After visiting the Roman baths, we went to a little museum where we saw several beautiful mosaics and ancient pottery -
not to mention the ever present flowers and greenery brought because of the rainy winter months!
Next came a stroll beside a circular Punic port where Carthaginian ships used to harbor - a
genius idea, really, having boats dock in a round inland waterway!
A quick note about food... one of my favorite things about this country (and most likely brought on by the French, who once ruled it) is the abundance of patisseries, or bakeries. Anywhere you go you can find wonderful pastry shops with a variety of delightful, warm, and inexpensive baked goods! Donuts and other things at home cannot compare, either in taste or cost. We're all spoiled now from these. :)
We then arrived at a site called the Tophet, a place supposedly used to perform child sacrifices to the Carthaginian gods Tanit and Baal.
It was sobering to see so, so many gravestones of the children, many of those stones carved with images of Baal.
We ended our Carthage tour on a happier note, though, by going to the hill where Dido, Queen of Carthage, is said to have cut up an oxhide into strips to surround the land (she tricked the people into allowing her to have as much land as she could cover with one oxhide - clever woman!). The hill commands a spectacular view of the city, the Mediterranean Sea, and distant mountains. There was also a gorgeous museum containing more mosaics, pottery, and incredible statues and carvings.
These interesting carved stones were called "The Faces That Talked" or something like that:
Today has been such a refreshing Saturday, filled with sunshine, warmth, good food, and family. Hope you are all enjoying your weekends so far! :)
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