On December 29, 2006, my favorite Taiwanese band finally released a new album after several years.
The cover of that physical album featured an ancient Roman amphitheater, and because of them, I learned there was a country called Tunisia. One of their music videos captured a serene blue-and-white town caressed by the breeze, which I always called the “City of Angels” until the summer of 2013. That’s when I packed my backpack, set off alone, and finally set foot on this land. Only then did I discover it was the Europeans’ back garden — a blue-and-white town by the Mediterranean Sea: Sidi Bou Said.
That’s how travel is — choosing a beloved place to stop over, quietly and slowly living a little life.
Sidi Bou Said is a wonderful place, with simple colors set against an eternal blue sky and sea.
Especially along the roads, you’ll often come across a splash of red — not flashy but a refreshing touch.
I loved wandering the alleys of Sidi Bou Said. There were no landmarks or maps, so you never knew if the next turn would lead deeper into the lanes or out to the sea. But no matter what, the path ahead was always beautiful.
Even though it was aimless wandering, it remains the most memorable part of my trip to Tunisia.
During the short two days in the town, I tried doing all kinds of things: seeking out sights I’d once seen in my mind, climbing onto others’ rooftops to sunbathe, lying in a café overlooking the Mediterranean sipping mint tea and chatting with people, tasting locals’ home-cooked meals...
Really, some things, if you don’t do them now, you’ll never do them in your lifetime.
The connection between a traveler and a destination is also a kind of fate. Sometimes you try hard but never make it; other times you go with the flow and arrive unexpectedly.
I’m so grateful for that fearless version of myself back then, who unexpectedly — yet not so unexpectedly — challenged the first continent in Africa, and also my favorite country.
It’s time to open up memories from the 2013 trip.
To my dearest Mayday&e
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Additional Information
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In 2006, Mayday visited Tunisia to shoot the album cover and music videos for their album “Born for Love,” including tracks such as “Born for Love,” “Angel,” “The Smallest Thing,” “Perfume,” etc. The music video for “Angel” was filmed in the blue-and-white town of Sidi Bou Said.
－There is no public transportation from Tunis-Carthage International Airport to Sidi Bou Said (otherwise you’d have to go through downtown Tunis and transfer). The most convenient way is to take a taxi directly, which costs about TND 20
(~HKD$70).
＊According to local advice, if taking a taxi from the airport, it’s best to hail one in the arrivals hall rather than the departures hall — otherwise, you might get overcharged.