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
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
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
While driving through Somalia, we came across this battered tank – a casualty of the Somali civil war: I was surprised to see that it still had its number plate: The armed guard we hired, Mahamed Ali, poses next to the bombed-out tank for me: This crude graveyard was just behind the tank which led … Continue reading
The Velvet Rocket 