Three Continents, Two Weeks, One Adventure!

I am ready for the sleep of a lifetime after these past couple of weeks. Following my exploits in Egypt, as you know, I ventured to Tunisia to celebrate the wedding of my friends Sonia and Motez. It was four days chock full of traditional celebrations with an amazing cast of characters, mixed in with a little time to explore the country's celebrated capital, Tunis (and its environs). 

Tunis' medina as viewed from the rooftop of my hotel

Afterwards, with no time to spare, I hopped on an Emirates flight and, with a single connection in Dubai, found myself in Bali to celebrate summer wedding number two, the nuptials of Ines and Edouard. Partying on the stunning Karma Kendara Private Beach Club created one of the most glamorous weddings I could have ever envisioned, and it was so entirely different from the traditional Tunisian celebration from which I'd just come that I never felt any need to compare the two. They were each, in their own way, sheer perfection.

A movie star wedding!

Then, last but not least, after having traveled from Africa to Asia for not-quite-three-days, I was en route to Spain for an amazing week of team building and exploration of Andalusia, the sun-drenched southernmost region of the Iberian peninsula. Needless to say, it's been an incredible summer, and I have a feeling it has set a new bar in terms of exploration and exhilaration. I know with certainty that August 2017 already ranks among the single greatest months of my life, with time spent in six countries so far spread over three continents. (And with next week's grand finale in Shanghai and Beijing, I expect it might even work its way straight to the top of my all time list.)

Siesta in Soto Grande

It's almost amazing to think back to those first moments in Tunis and realize that they are only a few short weeks in the past. So much has happened since then that they feel eons ago! My first real impressions of the capital were gleaned from a long, meandering stroll through the jumbled mess of alleyways that make up the city's historic medina. My hotel, the stunning Palais Bayram, was lost in the midst of this unforgettable web of cobbled streets, archways, souqs and sidewalk tea shops.

Tiles in the Palais Bayram

One of the first (and most pleasant) discoveries was that I could easily communicate with the locals, since French is universally spoken. Tunisia was a French colony until 1956, but it retains a sort of Gallic charm to this very day. Having spent five chaotic days in Egypt understanding very little apart from the genuine smiles of the Cairenes, it was incredible to have real conversations with the people I was encountering.

Medina wandering

I only had that first night in Tunis itself. Taking Sonia's suggestion, I opted to spend the second night of my Tunisian sojourn in an idyllic seaside village called Sidi Bou Said. So that next morning, I had a quick breakfast in the Medina before checking out of the Palais and hopping a cab to a cliffside paradise.

Sidi Bou Said

Sidi Bou Said surely ranks among the most picturesque towns I've ever seen. Picture a dream in white and blue, overlooking the majestic Mediterranean Sea. It's a small place—only a few streets, really—but so unbelievably lovely that I never tired of wandering around, snapping photographs and enjoying the discreet changes wrought from the different lighting at various hours.

Constantly intriguing views

I stayed at the most perfect little inn, the charming Hotel Bou Fares, with an amazing central courtyard shaded from the midday Tunisian sun by an overhanging tree. A friendly turtle calls the place home, and when I left the door to my room ajar for a few moments to attend to something or other, I returned to find him inside my bathroom. "Oh, yes, that always happens when guests leave their doors open," the friendly young lady manning the front desk told me.

My newest friend

Again on Sonia's suggestion, for she's never steered me wrong, I ordered a fricassee from the local food stall, and spent some time wandering around the market. It felt like I had been magically beamed to paradise. I had always expected Tunisia would captivate me, thanks to all the stories I'd been told over the years by Sonia and her family. But in Sidi Bou Said that day, I finally began to understand the secret hypnotic perfection of it all.

I set aside some time that hot afternoon to pay my respects to the fallen soldiers resting in the North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial, over in neighboring Carthage. Like the other American cemeteries I've visited in France and the Philippines, it's a somber, emotional place, poignant in its simplicity and humbling in scope.

The cemetery marks the final resting place of nearly three thousand men and women who gave their lives in the defense of North Africa during the Second World War. And in addition to paying tribute to their sacrifices, the space also doubles as an informative museum of the African campaign, with mosaic maps illustrating the history of some of the key battles.

I was alone in the cemetery—entirely—for the first hour or so I spent there. Not another single visitor was in sight. And I was very moved by the experience of wandering the rows in complete, utter solitude.

When I spied another visitor entering the gates, I knew it had to be Zied, a friend of Sonia's who planned to meet me and show me around for the rest of the afternoon. I had told him via Whatsapp that I would head to the cemetery and remain there until he was free to come by. And after some further time spent walking about together—Zied was born and bred in Tunis but he had never been to the cemetery before and was interested to understand more about its history—we headed off towards his car.

Zied then took me on a lovely impromptu motor tour around the neighboring villages, including a stop at the former Saint Louis Cathedral, drives along the waterfront promenade in La Marsa, La Goulette, and a pit stop for a refreshing fresh mint lemonade overlooking Les Berges du Lac. He then treated me to the most filling and amazing local dinner imagineable—called Lablabi—before dropping me back at Sidi Bou Said, where I walked it off by strolling the moonlit cobbled roads, thanking my lucky stars for my good fortune.

After a similarly endearing sunrise stroll the following morning, my friends arrived. Silja Boy, Nina, her boyfriend Kai, and Zied met me near the hotel, and we had a quick morning drink overlooking the sea before heading to the airport to meet two others, Alex and Philipp, before taking a private car for a three hour ride to the ferry to Kerkennah.

I don't know if you've ever been to a traditional Tunisian wedding before, but let me just say that it was the experience of a lifetime. Imagine Martin and Mongia's gorgeous seaside villa overlooking the Mediterranean, with a neighboring garden with innumerable fig trees. You can just pick them right then and there, and savor the most amazingly flavorful fruit you can imagine.

Life in Kerkennah seems to start in the late afternoon. Not that you sleep inordinately late, but it's a languid life from the time you wake up in the morning until the sun is thinking about getting ready to set. You awake to the sound of the waves, have some figs from the garden next door, sit around on a shaded terrace, eat some simple bread dipped in unbelievably delicious fresh olive oil, and just relax. A few later risers mosey on out and join the conversation, maybe some others disappear back into the house to take care of some chores. But nothing of importance happens, just the little moments that in hindsight seem to matter so immensely. 

Thus, it’s usually late afternoon before anything important is ready to happen, and that’s when most of the wedding-related events took place. One of the most memorable was a boat excursion, where about a hundred of us all gathered on a fleet of local fishing vessels, with flags flying in the wind and plentiful Celtia, a Tunisian beer served in tiny cans to help ensure it doesn’t have a chance to get warm, remaining ice cold as you drink it.

There was also a very memorable haircut ceremony. You see, back in the good old days, Tunisian weddings were arranged by the families of the bride and groom. When his parents had found what they considered a suitable bride, he would be formally introduced to her and have to make up his mind pretty quickly if he wished to proceed with the wedding. If he did, he would signal his acceptance of his bride by undergoing a haircut, to guarantee he looked his best for the nuptials.

It was perhaps no big surprise since the couple have been living together for years, but after Sonia was officially presented to Motez in a beautiful gold dress the night before, he decided to move forward with the wedding. So, we got to watch him have his locks trimmed and stubble shaved before the final ceremony.

After a traditional and cacophonous Tunisian ceremony at Martin and Mongia’s house, which included a camel and a band that kept the old-style tunes coming until sunrise, Sonia was also adamant about having a more Western celebration, so the next evening’s party was held on the beach at the Grand Hotel. Thus, over the course of three evenings, we had sufficient merrymaking of multiple varieties!

Tunisian wedding!

By this point in my life, I’ve had the privilege and honor of attending a great many friends’ weddings. But there was something so entirely different about this one that I have to rank it among the most memorable—and exotic—events I’ve ever witnessed. And to know how meaningful it was for the happy couple and their families only augmented its impact!

These guys all welcomed me like a long lost son!

Under different circumstances, I would have lingered even longer in the region. There was so much more I wanted to see in Tunisia, and several neighboring countries I just would have loved to explore, but owing to a quirk of timing, I was in a real rush to move on to my next destination: Bali!

You see, my friends Ines and Edouard were tying the knot only three days later, on a whole other continent! In fact, for a brief period, I actually thought I’d have to skip out on one of these weddings, but when I realized I could journey from Tunis to Denpasar with a single connection in Dubai, I quickly booked the itinerary with Emirates.

In the end, I landed on the Island of the Gods for the first time on that Friday afternoon as the welcome activities were just getting started. I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced worse traffic than I encountered on Bali. A simple five-mile journey from the airport to the villa I’d be staying took close to an hour! But, once you’ve arrived in your little slice of paradise, it’s heaven from here on out.

Our Bali villa

Dinner that night was hosted on Jimbaran beach, with our toes in the sand, and, sometimes, in the water! And as I mingled with new friends and old ones, I was just so darn happy I was able to squeeze in this second wedding.

Sadly for me, Edouard and Ines relocated from Hong Kong to New York City awhile back, and I’ve really missed having them in my daily life. We were frequent lunching buddies and could often be found reveling into the wee small hours of the morning in SoHo or Lan Kwai Fong. So you can bet we made up for lost time over the coming days.

A wonderful wedding...

The wedding ceremony itself took place on Saturday afternoon, just across the street from our villa at the posh Four Seasons. It was a very moving service, all in French, with reenactments of Le Petit Prince and so much love on display.

White sand perfection

After another tortuously long and traffic-clogged journey from the Four Seasons to the party venue, Karma Kendara, it was time to properly celebrate. Cocktail hour took place alongside the stunning infinity pool with the setting sun behind it all. At one point, the groomsmen pushed Edouard into the water, suit and all, but, of course, he had a dapper change of clothes at the ready for just such a calamity!

Cocktail Hour

A steep funicular railway connects the pool to the beach far below, and there’s also a paved pathway through the jungle-like hills. On the white sand beach, we were treated to a movie-star wedding dinner, so impossibly romantic with flickering candles and even a private fireworks display.

Feu d'artifice prive

Jet-lag had caught up with me by this point, but I cured my fatigue with a quick nap on the floor before I continued the party until the early hours. Oh, what a wedding!

The newlyweds hosted a Sunday brunch at the same venue the next day, one that was perhaps the highlight of the whole affair. Every sixty seconds, the sound of a champagne cork popping peppered the scene. People were swimming and playing volleyball, music was playing and the sun was shining down. I’ve never felt so much like a celebrity in my life, and this might be the closest I ever come.

Cheers!

On Monday, I enjoyed a quick breakfast with the gang overlooking the beach, but soon I had to make my way back to the airport to head to Europe, the third continent of the trip! By this point, it seemed that Bali had perpetually horrendous traffic, so I left with ample time. Of course, we just flew along the roads, meaning I got there with hours remaining until my flight.

One last Bali breakfast before heading to Spain!

After connecting in Jakarta, I checked in to my Turkish Airlines flight, which would shuttle me to Malaga via Istanbul, and I reconnected with my Bangkok-based colleague Chris in the massive hub, where we had a few drinks before the last leg of our journey.

I had only been to Spain once before, back in 2007 during my semester abroad in Paris. My friends from Villanova spent their own spring break in the country, and I obviously jetted down to meet up with them in Madrid.

Flashback to Spring Break 2007 in Madrid with my pals Rusty and Shea

Now, a full ten years later, I was excited to return, to visit Malaga and some of the other Andalusian towns along the Costa del Sol, a beach-filled region of the country that is a favorite destination for many friends of mine, who had given me plenty of advice to make the most of my brief visit.

The main reason for this trip was for work, a team building exercise with colleagues who are based in Hong Kong, Thailand, the United Kingdom and Spain. There were two days of activities at our boss’s beautiful villa in Soto Grande, plus an opportunity to visit our Malaga office. Boy, do I hope a return trip is in the cards for me!

With my colleagues Chris and Pauline in Malaga

I just loved that old town, with its lovely cathedral and ancient forts. We stopped at El Pimpi, a café with an outdoor terrace and view of the towering Alcazaba, dating to the eleventh century. And when I make it back, you can bet I’ll be returning to that same spot for another round of sangria.

The Alcazaba, an ancient fort in Malaga

Over the course of those few days, we were treated to a litany of sumptuous dinners, too. Our inaugural feast was at La Quinta, an Argentinian-style steakhouse set on an old polo ground. And we had our next night’s meal at a beach shack called Gigi’s, which has to be disassembled every winter and then re-created for the summer season. There was even a barbecue dinner at the villa itself, and I loved getting to spend such great time with my wonderful colleagues.

Dinner at Gigi's!

On our last night, we drove to Gibraltar, the British Overseas Territory with its famous rock and tax-sheltered businesses. Smaller than three square miles, diminutive Gibraltar was a fascinating and photogenic little spot that I feel very fortunate to have gotten a chance to explore.

Gibraltar

We hired a private car to chauffeur us around the place, hitting up historic sights and some stunning viewpoints, including one which looked straight across to Morocco! And we capped off our Gibraltar escapades with al fresco drinks aboard the Sunborn, a super-yacht permanently moored there, and a flavorful dinner at a restaurant called Grille 53 in the hopping downtown.

Cocktails on the Sunborn

Chris flew off early on Saturday morning, but my colleague Pauline and I had late afternoon departures back to Hong Kong, through Zurich on Swiss Air for her and through Istanbul again on Turkish for me.

Of course, with the blessing of these extra hours, we made the most of our day, savoring more of the glories of this languid corner of the world. Our British-born, Spain-based colleague Lee and his partner Anne very graciously offered to guide us around, taking us to some of their favorite spots in the region.

Andalusia

We started off with a typical Andalusian breakfast, which came complete with a generous pour of Spanish brandy high in the mountains, overlooking the grandeur of mother nature. I may or may not have polished off Pauline's snifter after she decided it was too much for her to finish that early in the day. When in Spain! 

Breakfast with a view

Our hosts also took us to a truly stunning whitewashed town called Comares, which has barred vehicular traffic from entering the heart of its old quarter. You park at the entrance gate and then proceed by foot to explore up close. Its steep, winding, cobblestoned lanes instantly won me over, and I wish we had the ability to linger.

Whitewashed Comares

Yes, Comares was as serene a spot as I could have envisioned, a dream all in white, with blue skies and rolling foothills extending in every direction. It can trace its roots back to the early 600s, with the arrival of the Greeks and Phoenicians to the region, and it became a Moorish fortress the following century. Now, with a small population of just over a thousand residents, it is known for producing olives and almonds, in addition to the ubiquitous grapes along the so-called Raisin Route, which winds across sixty kilometers and yields a popular Moscatel wine.

A sleepy, beautiful little town

As one last pit stop before finally heading to the airport, we popped into an atmospheric little resto-bar for a local chilled soup called ajoblanco, made from almonds, garlic and olive oil, and served with grapes. It might sound odd, but it was heaven!

Delicious ajoblanco

I was exhausted from the past three weeks as this extravaganza wound to a close, but Turkish Airlines is about as good a carrier as I’ve ever flown, and my trip back was smooth and pleasant. Looking through all the photos of the trip now that I’m home, it is hard to believe I’d managed to successfully cram so much into so brief a window.

Typical Bali road

From the mazelike medina in Tunis to the secluded grandeur of the villa in Soto Grande, from the Kerkennian marriage ceremonies with those age-old customs to the uber-glamorous Bali wedding, this really trip really was one rollicking adventure! Thanks, Sonia, Motez, Ines and Edouard, for including me in all the fun! I look forward to a continued lifetime of memories we’ll all be able to share!