I am here in Algiers, the capital of Algeria, participating in the National Theatre Festival. During my stay I will visit two different sites built by the Romans. The first site is located in the town of Tipasa over looking the Mediterranean and was built in the 2^nd and 3^rd centuries CE. The Roman Empire expanded into North Africa after the Punic Wars with Carthage. Rome and Carthage fought for power in the Mediterranean. More land meant more power! The Emperor Trajan is the most well known

Next Up! Algiers, the capital of Algeria.

Ensuite, Alger, le capitale de l'Algérie.

During our tour in Bejaia we happened upon what they call the old Casbah. It is an old fortress original built by the Almohades cilivization in the 12^th century. The space was used as a government fortress.

The well known philosopher Ibn Khaldoun came to Bejaia to teach and also served as Prime Minister in 1352. He is said to have created the domain of sociology. He wrote about the history of North Africa and the Berbers (the original peoples of the region).

This week we went on tour to the city of Bejaia in east-central Algeria. Dominating the city is the mountain called “Ymma Gouraya” or Mama Gouraya. Look carefully and you can see the form of a woman laying on her back!

I met Brahim who works at the agricultural center that now stands on the land where Père Clément lived. He showed me around the plants and trees now growing in the center. Funny enough there are no