I have been lucky enough to travel to some countries which not a lot of tourists visit, mainly for my work. I thought it would be a good idea to share these experiences with you guys. Let's start with Eritrea; some other countries that are on my list to be included in this series are: North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Somalia, South Sudan, Iraq and perhaps a few others.
So Eritrea then; you might know that it's close to Ethiopia, that there is / has been a war, that there is a dictatorial regime, and that there are many refugees trying to flee the country. No politics here in this blog though, just a few photos and a bit of history to give you an impression: it is a beautiful, diverse and mountainous country (cold in winter in Asmara!).
The Italians were in Eritrea in the late 1800's. Asmara, the capital, at 2,300 meters altitude, still oozes a lot of Italian atmosphere. People are going for a 'passeggiata' in the afternoon, drink their coffee, and there is still a lot of Italian-influenced architecture.
the cathedral of Asmara
The Italians developed the Eritrean Railway line from Asmara to Massawa in 1888; the railway was later dismantled by the British in World War II. Parts of the railway are still running, with steam (not steem) trains, and I took the train as well. I remember the traditional coffee ceremony on the train (great coffee), I also remember that we had a delay, as the train derailed a few times.
The British then expelled the Italians in the 1941 Battle of Keren, and took over the administration of the country. In the many wars the country has experienced, many buildings got destroyed and never repaired, like this one in Massawa on the coast, the old "Banco d'Italia".
Eritrea was federated with Ethiopia in 1950, and in the '60s a war was started between Eritrea and Ethiopia, which has still not been fully solved as we speak.
Let us hope there will be an agreeable peace treaty soon, now that the Ethiopian Government seems willing to discuss (see my post: https://steemit.com/travel/@ultrabiker/the-new-ethiopia).
photos: myself-ie-ish
Cycling
MTB back garden ride
The toughest MTB race on earth
Crocodile providing MTB support
Top 10 MTB stage races in the World
I beat the Magalies Monster!
What to carry on your bike
Bhutan - Tour of the Dragon - 268 km MTB race
Plugging your tires
My bike, Salsa Cutthroat
Winecraft - Wine Barrel Projects
Bench --- Lounger --- Table --- Wine glass holder
Language
Language affects the way we think
Words change the Colours we see