Kassala – Part Two

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

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.

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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

The objective from the hike up (Dec. 2021).

Shirley on the way up (Dec. 2021).

Following the goat trails in the morning (Dec. 2021).

Here comes the sun (Dec. 2021).

Shirley just a little warm (Dec. 2021).

Views (Dec. 2021).

A bit of scrambling on the way up (Dec. 2021).

Shirley near the base (Dec. 2021).

Views to the east. Eritrea border runs along those mountains in the distance (Dec. 2021).

Taka Mountains (Dec. 2021).

Shirley nearing the base (Dec. 2021).

Shirley at the base of a route (Dec. 2021).

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).

Higher on the same pitch (Dec. 2021).

Views of Taka Mountains (Dec. 2021).

One more of the pitch (Dec. 2021).

A tiny bit of climbing (Dec. 2021).

Pretty scenery (and hotter than hell; Dec. 2021).

Shirley baking (Dec. 2021).

Shirley taking in the views (Dec. 2021).

Views towards Eritrea (Dec. 2021).

Spying on some villagers (Dec. 2021).

A pano of Taka Mountains (Dec. 2021).

Taka Mountains (Dec. 2021).

Hiking down (Dec. 2021).

A respite from the sun (Dec. 2021).

Waiting in the shade for Ghazi to pick us up (Dec. 2021).

On the phone waiting for an Alaska Airlines rep at our apartment in Kassala (Dec. 2021).

Ghazi, Shirley, and some village kids (Dec. 2021).

Mountains from the edge of the village (Dec. 2021).

Taka Mountains (Dec. 2021).

Village kids (Dec. 2021).

Taka Mountains (Dec. 2021).

On the way to see the beautiful Khatmiyah Mosque (Dec. 2021).

Khatmiyah Mosque (Dec. 2021).

Shirley and Ghazi inside the open air Khatmiyah Mosque (Dec. 2021).

A curious visitor (Dec. 2021).

Khatmiyah Mosque (Dec. 2021).

A selfie (Dec. 2021).

Khatmiyah Mosque (Dec. 2021).

Two wankers at Khatmiyah Mosque. Photo by Ghazi (Dec. 2021).

Khatmiyah Mosque (Dec. 2021).

Yours truly and Ghazi in front of Khatmiyah Mosque (Dec. 2021).

The tomb structure at the mosque (Dec. 2021).

Back at the camel market on the east side of the Taka Mountains (Dec. 2021).

At the camel market (Dec. 2021).

Kassala camel market (Dec. 2021).

Ghazi inquiring about the price for us (Dec. 2021).

The men showed us a sword – a Kassala specialty (Dec. 2021).

The sword (Dec. 2021).

Kassala camel market (Dec. 2021).

This man offered us a cheaper alternative to the sword (Dec. 2021).

Ghazi with some of the men at the camel market (Dec. 2021).

At the camel market (Dec. 2021).

Kassala camel market (Dec. 2021).

Not sure why the baby goat is fitted with a bottle (Dec. 2021).

Kassala camel and goat market (Dec. 2021).

Kassala camel market * (Dec. 2021).

Fully air conditioned (Dec. 2021).

Shirley and Ghazi at the Kassala souq (Dec. 2021).

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).