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-- Log 18a --
Massawa Eritrea
What is collectively known as Massawa is really three entities. The
mainland, across the first causeway is Taulud Island, (the old Italian
quarter) and across a shorter causeway to Batsi Island where everything
is centuries old.
Taulud Island, symbolically guarded by three gutted tanks, the first to
battle their way across the causeway during Massawas liberation.
The city was almost levelled by bombing raids in 1990 by the Ethiopians
after they lost the port to the EPLF. Almost every pre-1990 building
bears its battle scars, and the remaining ruins, empty lots and hillocks
of rubble are a constant reminder of Massawas blitz.
Central Hotel Massawa N15.36.322 E039.28.066 17 ft amsl - 10/08/02
360 Nakfa pn - Room with A/C, fan, Sat TV and big bathroom! Luxury
!!!!
Massawa is the gateway to the Dahlak Archipelago, where we would have
loved to go snorkelling. Unfortunately the costs were out of our budget
range, so we gave the diving a miss. The heat and humidity were getting
to us anyway it was far worse than Durban in February! Massawa was
know for its pearl-diving industries during the 1930s, we dont need to
see if any are left!
We had heard that the internet is very slow in Eritrea due to the old
telephone lines. We were very surprised to find the Bit computer Centre
on Massawa Island left after the causeway gave a very good service
at 10 Nakfa per hour!
Time to find cooler ground we head out for Asmara the capital of
Eritrea 103 kms away 3 hours 0 ft amsl 7 800 ft amsl. Even though
the road is tar it took three times longer than expected to drive due to
the winds and turns. We once again struggled to find a place where we
could park MR W within the compound. People seemed upset that we would
not park the vehicle in the street. Crime is practically zero here, so
it is hard for them to accept our untrusting attitude!!
Asmara is like a small Italian village, filled with coffee shops and
good bakeries!
Plenty of pizza places and good restaurants. We were amazed at how safe
it was to walk around the town, day or night it is no problem! The
people are friendly and very helpful, no begging (like in Ethiopia). Qat
is a banned substance, so people actually work! The town is one of the
cleanest we have see during our travels. There is a workforce of ladies
sweeping the streets from early in the morning!
Sandal Island! This monument to sandals had us guessing what it was all
about. Louise told us that the sandals represent the shoes worn by the
soldiers when they won the war, they did not wear boots!
Buon Respiro Pension Asmara N15.20.055 E038.56.346 - 7 73 ft amsl
11/08/02 13/08/02 -100 Nakfa pn room with communal bathroom
MR Ws neat car park in Asmara Buon Respiro Pension no camping here!
Road sign in Asmara
We found the Toyota agents, and tried for several hours to get them to
give us a quotation to fix the flasher unit to no avail, they want to
do the work first and then tell us how much it will cost finally we
gave up! We will have to try somewhere else!
Went down to the OAU offices looking for Johan. As usual MR W caught the
attention of passing traffic, and Dave Bax from UN stopped by, surprised
to see a GP plate in Asmara. We had tea with Dave and his family, it was
great rooibos and rusks!!!! Thanks very much. Dave also gave us info
on shipping agents if we decided to ship across the Red Sea. It appear
that this will be a very costly exercise, so we have decided to drive to
Khartoum and see what happens.
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