Asmara Eritrea - May 25th 2003

 

I make the last preparations for my return trip to Holland, collecting letters and packages for Mebrat and her friends in Holland and the video tapes of the celebrations that Luwam and Yerusalem recorded for me. I ask Yerusalem if I can stay in their house a few days if I will visit Eritrea another time. "Of course, it is your house" she says. "You are part of our family." Her words bring tears to my eyes. I promise them I will be back soon.

I am invited to a wedding in Haz Haz. I take the number 6 bus to Haz Haz village to walk a bit before the wedding. Tourists seldom visit this part of Asmara. For the children I am a welcome curiosity. The follow me everywhere, making it difficult to make pictures. I decided to play to change rolls and start to follow them. They run away.

The game is observed by the local military. He thinks I am lost in this remote area. I tell him, I am going to visit a wedding in Haz Haz. The soldier offers to deliver me at this wedding. I do not dare to say no. Terhas told me the wedding is a few hundred meters from the Haz Haz water supply near a café. We recognize the wedding tent.

I explain am looking for Terhas and Feshaye. I HAVE to come in, but I do not recognize Terhas, nor Feshaye among the audience. Who cares? They must be late. I give the last hundred balloons I brought to Eritrea as a kind of wedding gift and leave my name and one hundred Nakfa's in the guest book. I receive a big iron bowl and a few minutes later I am drinking suwa with the men and sharing their injera. I follow the whole ceremony for several hours.

When I am back in the house of Terhas and Feshaye I ask them why they did not show up at the wedding. "We did not show up? We haven't seen you!" We have to laugh. It must have been the "wrong" wedding I visited. But I was just as welcome anyway!

At 22:00 we leave to the airport. Only the passengers are allowed to enter the grounds in front of the terminals, so we have to kiss goodbye on the parking lot. Close to the terminal I wave one more time. Passport and ticket are checked several times. We fill in an exit form and pay the 20 dollar airport tax. I have to show my video equipment and the form I got on the entry date. The waiting rooms are modern and surrounded by souvenir shops.

Long after midnight the passengers are guided to the Eritrean Airlines plane. I am sorry it is over. But we will meet again very soon.

 

Cycle-racing through the streets of Asmara.

Traditional houses (Agdos) of Haz Haz - Asmara Eritrea.

Haz Haz - Asmara Eritrea.

Contributions to the wedding are carefully registered.

The young couple celebrating their wedding.

Colorful souvenirs at the Asmara covered market.

Luwam and Yerusalem. We will meet again in October 2003!