Acacus and the ancient roman cities

A portion of the trip winds along the Mediterranean coast with a visit of the Punic-Roman cities of Tripolitania, through the classical sites of Libya witness of our own cultural heritage. The other part is a real dive in the heart of the Fezzan, Libyan Sahara, where nature has concentrated a set of natural and artistic features of considerable interest, from the lakes set among the dunes of ERGOSE of Ubari that real museum of rock art that is outside the uadi Mathendush, from the majestic dell'Acacus beautiful prehistoric paintings hidden among the rocks.

The images of this trip: the immensity of the landscape, the dunes and rocks eroded, paintings and stone carvings, tea and dates, Balek and Chadku.
Top five: the Ubari erg and its salt lakes, the Acacus, the sites of rock Mathendush, of the Erg Uan Kaza, Leptis Magna,

The trip was made with Kel 12 which leans over the Italian Dar Libyan Sahara.
Low temperature 6 degrees, 24 degrees maximum
Exchange rate 1 euro = 1.78 dinars

27-12-2008 (Saturday): London-Tripoli-Sebha Germa -
Departure from Milan Malpensa. Al ceck-in begins interminable series of files that will accompany us throughout the day before reaching the much coveted desert. It seems that this year have all decided to go to Libya. At different groups of Adventures in the world, bikers and other groups of various agencies. Despite the arrival at ceck-in with over two hours in advance we can get right in time for the time of shipment. The departure time is at 12h45. We arrive at Tripoli after two and a half hours flight, tail mileage to police checks. To put everyone in the room we have the police on several files that converge to the same control, begin negotiations, the infiltration and checking with your elbows, not to lose the position gained. However we spend, but it is only the first part because we continue to Sebha. The airport in Tripoli has not yet arranged to receive a large flow of passengers and who now seems to have arrived very many. To abandon the baggage police will accompany us throughout the journey and give us a dinner at the restaurant of the airport. Partitina cards to kill the wait and the two hours late for the flight Sebha. Back in line for the control documents and baggage in the usual row-Arab anarchist. Mezz'oretta stop standing at the door of the boarding as twenty chairs is already widely employed and after they finally fell to the track for the recognition baggage around 23h00 on the aircraft for us systemic Sebha. Sidi to welcome us with his chech color indigo. There systemic and route buses for 2 hours driving to reach Germany. It is almost 3 when we lay at the Hotel Dar Germa.

28-12-2008 (Sunday): Ger-Uan Kaza-Acacus
The next morning we Balek and Chadku and their Toyota Land cruiser "mature." Will be our drivers for the next seven days in the desert of Uan Kaza, the Ubari and plateaus of Messak Settafet and dell'Acacus. Clearly this also Ahmed, the inseparable policeman with his raincoat to the "Colombo", which has accompanied us throughout the journey. Transfer to the asphalt road for about 200 km towards the west and then head south to the dunes of Uan Kaza: sandy corridors, funds of ancient lake basins, sharp ridges. Picnic on the first dune dell'Uan Kaza. A brief stop at the village of Al Awaynat. Arrival at camp fixed Auis, located at the northern propaggini dell'Acacus, in a semicircle of cliffs of sandstone eroded and protected by a back dune. The arrangement to the field tent and certainly convenient, but too far from the south dell'Acacus, sio that are not able to visit and remain based in this field. Then we fail to reach the famous arch Fozzigiaren. Dinner and overnight at camp.
29-12-2008 measurements dell'Acacus Central
It starts early in the morning for a visit to the central dell'Acacus (200 km).
After the water has disappeared from the surface of the Sahara, the wind was and still is the sole creator of the modeling and erosion of the morphology of Tadrart Acacus. It 'the last of the Highlands from the center of the Sahara to the west slope lost in the sands of Murzuq dell'edeyn: sedimentary rocks intersected by deep uidian (rivers), small chaotic twisted dunes, vegetation rada, blackish plains, cliffs eroded in the forms more bizarre, strings petrified, serrate ridges, isolated towers emerging from the sand. Some shelters and natural cavities were chosen by prehistoric artists who have handed down to us paintings and engravings attributed to the different stages that illustrate the changes occurring in the course of millennia.
We visit the cave paintings of Sindh, the graffiti of Tina Newen and erotic of Tina Lalen, the great arc of Tin Lubo (tea break).
The posts selected by Balek and Chadku for stopping for tea and lunch are simply fantastic.
Picnic in Sindh. Dinner and overnight at the tent camp Dar Auis.

30-12-2008 measurements dell'Acacus
It starts at 9:00 a.m., after half an hour we reach the plain of Taiwen, the scenery is fantastic with large stones that rise up from the plain of sand, give us a walk among these spectacular rocks.
We visit the cave paintings of Taborak Tin, Tin of Hadoun.
Tin Hidin a picnic and later walk on the surrounding cliffs. Visit the site of Tin Salhutin. Before returning to the field to stop the huge dune Auis. The sun setting is preparing to regale us with a spectacle of colors and games of shadows on ridges of the dunes, truly spectacular. Dinner and overnight at camp.

31-12-2008 Dar Auis - Uan Kaza - Germa
We leave the tent camp and Dar Auis through the dunes of the northern desert of Uan Kaza reach the strip of asphalt that we will return to Germany. Quick
It is the last of the year and at the Dar Germa held in the hall, a sad spettaccolino with local music, fortunately in the afternoon, we organized a trip with Balek a camel in the desert with some of his relatives. Attracting the ire of the police for this program out there defiladed midnight and we are around a fire near dell'oasi of Ubari with a group of Tuareg and camels. This time the toast is made of tea, in fact impossible to find alcohol. Giro a camel in the night under a sky full of stars incredibly. Brief visit to the family of Balek and return to Germany.

01-01-2009 Germany - Germany: the imaginary universe of the hunters of Messak Settafet
Departure from Germany in one day excursion to the sites of rock and Mathendush In Galghien, presenting some of the most prestigious rock bas-reliefs of the hunters: rhinos, giraffes that gait towards traps, big elephants, crocodiles, hippos, men who wear masks, pastoral scenes, etc.. The path to the site developed in the corridor between the plateau of Messak Settafet and Murzuq desert, the dunes where you can see in the distance. A huge expanse flat and somewhat monotonous until you reach the wall along the Oued. Site mathendush the stone carvings are magnificent, but are literally crumbling due to landslides and cracks of rocks caused by a thermal excursion. The symbol of the website are the spectacular "cat mom", which dominate the valley carved in a rock higher. In Galghien a picnic in a scenario indimentacabile. Back to Germany. Dinner and overnight

 

02-01-2009 lakes between the dunes as "Ramla" of Dauada
This morning the air is pungent. Garama quick visit to 2 km from the new Germany, the ancient capital of the mysterious people of Garamanti. Even the Romans gave up to settle in this area too far from the coast and too difficult to defend from the bellicose garamanti.
North Valley dell'Ajal, you enter nell'erg of Ubari and, after crossing a sea of dunes that seems endless, you suddenly discover a series of lakes surrounded by palm trees and vegetation. Were once inhabited by Dauada, who for centuries lived in this sheltered environment feeding on dates and small larvae that are replicated on the surface of the water. Mandara, Umm-el-maa (mother of waters) and Gabr'aun are our steps. A Gabr'aun you can still see the ruins of abandoned village is the largest lake bordered by reeds and palm trees with a large sand dune to shelter, but a bit too popular and crowded for our taste, much better than the little lake a few km first located between Umm al maa and Gabraun. Picnic at Gabraun. Will then continue on the dunes of the desert Ubari until you slow down now to the gates of Sebha where we expected the plane to Tripoli. In the last light of day close encounter with a fennec who is trying desperately to reach his lair from which we stopped. Dinner at a local restaurant and then fly to Tripoli where we install at the Hotel Corinthia Bab Africa, a huge 5-star located behind the walls of the medina Turkish and in one of the towers also houses the U.S. Embassy.

03-01-2009 Sabra-Tripoli-Tripoli

Visit the museum of the Red Castle, which houses many statues and some beautiful mosaics of the villas in coastal areas, coming from a mausoleum and a section Ghirza ethnographic and historical which are also still covered with cellophane, the desk on which Gaddafi and Berlusconi signed the recent agreements between Italy and Libya. For Silvio Libya is already a museum piece, if you put him in Italy!
Brief stop in the colonial district where we meet some old arzilli speaking perfect Italian. After lunch in a restaurant on the beach, visited the site of Sabra, Phoenician trading settlement that became part of Carthage. Became the Roman city in 46 a.C. with the creation of the province of Africa, Sabra owes his fortune to the sea: a precarious landing during the long sailing Mediterranean and end point of land routes, place of arrival of the caravans coming from the black trying to contact the merchants eager surfers to get their hands on the riches from the lands that nobody had ever seen. Cardo crossing from the residential neighborhoods, a forum, the temple of Liber Pater, the spa at sea, to reach, spectacular in its grandeur, the theater: the background is the sea and the scene - on three floors - are silhouetted on the sky : 108 columns of marble and granite, the capitals of several bills, two large marble dolphins on the sides of the stage, half the delicate bas-reliefs of the pulpit.
Return to Tripoli, visit the medina at night to find the crazy place that I was literally attacked the arm. Despite various attempts to dissuade him some room for, nothing to do with us Undaunted continues. I have to reach a nearby police post with the spring poverello not my arm. Despite being hounded by a couple of policemen, not the spring and are taken costeetto to speak with the old method of twisting the finger to get rid of him that I had chosen as his savior. The local police detain him "gently" for a few moments to allow us to run away and get to the restaurant "Al Athar" (the arch), built practically next to the ruins of the Arch of Marcus Aurelius.
Specialties of a type of local Tagine served in earthenware amphorae, which are open to the moment before serving. Not bad, cost about 15 euros a head. Tea all 'Ancient Zumit Hotel, located on the other side of the Arch of Marcus Aurelius. This hotel could be an interesting alternative to staying in the heart of the medina. Overnight at Corinthia.

04-01-09 Tripoli Leptis Magna-Tripoli
After a delicious breakfast buffet of Corinthia, visit all'arco of Marcus Aurelius and then for Leptis Magna.
On the east coast, lies Leptis Magna: Phoenician emporium originally, then became a settlement related to Carthage Punic and then Roman city rich, who experienced various stages of development until the end of the second AD Septimius Severus wanted his hometown very impressive and is one of the most magnificent archaeological sites of Roman architecture. In the visit, you can follow the progressive urban settlement expansion, the hole in the old quarter of the theater and the market, that of the Baths of Hadrian, up to the imposing complex hard on the street colonnade that connects the city to the port with its docking wharves, warehouses and the lighthouse. To the south-east are the magnificent ruins of the circus-theater complex, one of the most significant of the entire Roman world. Lunch in a local restaurant to Leptis Magna. Return to Tripoli and visit the mosque and the medina Gurg.
For dinner we go to the fish market in taxi (5 dinars). Here in circulation are chosen from the fish stalls that you want to eat, which are then cooked in restaurants nearby. We have made a real scorpacciata of squid, prawns, octopus, sea bream and mullet. All this for less than 15 euros a head. Truly an experience not to be missed. Overnight at Corinthia.

05-01-09: Tripoli-Italia
Awake at dawn to transfer to the airport to prevent the possible problems of overbooking on the flight to Rome. We are the first to ceck in three hours in advance on the flight, which then partirá with almost two hours late.