The Fayum Oasis has a long tradition of creating pottery, and about 15 years ago, two Swiss potters, Evelyne Porret and Michel Pastore, built the Fayoum Pottery School in the small town of Tunis above the western end of Lake Qaroun to promote local skills. The center has put Tunis on the map and has spawned an industry. The town's narrow, dusty streets are now alive with more than half a dozen studios, each selling items from plates to sculptures. You could easily spend an afternoon wandering from studio to studio. The two must-see locations are the Fayoum Pottery School (tel. 084/6820405; daily 10am-8pm) and the studio of Ahmed Abu Zeid (ask for directions at the school, or anywhere in the village).