Asmara Eritrea - June 3rd 2005

 

When I wake up at 4:30 it is still pitch-dark. I have to grope may way through the room to find my flash light. Power supply is cut of until 6:00. Ruth told me how to leave the hotel, using a side entrance.

At the bus station, close to the hotel two buses are waiting. "Did you remember what bus is ours?" the driver asks. How could I forget. The driver tells me he will get me on the other bus., that will leave first. I have to return my ticket, and he arranges a seat in the other bus, that leaves at 5:30.

The bus is a lot faster than yesterday's bus, no delays, no tea brakes. I decided to skip the visit to Segeneyti. To tired and a bit afraid I will miss Dehab Faytinga's concert. At 10:00 I am in Asmara where I have breakfast in the Cathedral Snackbar.

At Bbrssy Donut House I buy some donuts as a gift for Meaza and her colleagues in their Asmara Intercontinental Hotel office. We drink tea. Meaza invites me to visit her house to have diner next Tuesday. How can I refuse an invitation of such a wonderful lady?

Back in the center of Asmara, walking through BDHO Avenue, a boy on a bike is greeting me. It takes some time before I remember. It is one of the stewards of the Eritrean Airlines plane, Hertema, now in a sports outfit on a bicycle. We chat for a few minutes.

When I observe the bus number 7 to Kahawta, I remember I should visit the Asmara Brewery. And to find some souvenirs for Hendrik Thomann. At the gate I have to wait for a few minutes. At noon most employees go to their house to have lunch. The sales manager shows me the office of the general manager. He has to give his permission for a visit.

When I tell him this is my ninth visit to Eritrea, he is surprised I did not yet visit the brewery. He calls one of the employees to escort me through the production halls. Everything is neat and efficiently organized. The guide tells me what the various equipment is used for and arranges the requested souvenirs. When we leave the halls he shows me the villa of the Melotti family, who used to own the brewery.

Walking back to the center, I pass Setante Otto and Gejeret, to watch various new built residential buildings in the area, church yards and just walk through areas I did not visit up to now.

When I visit Mebrat's family, the children bring me a lot of telephone cards. I asked them to collect them for me. I give them some Nakfa's and my colleague that collects these cards will reward me with loads of business gifts and pencils.

Walking on Harnet Avenue I watch two waitresses carrying 24 bottles of mineral water in a tray and some other heavy stuff in a bag. A man is explaining them how to carry the tray. I watch the discussion and I suggest to put the tray with mineral water on my shoulder, and one minute later I am walking the two girls to their Bar Cinquento.

I hope my courteousness will once be rewarded with more beautiful pictures when I meet them again strolling the streets of Asmara, or visiting the pavement of Bar Cinquento.

 

Semaetat Secondary School - Asmara Eritrea.

Entrance of the Melotti beer and liquor factory (now Asmara brewery).

Family Melotti villa - Asmara Eritrea.

Asmara brewery - Asmara Eritrea.

Asmara brewery - Asmara Eritrea.

Asmara lager beer and Asmara's extra stout,
the two trade marks of the Asmara brewery.

Residential building - Gejeret Asmara.

Mosque - Gejeret Asmara.

Yodith and Jerusalem doing their schoolwork - Asmara Eritrea.

American bar - Harnet Avenue Asmara Eritrea.