Reeda will celebrate with us, he is far from his home, but he’s fun to be with us. We sit together comfortably and expect the new year. (Reeda has organized homemade liquor, but we decline with thanks, who knows what kind of devil it is.)

Reeda is Berber, and he plays its traditional music for us, stored in his mobile phone so we get musical entertainment during the evening. He tells us about the customs of the Berbers, and that he may see his beloved only in the presence of relatives.

We are waiting for midnight. The surprise is great. No bangs, no missiles and no fireworks. The happy new year is peaceful and tranquil. We go to bed, because tomorrow we want to go on early.

To go to Egypt, we have to cross the Libyan desert, about 500 kilometers without a gas station, we should make it with one full tank.

Early in the morning we are back on the road. The loading techniques of the Libyans is interesting. On the car is loaded, what is possible, and the load is often higher than the vehicle itself.

Here, too, is driven back and forth, overtaken left and right, often simultaneously. Traffic rules do not exist, or they are not met.

The roads are surprisingly well. Most of it is tarmac, this road is in great condition.

Overland transport is not dense. There are few private cars, the major share is commercial vehicles, here outweigh the trucks.

We drive for hours, because the distances are far. Tara makes herself comfortable on the rear bench , here it is soft and she can sleep in peace.

We get orientation problems. The device does not know the way and our leader Reeda has no idea. We can not read the Arabic roadsigns and so Bodo drives ahead , he has Reeda on board, he can at least read the road signs.

Nevertheless, we wander about, and so we ran to the right, because Reeda has to ask for the way.

Finally, the situation is clear and we can continue the journey. We leave Ajdabiya and now starts the route through the Libyan desert.

Libya is the fourth largest country in Africa and 90% of which is desert. Here during a period of 25 years, there is no measurable precipitation .

The vegetation is sparse and there are only dry bushes. Only camels can eat, they can be found here and there at the roadside.

We must continue, because we need a place to sleep before it gets dark, Bodo drives ahead, because the truck is better off-road and so he is looking for an overnight stay, we can also reach.

After a short time he has found a good spot away from the street. We set up comfortably and get ready for the night. The cat is happy to get out of the truck, he obviously feels comfortable. We are also pleased that the long day comes to an end.

Our bushcamp is situated in the absolute nothingness and Reeda sets up his tent and is preparing a campfire.

We cook a delicious dinner and sit a while at the campfire. We want to get to the Egyptian border tomorrow, then it’s time to say goodbye to our guide Reeda.

In the morning we leave the spot and follow Bodo’s track, that we do not get stuck in the soft sand. It is still 300 kilometres to the Egyptian border, we already are curious what we can expect in Egypt.

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The campsite is located five minutes from the excavation site. We make ourselves comfortable, now we do not want to go on sightseeing tour.

We use the remainder of the day with laundry and cooking. Tara feels good, because here there is grass, in Tripoli on the concrete parking lot she did not like so much.

We end the day comfortably and recharged for tomorrow’s visit of Leptis Magna, also New Year’s Eve is tomorrow and we should keep fit until midnight.

We agree to start in the early morning , but Reeda our guide is not there, maybe he is in town for some stuff. So we must wait. Reeda is a young guy of 20 years and sleeps in his tent. He’s a nice fellow, though he sometimes drives us mad. It is his first trip as a guide and he has no idea of the route or the sights. We like him anyway, because he tries very hard. Tara also likes him very much, because he always shares his food with her, remarkable, since he grew up in the Muslim culture and dogs have no place here, as they have allegedly eaten Mohammed.

He likes Tara and brings her a present, a toy camel that he had bought in the city in the morning. Tara is obviously enthusiastic, small gifts keep friends.

After breakfast we start for visiting the site. Just behind the entrance there is the imposing triumphal arch of Septimius Severus. The four-bow limestone was later, when the Emperor came for a visit, covered with marble. We pass along the Hadrian’s baths. In a 20 km long aqueduct the water was conducted until here in the baths. In one part of the baths there is a pool. Right next to the baths is the Palaestra, the sports arena of the time. The plant was used especially for boxing. The luxurious design points out that these sports were reserved for the rich.

Even a nymphaeum should not be missed in a Roman settlement. It is a sanctuary dedicated to the wells and the water nymphs.Particularly impressive is the new forum. The dimensions are impressive. Approximately 60×100 metres tall, the forum is still paved with marble slabs. Once it was surrounded by a continuous two-story colonnade.

At one side of the square is the Basilica of Severus. The nave is surprisingly large. The basement is rectangular with semicircular apses with main and two side aisles. Made of white marble are the square Anten columns, which are richly decorated. Some of the deeds of Heracles are depicted, wine symbols as leaves and drinking scenes as well. The floor and walls were covered with marble, the columns of pink Egyptian granite, Corinthian capitals of white marble.

We stroll through the ancient city and enjoy the atmosphere here. In my imagination, the city is filled with life and I can well imagine how life was happening here.

Finally, we take a look at the theater. The building was donated by Hannibal Rufus, a very wealthy citizens of the city. It is the largest preserved building of its kind. The inauguration took place in the first century AD. Steeply climb the stone seats in a semicircle, the theater overlooks all other buildings of Leptis Magna. In the audience a surrounding parapet separates the better places from those of the common people.

It is time to leave the excavation site, because we want to make more preparations for New Year’s Eve. Alcohol is not officially available in Libya, and so we buy non-alcoholic beer and much worse – non-alcoholic sparkling wine.

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In Tripoli we camp right at Martyrs Square in front of the hotel Kabir, not exactly idyllic, but functional, as we are right in the center.

From here we can reach all the tourist attractions on foot. The site also enjoys political significance, for here are the big parades held on public holidays. At the border to Libya, we had to take a guide on board with us. Bine and Bodo have gone with the guide Reeda to the Egyptian Embassy to get the visa. We want to make a tour through the Old Town.

We are curious, because Libya, particularly Tripoli, has a bad reputation in the Western world . We want to take pictures and are curious whether we will be prevented by the authorities. We enter the Old City through the old gate.

The gate is part of the city wall, which is unfortunately not preserved completely. We stroll along the old fort, which today houses the National Museum. It was built in the 11th and 12th Century and rebuilt several times by Spaniards, Turks and Italians.

The quiet side street leads directly into the souk with its striking clock tower. The tower carries colonial style elements, but was built in 1860 under an Ottoman governor.

The old town of Tripoli is currently undergoing a revitalization. With the oil boom the narrow living quarters of the Medina have been largely abandoned, only by progressive liberalization of trade a revival has started. The living quarters are going to be inhabited again, the houses are renovated and the bustle of the souk is growing again.

Of course the city is shaped by the many minarets of the medina. It is divided into quarters, each of which concentrates certain craftysmen. One of these is the quarter of the smiths, which is audible from a distance at steady sound of hammering.

We marvel at the ornate objects and the skill of the craftsmen who carry out their craft in tiny open workshops. Here especially kettle and pots are made from sheet copper and mainly tablets of brass produced . But also typical mosque attributes are produced here, such as half moon and globe.

A few steps further we come to Roman past. The triumphal arch of Marcus Aurelius forms the ancient center. It was built in 163 AD. Even the original plaster is still preserved. It is remarkable how deep it is below the present street level. The city grew on their own debris more and more into the air over the centuries .

I am surprised that the triumphal arch is preserved yet after such a long time , even though the city grew steadily, building materials were needed and in past centuries, probably nobody had great interest in European cultural buildings.

Directly behind is the Gurgi Mosque with her slender minaret in contrast to the massive arch.

Amazingly, there is a Christian church in the immediate vicinity. That Islamic countries are intolerant, you could not say, given the existence of the church. We hear that it should be a mosque today and free of any Christian symbolism. That we can not confirm.

From the outside, the building has in any case nothing to do with a mosque. Also the interior shows no signs of a mosque. Quite the contrary. Christian icons all over that catch the eye. While visiting two Muslim girls come to the church, but apparently that does not bother anyone, not even the sexton, who proudly shows us the side chapel, and points to Christian worship and this in the heart of a Muslim city.

We are now more wise and a prejudice less and walk to the lively area of the bazaar. We reach the women’s market. The term could be misunderstood, there will not be sold women, but women sell goods that are designed for women. There are many more sights in Tripoli to visit.

We end our tour at noon, for Bodo and Bine have got their visas and we continue already in the afternoon to the campsite near Leptis Magna. The ancient city is about two hours’ drive away from Tripoli.

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Heading for Sabratha a few days later we are at a beach behind the Libyan border , and are proud of our Libyan numberplate. What happened: After the pressure switch was installed and still the car did not work, Bodo and I desperately played ourselves with the car. We forgot a plug to connect to the pressure switch and to our surprise the car was running again, not even round, but at least it was running. Probably the switch makes the engine stop when the diesel fuel does not meet 100% European specifications. So we left the plug away and outwitted the Electronics. And we went quickly on and headed to Libya.

The next day we go further on to Sabratha and visit the excavations.

Sabratha is one of the most beautiful ruins and archaeological sites in the world. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The theater is a highlight of the Roman architecture.

It was built in the heyday of the region, as one of the sons of the country became emperor in Rome . Septimus Severus gave the theater as a present to this region. It is the world’s most beautiful Roman theater with the most spectacular scenery. We stroll through the grounds and are impressed by the condition of the buildings. Such is seen rarely in Europe.

The extraordinary three-story backdrop is built with the help of over 100 Corinthian columns. The head-high stage front, the Orchestra wall, is decorated with beautiful reliefs of white marble. In three semi-circular and rectangular niches mythological or theatrical scenes are depicted.

Far left in the semi-circular niche, the Muses are depicted, goddesses of the arts and sciences. The middle semi-circular niche is the most important: with the help of a servant Severus brings a drink offering. Beside – Rome, represented by an Amazon, and Sabratha, with cornucopia and patera hands reach their hands. The whole scenery is guarded by Roman soldiers.

In another niche the pretty three Graces, Venus, Minerva and Juno are admired. In the other niches there is a Paris motif, and Mercury, carrying the little Dionysus. As you climb up the steps of the seats, the stage wall comes with the three columned loggias nicely into view. 22 meters high is the stage wall, the diameter of the 5000 seats auditorium is 90 meters.

If you sit in the upper rows of the auditorium and look to the west across the stage wall you have a marvellous view over the ancient Sabratha. The town consisted of houses, several temples and basilicas, and the thermal bath.

Particularly striking are the freestanding Corinthian columns of the Temple of Liber Pater, which stand on a high pedestal and rise particularly high and picturesque into the sky. If you look to the east the pillars of the temple of Isis can be seen. She was the patron saint of seafarers.

We are impressed with Sabratha and the sights and return to the campsite. Tomorrow we want to get to the 100 km distant Tripoli, the capital of Libya. Bodo and Bine were not prepared on a crossing of Africa and they must obtain visas for Egypt.

To get even more information go to Wikipedia.

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