Laos - Plain of Jars
Foto: The City of Tipaza on the Mediterranean Sea (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Algeria - A little later, Leila comes walking toward us. She guides us to the two Roman cities. Leila explains that we will first drive to Cherchell, the farthest city from Algiers. During the French colonization, many historic Roman buildings were demolished and replaced with French architecture. From a small park, we look out over the harbor and the Mediterranean Sea—a beautiful view. Unfortunately, the museum on this square is closed on Sundays. Leila takes us through the souq. We pass a mosque, which from the outside looks more like a Greek temple. The French had tried to build a church using ancient fragments. After independence, the building was converted into a mosque. Between the busy streets lie old archaeological remains. We see the oval amphitheater. A little further, among some houses, lie the remnants of the forum. We continue driving to Tipaza. The city of Tipaza is better preserved. During the French colonization, nothing was built or demolished here. We enter the city at the former bathhouse. After this, we pass the oval Roman arena, where fights between humans and animals were once held. The tunnel that provided access to the arena is still visible. We pass both the old and the new temple; in both, only the lowest layer of stones remains. Following the old Roman street lined with pillars, we arrive at the sea. Here once stood a luxurious villa, whose balcony overlooked the clear waters of the Mediterranean. The Roman remains contrast beautifully with the rocks and the sea. We continue to the basilica. Not much is left, but its enormous size is impressive. Leila also takes us to a Namibian tomb. “This is not normally part of the tour,” she mentions. Within a circular enclosure, we see stone tombs that date back to before the Romans. Finally, we leave the site via the theater.
Roman Ruins of Djemila
Algeria - The ancient Roman city of Djémila, originally named Cuicul, was founded in the first century AD. It was initially populated by former soldiers from the Third Legion of Augustus and grew into an important regional economic hub. The city's prosperity was ...
Tassili NAjjer National Park
Algeria - At ten o’clock, we meet the crew for the coming days: a guide, a cook, and two drivers. The luggage goes into one vehicle, while the supplies are loaded in the back of a pickup truck. We divide ourselves between the two cars and drive out of Djamet. ...
The Cities in the MZab Valley
Algeria - Ghardaïa is a Berber oasis town and forms the heart of the M’Zab Valley. The fortified sister towns of Melika, Beni Isguen, Bounoura, and El Atteuf are also located here. We first visit the oldest of the five towns: El Atteuf, founded in 1012. Over ...
The Hanging Bridges of Constantine
Algeria - I had expected that today we would walk to the old center of Constantine, but the distance turns out to be too far. Instead, we drive by minibus to the Emir Abdelkader Mosque. After independence, this mosque was built in 1972 to accommodate about 20,000 ...
The Kasbah of Algiers
Algeria - In the seventeenth century, the Spaniards attacked Algiers. The Algerians called for help from the Ottomans. This led to present-day Algeria becoming part of the vast Ottoman Empire, although the country retained a special status. The Beys became the ...
Timgad the Pompeii of Africa
Algeria - Just after midday, we arrive in Timgad. Timgad is a large Roman archaeological site and the best-preserved Roman city in this region. Because part of the remains ended up buried under a thick layer of desert sand, the city is often referred to as the ...