Asmara Eritrea - September 26th 2005

 

At 8:00 I start my walking tour through Asmara. First I will visit the Expo Hotel. A lady from Italy wrote me an e-mail regarding this hotel and the family who owns it. The manager is surprised to hear about Sarah. He offers me a cup of tea and invites me to see the hotel. Modern, clean, various types of spacious rooms, two large restaurants, an elevator, conference rooms, a sauna and whirlpool, internet facilities.

I ask the manager the directions to the Golden Star Brewery and proceed my walk through Asmara. In a bar opposite to the Mobil fuel station near the Nakfa Building, I ask for the brewery. A man explains it is three blocks from here. "Turn to the left where the white van is crossing this street."

A man in green overalls with the Golden Star logo is sitting next to the gate. "Can I help you?". I show him the pictures of his colleagues I brought. No further explanation necessary. "This way!" I am welcomed by the manager. He asks my if I saw any changes in Asmara during the last year.

Of course I did. The streets were opened for drinking water supplies and sewers in May, and now they are closed now. I saw many new buses, taxi's, a new hospital, new villages, irrigation projects and dams. And of course the new brewery. And new poor excuses of the Ethiopian regime to hinder the peace process.

The rest of the day is for the family and more. In the Ministry of Tourism I try to find familiar faces and updates for my agenda, telephone numbers, and suggestions. It starts to drizzle. Last convulsions of the rainy season.

When I visit the Medeber markets, a girl guides me to one of the workshops and points to Fred Siwak's butterfly, I brought the artwork to the Medeber markets on May 21st this year. Fred's butterfly is still alive, glued against the inner wall of the workshop. A text is added added in Tigrinya: "The Union that God has created, humans can not demolish."

It is the eve of Meskel. Children gather on the streets with their home made torches, that will be used in the evening, to remember the search for the true cross. Tomorrow is September 27th, celebration of Meskel, the religious feast of the finding of the true cross (Meskel is the Geez word for cross).

A few hours later, after sundown, the torches are lit and the children run through the streets, singing,chanting and carrying flaming torches, inviting me to join the ceremonial act if stepping over the burning torch.

 

Interior of the Expo Hotel - Asmara Eritrea.

Golden Star Brewery - Asmara Eritrea.

Cinema Croche Rosa - Asmara Eritrea.

Restaurant Marosso - Asmara Eritrea.

Administration of Zoba Maakel - Asmara Eritrea.

Supplies for the market - Asmara Eritrea.

The artwork of Fred Siwak - Medeber markets Asmara Eritrea.
"When people are connected by God lets respect their unity."

Steam loc's - Railway station Asmara Eritrea.

Jewelers shop window - Asmara Eritrea.

Cinema Dante - Asmara Eritrea.