Everything stops for tea

The usual ritual after dinner involves a walk around some of the gardens of the hotel. For the past couple of nights a stray, but clean looking dog follows us, but keeping a respectful distance, stopping when we stop, and moving when we move.
Last night however, it wasn't there. Even when we backtracked our steps, it as nowhere to be found.
But on venturing forward we encountered another couple walking in the opposite direction to us, and who would you guess was following them, at a discreet distance, but our fourlegged friend. It could not be persuaded to alter it's direction despite being proffered with titbits of bread we had taken from the dining room with the specific intention of feeding the poor waif.
No matter, onward we went continuing our nightly sojourn to the boardwalk at the beach and then returning to the bar to purchase two overpriced alcoholic beverages, a Gin and tonic for June and a Pint of locally brewed beer for me. But feeling too tired, we retired to our room, where I finished most of my drink, whilst the G and T still sits on the dresser, conveniently covered by a coaster to be imbibed at a later time.

After a hearty, but unhealthy breakfast of black bread with fig jam, a fry up consisting of crispy bacon, delicious local spicy sausage, tomato, eggy bread, sautéed potatoes and some sort of blini, coffee, ( sadly they only so Nescafé here, no fresh coffee to be had, ) orange juice and a very small bowl of muesli in some sort of creamy yoghurt, we adjourned to the beach.
Today the sea was almost perfectly calm, and as luck would have it I had left my snorkel and mask in our room. I could have went back for it, but I thought I would rather not.
At this juncture I would take you back a couple of days to our last visit to the beach. Disaster! I had just put my mask on and plunged into the water, when, as luck would have it, I realised that I still had in place, my digital hearing aids.They are sitting in our room with the batteries out and one of the covers off drying out. But I fear that an expensive repair job will be forthcoming on our return. Meanwhile I shall try and banish that thought from my mind and get great usage out of the word, "pardon" as I miss out on large parts of conversations that will take place.
The local vendors lying their trade of scarves, hats and various other summer items, keep a respectful distance from the hotel guests. Occasionally though some of the guests will approach them and purchase an item from them after some respectful haggling. Although when we were approached yesterday on our walk home from Yasmine, by such a gentleman, his scarves on offer were only I Tunisian Dinar, as was another man's jewellery.
It is interesting to see the Tunisian Muslim women walking on the sands or frolicking in the water with their children still wearing their traditional garb.although the latter activity takes place further along the seaside, because as I said in this section no one under 16 is permitted.
How perfect the breeze today as we sit in the partial shade not wishing to get either burnt nor brown and leathery like many people get.
There is a challenge therein, of doing an unusual thing, such a spending the day doing virtually nothing. And that is writing about it. Telling you about lying in the sun, with a gorgeous blue sky, staring out at the blue Mediterranean Sea, with the shining white buildings making up the vista of the bay, is one thing; but once that is said, there is nothing more to say about it. Except trying to keep my iPad in the shade so I can write this, is a nuisance.
People watching is a tad awkward on the beach, as you don't want to come across ass ogling. But at least the people on the beach are more interesting than those by the pool. On the beach they do not come down, like the sad folk they are.
Some folk so have their rituals though. Like turning their sun loungers as the sun moves across the sky, despite the sun being always hig enough to get your whole body no matter which way you face.
Some people go for swim and then come out and immediately change into another swimming costume or bikini. Some never move from the shade, others stay out of the shade.some keep their tops on always, as a precaution, others lie topless. Strange in a Muslim country, and also disrespectful. Especially when you see the shape of the bodies they are exposing. Not a pretty sight.
Then there is always the solo men of a certain age who just stand at the water's edge, hands behind their back, just, well just standing, as if to say , " Look at me!"
No thanks.
Whereas the poolside hoggers, just stay by the pool. They may move their loungers around, but are nowhere near as interesting.
Take note though, any American readers, I believe that the reputation that your people have of being vastly overweight and obese is being challenged by some of the continentals here.

Anyway, at lunchtime, and that comes when we feel puckish, no set time. We returned to our room to get our bags, and took the short when we left walk up to,the main highway, to visit our favourite restaurant. This time we got a seat in the shade, and had just a salad and spicy macaroni today. Although the young man, who kept the shack, as it was nothing much more than that, spotlessly clean, and the road adjoining, remembered that we had chicken the other day and enquired if we wanted some. As we ate the cook came out and put a fresh spit of chicken into the roadside rotisserie. When we left we promised him that we would be back again. He was pleased to hear this, as I doubt that he gets many tourists dropping in on his place of work.
On our way back we popped into a local supermarket to by water and cheese, bread, cold cuts, tomatoes and a knife, to make sandwiches for our lunch tomorrow.
One thing I have to point out at this juncture. Most of the guests at this hotel are either French or German, and a right unfriendly lot they are to. You greet them with a" Good morning,"or whatever, sand the rudely ignore you, or begrudgingly grunt a mumbled response.
We now go about greeting people, just to keep ourselves amused.
The English and Scottish folk, of which there are few, always chat. Well some do, or maybe it is us that are wrong, trying to be friendly.
Now excuse me whilst I turn our loungers around to face the sun, and purchase a glass of mint teafrom this splendidly attired fellow.