Quickie trip to Keren

July 21, 2007.

After a little lie in this morning, we decided to take a public bus to Keren city in northern Eritrea.

Set on a plateau 1392 m above sea level, it is known as one of the country's most attractive towns, hosting a range of mosques, churches and colonial buildings.

Scattered along the route were battered and worn tanks, left over reminders of the brutal war fought not that long ago.

Here in Keren, the Bilen people are found, beautiful and famous for their large gold nose rings and henna tatoos on their necks and faces.

Because we left so late in the day and due to the 5+ hour journey each way (if you include the waiting around at the bus depot for the bus to fill up), by the time we arrived in Keren, it was pretty much time to turn back.

We managed to squeeze in an injera lunch, see Matt waiting to dig in.

For dessert, we stopped by at a local cafe known for their home-made yogurt and donuts. We slurpped and munched while watching "Eritrean Idol". No kidding. Too bad it was all in Tigrinya.

Here's a pic of the restaurant owner, a lovely Bilen woman. She was beyond herself with delight when i showed her the picture on the digital camera. We took multiple shots of her, with her daughter, with me, etc.

Back in Asmara, we went out to one of the famous pizzerias and had possibly one of the best tasting pizzas ever in my life.

It's fascinating to think that after all the war and damage done over the years, the food lives on.

Historical and beautiful Qohaito

July 20, 2007.

Today we went to visit Qohaito, a vast barren plateau that lies at 2700m above sea level.

With the same friendly driver and Ghebre as our interpreter, we spent the day visiting old ruins, meeting the Saho people (one of the 7 tribes in Eritrea), and filling our lungs with the purest air imageinable.

We visited the Great Canyon first and great it is!

With no fence or signs, one could easily walk off the edge if you weren't careful. Not for the faint-hearted!

See pic of our guide gazing down into the depths of the canyon and the pic of one side of the valley, where fields have been carved into the mountainside.

If you squint, you can see the tiny tukuls (thatched conical huts) where the Saho people live.

After a quick stop at the Temple of Mariam Wakiro, we stopped at the Egyptian Tomb, discovered in 1894.

We went down into the pit where over 70 bodies were found. Its most distinctive features are the 2 flower-shaped crosses inside the walls. Here's a pic of our guide beside one of them.

We then took a hike to see the Adi Alauti Cave and Gorge, which is by no means a very accessible site.

Tiptoeing on a mule trail, careful not to fall over the edge, we were rewarded with an absolutely incredible view, including Mount Ambasoira (3013 m), the highest mountain in Eritrea.

At the cave we saw detailed rock paintings from when hunters would record their catch of the day.

What i find quite fascinating in Eritrea is that everything is seeped in tradition, upheld with culture and history. But it is still a very new destination for tourists, and so the sites you do visit are there just for you it seems.

You can almost be sure that there have only been a handful of other tourists who have been to the same spot as you have.

There are no lineups, no entrance fees, no brochures and no rules on prohibiting flash photography, vandalism, etc.

Everything is just as it is, just as it should be. It's tourism at its earliest stages.

On our way back we saw throngs of women and men, all dressed in beautiful colourful clothes, apparently on their way to a funeral.

It is such an incredible sight to witness: dotted around the green-brown landscape of Qohaito are tiny figures of bright orange, red, purple, pink and blue.

Stopping for a break, Ghebre pointed out the beles fruit to us, also known as the prickly pear.

Beles was in its prime season and we had the freshest of its kind by taking it directly off of the plant.

Due to the thousands of tiny thorns on the fruit, you have to be very careful not to hurt yourself. It takes skill and patience.

Ghebre, who used to eat beles all the time while he was a boy-shepherd, showed us how to do it.

Juicy and sweet, it was a refreshing and cool treat during a hot day.

After a delicious pasta lunch in one of the only restaurants which served Coke (Eritrea's only Coke factory had shut down and supply was desperately low throughout the country), we took a short stroll around the town.

Plastered on many of the buildings are HIV/AIDS signs. It is a real threat and a growing concern amongst young and old.

Posters and billboards, such as this condom ad, can be seen everywhere.

In addition, there are numerous billboards strategically placed along the highway which warn people to beware of landmines.

Since the end of the war, not that long ago either, there are still landmines which have not been found and/or deactivated.

Driving back towards Asmara, we went through the valley of the sycamores.

Proudly displayed on their nakfa notes, these trees are immense, sturdy and just looking at them, you feel like an ant - or even smaller.

They are still used for people to congregate for meetings, church services, school lessons, community meetings, etc.

Another full and fulfilling day.

A day of natural beauty and human kindness

July 19, 2007.

Definitely one of the highlights of the week was visiting Ghebre's home village, Adi Gulti.

Off the main 'road', one normally takes a bus to the closest big town and then walks a couple of hours on the dirt path to reach the remote village.

But we rented a car and driver and made it a day trip.

Along with Nigisty, Saba, Haileb and Ghebre, Ghebre's father, who is ill and has been staying in Asmara, made the journey as well.

It was quite an emotional event, to see him reunited with his family and friends.

Throughout the day, there was a constant flow of visitors, bringing eggs, injera and sweets as a welcome-back gift.

And although for most of the day i couldn't understand what was being said, it's amazing how much you can deduce from tone of voice and body language.

In a small community anywhere in the world, the relationships forged and moulded over many generations are precious, and Adi Gulti is no exception.

See pic of an elderly village woman demonstrating how the flour is made.

Just next to her is the bed where Ghebre was born.

After the obligatory coffee ceremony, we hiked up to the top of the nearby hill to the monastery.

A fabulous view of Adi Gulti greeted us down below, see pic.

On our way down we passed the local clinic, where there was a solar panel installed.

It is used to power the fridge in order to keep the vaccines and other meds cool.

Following a delicious injera lunch (see Ghebre's uncle, the local priest, breaking the injera, traditionally done by the head of the household), Matt and I headed outside, armed with a few frisbees, and got busy throwing them around, teaching the village kids how to do backhands and flicks.

We soon noticed that it was mainly the boys who were willing to come forth and throw with us.

The girls just hung back and looked on timidly, although obviously very interested.

We got the pick-up sticks and I proceeded to teach the girls how to play that game.

Soon the boys wanted to learn the new game too so pretty soon there was a massive mob of children all pressed around me.

I'm not totally convinced that they understood the rules to the game, but i figure they will make up their own rules afterwards.

Part of the game involves counting so I did manage to incorporate some English counting from 1-10. It which was great!

Imagine about 3 dozen kids screaming "... eight - nine - TEN" at the top of their lungs; that's what i call surround sound!

Without much fuss or fanfare, we said our thank you's and farewells and left Adi Gulti before dark.

Probably one of my most fondest memories from the day will be the kids, running after our jeep, waving and screaming as we left them in a trail of dust.

On our route back, we stopped in Nigisty's village so she could say hello to her relatives.

By then it was raining and we were quite exhausted from the long day.

It was a bumpy ride back again, but i fell asleep instantly, even with 3 chickens making a ruckus in the back seat.

In several day's time, we would be feasting on one of them.

We were told that Adi Gulti produces the BEST chicken this side of Asmara.

It was rather tasty.

Welcome to Asmara!

OK, here is the Eritrea blog.. apologies for the delay, i know people were asking about it. Wanted to do the trip justice though.


July 18.

There was, in the end, no need to rush.

The Singapore connection was a breeze and the Cairo one even more so. Apparently Egypt Air is infamous for its delayed departures; we ended up waiting in Cairo's deserted connecting terminal for what seemed like an eternity. Time stands still when it's dark outside, doesn't it? 11pm looks the same as 5am and vice-versa.

We eventually made it to Asmara as the sun was rising. I had the honour of wearing Matt's Eritrea t-shirt that was given to him by Ghebre as we got off the plane (it had become a bit too snug for him after 15 years of 'growth').

We wasted no time and after a quick shower to freshen up at our hotel, we were off to the Travel Bureau to apply for our travel permits.

All foreigners must obtain permission to venture outside Asmara. You must give details of where you want to go, for how long, by what means, etc. Perhaps a little too pessmistic, we were anxious that we wouldn't get approved. However, by 6pm that same day, we had all our necessary papers! A great start indeed.

While waiting for our permits to get approved, we stopped for a quick breakfast at one of Asmara's most popular and trendiest cafe, the Sweet Asmara Cafe. See pic of Matt and Ghebre enjoying their macchiatos and pastries.

Afterwards we went to visit Nigisty (Ghebre's wife) and the kids, who were staying at her brother, Haileb, and his wife, Saba's, place.

After the introductions, Saba immediately went about making the traditional Eritrean coffee. An elaborate process, the coffee beans are first roasted for everyone to smell.

Then the coffee beans are placed in a clay 'jug' which produces the smoothest, richest and strongest java imagineable!

It is then poured in tiny glasses, smaller than shot glasses, served with a few heapfuls of sugar and stirred to one's liking (the more you stir, the sweeter it is).

Traditionally, one is supposed to have 3 of these tiny cups, each one weaker than the last, but all just as sweet. Throughout our week there, we were treated to at least half a dozen coffee ceremonies.

A great first day, full of warmth and sincere hospitality. It is of course that much more special to visit close friends and their families here. Eritrean culture is one that is based around the extended family, large gatherings and food. Sounds all too familiar for me! :D

See pic of little Selina and Yohanna (our Godson) playing in the street.

deja vu?

It's becoming very familiar: the hustle and bustle of last minute packing, the double-checking of the flight times, the final watering of the plants (or what's left of them), the neglected emails that need a response, the phone calls to our parents - of them wishing us a wonderful trip and of us reassuring them we will be safe (no palm oil, i promise Mom!) - and with a last washing up of the dishes and of ourselves, we are off to catch the airport bus.

Today's destination: Eritrea!

With two very tight change-overs in Singapore and Cairo, we're hoping there won't be any delays or hiccups. Fingers crossed! Will report back with lots of stories and pictures.

We have settled on a moving date finally: Aug.24. And with flights booked to Cape Town on Aug. 25, everything is now in forward motion! So looks like August will be a busy month indeed, along with me going back to Treasure Island full time the Monday after i get back from Eritrea. I'll be working on more leadership programmes for the HK international schools' academic year, occassionally wearing the "Surf Camp Instructor" hat during the summer program. It will provide the perfect end to the living-in-HK chapter; I'd much rather be busy and take full advantage of my last HK summer, as hot as they are, and anyway, how can i possibly turn down a beachside office with swim/surf breaks? AND get paid for it? :)

Roll the credits please!

June 10. And with a celebratory bubbly drink, some of my friends from HKU and I officially closed the PGDE chapter in our lives, toasting each other's success and overall survival throughout this year.

Lots of ups and (for some more than others) downs, but ultimately we are all wiser in the world of lesson planning and of the "Long Fingered" demons. Gambei!

Wrapping up, but still enjoying the now

It's been a while, i know. No reason except time passing.

Last Monday we had the first beach disc game of the year here at DB. Afterwards, we all trampled back up to our place for dinner. 17 large pizzas, 6 dozen samosas, 5 cakes and countless cans of beers later, the Wii was brought out along with the poker chips.

Oh, and of course we brought out the ceremonial kava, a big hit for its curious effects but not particularly popular for its mouldy-shoe taste. See pic of Christina and Naomi giving the thumbs-up after bravely downing their bowl.

It was a good night; I wouldn't have guessed 40+ people could actually fit into our living room, but everyone did eventually get somewhere to sit - be it the mattress, floor or table top! See pic of the last of the guests.

One of our frisbee friends, Apple and Alex, just had their daughter Elizabeth a couple of months ago. She made her grand debut that day, a real cutie and a half!

These past couple of weeks have been very low-key, getting back ino HK life, trying to enjoy the hot and humid summer by swimming almost daily. To get back into our exercise regime (and to hopefully knock off some of that "travel weight" that is inevitable when you're in another land and eating like a queen), we have joined a weekly dodgeball team. Yes, the game that we all played in primary school where you try and hit as many people with balls. It's fun, intense and fortunately, pain-free!

Our Eritrean visas have come back, after an initial rejection the first time applying. We leave next Tuesday, via Singapore and Cairo. It will be a fantastic trip, i'm sure of it. Very much off the beaten tourist track and a short, but intense glimpse into the political, historical and scenic beauty of a small, 'new' country still struggling in its own ways. Because Ghebre and his family will be our tour guides for the week, I have to admit I haven't looked much into what there is to do there besides visit the old ruins and the coastal villages. All i know is that the food will be splendid, the coffee to die for (their macchiatos are world famous) and if Ghebre and his family are anything to go by, the people will be very hospitable and friendly.

On July 1st, it was the 10th anniversary of the handover. We intended to go and see the fireworks but in the end, comfy couch+movie+wine won hands down over crowds+heat+more crowds.

Trying to capitalize on all the arts and theatre in town during the HK summer, we went to hear Joshua Bell play Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D Major Opus 35, my all-time favourite. I've heard it performed live about 5 times by other violinists, but young and talented Joshua Bell is just light years ahead in terms of melodic interpretation and making technically difficult passages appear like a walk in the park. What more can i say, except that it was so utterly fantastic that i wept throughout the enire thing.

Last Sunday we went to see HOMELESS FC at one of Hong Kong's independent movie theatre. A fantastic film/ documentary about Hong Kong's homeless people who've met under unique and difficult circumstances, these 8 men formed a football/soccer team and travelled to Cape Town for the 2006 Homeless World Cup. Inspiring, emotionally vivid and extremely 'close to home', the entire piece is very well done and as much as i hope it will get more international recognition, i hope this will become integrated into the curriculum in all local schools. It covers a host of issues: poverty, discrimination, family and social issues, friendship, pride and beneath it all, survival.

Lately, I've been making a mental list of all the things i will miss when we leave Hong Kong. Among some of the top things is the view from our flat. Whether at night or early morning, the lights, the outlying islands, the fog, the haze, the clouds, the typhoons, even Disneyland - they all come together to make up what I will cherish as my HK memory years to come.

I think i'll end this entry by talking about the most apprrpriate thing: food, the variety and the availability of it. We went out for dimsum in Tuen Mun with several great-aunts and great-uncles a couple of weeks ago. Oh, i will miss the clattering of the dishes, the ridiculously loud people shouting and heckling and of course the small steamed dishes of siu mai and har gao, fish heads, pork fat, chicken feet and pig's intestines... What can I say? You can take me out of China but you can't take the Chinese outta me!