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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Dec 14, 2004 07:00 PM What a nice peple! But what a bureaucracy!
Asmara, capital of Eritrea... It is hard to believe, but if you want to visit any place of tourist interest out of Asmara, Massawa or Keren you need to apply for the special permit, or sometimes even two permits...
I want to visit the monastery in the mountains. People from the Ministry of Tourism sent me to one of the churches in Asmara to obtain the permit. Sorry, not this church... They sent me to the other one. OK!. Application form, passport, payment of 70 Nakfa. ~Wait.... Here you are...
To visit archeological sites in the south of Eritrea you have to go first to the tourist info office opposite the cathedral. Passport, the plate number of the car you go - they will fill the form. Then they will send you with that form to the stationery (around the corner after Ambassador Hotel) to make 2 copies (3 Nakfa). When you will be back you will get your permit signed and stamped... But it is not yet the happy end! Then you must take a bus no. 12 to the National Museum. Present there you permit from the tourist office, pay 50 Nakfa - and you will get your next permit!
Then you can go to the travel agency (I recommend TRAVEL HOUSE close to the post office - looks the most reliable) to organize your tour...
I spent all day arranging my permits... I am tired... But I still think that the people here are very nice!
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Dec 13, 2004 07:00 PM The most proud and most honest people in Africa?...
Today I took a bus ride back to the capital city of Eritrea...
The trip started at the dusty square in Karen in front of the former railway station building. No more rails here... The station stands now surrounded by sand and dust as a strange relics of the former glory of the colonial railway...
There were no bus when I reached terminal - but the people heading to Asmara were waiting forming straight line in the middle of the dusty square. I - again the only white person - went with my backpack to the end of the line... They were little courious of that but I registered many smiles of symphaty...
Then we spent 4 hours on the road climbing picturesque mountains. At the destination driver called me to give me 3 Nakfa of change (like 15 US cents).... That's like they are here:
proud, honest, helpful... I visited already about 20 african countries and I did not meet such a nation on the Black Continent... Come here and try before it will change!...
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Dec 12, 2004 07:00 PM On Monday only - you won't forget!
Every Monday morning two kilometers north of Karen takes a place big livestock market... Fascinating event - especially for the foreigner! I spent there more then 3 hours... Of course the most exotic section of the market is camel's place. There were about two hundereds of them - from big ones to funny babies... The adult camel cost up to 10000 Nakfa... Roaring, dust, men in traditional costumes, transactions, complaints, trial rides... And me - the only white person in the cowd of approximately 2000 people and animals! Did you see camel market in Tunisia? How many camels and how many tourist buses were there?
On Keren market I was free to take pictures (trying to protect my camera from ever-present dust)... There were also donkey section close to camels and - on the upper terrace - goats and the cattle... Unforgettable day! Plan to be here on Monday!
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Dec 11, 2004 07:00 PM The outback of Eritrea...
I am in Keren. Sandy, dusty streets, camels and donkeys carrying loads on the main, paved road going from Asmara to the border of Sudan... But the border is closed. The border with Ethiopia is also closed, the only entry by land to Eritrea is from Djibouti... Bad news for the overlanders!... Maybe this is the reason why very few tourists come here now...
Keren market is fantastic! Tailors, blacksmiths, food stalls but the most interesting for me are the workshops of goldsmiths.
They usualy work on the floor level producing golden earrings and other jewellery - also made of silver... Local women wear them - often putting them in their noses... From the distance Keren ladies look like bright flowers in their colorful zurias...
Paradise for the photographer - but you must be smart because thy are very shy...
Can you imagine? In the distant and exotic Keren they have two internet cafes. One hour of slow connection cost only 50 US cents! You can send your messages from outback Africa without any problem...
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Dec 10, 2004 07:00 PM Did you hear about Keren?
Bye-bye the mosquitoes from Massawa! (There were also pretty black-skin girls asking for 10 USD per meeting but I decided not take the risk)... Four hours in the bus to the capital city of Asmara, bus change and another 4 hours from Asmara to Keren - lovely provincial town in the north-west direction. What a lanscapes! Big boulders, euphorbia trees in blossom (unfortunately they windows in the bus were dirty...) We broke the tyre on the route - all disembark and some use that stopover to pray (Muslim majority live in this region). In Karen I got a room in empty Pension Sicilia - 4 USD for double with bath, entry from shaddy courtyard... Recommended!
Karen with most people dressed traditionally looks like live skansen... Hot, 1400 m above sea level, but no mosquitoes in December.... I'll see more tomorrow...
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Dec 09, 2004 07:00 PM Valuable bread, Green Island and coral gardens
Massawa - Eritrea. They have here fuel shortages... But sometimes also shortage of the bread. No bread in the morning!. From the grocery they send me to the bakery - there is only one in the dusty, old street close to the port... The doors were closed and crowd of local people was waiting outside for their fresh rolls (the only brand of bred available here). So was I - the only white tourist in Massawa.
After 40 minutes they opened the doors and first in the line (or strongest in the line) got their supply... It took another 30 minutes until I got mine. Halelujah! For 1 USD you can get 70 bread rolls. I bought 10 only... And I paid 1 nakfa extra for the plastic bag, since I had not own...
From the old city of Massawa you can see Green Island. If you had no chance to pay for the boat to famous Dahlak Islands this could be an alternative: they charge 1000 nakfa (like 40 USD) for half day tour to the Green Island from Massawa. There is nothing special on the island except the ruin of the little mosque. But there is a small beach and coral reef on the way to snorkel - not so bad....
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Dec 07, 2004 07:00 PM Dirty jewel of the Red Sea...
Massawa is a second big town of Eritrea and busy sea port... After insect-free Asmara welcome back to the mosquito country! I got a room with bath for 200 Nakfa (like 8 USD) in Corallo Hotel. If you want to stay in that hotel bring your mosquito net with you! There is tourist office but they have not any map of their town... So let you know: the town is located on the mainland (bus terminal and new quarters are here) and also on two islands connected by causeways. Acceptable hotels (5) are on the first island. The harbor and the old town - on the second one. In the guidebooks they write about the highlights: the port and diving. Let you know what I am thinking now: the best of Massawa is its old town with partly-ruined houses, old mosques and suq. It reminds me Zanzibar. But in Massawa you will met much more friendly people, it was great pleasure to stroll around the alleys - again as the only tourist in town - and to enjoy the atmosphere of the Old Orient. Eritrea is poor, ruined by war, has no resources. Nobody thinks about restauration of Old Massawa. It just remains the dirty jewel of the Red Sea...
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Dec 06, 2004 07:00 PM Cheap bus to Massawa...
I took the bus to Massawa. Bus terminal is located in the northern part of Asmara - close to the catholic church with big dome. People are friendly and they will show you the way.
It is still Africa but I must say that bus service is very efficient.
Yes, we were waiting until the bus was full but then everybody got a ticket and they were loading up only as many passengers as they have seats available. No crowd in the african bus!... Did you travel by african bus? Such a luxury is hard to imagine! And 4-hour ride cost only 20 Nakfa- less then a dollar! The journey through the mountains is very picturesque: a lot of switchbacks, up and downs... The views are stuning - take a right site window seat going to the coast if available. After 4 hours you will disembark the bus in hot and humid Massawa... Have a rest - you are back in the tropics!
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Dec 04, 2004 07:00 PM ASMARA - backpackers' paradise...
Eritrea is very young state. It is former Italian colony and the capital city has very strong Italian flavor. Comparing to the other capitals of Africa in is just elegant with its Italian architecture. Churches, mosques, palm trees... Blue sky. Friendly people - many speak basic english. Cheap accommodation. Inexpensive food - just a paradise for the backpackers. You can have a room for 3-4 USD. For your weak 1 USD you can have here 6 espresso or 8 pastries or 2 bottles of local beer or 36 bread rolls. It reminds me Bangkok or Kathmandu from their best days... With one exception: In two days I saw here only one tourist. I stay in the friendly Pensionne Stella - hard to find - ask for Mocambo Club - it is just 50 m away... Welcome to Asmara!
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Dec 03, 2004 07:00 PM Eritrea - the first steps...
It was 3.30 am when I landed in Asmara - the capital city of Eritrea. Still Africa, but only 8 centigrades... Brrrrr!!!. I was running fast from the plane to the terminal building!. The formalities were smooth... Then I put on me all my warm clothes and went out the terminal. It is 6 km from the airport to to the city center... 4 am. No public bus, few taxi drivers are waiting for limited passengers...
Did you meet honest taxi driver in the airport? Yes? Congratulations!
I have very bad experience - they are the same worldwide....
Here they asked 15 USD for the ride! So I put my backpack on and started to walk along the nice, empty avenue heading to the town... 6 km is like 1.5 h walk - good exercise in the feresh morning. Just remember that Asmara is located 2300 m above sea level and your breath will be short on the first days...
After some 300 m taxi joined me calling: OK,OK! 5 dollars!
I agreed and jumped on. When we arrived to the guesthouse
taxi driver of course asked for more. No more!
He said he will call the police... OK, call! I am going to the
bed! It was 4.30 am. Good Morning in Asmara!
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