Asmara Through the Eyes of a Saudi Tourist

Asmara, Eritrea, November 2, 2013 - Credit: Adel Ibrahim

Asmara Through the Eyes of a Saudi Tourist

Adel Ibraham, a tourist from Saudi Arabia, recently traveled to Asmara from 1-8 November. During his stay, he gave a detailed glimpse of the city on a website that is popular with Middle Eastern tourists.

Upon landing in Asmara, one of the first things that struck Adel is how extremely clean the city is; which he credited to the culture of the people more so than the cleaners of the city. Another thing that struck him was how orderly the city is, something i'm sure he wasn't expecting from an African country.

Adel described Asmara's most busiest street, Haranet Avenue, as a "real fun experience that compels you to return to it again and again without bothering to stand in line or pay a ticket. It is also filled with cafes, restaurants and shops, full of visitors and tourists from various nations and nationalities.."

When it comes to safety, Adel said the city is extremely safe and felt comfortable walking around even during the night

Adel went on to say he couldn't believe such a beautiful gem like Asmara is still unknown to many of his countrymen in Saudi Arabia.

But not everything Adel experienced in Asmara was to his liking. He said he experienced nearly daily blackouts in the city, something the government has since fixed. He also complained about the slow internet speeds, which is a complaint most Eritreans have, and something I've highlighted in a previous post.

Overall, Adel found Asmara to be among the "nicest experience" he's ever had as a tourist. The beauty, safety, cleanliness and warm hospitality shown by its citizens won him over.

Adel's report is just one of many that attest that there is something special about Asmara that visitors inevitably seem to fall in love with.

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