A morning on the Flamingo-Island
Waking up before the sun rises over the sea means getting up around 4:30 AM. We pack a beach bag, a cooler, and a thermos for coffee. The children are still sleepy. Omar is just 2 years old, Yasmin 4, and Linda 11. A wonderful day lies ahead of us.
We drive to CafĂ© Ben Yedder, located right in the center of Houmt Souk, the capital of Djerba. It’s next to a small park with orange trees and mimosas. A few cafĂ© tables and chairs stand outside the entrance. Some men are already sitting there, sipping their “CafĂ© au lait,” “Direct,” or “Espresso,” nibbling on their croissants or patĂ©s. We arrive with our thermos, have it filled with four cups of “Direct” – coffee with a little milk and sugar – and buy croissants, pains au chocolat, and always a few patĂ©s (puff pastry filled with tuna and egg).
We drive to the hotel where my husband and I work, walk to the beach – he’s the watersports base manager – take the motorboat, and load our bags, breakfast, and, of course, the children onto it. Omar is secured with armbands, and the girls with swim jackets. We speed towards the sunrise – it’s a breathtaking sight, the sun reflecting on the perfectly calm turquoise sea before us. Suddenly, dolphins appear next to our boat. They dart under the boat, jump, and race alongside us. Impressive animals, so nimble, so curious, so perfectly adapted to their surroundings. After a 30-minute ride, we anchored near Flamingo Peninsula. Every winter, thousands of flamingos come to Djerba to feed in the shallow waters between the peninsula and the island. It looks like a pink carpet. Hence, the name: Flamingo Peninsula.
The water is crystal clear and turquoise, I can see the seabed. We unpack our breakfast, sip our coffee, crumble croissants all over the boat, and enjoy the warm morning. The boat rocks gently back and forth. Wonderful! The children are the first to jump into the water, swimming, diving, laughing, and squealing with joy and delight. Isn’t it wonderful to see your children so happy?
I also dive overboard with a perfect headfirst entry and resurface only after swimming a considerable distance. It’s such a great feeling of freedom to swim in the sea, to see the bottom, and to feel the hot, Tunisian summer rays on my skin. I love my life, this slower rhythm, this way of starting the day. Radiant faces sit back in the boat an hour later as we head back to the hotel’s watersports base.
This is a successful start for me, my husband, and, of course, for the kids, who will only truly appreciate this privilege years later. Thank you for these wonderful hours!