Sunrise at “Chott el Djerid” salt lake

The salt lakes of North Africa are a very curious feature. They stretch with only two short breaks in a line from the Mediterranean at the Gulf of Gabes to the Algerian frontier, which they penetrate for a considerable distance.

The French term “chott” is a transliteration of the Arabic shat, a term for a broad canal, an estuary or lake. These shats however are, strictly speaking, not lakes at all at the present day. They are smooth depressed areas (in the case of the one I photographed, the Shat el Jerid, lying a few feet below the level of the Mediterranean), which for more than half the year are expanses of dried mud covered with a thick incrustation of white or grey salt. During day light, this salt covering gives them at a distance the appearance of big sheets of water.

The pirate ships of Hammamet

Hammamet is located in the south east of the northern peninsula of Cap Bon in the Governorate of Nabeul, on the northern edge of the Gulf of Hammamet. It is particularly known for jasmine, and this is how the tourist resort of Yasmine Hammamet got its name.

As it is a popular destination for European tourists, attractions such as a cruise with the pirate ships I captured below is a common entertainment.

North African oasis with palm trees

Much of North Africa is dry and warm, as it is dominated by the Sahara Desert and does not receive a monsoon season. In Saharan Africa there are few rivers or other water sources for the people.

The reason it is so warm and dry is because the continent is very wide – this means it is far away from the ocean, which brings rain and wind.

Underground water sources, such as springs are very important in the desert and, as shown in these photographs, often form oases. I should say that contrasts are stronger than I would prefer them so you may take them more like an evidence than an artistic outcome.

El Djem – Rome’s Colosseum in Africa

El Djem is home to some of the most impressive Roman remains in Africa. El Djem is famous for its amphitheatre (often incorrectly called “a coliseum”), capable of seating 35,000 spectators.

Only Rome’s Colosseum (about 45,000 spectators) and the ruined theatre of Capua are larger. The amphitheatre at El Djem was built by the Romans and was probably mainly used for gladiator shows and chariot races.

I took these photographs on a heavily sunny day and contrasts are higher than I would have needed but they are still good evidences of El Djem Colosseum’s architecture.