Tunisia is also a great tourist destination. She sent a brochure from her favorite hotel in Hammamet (Al-Hammamat on the map). It's called the Hotel Fourati, and it's absolutely luxurious. If you click on the link, be sure to view the other photos of it. I can envision myself sunning poolside, sipping a cool drink while I dream about camel rides and shopping in the souks.



Along with the hotel brochure there was a packet of brown sugar coated nuts, a sprig of dried jasmine, and a set of recettes, recipes for Tunisian food written in French. Remarkably I could read most of the directions, however I'm not sure if I'll make some of the dishes. I think one was for calf's feet!

There was also a beautiful tourist book about the many cities and historical sights of the country...white sand beaches framing the clear, azure waters of the Mediterranean, old Roman ruins, battle sites of many wars from the Punic Wars to World War II. But my absolute favorite gift was the carmel-colored sand from the Sahara Desert that she included. It's so soft and fine and is simply beautiful. Nadja also tucked in a little quartz crystal that's called a 'desert rose.' Be sure to open this link and take a look. Mine is very tiny, but exquisite.

The only bad thing about my travel swap goodies is the fact that Nadja lives so far away. It would be such fun to hear about her adventures in Tunisia over a cup of tea. Yet another reason to go back to France!