SUNDAY MARCH 25
Rosarno surroundings: Wake up call at 4.00 am
Salerno surroundungs: Wake up call at 5.30 am
6.30 am- Eight creepy characters
(Riccardo R., Fabio, Federica, Valentina, Martina, Rossella, Riccardo P. and Benedetta) are seen walking around at dawn and everyone including the late ones ( Riccardo Pirolo anyone? :P), set off to the Roma-Fiumicino airport chaperoned by the legendary Giovanni.
We meet Carlalberto and Luca at the airport who had been waiting for ove two hours for us to arrive.
We finally go onboard the aircraft after a never ending line at the check-in. :D
We land in Tunisi at 12.30 pm circa... it's weird hearing everyone speak in Arabic!
We are greeted by a person with the sign"Giovani Brancacio" written on it,
we squash in the mini bus seating 8 (we were 11 :-)) after witnessing a very unusual disposal of our luggage
"...(on the top of the minibus tied together with some string
)!
and off we go laughing our way to Sousse .
During the two hour drive to destination some of us fall asleep others note among other things the very peculiar way of driving in Tunisia, people crossing the motorway by foot, people getting out of their vehicles at the toll gates to stretch their legs while walking through the line of cars...and then the sandy landscapes and the little hills with olive trees and other fruit trees with little houses that seem like white spots among the tree line.
The road to destination seems never ending when suddenly the minbus stops in front of a huge white hotel.
Once we cross the threshold of the building we cannot believe our eyes: huge columns stem from the marble pavement up to the luminous roof, elegant and comfy sofas are everywhere in the hall abd a wonderful bar is right in the middle of the hall, behind it a big window through which we see a wonderful pool surrounded by greenery, sunbeds and parasols...
Our rooms are right behind this paradise and even if they cannot compete with the main buidling they are cosy and nice ( and we like them! :D)
After feshining up in our rooms we meet in the Hotel hall to go to the cinema.
We take part in the opening ceremony of the " FIFEJ-Festival
International du Film pour l'Enfance et la Jeunesse de Sousse" with the screening of ASMAA.
Once we get back to the hotel we have dinner and wait up till midnight to celebrate Benedetta's eighteenth birthday with a home made cake imported directly from Italy for the occasion... :)
MONDAY MARCH 26
The alarm clock rings at 7.30 am: the workshops start today! :)
Once we get in a crowded minibus which is (obviously) late we set off to the Fine Arts Institute.
Among the photography, direction and screenwriting workshops we take part in a workshop about making film with little to no means (with a cell phone for example), followed by the nice people of the Polish delegation.
Once we are back at the hotel we choose the "excellent" chicken and potatoes among the many dishes for lunch and as we are free in the afternoon we decide to go for a swim in the poolo.
However, after knocking on the door of one of the other guys' room we find out that somebody had broken into their room and stolen Fabio's laptop, one of Riccardo P's shirts and t-shirts and Riccardo R's old shoes (which were later found behinf the curtains!).
Thus after being moved to the hotel in doube and triple rooms we decide to have a drink in order to forget and go to the near Taj Mahal as suggested by good old Giovanni, where we moke a very good shisha... :)
TUESDAY MARCH 27
Wake up call at 8.00 circa.
The minibus leaves a little late for our fault... :P
The workshop last a little longer today and goes on through the afternoon when we see the projects made by the 5 groups that had taken part in the activities.
At the end of the workshop, we are redy to go and visit Medina!
:D
Giovanni's advice is: "guys don't stop at every store because they will try to sell you anything!"
After half an hour, Fabio had already bought half of
Medina (even a carpet)!
After enetering this vortex of little streets, stores, voices, music, scents it is difficult to get out!
We decide to grab some taxis to go back to the hotel. Therefore after a run through the cars we get back to the hotel have dinner and decide to head back to the Taj Mahal, to have some more shisha.
WEDNESDAY MARCH 28
From this moment on our presence in Sousse is alla bout entertainment and we put our tourist clothes on (all the remaining workshops were in French!)
In the morning we decide to go to Monastir! :)
First we go to Medina to visit the Mosque (we can only see it from the outside unfortunately!) and then we head to the station to get on the train to Monastir. Once we are there we go to the Mausoleum of Bourguiba, the first President
of independent Tunisia.
We briefly stop and chat to some local taxi drivers with whom Carlalberto dances in a not very flattering manner, after the visit at the mausoleum, we then go for a walk in Medina (come more shopping!), where we have a nice Kebab for lunch (they call it chawarma) and then on the train headed to the hotel!
While mopst of us are resting in our rooms, Valentina, Luca and Carlalberto go for a swim in the freezing pool.
For dinner, Giovanni, Rossella, Fabio and Riccardo P. are at Anis's place,
a very kind person of the festival, who guides them in a tour of the Tunisian cuisine.
THURSDAY MARCH 29
We finally have a chance to have a lie down: then off to the pool and for a place on the parasols!
But first it's time for Fabio to have his legendary little sausage omlette for breakfast in bed without realising what goes on around him :)
After lunch (Chicken and patatoes as usual), we go back to
Medina for more shopping (Fabio :P) and drinks at a very charming bar called Kasbah, where we have a nice mint and pine kemel tea and some more shisha.
Then we go back to the hotel for some more Chicken and patatoes and some belly dancing where Fabio and Riccardo dance with the dancers.
FRIDAY MARCH 30
This morning we go on a camel trip with our cameras.
Once some of us are on the camels and others on a donkey ( Fabio), we are ready to go! :)
We go through the counrtyside and get to a palce where they bake bread in stone ovens and eat some too. :)
After the snack we get back on the camels and donkey (this time
Riccardo P.) and after feeding them some Coca-Cola, we head back to the hotel while singing some songs which Giovanni seems to appreciate very much indeed... :P
We all have a little rest in the afternoon apart from Luca the "sick boy".
In the evening we dance a little in the hotel (we get inspired by two elderly people) eand then Mu- Mu gets us going at the disco (The Saloon) until 4 am! :D
SATURDAY MARCH 31
Very much like zombies after the Friday wild night we get on a taxi to
Port El Kantaoui, a very elegant town.
Anis and his sweet son Khalil guide us through the town.
While some go back to the hotel to rest other go on the merry go rounds and find time for some hennè tatoo.
After eating the best kebab ever the others go back to the hotel too. In the afternoon we go to Medina for some last minute shoppingi.
5.30 pm we head off for the closing ceremony and watch the beautiful silent movie "The Artist".
We go back to the hotel for some more chicken and potatoes and go to the disco.
Before that we get our dancing shoes on for some dancing in the hotel! :)
Then we listen to Fabio's wisdom and laugh a little.
We decide to not go to the disco but play hide and seek with Mu- Mu and Ibrahim near the pool.
Our last night in Tunisia, Tunisian style.
SUNDAY APRIL 1
How terible to wake up knowing that we have to leave a place and friends that ahve become like family for a week ...!
Midday everyone is on the minibus. The journey to the airport is very quiet.
After the check in we are in the aircraft.
The flight is a little . Some more chicken for lunch
We get to Roma collect our luggage and say goodbye to Carlalberto and Luca,
who are headed to Lamezia Terme.
Once on the minibus to Salerno we fall asleep.
Our only thought during the way back is that
Giffoni was once again able to give us a gift made up of people, experiences, emotions which we will forever cherish in our hearts!
Thanks you, thank you for everything from the bottom of my heart!
