Kassala – Part Two

Sudan

Go back to Sudan.
Go back to Kassala – Part One.

Kassala
Taka Mountains.

The following day we did a two hour approach to a route on the southern aspect of a formation. Got up a pitch and were positively baking in the sun. Bailed again. Did some more sightseeing around Kassala including checking out the beautiful, open air mosque at the foot of Taka Mountains followed by a camel and goat market on the “backside” of the range. Ghazi must’ve noticed my shaking hands during the prior days and so he surprised us with a bottle of local medicine: made from dates and locally distilled. It’s called Arage and is served up in a plastic water bottle.

.
Kassala
Khatmiyah Mosque.

The next day we did another long approach hike to yet another route. This turned out to be very uninviting. What was referred to as a crack turned out to be a shallow, unprotectable groove. On the upside, we were accompanied by a family of baboons with the large male putting on a show for us (intimidation).

Photos

Kassala
The objective from the hike up (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Shirley on the way up (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Following the goat trails in the morning (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Here comes the sun (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Shirley just a little warm (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Views (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
A bit of scrambling on the way up (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Shirley near the base (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Views to the east. Eritrea border runs along those mountains in the distance (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Taka Mountains (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Shirley nearing the base (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Shirley at the base of a route (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Leading one of the handful of pitches we climbed there. This one is on a south face and more than a little warm (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Higher on the same pitch (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Views of Taka Mountains (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
One more of the pitch (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
A tiny bit of climbing (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Pretty scenery (and hotter than hell; Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Shirley baking (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Shirley taking in the views (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Views towards Eritrea (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Spying on some villagers (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
A pano of Taka Mountains (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Taka Mountains (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Hiking down (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
A respite from the sun (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Waiting in the shade for Ghazi to pick us up (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
On the phone waiting for an Alaska Airlines rep at our apartment in Kassala (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Ghazi, Shirley, and some village kids (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Mountains from the edge of the village (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Taka Mountains (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Taka Mountains (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Village kids (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Taka Mountains (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
On the way to see the beautiful Khatmiyah Mosque (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Khatmiyah Mosque (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Shirley and Ghazi inside the open air Khatmiyah Mosque (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
A curious visitor (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Khatmiyah Mosque (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
A selfie (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Khatmiyah Mosque (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Two wankers at Khatmiyah Mosque. Photo by Ghazi (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Khatmiyah Mosque (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Yours truly and Ghazi in front of Khatmiyah Mosque (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
The tomb structure at the mosque (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Back at the camel market on the east side of the Taka Mountains (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
At the camel market (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Kassala camel market (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Ghazi inquiring about the price for us (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
The men showed us a sword – a Kassala specialty (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
The sword (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Kassala camel market (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
This man offered us a cheaper alternative to the sword (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Ghazi with some of the men at the camel market (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
At the camel market (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Kassala camel market (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Not sure why the baby goat is fitted with a bottle (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Kassala camel and goat market (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Kassala camel market * (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Fully air conditioned (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Shirley and Ghazi at the Kassala souq (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
While we waited for the handle of our newly purchased sword to be swapped out, some enthusiastic vendors invited us to check out some other stabbing implements (of the sort that would raise red flags on the way home; Dec. 2021).
Kassala
An outdoor cafe under a tree in Kassala (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Shirley on another hike up to check out a route (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Long range view of Khatmiyah Mosque (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Taka Mountains (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Outskirts of Kassala as seen from the mountains (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Khatmiyah Mosque (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Taka Mountains (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
A selfie (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Some company on the hike up (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Looking up at the groove (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
The groove (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Taka Mountains (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Angry old dude…kept telling us to fuck off (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Same guy (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Hey there sunshine (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Taka Mountains (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Shirley and the mountains (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
More Take Mountains wildlife (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
More grooves (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Shirley on a high plateau (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
A dassie a.k.a. a hyrax (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Taka Mountains (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Taka Mountains (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Taka Mountains wildlife (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
More Taka Mountains wildlife (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
So cute; so tasty (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
A thatched structure and Taka Mountains (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Waiting for Ghazi in the shade (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Medium rare (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Another excellent coffee place (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Shirley and Ghazi about to dig into some very good baklava and some outstanding coffee (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
A family run operation (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
School girls in Kassala (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Taka mountains from the edge of town (Dec. 2021).
Kassala
Taka Mountains as seen from the cemetery in Kassala (Dec. 2021).

Go to Kassala To Port Sudan.
Go back to Sudan.