Hopefully next time, I’ll get to see the city up close.Today, I came within 6 kilometers of being killed in a terrorist attack.  With the morning free before my mid-afternoon flight out of Tunis, having failed to do any personal sightseeing during my time here, I had considered going into town to eat lunch and buy a souvenir.  But I decided to stay put in the hotel, mostly out of laziness, though a distant thought about security did cross my mind.  Around noon, I was informed that two suicide bombings, claimed by ISIS, had occurred in the city center, killing one and wounding eight.

SNACK

In the lounge at Tunis-Carthage Airport.

Apparently, Tunisians like small sandwiches (see for example 10.173 Tajine with Shrimps).

As always, I am grateful for and respectful of the opportunity to travel, especially via business class, including lounge access (see in BEST IN LOUNGE).  Any comments here, even the negative ones, are simply relative to other business class experiences, just for fun, not complaints per se.

DINNER

Kabsa is an Arabic rice dish.  Long grain rice – typically basmati – combined with meat – typically chicken or lamb – seasoned with spices – typically pepper, cloves, cardamom, saffron, cinnamon, etc – cooked together.

It was okay.  Reminded me of machboos.

MIDNIGHT SNACK

Transiting again via Doha, this time in the evening.  Marginally better food options in the lounge.

As noted above, the lounge climbs a spot to the Number 4 slot in BEST OF LOUNGE.

BREAKFAST

For the first time in my life, I did not partake of the in-flight meal –  especially noteworthy as it was business class, on a 10-hour flight, on the carrier that had been ranked number one on my personal list.  Not a single item on the menu seemed appealing.

With the disappointing showing both ways this trip, Qatar Airlines loses its long-held place at the top and drops to the Number 3 slot in BEST IN FLIGHT (see BEST IN FLIGHT).