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Keren is a 3 hour bus ride from Asmara. It is a medium
sized town surrounded by mountains. There are old markets,
people in native costumes and and a camel market in the riverbed on
Mondays. On other days vendors with camels and mules gather in
a different part of the riverbed to sell wood. The overall
effect is quite exotic.
We went in the end of September and it was still quite hot -
maybe 85 degrees in the afternoons. Since our hotel had no fan
or airconditioning, the overall effect was hot.
What to do: There is a chapel built
into a tree outside of town. It is a beautiful walk through
the countryside about 1 mile outside of town.
There is also a fort on the hill which offers a good view of the
town. The gold market is close to the town center and sells
many handcrafted items. And of course, don't miss the camel
markets in the riverbed.
Restaurants and Hotels: There is not the
variety as Asmara but still, the food is good. Mackeral
restaurant has fish dishes and excellent fries. The restaurant
at the Keren Hotel also has good food. Peace and Love
Restaurant on the circle had a nice vegetarian dish. We stayed
at the Sicilia Pension. The rooms were comfortable but
hot. The bathrooms left a bit to be desired, but the price was
right - $3 a night. | 