I discovered a couple years ago that if you have a penchant for ancient Roman ruins, it’s far better to go to Tunisia than Italy. The quality of preservation is far superior to many Italian sites and the lack of tourists is more refreshing than lemonade on a hot day. It’s difficult in Italy to immerse yourself in silent contemplation of the past, in your imagination, for all the tourists distracting your thoughts. There were many spectacular ruins in Tunisia that were virtually deserted, but Bulla Regia was my favorite. With no red ropes or iron gates to restrict our exploration, we meandered through a city of well-preserved Roman villas, most built underground to provide relief from the heat and still containing perfectly intact floor mosaics. We shared the extensive ruins with one family of 3, a couple shepherds, and a handful of wandering goats.