Tunisia Post Revolution

My first impression upon arriving in Tunisia's capital recently was that maybe it is premature for tourists to be visiting so soon after the revolution that took place earlier this year. I arrived at night and the city streets seemed dimly lit, but maybe that is normal here. Along one section of Habib Bourgouiba, the main avenue in downtown Tunis, there were soldiers, tanks, and barbed wire. Bags of garbage yet to be picked up by municipal workers littered the streets and, to make matters worse, it must have rained recently because in some places there were pools of standing water. Also, there is a definite shortage of bottled water in the city and the lines in the grocery stores are very long. This too could just be the norm in this city, and I noted as well that most shoppers waiting in those long lines were buying only a few items, unlike in more developed countries, where jumbo carts are often filled to overflowing.

After sleeping off some of the jet lag, I had a distinctly different perspective the following morning when I left the hotel and went out to explore the city. The sun was shining, most of the bags of garbage were gone (the street cleaners come out late at night), and the city seemed colorful and vibrant. Soldiers, tanks, and barbed wire were still around, but in the light of day this did not have the same ominous feel as at night on the dimly lit streets. There aren't many tourists in Tunis right now but surprisingly the hotels are fairly full. A hotel worker told me this is due to Tunisians visiting the capital for studies or pour les affaires, which I imagine could include taking care of various post-revolution business, whatever that might be.