From Kunming (China) to the Medina (Tunisia) – Here we arriving to the end of 2025. And behind this image lies one of the most unique and beautiful chance encounters I have ever experienced in the Old Medina of Tunis.
My friend, and I were having coffee in a traditional cafe. One of those timeless places where the atmosphere seems frozen in the 90s. With its vintage decor and old-fashioned tins lining the shelves, the cafe remains a living testimony to a bygone era.
Suddenly, a man of East Asian descent walked in. He was gazing at every corner, with a sense of pure wonder, as if he had stumbled upon a lost treasure. I invited him to join our table, and with a warm smile, he graciously accepted.
From Kunming to Tunis
Our guest’s name was Tao, hailing from Kunming in China’s Yunnan province. We spoke in English, he possessed a clear British accent and articulated his words so well that it made our conversation truly engaging.
Throughout our meeting, I acted as the translator, bridging the linguistic gap between Tao and my friend. To ensure my friend was fully involved in the dialogue.
It turned out that Tao was not just a tourist. He is a master with over 25 years of experience in Chinese massage and Yoga. To give us a glimpse of his craft, he performed a spontaneous demonstration on my friend’s hands right there in the cafe.
His movements were incredibly professional, pressing specific points between the fingers. He kept asking me to translate: “Does he feel any pain here?”. while explaining that his left hand was his “power hand” for therapeutic healing.
Although Tao did not dwell on technical jargon, my curiosity later led me to research exactly what he was doing. Based on some of my researches, it seems he was applying a blend of Reflexology and Shiatsu. Where the hand acts as a map reflecting the body’s overall health. His constant questions about pain acted as a “bio-scan” of pressure points, unlocking hidden tensions.
Therefore, I cannot be certain of the exact terminology, experts like Tao know the secrets of their craft far better than I. But what I am certain of, is that those movements were from an ancient medical language spoken fluently through his fingertips.
What made the moment even more surreal was the reaction of the people around us. A group sitting directly behind us went completely silent, watching us with intense curiosity.
I caught a glimpse of a lady in that group. Who was staring at us with her mouth literally wide open in disbelief.
It must have been quite a sight: a local guy translating English fluently. While a Chinese master performed ancient healing arts in the middle of a traditional Tunisian cafe.
Someday to China!? Why not…
Before we parted ways. Tao was the one who asked to take this photo as a keepsake of his visit to Tunisia.
He left us with a warm invitation to visit him in Kunming. Promising that his mother would cook us their finest traditional local dishes.
Meeting Tao reminded me that Tunisia will always be a land of hospitality. And that a simple cup of coffee can build a bridge to a whole different world across the oceans.
