Visit from "The Cavalry"

Hi. Liz's dad here. I have been asked (i.e. instructed) to load up some of the photos we took when we visited Eritrea recently. Our trip lasted about 10 days and we managed to visit Asmara, Keren, Hagas, Massawa, Segeneiti and several other places in between. I am also pleased to report that our digestive systems have now returned to normal.

On day-1 we went up from Asmara to Keren, where we visited the camel market (amongst other "treats"):

The camel market is held in a dried-up river bed, Camels, of course, are traded, but the market also provides for local women to trade in various wares, ranging from materials, cookware, spices etc and even firewood and charcoal. Anything and everything has a price and can be purchased, including empty plastic bottles.

Just "down the road" and through the Dongolaas Gorge (location of WW2 battle of Keren) we came to the small town of Hagas. The majority of housing here is stick huts.

Liz knew of a "hotel" where we were able to get a Coca Cola to cool us off a bit.

We had hired a car to get us around, which in one way was a God-send because it meant we didn't spend hours and hours (literally) queueing for buses which may / may not arrive. However, Liz had not picked the most reliable of vehicles. We broke down on three successive days, and on each occasion we were halfway up some mountain or other, and on hairpin bends! Fortunately the air con proved more reliable than the engine.

From Keren, we drove over the mountains down to Massawa (which is 2,300 metres lower, and at sea level.) The mountain road takes you through one of the few green areas in Eritrea - the Filfil forest. It almost smells like "home".

Massawa is a most interesting place. It is the key port on the Eritrean coastline and has frequently been fought over. Most recently the Ethiopian airforce bombed the port during the Eritrean struggle for independence. The Imperial Palace (above), previously the residence of Haile Selasse, was one casualty.

Just along from the port as Massawa is Gurgusum - a beautiful beach, a very nice hotel and an appetising shrimp lunch.

From Massawa we drove back into the mountains to Liz's "home city" of Segeneiti. We have posted pictures of her house previously, so no repeats. However, I thought this one of her neighbour cooking Injera on a mogogo was interesting. Injera forms the basis for most meals, especially given that bread is in such short supply.

There is a fair amount of arable farming in the area immediately surrounding Segeneiti, and the farmers work hard with teams of oxen ploughing the fields. Rain, however, is in short supply.

Camels are a common sight. When not being worked, they are left to roam, but their front legs are tied to prevent them from "wandering" too far.

There is one tarmac road through Segeneiti. It does not, however, run up to Liz's office. This is the trail from her house to work. You can just about make out her office in the trees.

Liz and Embaba. Embaba is a local girl who spends a lot of time around Liz's house helping out.

Having returned to Asmara, we decided a trip on one of the 10 Best Rail Journeys in the World was not to be missed. Travelling from 2,394 metres above sea level down to the coast at Massawa, the Eritrean Railway runs through (tunnels) and around the mountains, and provides incredible views. Our trip took us to a small town called Nefasit. On the journey (which took 2 hours to get to Nefasit) an Eritrean woman conducted a coffee ceremony on the train! On the return trip the train hit two donkeys in one of the tunnels, killing one donkey outright. The other was in a sorry state and we think it was probably also despatched later with an axe which we saw them preparing! That's Eritrea for you.

Meeting new people is the order of the day for the few ex-pats in Eritrea. We went 10-pin bowling with two paediatric doctors from Washington DC (Lauren and Mecian) who were spending their 3 weeks leave helping out at a children's hospital in Asmara.

We "missed" Easter. We went to mass (in Italian) at St Mary's Cathedral in Asmara on what was Easter at home, but in Eritrea, because of the Geez calendar, it was only Palm Sunday! Confused? You bet we were.

The bell tower of the cathedral provides wonderful views of Asmara. It is a bit of a climb and (considering my vertigo and the brisk winds on the day we went up) too risky to go the final 20 feet where only a slack rope stops you falling!

Asmara, probably the art deco capital of the world, is like stepping back in time. This is the scene inside the post office, showing the writing desk.

Nothing is thrown away in Eritrea. At the Medebar Market, scrap metal is reworked to make fumellas (charcoal stoves for cooking), mogogos (for making Injera), pots, pans and even beds.

On our last full day in Asmara, we went out to the escarpment to admire the views. The mountains fall away many hundreds of metres here and the valleys are full of wildlife, especially baboons. (No, the picture is of Liz and Paul!)

As we sat, hundreds of baboons passed within about 50 yards of us, as they made their way down the escarpment.