Asmara Eritrea - May 20 2009

 

I spend the morning visiting hotels to confirm the data on our web pages. In some I am invited to have a drink with the management, or invited to come back later to have lunch.

Early in the afternoon it starts to rain and lightning brightens the Asmara sky. I shelter in the Expo area. As a tourist I am not happy with the sudden weather change, but I realize Eritrea needs good rains to irrigate its fertile but now dry soil. One of the basic economic aims is to achieve food security, and become self-sufficient in food production. The recent droughts have resulted in low agricultural yields and sharp price increases for food.

The Eritrean government is making vigorous efforts to invest in agricultural projects such as dams, micro dams, and other water conservation activities, but without sufficient rainfall the water reservoirs providing water to the irrigation systems will dry up. Water is everything, especially for a country like Eritrea that entirely depends on rain for its agricultural development. 

I meet Haile and Haile, my brother in law and his colleague. They ask if I found an invitation for May 24. Haile asks me to come to his office in the Expo storage facilities of the NHCC. He opens one of the drawers of his desk, and hands me his own invitation for the May 24 ceremonies in the Asmara Stadium. "I will try to get another one", he says. I am very happy with his gift. We make some pictures.

When one of the straps of my rucksack goes to pieces, I visit Ali, the tailor, to have it fixed. The emergency repair is free of charge. We are friends by now.

In the evening the main streets in the center of Asmara are hosting a small carnival dedicated the six Eritrean Zoba's (administrative regions), that each exhibit their specific culture, music, dance, and wildlife in artistic and attractive colorful presentations. 

Tonight's carnival is an appetizer for the parades on Thursday (Asmara companies exposing their products) and Friday (community carnival).

The trucks are surrounded by Eritreans visiting their motherland from the various continents, with their video and digital photo cameras.

I meet Irga and Kiros, an Eritrean couple from the Netherlands, who are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their marriage in Eritrea. The tickets are a gift from their children.

 

Hidmona bar and nightclub - Expo area Asmara Eritrea.

Haile - Expo area Asmara Eritrea.

Main road from Expo to Kahawta - Expo area Asmara Eritrea.

Ali repairing my rucksack - Asmara Eritrea.

Decorated Bar Vittoria - Adi Hawesha Street Asmara Eritrea.

Carnival of Eritrea's six Zoba's - Asmara Eritrea.

Carnival of Eritrea's six Zoba's - Asmara Eritrea.

Carnival of Eritrea's six Zoba's - Asmara Eritrea.

Carnival of Eritrea's six Zoba's - Asmara Eritrea.

Carnival of Eritrea's six Zoba's - Asmara Eritrea.

Illuminated Semaetat Avenue - Asmara Eritrea.