Mosaics: El Djem Archeological Museum

The colosseum at El Djem is spectacular but also not to be missed is the archeological museum on the outskirts of the town. The mosaics are extremely fine - superior to those even at the Bardo and they also had a very interesting reconstruction of a Roman villa. Among my favourites mosaics was this fragment of pears (or gourds?) - I could happily have taken it home

There was a whole room of peacock mosaics, many with brightly coloured shiny glass in the 'eyes'

The tesserae used were very small and the makers skilled in graduation of colour. Ian's favourite was one of a boar being brought down by 2 lions ( detail) above ) the blood was very realistic . I admired less gory examples!

El Djem

At home with a streaming cold, it's good to remember the warmth of the sun at the extraordinary amphitheatre at El Djem ( finer than the Colusseum in Rome with capacity of 43,000). Following an excellent lunch of lamb brochette with a grandstand view, we divided responsibilities , with Ian going on the guided tour while I sat and sketched. Quite a contrast to a cold start in Kairouan when I'd wished I'd worn my thermals.Now where was my sunhat when I needed it?! First real outing for the watercolours and my hand-stitched journal , I decided to launch straight in with a big brush.