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From: Aman B (shida11a@yahoo.com)
Date: Sun Nov 21 2010 - 17:17:33 EST
AsmaraA City in Peace.
Brhane Woldu
Asmara; the spring time sun was setting behind Asmara Cathedral, and a massive
shadow spread engulfing the plaza. Snaking through the crowd, I found myself
searching every face that passed; wandering how people navigate Asmara. I have
wandered around the streets of different cities in many Countries, handled money
to beggars, leapers and engaged prostitutes. Asmara the capital city of Eritrea
is much different; it’s clean, peaceful, no beggars, leapers and prostitutes.
The city is always in peace, people are very helpful they converse at ease, eat
and drink with you. One can go to the café and sit with a total stranger and
come out of the café as friends. You do not see that “me’’ personality of the
West or the cold introvert personality of a Swedish. The religious holydays are
celebrated with fun fair. On a Palm Sunday, I was astonished to see an older
Moslem gentleman ask a young boy who is Christian to hand him a Palm Sunday
leaf. The older Moslem man took the leaf in both hands prayed, kissed it, put it
against his forehead and hand it back to the young boy.
In Asmara it is hard to differentiate between the have and have not. It seems
that everyone has enough, you go to the restaurants cafes and hotels you see all
kind of people young, middle-aged and old, you also see few non-Eritreans as
well. It is very hard for one to know if there is any so called upper-class or
privileged people in Asmara. It is common to see the president of the country to
be driven around the city with no motorcade, just him and his driver sitting in
the front seat of a four-wheel drive. I was surprised to see the presidents’
wife and different cabinet ministers walk the streets of Asmara as any regular
person.
Dining in Asmara is much fun; if you go to the five star hotels like Asmara
palace things can be expensive. There are other nice hotels such as the Median,
Bologna, Expo and Lion hotel; clean, good food and very pleasant service. One
can also go to the medium size restaurants such as the Bluebird, Milano, Langano
and many more abundantly located allover town. These restaurants are always
ready to serve you the best food for reasonable price. If I have to complain
about these restaurants, it will be the toilets, there is much to be desired. If
one wants to eat inexpensive but good food with no fancy plate there are plenty
of places to go my favorite areas are Hiwet restaurant “Enda Lakha” and “Mana”
restaurants near Asmara Mosque.
Few night clubs are available in town with easy access to them. The most I
frequented being “Hidmona” it is located in the expo compound. Hidmona is very
traditional in its settings as well as the music it presents, the only draw back
is the music, it is limited to one of the Nationality that of Tigrgna. I for one
would prefer having a mix of the different nationalities. The city bars are
always full to capacity and it is normal for the bars to tell you that they have
served and finished all the beer in the house (out of beer). People tell me that
this is a trick to get people to consume more expensive and profitable drinks
such as Scotch. Nevertheless, people do seem to enjoy passing time at the bar,
hanging out with friends.
The city is quiet busy, you see people going in and out from small shops
carrying bags. It seems everyone is concerned or tide up with themselves they do
not pay attention to their surroundings. It is normal for one to pump into some
one and just say sorry and keep going. You see people crossing the street
without paying attention to traffic. People walk on the road and most unlikely
to use the side walks. One wound wonder why the side walks were made. As
inquisitive as I am, I asked why people don’t use the side walks. The answer I
got from several people is that “During the Degre Marxsist Government people
were avoiding the side walks due to harassments of armed soldiers who scared
people away from the sidewalks.” It is amazing to see pedestrians; cyclist and
motorist all use the road equally with so much respect for one another.
Driving in Asmara there is much to be desired. I am not sure why every driver
thinks he or she has the right of way. Traffic rules are not respected no one
stops on a stop sign, you see one make a right turn from the far left lane,
drivers over passing over triple cars, talking on their cell-phone while
driving seems the norm and stopping for pedestrian is unknown. The driver has
the right of way over the pedestrian. One afternoon I was crossing a street on a
zebra, a car came and would not yield for me. I told the driver that I had the
right of way and he should have stopped; his answer to me was “That only happens
overseas”. I took it he meant that in Asmara it is the driver who has the right
of way.
The amazing thing is that all this happens in front of the traffic police. The
traffic police usually park their motor cycle and are in deep conversation
either among themselves or with the civilians who are hanging out. You don’t see
any kind of police after dark. I have been to many different countries and
cities and you see police minding traffic at all times, Asmara is the only city
that I have not seen police in the PM hours. Even though Asmara is a safe city
it will be good to see the police after dark. Asmara city could with no
exaggeration collect a lot of money and add to its annual budget if the police
were to enforce traffic law.
The evening hours are so much fun, the city streets are full of people, and the
photo shops are full of young people taking pictures. There are more photo shops
in the city of Asmara than any city I have been to. You see people walking the
street of Asmara holding hands and young people come in and out of the internet
cafes and many more people going to the movies, theaters and watch “Premium
League” football on big screens at Cinema Roma. The cafes are full to capacity.
The youth comes out in droves to have cappuccino, hot tea and pastry. The youth
are so disciplined, well behaved that you see no problem. You do not see the
youth fight, or skip without paying their bills. It is customary for the youth
to assist the younger kids. The younger kids come to the cafes with their
football uniforms and go around to solicit fund. I was surprised to see the
youth reach into their pockets and give the younger kids money for their
football team. There is so much affection and love that you see between the
youth and the younger kids to one other that you barley see in the West.
To me the harmony of the people, the love and respect they show to each other
and most importantly the culture is the soul that many young Eritreans had
referred to a faith in the justice of a higher power, and a religion of freedom
and equality that is dramatically unseen to the Western Democracy and its
elitist class system.
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