Graptolite - Gin and Palaces

Graptolite's Sailing Log
Martyn Pickup & Heike Richter
Thu 16 Apr 2009 08:12
15:36.61N 039:28.40E Massawa Port, Eritrea, Thursday 16th April

We came into Massawa yesterday in search of beer for my birthday. Massawa
has seen better days and is very down-at-heel. There are many big ornate
Italian colonial buildings that are roofless and have holes in them from
bombs or shellfire.

The people are helpful and pleasant and all speak good English. The
black-market money changers and the prostitutes are particularly friendly.
We stand out like sore thumbs amongst all these very dark and very skinny
Eritreans.

For some reason that we have not got to the bottom of yet, there is no local
beer to be had, only Heineken at $6 a can. Fortunately there is a plentiful
supply of cheap Eritrean ouzo and gin available. They taste very similar to
each other. We tried some local food last night as well. It was a kind of
bolognaise on a huge grey pancake not unlike carpet underlay.

M