HD French Alps - l'Aiguille du Midi in France with subtitles

Heather and I were holidaying in France in the French Alps, during the summer of 2013.  We stayed at a camp site by the winter ski resort of Chamonix.  Despite Heather not being overly keen on heights, she overcame her fear and we ascended the Aiguille du Midi mountain by cable car.

In the video you can see climbers returning back from an expedition in the mountains.  They all are wearing special clothes and carrying climbing equipment, such as ice picks, ropes, crampons, helmets, emergency shelter, food, water, perhaps a GPS and two-way radio.

l'Aiguille de Midi, Chamonix in the French Alps

From where we were, high up on one of the cable car terraces, the elevation above sea level is around 3000 metres.  As you can see, we were very lucky, the alpine views were spectacular as the weather was fine, with clear blue skies and bright sunshine.

If you fancy a trip up the Aiguille du Midi cable car, you'll find it in the French town of Chamonix.  Although you might have only considered the Alps as a winter skiing destination, in the Summertime the scenery is beautiful and the views are amazing.

By the way, if you find listening to my voice a bit of a chore, then you'll be happy to know that subtitles and captions can be found for your reading pleasure throughout the video.  

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Post-revolution Tunisia sights & sounds, Sousse Jan 2013 (playlist)

Post-revolution Tunisia Exciting Tunisia sights & sounds in Sousse

A video playlist of a selection of sights and sound Heather and I captured while in and around the Tunisian coastal town of Sousse early in 2013.

The idea behind the phrase "When in Rome...", was never more apt than opting to travel as the locals do when visiting foriegn shores. Travelling by the popular form of public transport, the louage, was one such experience.

On the streets of Sousse in Tunisia 2013

Soaking up the atmosphere, while taking refreshment at a cafe, (in this case in Sousse) watching the world go by, is a simple pleasure, perhaps all too often neglected when holidaying,

Our holidays are often more about sea and sun; we like to get out and about and see what is going in people's lives on the streets. Tunisia recently underwent a revolution, the undlerlying political tensions sometimes bubble to the surface. Seeing the manner in which the Police on the street react to these situations can give you a feel for how those in control wield their power. 

Heather and I thank you for watching this video. Take a look at more of our original video content: video diaries, travel videos, video interviews & reportage on our YouTube channel: Life In Another Town

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Video interview in Tunisia with former political prisoner Hamid Obaidia

Tunisia talk with former political prisoner of the dictatator Ben Ali 

The interview starts around 55 seconds.  I interview the author and former political prisoner Hamid Obaidia in Souse on the 13th January 2013 during a commemoration of the second anniversary of the Tunisian Revolution.  During our chat, I ask if the Ennahda Government is a government for all the Tunisian people, the answer was a definite, yes!

Recent events in Tunisia, are very unsetttling for the Tunisian people.  The assassination of Chokri Belaid, an opposition party leader, by extremists, has placed the country in turmoil.

However, it is difficult to gauge, looking in from the outside, if the trouble in Tunis is a problem confined to the metropolitan area, or if it will spread to the outlaying areas.

Ennahda Political Rally

Hamid was imprisoned for ten years. The interview is in French, the shared language of us both.  I'm sorry for my poor French, but I hope you comprehend the gist of our conversation.

I ask Hamid why he was imprisoned, his thoughts on the political situation in Tunisia and if the Ennahda Islamic Government was a governemnt for all the Tunisian people or just its supporters.

Hamid' book is في القلب جمرة a novel "Cinder Heart" or "Heart of Embers" (I couldn't quite work out the translation)  If you are an Arabic speaker please feel free to correct my translation in the comments.

The video interview was recorded just before the start of a Ennahda Movement حركة النهضة  سوسة (a moderate Islamic political party) meeting / rally in Sousse Tunisia 13th January 2013.

This political rally was held to commemorate the second anniversary of the revolution in Tunisia.  The photos on the boards are of some young men from the Souuse Governate  "martyred" during the rebellion against the dictatorship; the first revolution of the Arab Spring.

The Ennahda Mouvement is a moderate Islamic Political Party, currently in government in Tunisia.

Heather and I thank you for watching this video. Take a look at more of our original video content: video diaries, travel videos, video interviews & reportage on our YouTube channel: Life In Another Town

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Riding camels in the Sahara Desert near Douz Tunisia Jan 2013

Riding camels in the Sahara Desert

Heather and I spent a week's holiday travelling around southern Tunisia.  We flew into Enfiddha Airport and used Sousse as a base. Then by train, louage, taxi, 4x4 vehicle and shanks pony we toured around the tunisian countryside.

A 10 minute drive outside Douz in southern Tunisia, you'll find Dawar Salem, where you can ride camels, quad bikes, horses and start your trip across the desert.

This was the first time either my wife Heather or I had ridden a camel.

Despite some reservations, we couldn't visit the Sahara Desert and turn down an opportunity to have a go. I had read before our trip that camels used for tourists can be in poor health.  I did check on the Internet what weight camels can carry as I am a big fellow.  I was reassured that a camel can safely carry double my weight.

Tunisian camels in the Sahara Desert

Our camels looked well, from what we could see and judge.  My wife knows horses and although not the same, we judged the camels were healthy and happy enough. Our ride was only an hour long and the camels had a break and rest half way through.

All in all we had a great camel ride in the desert, a novel experience.

By the way Tunisia is written this way in arabic;  تونس

Heather and I flew to Enfiddah in Tunisia using Thomson Flights from Manchester Airport.  The videos in our blog posts are filmed using a Kodak Zi10 PlayTouch personal video recorder.

Heather and I thank you for watching this video. Take a look at more of our original video content: video diaries, travel videos, video interviews & reportage on our YouTube channel: Life In Another Town

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HD Douz livestock market by the Sahara Desert Tunisia

The Douz livestock market on the edge of the Sahara Desert in Tunisia.

During our recent holiday to Tunisia, Heather and I visited Douz in southern Tunisia.  Douz is knows as the door to the sahara desert.

This weely market in Douz southern Tunisia is full of smells, sights and sound alien to a tourist from northern europe, probably used to only seeing such animals grazing quietly in a green field.  For visitors from Northern Europe a Tunisian livestock market can be a novel and interesting experience. 

The Douz livestock market in Tunisia

A a child I remember going to several livestock markets, seeing sheep, cows and pigs gathered together in metal pens.  This has changed though in today's Britain. According to an article, from several years ago, I found on a BBC news website there are less than 200 markets in Britain, compared to a peak at the time of the Second World War of 800.

Many livestock markets have never recovered after being temporarily closed during the 2001 foot-and-mouth crisis. Some never re-opened.  The reduction is also being blamed on a general decline in agriculture and because the land in town centres, where many markets are based, is ripe for development. تونس

Heather and I flew to Enfiddah in Tunisia using Thomson Flights from Manchester Airport.  The videos in our blog posts are filmed using a Kodak Zi10 PlayTouch personal video recorder.

Heather and I thank you for watching this video. Take a look at more of our original video content: video diaries, travel videos, video interviews & reportage on our YouTube channel: Life In Another Town

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Tunisian Couscous Legume at Restaurant Tozorous in Tozeur Tunisia

Couscous Legume in Restaurant Tozorous Tozeur Tunisia

After a tiring journey from Sousse on the overnight train and a long walk, with rucksacks, around Tozeur in South West Tunisia, Heather and I wanted to try the local cuisine and treated ourselves to a lunch in a local restaurant.

We came across the Restaurant Tozorous by happenstance, wallking off the main road around the town.  What caught our eye was the sign "salle climatisée".  However, there was no electric air conditioning, the lovely cool air in the dining room was the result of the natural insulation of the palm wood walls and roof.

We enjoyed a simple tomato, onion and olive oil starter, followed by couscous legume for Heather and a couscous royal for myself.  The service was excellent, the food was great and the prices were very good value. If you are ever in Tozeur in the south west of tunisia pop in for lunch like we did.

Couscous Legume in Tozeur, Tunisia

By the way, all the praise is richly deserved and we enjoyed eating real traditional couscous in a restaurant patronised by locals.

Heather and I flew to Enfiddah in Tunisia using Thomson Flights from Manchester Airport.  The videos in our blog posts are filmed using a Kodak Zi10 PlayTouch personal video recorder. 

Heather and I thank you for watching this video. Take a look at more of our original video content: video diaries, travel videos, video interviews & reportage on our YouTube channel: Life In Another Town

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Tunisian blacksmith making farm tools in Tozeur Tunisia

Tunisian blacksmith making farm tools for the palm tree agriculture in Tozeur , Tunisia

Walking past the palm groves in Tozeur Tunisia, I heard the sound of metal thumping on metal with the distinctive rhythym of blacksmith working metal on a anvil.  I put my head through an open doorway and saw a local man making or repairing a farm tool.

Tunisian Blacksmith in Tozeur, Tunisia

I'm sorry about my poor French, but I hope you get the gist.  If you have any questions ask me in the comments.

Heather and I flew to Enfiddah in Tunisia using Thomson Flights from Manchester Airport.  The videos in our blog posts are filmed using a Kodak Zi10 PlayTouch personal video recorder. 

Heather and I thank you for watching this video. Take a look at more of our original video content: video diaries, travel videos, video interviews & reportage on our YouTube channel: Life In Another Town

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Dawn arrival by train at Tozeur railway station in Tunisia

After a long and cold night train journey from Sousse, the video shows us getting our bearings in the dark early hourse of the morning, at the rail station at Tozeur in Tunisia.

Heather and I took a look around the Tozeur SNCFT railway station and at the train waiting at the platform, ready to return to Sousse.

Night Train to Tozeur in Tunisia

The walls of the ticket booking area were wonderfully tiled in the Islamic art style.  Outside in the car park it was pitch dark, except for the bright light of the moon.  

The trains from Sousse, the tourist city on the coast, and terminate at Tozeur, an oasis city in the south west of Tunisia.  We watched the train locomotives being unhitched and hitched for the return journey.

If you have an interest in watching some more videos of railways and trains, you can find several more videos of SNCFT (Tunisian Railways) on my Tozeur YouTube video playlist.

Heather and I flew to Enfiddah in Tunisia using Thomson Flights from Manchester Airport.  The videos in our blog posts are filmed using a Kodak Zi10 PlayTouch personal video recorder.

If you liked this video, share it with a friend and please look at the contents page, where you can watch more travel and holiday videos, photographs, community news and interviews from Life In Another Town

A look around the توزر Tozeur SNCFT railway station in Tunisia January 2013

A look around the توزر Tozeur SNCFT railway station in Tunisia on a January 2013

Heather and I arrived at Tozeur early in the morning by train from Sousse.

We took a look around the station and at the train waiting at the platform, which was getting ready to return to Sousse.  The illuiminated sign shows the word توزر Tozeur in both Arabic and English.

The railway station sign at Tozeur in Tunisia

If you have an interest in railways and trains, you can find several more videos of SNCFT (Tunisian Railways) on my Tozeur YouTube video playlist.

Heather and I flew to Enfiddah in Tunisia using Thomson Flights from Manchester Airport.  The videos in our blog posts are filmed using a Kodak Zi10 PlayTouch personal video recorder.

Do you have some community news from around the Ormskirk area to share or a story to tell? Yes!

Please contact Life In Another Town