Sad decay

The Cashbah needs work. In 1962 it contained 1,700 buildings, including 500 from colonial days and 1,200 ancient local houses in good condition. But 30 years later there were only 450 colonial buildings, and 250 of the ancient houses had been demolished.

And those figures are from before the terrorism. I don't know what they are now. The government has talked about renovation but there were only a few projects underway when we walked through this week. Workman have shut down a palace where squatters once ruled for restoration work. But weeds and trees grew out of the beautiful Ketchaoua Mosque -- once a symbol of the city.

Some commercial buildings near the sea are worse. We stopped at a little spice shop that sagged in at the middle from both sides.