There is a lot going on right now in the Horn of Africa, and in Somalia in particular. I thought this would be an opportune time to visually review some of the components in this drama… The Actors: Somali pirates: Ethiopia’s Ogaden rebels: Fighters working for various Somali warlords: The African Union: The Kenyan military: … Continue reading »
Tagged with Somalia …
Chewing Khat
Khat, chat, qat or miraa are the leaves of the shrub Catha edulis. And if you head to eastern Ethiopia or Somalia, you won’t have to be there long to notice the bulging cheeks of the khat chewer. Originating in the hills of eastern Ethiopia the khat plant has spread across large parts of East … Continue reading »
In The Footsteps Of RYP? [Updated]
When my Italian and I visited Las Geel, I took a look at the guest book and noticed this entry by “RYP” from California. I’m a fan of Robert Young Pelton and while there are undoubtedly others in the world with the initials “RYP”, how many of these individuals journey to places like Somaliland and … Continue reading »
Las Geel
Las Geel (also known as Laas Ga’al, Laas Geel and Laas Gaal) is arguably Somaliland’s pièce de résistance. Were it not in Somalia this site would immediately be declared a World Heritage Site. Fortunately, with the ongoing conflict in Somalia, it remains a hidden gem (To get back to 2005 in the tiny guest book, … Continue reading »
Hargeisa (Hargeysa)
The self-proclaimed Republic of Somaliland was formed in 1991 after the collapse of unitary Somalia. Thanks mainly to the dominance of a single clan (the Isaq), it has remained relatively peaceful and stable since 1991, despite the occasional terrorist attack. Somaliland has all the attributes of a “normal” state: a parliament, free press, a currency, … Continue reading »
Wajaale
Straddling the border of Somalia and Ethiopia, Wajaale is where my Italian and I crossed into Somalia. It’s a real frontier border town with no frills or attractiveness. **** Below is the first Ethiopian border post we came to… Everyone is dragged off the bus and extensively searched – the guards paw through your luggage, … Continue reading »
The Wildlands of Somalia
There aren’t a lot of roads in Somalia. Those that do exist mostly pass through rough countryside, interspersed with the occasional village and frequent checkpoint. Upon arriving at a checkpoint, if you don’t have an armed guard with you, a bribe will be required and all of your passport details will be carefully taken down … Continue reading »
