Asmara Eritrea - June 1 2009

 

First thing to do today is make a deposit of 6000 Nakfa for the unhappy family in Afabet. Most of the money is donated by Nightfrog GmbH as a reward for my assistance (in Asmara) in 2007.

Before I am allowed to enter the bank, my plastic bag is checked for arms and explosives. I have to leave my camera bag outside, next to the military. I guess no one will think of stealing it, but just joking, I ask the military to shoot anyone who will grab it.

My camera bag has a privileged position anyway, because the bags of the other visitors are lined up on the sidewalk of Harnet Avenue.

Hundreds of people are collecting their monthly wages and adding the interest to their savings account, and for a moment I think of returning another time. But at the counter for the local transfers the queue is acceptable, and within 15 minutes it is my turn.

A form has to be prepared (with an old fashioned type writer and two carbon copies). With this form I have to visit a second counter, to deposit the money and the service provision. After the deposit I return to the first counter where the final processing of the money transfer will take place.

"Finished" the lady at the counter confirms. A few days later the money will arrive in Afabet.

Outside the military shows me my camera bag with a smile. It is still there, with the camera in it. Don't try this in any other African country!

From the bank, I walk to the  Medeber markets. At the premises of the Medeber markets laborers are hammering, cutting and welding scrap metal from car parts and oil drums, converting the material into bed frames, stoves, pots and pans, ploughs and even crucifixes for the graves.

In  colorful workshops women sell, grind, and/or mix spices called berbere. The girls are happy with their last years pictures. The workers observe my interaction with the women with a smile. No problem to make more pictures.

The dust of the grinded spices hurts my lungs. It makes me think of the fist time I smoked a cigarette.

Every once and a while I rest on one of the seats in front of the workshops. Soon I am surrounded by children, watching themselves on the display of my camera.

I spend the rest of the afternoon walking through Medeber, looking for the best place to buy a small decorated coffee table with a wood carved jebena and cups. I will bring it home as a souvenir.

 

Banana wholesale - Asmara Eritrea.

Butcher - Asmara Eritrea.

Yirgalem, Damera bar and pastry - Asmara Eritrea.

Chily wholesale, Medeber market - Asmara Eritrea.

Young shopkeeper, Medeber market - Asmara Eritrea.

Local scenery, Medeber market - Asmara Eritrea.

Medeber Elementary School - Medeber Asmara Eritrea.

Old timer bus - Medeber Asmara Eritrea.

Commercial Bank of Eritrea - Medeber Asmara Eritrea.

Godana Medeber - Medeber Asmara Eritrea.