Unusual First Impressions
A bowling alley manually operated by young boys who work as pinsetters, return the balls after each shot and maintain score on a piece of paper. Not an everyday sight. But for a country strategically located on the horn of Africa, once a hotspot of Italian colonialism and trading across the Red Sea, Eritrea is a land of anomalies. I was curious to experience firsthand the “new Roman empire” of the 19th century.
And so my journey began.
I hopped on a 4-hour flight from Dubai to Asmara for a weekend getaway with my friends. February is still a pleasant time of the year, especially since the capital sits at 2,325 meters above sea level. Feeling somewhat light-headed once we landed, we started out to Massawa, the deserted port town of Eritrea.
“These winding roads are built by our war veterans,” our taxi driver said, as we made our way down the scenic road through the lush Green Belt. The smooth, 2-hour road trip took us through small villages lined with beautiful lavender Jacaranda trees. The village folk looked busy going about their daily business. We didn’t know what was in store for us when we reached Massawa, a city that can shock and awe you in equal measures. We were excited.
World’s Least Internet Penetration at 0.91%
We checked into the Imperial Palace Hotel in Massawa. It looked quite promising on the outside, given the rundown state of affairs around the property. On the inside, the building wowed us with its old-world Italian charm and beautifully carved teak columns around a sprawling circular lobby. Felt like we had stepped back in time.
Right then, as the receptionist handed us our room keys, she informed us to our horror, “Sorry, we’ve run out of WiFi passwords for the day”. A hotel-stay without Wi-Fi would ordinarily feel unusual. But we were in Eritrea – a nation that has an Internet penetration of less than 0.91%. Visitor SIMs for tourist is unheard of and poor WiFi connectivity in hotels and other public places is acceptable. What was going to be a digital detox for us is a norm for the locals. We just had to get used to being disconnected for a few days. We resigned to our rooms before heading out to explore the historic port town.
Sorry, we’ve run out of WiFi passwords for the day.
Receptionist, Imperial Hotel
A Museum Visit
Massawa dates back to 1,500 years and records the early beginnings of Islam in Africa. There are some fascinating articles and relics at the Northern Red Sea Regional Museum in Massawa. We paid one of the archeologists to take us through the museum for more information and inputs on Eritrean history. We stopped by a photo of Masjid aṣ-Ṣaḥābah, which was built in the early 7th century CE. “We are waiting for UNESCO’s acceptance to list the mosque as the first on the continent,” informed the guide.
We spent the next 2 hours casually strolling past remains of the Eritrean military equipment, arms, uniforms, blood bags (!) and first aid kits from the country’s bloody wars with Ethiopia since the 1950s.
Glorious Port Town… no more
The Ottoman Empire and Egypt long dominated Eritrea, when in 1880, Italy proclaimed the country as its new colony. To date, there are prominent influences of Turkish and Italian architecture and lifestyle in the country. They form a beautiful contrast of turquoise doors, arched entrances and Roman balconies across the Eritrean cities. Massawa is a prime example of the country’s glorious history.
The port town is home to the heavily bombed Imperial Palace. It was once an architectural wonder, originally iterated by the Turkish Osdemir Pasha in the 16th century. It was rebuilt in 1872 and used as a winter palace by Emperor Haile Selassie during the federation with Ethiopia in the mid-1900s. The building was badly damaged during the war and now stands as a testament to a destructive 30-year struggle of Independence from Ethiopian occupation.
We took a little risk and walked into the building through a discreet opening. We discovered rooms replete with Italian furniture, décor and fittings. “A column fell and crushed a man last week,” a passerby warned. That marked the end of our little exploration. It was a cue for us to stop fooling around. We started our drive back to the capital, making pit stops for a seafood lunch and freshly brewed street-side Eritrean coffee, inspired by the popular Ethiopian style till today.
We reached the capital and checked into the Diplomat hotel, feeling somewhat queasy from the food and the drive. As I received my room key at the reception, I asked, “Is there hot running water in the room?” And she answered, “There is no running water in the hotel”. She then quickly added, “But we will place buckets of water in your rooms for you to shower upon your return”.
Well, problem solved.
Tank Graveyard
Asmara has massive welding workshops, a grand cemetery on a hill overlooking the city, small pizzerias, and fascinating boulevards built for bicycles. But we were all eager to get to the infamous military tank graveyard. It is 20 minutes from the city, accessible with a special permit our guide had prearranged from the Ministry of Tourism. The wait paid off. Hundreds of rusted military vehicles and cars stacked on top of each other made for an intimidating sight. Not to mention the cacti that have taken over the dump yard. The site with dead tanks and military vehicles stands as a symbol of national pride and victory over Ethiopia. It was an evening well-spent.
Our last stop for the day was the bowling alley in Asmara. The complex was purposefully built in the 1950s for US service members who manned the military bases in Eritrea. It is possibly the only entertainment hub in the capital with snooker tables, a gaming arcade and a mini rail ride, all under one roof. Archaic but interesting, the center was abuzz with locals sipping on their beers and playing their game of choice. We ended our day with a round of bowling.
For a country where the Internet is heavily censored, movement of people and goods highly restricted and infrastructural development massively thwarted, Eritrea is special. While it continues to struggle and reel from its setback after the war, Eritrea is a land of fascinating contrasts. Its people, disconnected from the outer world, are hopeful. They are poor from the lack of opportunities but rich with the legacy that the Ottomans and Italians have left behind. It’s a country, unlike any other African nation, frozen in time and not metamorphosing anytime soon.
Visa and Flight Matters
Indians require a visa to travel to Eritrea. Those living in the UAE can obtain it from the Eritrean Consulate in Dubai. Professionals employed on a residency visa need to bring in all the usual documents. Detailed information is available on phone: 04 239 9933. It took about 4 days for me to get my visa.
Fly Dubai flies direct to Asmara, the capital of Eritrea. It takes about 4 hours.
Travel Date: February 2018
*These are first-hand experiences, findings, views or opinions, which are purely my own. They are not paid for or promoted content.
I find this quite disturbing to equate their legacy to colonial rule was extremely disrespectful. They have a rich indigenous history and was one part of the axumute empire. A language and alphabet that has been retained for thousands of years. Very disrespectful to the Eritrean people.