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Journal of African trips

African trip [I]

Agelasto
2004-05-20 20:57:33

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war). Actually, Ethiopia has rich farmland in the south. Eritrea,
which is in the north-east, has little farmland and is perhaps the poorest country on a very poor
continent. Africa has 55 countries, more-or-less, if you include the few remaining colonies that
seem to be self-governing. The poorest of the poor form the bottom dozen. Among them is
Eritrea. Eritrea fought for independence and, as the Ethiopians might tell you, it got what it
deserved. Not many tourists go to Eritrea. Which is a shame because it has virtually no tourist
culture. A few independent travelers come across Eritrea, but there are no tour groups. No one
tries to sell you anything, so it is a pleasure to be able to walk around and FEEL that no one really
cares about you. Most prices are the same for tourists as for locals, except for tourist goods
where bargaining prevails. After Egypt, the absence of a tourist culture is a very good feeling. I
spent two nights in Asmara, bedding right across from the Catholic cathedral in a pension where
only locals stayed. No one spoke English, which was also a relief. It was nice being back in a
country where I could not communicate (one of the most endearing features of China).

Most tourists I see on my trip are in fact backpackers. Some I met were appalled I was traveling
at such a quick pace (It's Friday, must be Eritrea). My defense: three days in a place is better
than none. Asmara town (I would hardly call it a city by African standards) looks like it belongs
in Italy, for the architecture in the older part of town, on one side of the main drag, is rather
Italian. The Italians were here for a few years, but Ethiopia/Eritrea was not generally colonized
by any Europeans, unique in Africa in that regard. The Catholic church tolls on the quarter-hour
and competes with the various mosques, the latter enunciating their calls to prayer several ...