describe the scenary of the beach of the Lotos Eaters island in the evening
Answers
Answer:
In Homer's Odyssey, Ulysses recounts how his seafaring warriors were driven by winds to the shores of the land of the Lotus-Eaters. There, the locals fed them lotus flowers and they became addicted, forgetting all thoughts of returning home. Legend has it that this place was Djerba – the island just off the coast of southern Tunisia. Tennyson elaborated on the scene in his 1832 poem "The Lotos-Eaters": "In the afternoon, they came unto a land/ In which it seemed always afternoon./ All round the coast the languid air did swoon, / Breathing like one that hath a weary dream."
Today, many of the island's visitors come to enjoy the thalassotherapy centres clustered along the main tourist strip of Sidi Mahres beach, on the north-east coast. Djerba is a centre for thalassotherapy, which involves the use of the sun and sea water to treat ailments ranging from arthritis to eczema to depression, and the new Radisson Thalasso is a vast ensemble of sea-water pools, hammams, treatment cabins and massage rooms, with views across desert and palm trees to the sea.
But the Djerba that lies away from the big hotels is even more rewarding. The island is mainly rural, with wild stretches of beach on its western and south-eastern coasts, and flat, open plains in the centre. It is joined to the mainland by a dramatic six-mile-long Roman causeway built in the 6th century BC, and there is also a regular 10-minute ferry crossing to Ajim.
Djerba's small capital, Houmt Souk, is a pretty town with a working fishing port and a population of about 70,000. Its atmosphere is relaxed, combining the quiet self-confidence that accompanies an ancient way of life, with an openness to tourism. Most of the residents speak French as fluently as Arabic. I revelled in the city's gloriously undeveloped funduqs – 15th-century buildings arranged around a courtyard that accommodated merchants and pilgrims, and their animals (known in other parts of the Arab world as caravanserais). A handful have been converted into basic but charming hotels, often with bougainvillea climbing the walls, painted wooden doors, and colourful tiling within, all accompanied by a warm family welcome. Hotel Erriadh, for example, charges just 32 dinars (£13) a night for a spotless double room with breakfast.
The town centre comprises a maze of winding streets, opening out to reveal covered souks, mosques, and even a large Catholic church. Inevitably, there is some tourist junk on offer, but visitors are generally left in peace by the vendors, and are free to wander – apart from inside the mosques. I enjoyed the auction at the fish market, where an old man in a fez and flowing robes sat upon what looked like a throne, overseeing the sale of strings of fish to the highest bidder. Indeed, dining on fish is one of the highlights of a stay on the island. Some of the fishing methods used have not changed since the time of the Phoenicians, 3,000 years ago. Fishermen simply trawl the huge clusters of fish that gather around rocky coast, and oval-shaped terracotta amphorae are still used for catching octopus.
In restaurants, grilled sea bass and groper are presented alongside meat and couscous, after starters of small salads and bread with olive oil and harissa, a fiery chilli paste, and mechouia, a dip made with grilled peppers. I also enjoyed briq, a deep-fried pastry envelope filled with cheese, potato, egg or meat. It's all very relaxed, and the cheap local wine flows freely.
Unusually, Houmt Souk's cafés aren't the preserve of old men smoking hookahs: men and women sit drinking espresso and mint tea in a way that is still uncommon in Muslim societies. Indeed, Djerba's laid-back tolerance is partly due to its varied ethnic mix. It is home to one of the last remaining communities of Ibadis, an unorthodox Islamic sect adopted by some Berber tribes. Vulnerable to attack from purists, they retreated to Djerba in the Middle Ages, though they continued fighting against Christians from Sicily and Aragon, who disputed the territory.
Remains from this period include two forts and some exquisite rural mosques built of mud and stone, which, with their buttressed walls and enclosed compounds, resemble small forts themselves. These squat whitewashed buildings sit like ships against the bright blue sky. I found Fadloun and Ben Maaguel particularly impressive. Dating from the 11th and 14th centuries respectively, with their lantern-style minarets, they seemed carved from ice. Both welcome visitors.
."