Wandering North

Africa Sudan Sudan-South Sudan trip 2022

Sufi Night In Khartoum

Friday night is the night to be in Khartoum if you want to explore your spiritual or pugilistic side – but not both. Friday night is the one night a week where you can attend the Sufi ceremony in Omdurman OR Nuba wrestling matches. Annoyingly, they overlap, and it is not possible to do both. I chose the path of enlightenment and went to hang with the Sufis.

Almost every source I read says that about 70% of Sudanese are Sufis or are influenced by Sufisim. I don’t know what that means, but it seems safe to say that Sufism is very important in Sudan. (Sufism is, in the smallest of nutshells, a mystical practice of Islam.) Some Sufis whirl, which is more of a meditative practice, but is usually what people from outside Islam think of when they think of Sufis: the whirling dervish. But the Sufi ritual I was going to attend is not that. It is a Dhikr. A form of dancing, chanting, and music that leads one into a hypnotic or ecstatic state, which brings them closer to Allah. I went to one in 2020 in Lahore, Pakistan and it was quite an experience. I wanted to see what Sudan’s version would be like.

“Sufi night” in Khartoum happens north of the city in Omdurman at the Sheikh Hamed al-Nil tomb. From central Khartoum you can take a minibus or a cab. It is also walkable, but it is a long walk. I left from my hotel (the Acropole), where I had freshened up after my visit to Tuti Island. The tomb is in the middle of a cemetery was easy to find using maps.me, thankfully, as the driver didn’t seem to know the spot. But once you get to the cemetery, it is clear where to go, because everyone else will be going there too. You want to get there about an hour before sunset.

When I arrived, there were already lots of people, some drumming and chanting, but things were pretty quiet. Over the next, maybe two hours, the crowd grew, as did the energy.

I stood at the edge of the circle and watched as men – mostly older – marched around in a circle to drummed beats. They wore richly hued robes of green and red or white and carried staffs or incense. One guy has a whistle and would not have looked out of place in a 70s funk band.

As the crowd grew, the music intensified, and the men moved faster. Some would split off to twirl or dance or move on their own. The chanting and singing grew louder as the sun disappeared and a golden haze covered all of us. Incense filled the air and some men seemed to bathe in it. It was excellent.

Taking photos was not a problem. I had asked some local guys ahead of time and they said it was fine and when I was in attendance there were other tourists who were much more intrusive with big cameras, and no one seemed to mind. I though felt more comfortable just whipping out my cell phone surreptitiously.

I felt very comfortable and welcome. It was a great event. A ‘must see’ in Khartoum.

As I left it was dark and there were lots of cars around but no taxis. I had no idea where to get a bus so I figured I would just keep trying to find a taxi. No luck. I was just starting to think I would have to walk back to the city when a young man approached me and asked if I spoke French. I said I could a little. He said he would help me find a car. He went up to a couple vehicles and found a man (Arabic speaking) who he said would not be able to drive me downtown, but if I went with him to his sister’s house, she would drive me. …ok.

So, I got into the car with the French speaking young man (who just seemed to be along for the ride) and the older Arabic speaking man and we drove a short distance to a house. I only had a fleeting thought of my possible abduction.

We arrived at a nice house with a walled garden. We were taken into the garden and out of nowhere, tea appeared. We chatted (as best we could) over tea until the sister appeared and was told she would be driving me. The sister, who spoke perfect English, agreed.

Next thing, I was in a fancy SUV with the sister and her young son. The woman was, like me, a lawyer and was driving her son to a friend’s house. We chatted on the way and she dropped me off right at my hotel. I offered money as thanks, but she would not accept. It was another example of the hospitality and kindness I found in Sudan. A great end to my trip.

I wrapped up the evening having drinks and a cigar at the home of a guy I met through a friend from the hotel, where he was having a party. I met so many fascinating people, from everywhere, in Sudan for business. Embassy people mostly who had worked all over the world. Strangely to me, they thought I was the interesting one because why would I come to Khartoum for a holiday? That was the question I was asked all during the trip by people who were both surprised and pleased. I said I had just thought that Khartoum seemed like it would be an interesting city to spend a week. And it was. But it was more than that. There is something very special about it. Big and poor and troubled, but kind and welcoming and calm. As I left, I was already thinking I would like to return. After all, I still hadn’t seen the Nuba wrestlers.

I left for the airport around midnight and boarded a plane to Juba, South Sudan.

Postscript: All of this was, of course, a few months before Khartoum was decimated by violence in the spring and I doubt that any of the people I met are still there. I would still like to return someday. I hope that is possible.

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A Trip to Tuti Island in Khartoum

My final day in Khartoum was a Friday. I planned it that way so that I could attend Sufi night in the evening (which I did do, but will put in a different post), but I had nothing planned for the day. I walked without any destination. The streets were quiet and it was hot. I stopped for Sudanese coffee under shady trees whenever possible. I ended up by the banks of the Nile and at the foot of one of the bridges. Across it was Tuti Island. I knew about the island and had figured I would check it out if I had the time. And so I walked across the bridge.

You aren’t technically allowed to take pictures from the bridges. I did sneak one or two, just for that view of the Nile.

On the side of the bridge where I entered I was in Khartoum. A big city. Not exactly bustling, but definitively a city. On the other side, in Tuti Island, it is like a completely different place. Green. Fields of grass being munched on by goats and horses. Fruit trees. People making bricks by hand outdoors. Little shacks or awnings of wood and tarp with shisha cafes and outdoor pool tables. It just felt like this little oasis. An island in the middle of the Nile. Peaceful.

I walked around and took in the atmosphere. There are some streets with houses and businesses, but most of it is just agricultural green space.

Once I had I my fill, I walked back to the foot of the bridge where the semi al fresco cafes were. I was sweaty and hot and stood gazing around when a guy approached me, speaking in English. A Sudanese guy who, I soon found out, had lived in Toronto, Canada for several years where he picked up the language and a love of the Toronto Raptors (basketball). He in invited me in to the shady part of his café and I was soon sitting with a fan blowing on me, a hookah alight, coffee and sweet treats. (He refused to take any payment, though I did leave a tip.)

I chatted with him for about an hour. A really good guy named Mohammed. We talked about social/political leaders – his café had pictures of Malcolm X, Bob Marley, Che Guevara and the like. And he was very open about life in Sudan under the (then) political regime. He said that weekly protests were not as peaceful as people were saying; that a friend of his was killed by a sniper. He got teary eyed when he talked about the poverty and children that didn’t have enough to eat. He seemed to know all the kids in the area and gave them fruits when they came by. He was just such a kind and hospitable soul (like so many people I met in Sudan, but because he spoke English so well I was able to really connect with him). It was a lovely chat with a lovely fellow in a beautiful spot.

I departed and went back to my hotel for a bit of a refresh before going to see the Sufis.

Postscript: Since the violence erupted in Khartoum a few months later, I wonder what happened to him. I guess I’ll never know.

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Day trip to Naqa and Musawwarat es-Sufra

My next day trip from Khartoum (after visiting the Meroë pyramids) was to go to Naqa and Musawwarat es-Sufra. As I talked about in the Meroë post, it would be super easy to get to Meroë on your own, but not so with Naqa and Musawwarat es-Sufra. They are about 30km off the main road and 20km apart, so even if you got yourself to the right spot along the road, you would have to walk quite far into the desert. So I think it would only be realistic if you brought lots of water and were ok with camping out as needed. This did not appeal to me, so I got a driver for the day (a nice man named Osman) from my hotel (the aforementioned and incomparable Acropole).

We drove north from Khartoum, stopping for coffee at a roadside shack for some excellent Sudanese spiced coffee. We drove into the desert, stopping at all of the road checks, where my permit to leave the city (the Acropole took care of this), my visa, and my visa registration were all checked repeatedly.

We also stopped so that Osman could show me a camel, tied by a rope to a wooden lever, whose job it was to walk in circles. As he circled, a mortar in the centre would crush sesame seeds into oil and paste. A camel-powered tahini machine, basically. I did feel bad for the camel, but who really likes their jobs anyway? It was interesting and I met the owner of the operation who had armfuls of cash. (this may be more a refection of mass inflation than his wealth.)

Our next stop was Naqa. But we didn’t go straight to the temple. We had a job to do. Part of the reason I decided to do this in the way I did was because not only did I want to see these historic sites, but the Acropole – home to so many archaeologists and arranger of all the logistics – needed to deliver food and supplies to a team of archaeologists working at Naqa. I leapt at the chance to transport the goods. I had already met and lunched with some archaeologists in Khartoum, but there were ones at work, living in the desert. I was pretty sure I would become their new best friend as they regaled me with tales of their Indiana Jones lifestyles. It wasn’t quite like that, but it was very cool.

Naqa

First, a bit about the site of Naqa. Naqa (ٱلـنَّـقْـعَـة) is an ancient city from the Kushitic Kingdom of Meroë. Although it was, at one time, a huge city, it is now a few temples – but there are archaeologists there excavating and finding new treasures and structures in the shifting sands. The temples that are there have been listed as UNESCO sites and date to between about 400 years BC to about 400 years AD. The lost sites were discovered in the early 1800s and since the 1990s they have been excavated on an ongoing basis by a primarily German team. I met two members of that team including a German woman named Carol who said she has been in Sudan working on excavating these sites since the 1970s. They were friendly and gave me a small book about the sites, but it was pretty clear they wanted to work and not visit with me, so on I went.

Of the restored temples at Naqa is the Temple of Amun founded by King Natakamani (this the header image for this post), the Temple of Apedemak (aka the Lion Temple), named for a lion-headed god worshipped by the Nubians, and the Roman Kiosk. They are incredible. And, again, like the pyramids at Meroë, there was no one else around (except the archaeologists).

Temple of Amun

me at the sarcophagus in the Temple of Amun

Temple of Apedemak (aka the Lion Temple)

The Roman Kiosk

Nearby was a well, surrounded by people traveling with donkeys, filling up containers with water. These are people living in the desert in a nomadic, traditional way and this is their source for water. Once they retrieved it, they disappeared into the landscape. I observed from a distance. I didn’t want to be an annoying tourist with a camera in their faces while they pulled water up from a well.

Musawwarat es-Sufra

From Naqa we drove to Musawwarat es-Sufra (المصورات الصفراء), a temple complex dating to the 3^rd C BC. It had two main sites, the Lion Temple (very well preserved) and the Great Enclosure (this has many impressive elements, but you do have use your imagination a bit to see it as it was). Both were impressive though.

The Lion Temple

The Great Enclosure

Returning to Khartoum

From there we drove back to Khartoum, giving a ride to two men on foot in the middle of the desert back to the main road.

By the time we got back to Khartoum it was dark and the traffic was terrible. There were protests happening in the city (people against the shared military regime and seeking a democratic government) so the bridges were mostly closed. There wasn’t much to look at – darkness in the desert is just black – but it was pleasant to feel the warm night air and reflect on the incredible antiquities I had seen. It is amazing to think that there is more there to find.

I returned to the hotel and had a cigar on the patio, chatting with whomever was around (at this point, even though it had only been about 5 days, I was feeling like family). Another great day in Sudan. The next day (my final one) would be a wander around Tutti Island and a visit to a Sufi ceremony.

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Sudan’s Camel Market

Camel Market

Any trip research for Khartoum will mention the camel market, which is out of Khartoum, but not too far. Perfect for a half day trip. I almost skipped it. I thought, “I’ve seen camels.” And had Khartoum had a bunch of other things to do I probably would have skipped it. I am so glad I didn’t.

You need a taxi to get you to the camel market. At the time I went, there were no buses going there. I got a taxi through my hotel and the driver took me up there. It is a good drive. You see the city fall away and become rural, poorer, dustier.

And then you get to the market. It’s just an expanse of desert with some big trucks, men, and hundreds of camels. It happens daily but is busiest on Saturdays. I went on a Wednesday (‘hump day’, appropriately, as a family member pointed out).

The driver stopped and I hopped out. I felt a little bit weird at first, just walking around and inadvertently attracting attention, but that quickly changed. So many people approached me and said hello and welcome. Dozens of young men asked me for selfies. Most people didn’t speak English, so we did not communicate much beyond greetings of “As-Salaam-Alaikum” and smiles, but I felt welcome.

There are SO MANY CAMELS. It’s crazy. And all around them men in white robes, communicating and, as I understand it, making deals. Despite the fact that this is just an open area full of camels and looks very simple, this is huge business. Sudan has the second most camels in the world (after Somalia) and is the biggest supplier of racing camels to the Arabian Peninsula, where racing camels are prized. They are also sold for meat. The camels are mostly bred and brought in from south east Sudan. You can track camel market prices online. There is a really good article about the camel market in Sudan here. (I kind of want to see a camel race now.)

There were also cows, but they were less impressive.

Hospitality

When I was finished my wander, I was ready for a coffee, so the taxi driver, who had been waiting for me, went to a nearby spot. One of those places that, had I been on my own, I would not have known I could go there for coffee. Just a one-room structure made of mud bricks with open doors on the front and back. No signage.

Inside, I asked for a coffee (one of those excellent Sudanese ginger spicy ones). There were two men inside sitting on low cots eating lunch; sharing a big bowl of foul (spicy fava beans) and fresh flatbread. They waved over for us to join them and would not take no for an answer, so my driver and I sat, and we ate with our hands from the communal bowl. They left before I finished my coffee and when I went to pay, I found out they had paid for that too.

*the men who invited me to share their lunch*

Omdurman Market

From the camel market we drove back towards the city. I had asked the driver not to take me back to Khartoum, but to drop me off at the big market in Omdurman and leave me there. Omdurman is technically a different city from Khartoum, just north of the Nile, but it really feels like part of the same city.

The Omdurman market is a ‘must-see’; an excellent, sprawling market where all the usual things are sold: fresh food, textiles, housewares, etc. It was great for a wander and a lot more Sudanese coffee. To my delight, I even saw a few camels walking through the market, transporting goods. I know it is just daily life for the people that live there, but it did feel like a bit like a movie set. Sort of Indiana Jones-esque.

Walking Back to Khartoum

From the market I had originally planned to take a shared taxi back to central Khartoum, but I decided to walk. It took a couple of hours and wasn’t the most exciting walk, but I didn’t mind. It was still interesting.

It also gave me the opportunity to walk across a particular bridge across the Nile where the blue and white Niles meet. The Nile splits into two halves in Khartoum and it flows North and makes the one, connected river that flows up into Egypt. I walked across the White Nile Bridge and watched the two parts of the river flowing together. (One part is a little muddier, but they are not really different colors.) It was cool to see from a geography nerd perspective. I did not, however, take photos, because photos from bridges is not allowed, and from this bridge in particular is specifically outlawed. If you are going to get nabbed for photography in Khartoum, this is one of the spots where it will happen. When I was there, there were two men on the bridge with a motorcycle; I was later told that they were un-uniformed soldiers. Anyway, there are tons of photos online if you are curious.

Back in Khartoum, sweaty, red-faced and tired from hours of walking in the heat, I stopped at the fancy Corinthian hotel for a bit of AC and a cold drink.

I arrived back at the Acropole Hotel and relaxed on the patio with a cigar before heading out in the evening for dinner with some newly met friends.

It was another excellent day in Khartoum. The next day I would go back out of the city again to visit the ruins of Musawwarat es-Sufra and Naqa.

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Meroë

Meroë was the main reason I decided to visit Sudan. Pictures of pyramids partly submerged in swirling and otherwise empty desert sands. Not another person in sight. It looked like a dream. And so, on my second day in Khartoum, I made the trip.

My original plan was to take the bus/hitchhike. You can catch a bus from Khartoum that will take you fairly close to the Meroë pyramids and there is a town (Shendi) not far away. You can see the pyramids from the highway on the right hand side and it would not be too far to walk to them if the bus drops you off by the roadside. (Take water!) And there are lots of cars that would likely give you a lift to the nearest town to catch a bus back to Khartoum. Easily do-able as a day trip. That was my plan…until the Sudanese consulate in Ottawa said I needed to have a tour booked to get a tourist visa (and that I could only do this through their one approved tour company) so I booked a driver to take me to Meroë and to get my visa. It wasn’t worth the expense, but it got me there and into the country (and hopefully put a few dollars in a Canadian consulate worker’s pocket) so I can’t complain. Much.

To leave Khartoum, you need special papers authorizing you to travel. This is on top of the visa and the multiple registrations that must be done with the police in Khartoum. My tour company arranged the paperwork, and I arranged the multiple copies of my passport and visa that I would be expected to present at the various roadblocks. On the drive there and back we were stopped multiple times by men in various uniforms (berets, epaulettes askew, medals, brooches, etc) who looked at my passport and paperwork and usually smiled at me. I was extra friendly because I was hoping they wouldn’t notice that the tour company had put the wrong date on the document. They didn’t.

When we got to Meroë I was basically on my own. There is a small fee to enter the site (which you should pay, notwithstanding various unscrupulous travelers noting that you can skip by entering from the back). From there was a walk across the desert to a cluster of pyramids in the dunes.

Sudan has more pyramids than any other country. They are smaller than the ones in Egypt or the Mayan and Aztec ones I have seen, but they are steep, pointy, and plentiful. They are also a bit younger; most being built by the Nubians only about 2500-2000 years ago.

The pyramids were used as burial sites for kings and queens. They have been long since plundered and nothing remains of their contents, but what does remain are excellent carvings – like the sort you would see in Egyptian pyramids.

The thing that is best about the Meroë pyramids though is that you have the place to yourself. I saw one guy on a camel who offered me rides and there were a couple guys at the entrance selling crafts, but at the actual site…it’s all yours. And the setting is spectacular. Rolling dunes of various hues set against a blue sky. The sand is slowly filling up the interior of the pyramids and sweeping up the sides. It’s not hard to imagine them being lost altogether. Conservation is important (which is why you shouldn’t skip out on paying the fee).

It was sometimes a little eerie entering the pyramids and having no one else around. Eerie in a wonderful way. I kept thinking of that old Sesame Street bit where Bert and Ernie are inside an Egyptian pyramid and a mummy comes to life and then does a little dance. I found that eerie too when I was small.

It’s not a large site, so I stayed an hour to two and that was it. We stopped at Shendi for some water and coffee.

There is a lovely looking tented camp nearby (the only proper place to stay the night) and I have no doubt that it is excellent, but it is also very expensive, and so I went back to Khartoum and spent my evening with friends from the Acropole Hotel – followed by a cigar of course.

It was an excellent day.

If I had it to do over, I would have booked a driver to take me on a day trip to Musawwarat es-Sufra and Naqa, which are not so accessible on one’s own, and I would have gotten myself to Meroë on my own. Instead, I did a second day trip to those sites with a driver on a different day. Day trips in Sudan are not cheap, but the sites are priceless, so it all balances out in the end.

The next day I would visit the camel market and the market in Omdurman.

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Visiting Khartoum

As discussed in a previous post, I had finally been able to visit Khartoum. Often I will breeze through a city in a couple of days, but this time I planned to spend nearly a week in Khartoum. I don’t know why, but I just had a feeling like I was going to like it. Plus, there isn’t a lot to do there. Not a lot of formal attractions, so I felt like it might be nice to go there and just hang out and relax. This idea, of going to Sudan to relax was mystifying to the women seated near me on my flight. Thy were all going for work and would not have gone for any other reason. Fortunately, I was right.

I loved Khartoum. It had many elements of a more middle eastern / Arabic city, like a little Cairo, but it also felt like a proper more southern African city. That won’t really make much sense unless you have been to both kinds of cities, but it just felt unique. Political instability and excessive soldier presence aside, it has a wonderfully relaxed vibe. I enjoyed several days of visiting the city and two days visiting outside the city to see the pyramids and temples.

I can’t talk about Khartoum and not say how great my hotel was. I stayed at the Acropole, which is a family run hotel, the oldest still in operation. It has a perfect location for walking and all the services and support you could want for doing trips out of the city and dealing with Sudanese bureaucracy. I was drawn to it for two reasons: 1) I read that archaeologists and news reporters stayed there (I had visions of myself hanging out with journalists and swapping stories over whisky; and 2) giant balconies – perfect for my evening cigars. I really lucked out. The place was lousy with archaeologists when I was there, and I even got to have lunch with a few of them. (I must have been so annoying; assaulting them with questions like machine gun fire.) The family running the hotel was lovely and, yes, the balconies were perfect for smoking cigars over late night chats. NO swapping stories with BBC correspondents, but with other types of foreign workers and expats. The hotel seems to be a hub for social activities. Perfect for a solo wanderer like me. It was a bit over my preferred budget but was worth every penny. (I am not being paid to say this; it just was a big part of why my trip was so great. I met so many wonderful people.)

I arrived late one night and set out early the next morning to see the city. I can see why many people say one day is good. There wasn’t much to ‘do’. The museums were closed for reasons I could not determine.

There are some lovely colonial era, grand buildings to gawk at, but you can’t photograph any of them and there are lots of police (uniformed and not) who will give you trouble if you do. It is a pity because there are so many government buildings. Some very pretty and some imposing with tanks out front, but all of it is left to my memories. Well, except…there was this one restaurant I went to that was on the roof of a tall building and gave good views over Khartoum and the Nile, from there you can see many of the buildings that are otherwise off limits, including the courthouse and the library building.

So on two of my days I just walked around the different areas. I checked out some street art and smoked shisha along the banks of the Nile, under a bridge, where locals gathered to drink coffee, smoke, and get out of the sun.

I walked around the central souq, and up and down the streets that were mostly pretty quiet. I wandered by mosques and churches, investigated shops, and paid a visit to a tiny art gallery.

I visited the University, which was pleasant and leafy. Not much to see there unless you go in the afternoon, when I am told there are lots of monkeys out and about. I saw only students.

One of the best things about walking about Khartoum is there is coffee everywhere. Not so much as ‘regular’ cafes, but these excellent, roadside improvised cafes under trees. They are all similarly set up: a woman with small, low-to-the-ground cart where she can boil water and hold a variety of spices, coffee, and sugar will make Sudanese coffee and patrons will sit on little, colorful woven seats and relax and enjoy. The coffee is like Arabic/Turkish coffee, but with a mix of spices, including lots of ginger. I think there is other stuff in there – cinnamon probably, cardamom maybe – but a big hit of ginger and a good dose of sugar. You don’t think ginger belongs in coffee? That’s only because you haven’t had it. I drank as much as I could, knowing I wouldn’t be able to anywhere else. I am still thinking about it.

So two of my days in Khartoum were spent basically that way: just walking and exploring and loving it.

Also, on those days, I ended up being very social. I mentioned the lunch with the archaeologists, but I also connected with a girl I ‘met’ through Instagram. She is from America but has lived in Sudan for many years. We met up for coffee and then she, a fellow from the hotel, and a guy from Switzerland/Germany/Australia who works part of the year in Central and Eastern Africa. We went out for shisha and dinner at this excellent Lebanese restaurant next to the Canadian embassy. One evening with this trio and I was loving Khartoum. I felt like I got this rare glimpse into what it is like to live there as an expat or a certain type of local, a bit of insight into the political and security situation, and a good amount of local gossip. It was a lot of fun. (IF any of them read this they will know who they are, but I don’t want to use their names out of respect for their privacy.)

*Assaha – Lebanese restaurant and shisha spot*

On the next of my aimless wandering days in Khartoum, I and the fellow from the hotel went to the home of another local guy who had this fabulous loft style apartment in a fancy area of town. We went out for Thai food with a girl from Mexico, living in Khartoum. Again, just another excellent evening. On my final night I went to a party at that same loft. I have never been so social. It was easy to talk with everyone and everyone was so interesting.

For all of this talk of wandering around in Khartoum and there being nothing specific to do; that’s not entirely true. Unless / until the museums reopen, there are still a few things worth making a point of going to: the souq at Omdurman, Tutti Island in the Nile, the camel market, the Sufi night, and the Nubian wrestling. Unfortunately, the wrestling and the Sufis happen on the same evening so you can’t do both. I opted for the Sufis. I will post about that and the souq and camel market separately.

A few practical things, since I keep getting asked.

Sudan is an Islamic country and I dressed accordingly. A long flowy skirt to my ankles and some kind of high-necked, long-sleeved top. I did not have to cover my head. I probably didn’t have to dress so modestly, but I think that is the better way to go. One day I went walking by myself wearing something less modest and I felt a bit uncomfortable.

Few people spoke English.

Cash is king in Sudan. The rest of the world still has embargoes and sanctions against Sudan, which prevents any foreign credit and bank cards from being used. This means, bring your money in cash (pristine US dollars is best) and budget accordingly. Upon exchanging a small amount, you will be given a brick of Sudanese pounds, so exchange as you go.

I never felt unsafe. That said, I didn’t spend much time out alone at night. I don’t think it is a dangerous place, but since the 2021 coup, the cost of living has gone up a lot and that kind of poverty can breed desperation, so why chance it. Plus, outside of one neighbourhood, Khartoum didn’t seem to have a bustling nightlife.

The people were very friendly and hospitable.

I can’t say enough good things about it. Almost every week since I was there, I have a dream that I am back. That’s not normal for me and I think it speaks to how much I loved it.

More to follow about things I did in Khartoum, and excursions to Meroë, Musawwarat es-Sufra, and Naqa.

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A trip to Sudan

Plans

I had wanted to go to Sudan as soon as I read about it (beyond what I saw in the news). Looking past the corruption, instability, poverty, and violence, I learned that it was a country of stunning deserts and desolate antiquities. Any travel article about Sudan will tell you that it has more pyramids than Egypt; that’s true, but there is a lot more to it than that. I was only there for a week and just around Khartoum, but the little bit I saw I loved and cannot stop thinking about.

I planned to go to Sudan in 2020. We know how that turned out. When I returned to international travel in 2021, I planned to go at the end of that year, but in October 2021 the government was overthrown by a coup, so I put off the trip again. November of 2022 I finally got there. The last of my covid-delayed trips to be carried out.

A smidgen of history

Sudan is a country of superlatives. It is a massive country (it was the biggest in Africa until South Sudan split off in 2011). It has the most pyramids. Its history dates back to the Pharaohs (about 2500 BC). It had a series of kingdoms (Kerma, New Egyptian, Kush, Nubian), was settled by Arab nomads, and then from about the 16^th century, it was dominated by encroaching forces (including Darfur, Ottoman, and Egyptian). In the first half of the 20^th century, Sudan was governed / occupied by the British and the Egyptians, until finally gaining independence on 1 January 1956. I know that is like 4.5 thousand years of history summed up in a paragraph, but the point is: Sudan is big, and old, and because of its location was a hub for trade, transport, and invasion, which has led to it being a culturally rich and interesting country today.

Since independence, things haven’t been easy for Sudan. Its territory has been fractured between factions fighting for independence or control. From 1989-2019 the country was run by a military dictatorship led by Omar al-Bashir that was accused from everything from genocide in Darfur to supporting terrorism. Al-Bashir was overthrown in April 2019. He is, as of the date of writing this, on trial and in prison.

Since the military coup, things in Sudan are…well, it depends on who you ask. Some people I talked to said it is better (more stable, less violent), others said it is worse (more corrupt, more expensive). Right now, the country is led by two military groups reluctantly sharing power. They have passed a constitution and are in a transitional period. There are multiple police and military forces each of which seems fairly corrupt and fond of patrolling in costume-y uniforms and with guns, or lounging on tanks. Weekly protests in Khartoum were ongoing when I was there. No one I spoke to was optimistic.

[***April 2023 Update: on 15 April 2023, the two military groups sharing power entered into an armed conflict with guns, missiles, bombs, and planes being deployed. The airport was seized and shut down, electricity was lost, and civilians are being killed. People are running out of food and water and medical supplies/help, and are risking their lives to get the things they need or to escape out of the country. So all of the people I met who live there have had their lives and communities shattered. Some of them I am in touch with and some not. It’s very sad to think of this city and people suffering.***]

When I was there in November 2022, the Canadian government advised against all “non-essential” travel there and particularly against “all” travel to Khartoum due to threats of violence and terrorism. Administrative hassles and military presence aside, none of these was much of a concern to me. The parts of Sudan that I saw were nothing short of wonderful. Kind people, interesting sights, a relaxed vibe, and some of the best coffee I have had anywhere.

*Canadian advisory for Sudan in November 2022*

Visas and Requirements

Canadians need a visa to visit Sudan. I applied through the consulate in Ottawa, meticulously sending in all the paperwork, photos, and fees. The processing took 6 weeks. Despite there being no requirement for it, the consulate would not issue my visa unless I booked a tour. Not just any tour, but with one particular tour company in Sudan and I had to tell them that the Consulate in Ottawa referred me. So I begrudgingly booked an expensive day trip from Khartoum to the Pyramids at Meroe. (I had originally planned to hitchhike.) It was such an obvious scam/kick back, but what was I to do? It was annoying, but as soon as I had my passport back with the visa in place, I didn’t care.

Fun Facts

Sudan is right below Egypt, with the Nile running through it. The capital is Khartoum. (Not to belittle it, but it is a name that just sounded to appealingly exotic to me.) About 49 million people live there; mostly Sudanese Arabs, but there are over 500 ethic groups throughout the country. People mostly speak Arabic. The median age is just over 18. (Compare that to Canada where it is just over 41.) It is a Muslim country but not as rigid or restrictive feeling as some countries I have visited. Officially alcohol is not allowed, but there seemed to be lots in supply if you know where to look. About half the population lives in poverty. A lot of that sounds bad, but it has the pyramids, vast and diverse natural environments and wildlife, and some of the nicest people I have met.

This post is already long enough so I will start the actual experience of my visit in another post, but I’ll say here that I loved Sudan. I am writing this well after the fact, and I am still thinking about it and, even though I am committed to travelling to new-to-me countries, I want to go back someday.

Asia Central Asia 2022 Kazakhstan

A Bit of Luxury in Almaty

Crossing back into Kazakhstan from Kyrgyzstan

I had a flight booked from Bishkek back to Almaty. A very short and very inexpensive flight. However, having experienced how quick and easy it is to cross by (shared) taxi and on foot, I decided to skip the airports altogether, ditched the flight and caught a taxi to the Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan border.

I walked across, it was quick and almost without hassle. I say “almost” because the immigration guard for Kazakhstan said insistently that I needed a visa. I just responded “No, I don’t. I get an automatic 30 day visa at the border.” He shrugged and wordlessly stamped my passport.

*the path from one border checkpoint to the next*

Back on Kazakh soil, immediately the women who was in the queue behind me started speaking to me in English. She was from Kyrgyzstan but living in Almaty. She wanted to know if I would share a taxi with her. I said “Absolutely.” She found us a car with two other people waiting and did the haggling (getting us a better price than I could have gotten myself. And in moments we were off. It was a nice drive, with pleasant chats and a stop at a roadside stand for fresh horse milk and balls of qurut. The ride was about $4 CDN and I was in Almaty by 11am.

Back in Almaty and into the lobby of luxury

Back in Almaty at the bus station, I caught a taxi to my hotel for my final night of this trip. I usually stay at hostels or budget accommodation, but sometimes I like to have a bit of a splurge on my final night. To have my own room and not share a bathroom with anyone. That is what I was doing that day and…what a splurge.

I stayed one night at the fabulous Rixos Almaty. Definitely, as far as big hotels go, it is the fanciest place I have ever stayed. Like a Grand Budapest Hotel. Gleaming white in the day and illuminated pink at night. The lobby is a huge atrium with trees and intimidatingly posh-looking cafes – oh, and it has a cigar store and lounge, which was the deciding factor that caused me to book it.

Walking in, I felt like Eddie Murphy in Beverley Hills Cop when he walks into the Beverly Palm Hotel, clearly out of place. I always wear black, and I don’t wear athletic wear, sneakers, or sandals, so I didn’t look super casual, but I had a backpack, and I wasn’t that clean. Everyone else looked very clean and classy. But I had the golden ticket. I had a reservation.

My room was…wow. Huge and with a balcony and a giant bed and the biggest bathtub. Maybe that doesn’t sound like a big deal, but I had just been sharing a single toilet with four men and several cockroaches, so this was a welcome change.

*my room (bubble bath pictures not included)*

I had a bubble bath, got cleaned up, and headed out. First stop was the cigar lounge for a Partagas Series D No.4.

From there I just went out walking. It was a glorious day. I had already done all the sightseeing in Almaty that I wanted to do, so I just walked leisurely. The weather was perfect, and people were out strolling and packing the patios at the sidewalk cafés and restaurants.

*just one of many inviting cafes. I went to this one.*

I stopped and had multiple coffees and some pomegranate iced tea.

more coffee at this side street café with outdoor swing seats

I roamed around and snapped pictures of street art murals. Almaty isn’t super street arty, but there are some nice murals if you look for them.

*murals* *(The middle one reminds me of Weird Al. No idea who it actually is)*

I browsed at an outdoor craft market and just watched the world go by. And then I got to the Opera House; a beautiful and grand yellow structure with fountains. To my luck, there was an opera that night.

The show was “Abai”, a newish (2015) Kazakh opera about the life of poet Abai Qunanbaiuly (a Kazakh poet from the late 19^th century), and it was starting at 6:00pm. I bought a single ticket for the centre orchestra, which cost about $10 CDN.

It was a great treat. I was very happy that it was a Kazakh show, and the production was impressive. Of course, I couldn’t understand a word of it, but I enjoyed the music, staging and costumes. That said, I did leave at the second intermission – not because it wasn’t good – I had seen enough and wanted to enjoy a dinner on my last night in town.

I walked back to what had become my favourite eating/smoking restaurant patio in Almaty and had some Armenian flat breads filled with herbs and I smoked shisha until late into the night.

It was a perfect end to my time in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. In the morning I flew home. This trip made me even more curious to visit Turkmenistan and Tajikistan and Afghanistan (the three (of seven) ‘stans I have left to visit. Something to look forward to.

Asia Central Asia 2022 Kyrgyzstan

On horseback in Kyrgyzstan

What is Central Asia without at least one day spent on horseback? Well, it’s fine actually. Lots to see and do staying on your own two feet, but I felt like I wanted a horseback riding experience in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan, so that is what I did on my third day. I’m a city person by nature, but sometimes it is nice to spend a day or so in nature. The problem is, I don’t have a way always of getting to nature on my own and I don’t travel with a horse (or a mule), so I booked a private day trip with Ventura Tours.

I was happy to have some company for the day as, due to language barriers and a lack of connection with fellow backpackers, I had been really on my own since I got to Almaty. I was picked up in the morning by Ash, the owner of Ventura. Ash was cool. A young, hardworking guy who spoke perfect English. He started a travel company just before covid and made it work, and he produces music for locate acts. He was also keen to start a club for young men who wanted to gather to smoke and discuss literature. A person I could relate to. He even recognized my Frank Sinatra tattoo for who it is. I can’t tell you how many weird conversations I have had with people in far flung countries where people have asked me about the mugshot tattoo on my forearm. Trying to explain to a teenager in Bangladesh or a farmer in Cambodia that I have a tattoo of a deceased 20^th century American crooner is odd and never met with any familiarity. But Ash knew.

Anyway, we drove and chatted about life in Bishkek and his various hopes, ambitions, and observations until we reached out first stop.

Burana Tower

Burana Tower is a minaret in the Chüy Valley. It dates back to about the 11^th century and is all that remains of a city that was founded there in about the 9^th century. The minaret used to be much taller, but what remains is still impressive. Monochromatic and covered by design in its intricate brickwork. And it really stands out, standing in a flat plain, ringed by pale blue and purple mountains.

On one side of it is a collection of tombstones. These tombstones are also very old, but there were not originally all here. Over the centuries, travellers along the silk road sometimes just dropped dead (my eventual fate I’m sure) and sometimes where they did, they got a tombstone. That’s why the look of them reflects different cultures, languages, and eras. It’s cool to see them all together but I question the decision to relocate them. This seems like the making of some Kyrgyz poltergeist.

Saddle up

From there we drove further into the valley, where we had lunch prepared by a local family who also had horses. I got sort of a vegetarian version of Lagman; thick noodles and vegetables (minus the meat).

After lunch we mounted our horses and ascended the mountains for a lovely view of the valley. It was pleasant. Views of houses and the valley, herds of cattle and wildflowers. We had a couple of nice dogs following us or leading the way.

I liked it, but I’m still not a fan of horse riding. It just feels weird to me. If I am going to ride some animal, I prefer a camel. But I am glad I had the experience.

I felt asleep on the drive back to Bishkek, which gave me the energy to go out in the evening for a final stroll, dinner, and cigar. It was a good day. I was satisfied with what I had seen in Kyrgyzstan. There is always more to see, but I was happy.

The next day I would go back to Almaty for a final day and night.

Asia Central Asia 2022 Kyrgyzstan

Two days in Bishkek

Exploring Bishkek

Kyrgyzstan – the country whose name I only learned to spell once I visited it – is a mountainous, sparsely populated country nestled just below Kazakhstan and, likewise, was a part of the Soviet Union until 1991 and before that was usually a part of one empire or another (Russian, Mongolian, etc). Kyrgyzstan’s history though goes back a few thousand years, and its people are traditionally nomadic. Even today, it is mostly a rural country, with only about a third of its people living in cities.

I arrived by taxi and foot after crossing the border from Kazakhstan and was deposited at my hostel – the USSR Hostel. As promised, it was walking distance to everything I wanted to see. Not counting the day that I did a countryside private tour, I had two days in Bishkek. That was enough to see and do all that I desired and do so on foot.

Statues & Buildings

I liked Bishkek, more than Almaty. Almaty is the nicer, more European-feeling city, but Bishkek felt more Central Asian. It was just more interesting. The architecture grander and more imposing. The men often wore their traditional hats. There were more statues and monuments. No, not just more; there were a shocking number of statues and monuments. Especially in Oak Park, where they filled the green space like a chess board dotted with pieces. There were brightly colored flower beds everywhere.

The city was just so interesting to walk in. But it also was an easy city to visit. Well organized and signposted and all that. So I could wander with ease.

Over the two days, I walked around and past all the notable buildings, including the UFO shaped circus building, the imposing museum, and an assortment of ornate buildings of indeterminate use.

*beautiful buildings, flowers, and Soviet insignia*

Behind the National Museum is an excellent Lenin statute. Until recent years he stood in the main square but was moved…for obvious reasons. I like the decision to keep the statue (and not destroy it) but to move it to the museum grounds, to place it in historical context, as opposed to holding him up as an icon. (There is also statue of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels deep in the park.)

A Museum & A Gallery

I visited the Museum, which was very good. A beautiful, new building displaying an impressive array of Items from Kyrgyz history.

I wandered to the National Museum of Fine Arts, which I didn’t really enjoy, but was happy to check it out. Interesting art, even if i didn’t like much of it.

Osh Bazaar

I walked to the Osh Bazaar where I was lost in rows and tangles of produce (especially berries), rounds of fresh bread that looked like that I knew from Uzbekistan, slabs of freshly butchered meat, spices, house wears, and hats. It was a very satisfying market. I enjoyed some delicious fried dough and potato treat, like a flat piroshki, and tried some balls of Qurt or Qurut or Kurut. (This being the hard dairy balls that can also be used as projectiles if you find yourself in a violent protest but short on rocks. I wrote about this more in my market post from Almaty.)

Bishkek was a very pleasant city for walking, even if it was blisteringly hot when I was there. It is a city of parks and trees; shade and greenery could almost always be found. Plus, it has a lot of great cafes. Cool cafes with tattooed baristas and pleasant patios for sitting with a coffee and a book or laptop.

Got milk?

Milk type and fermented drinks are inescapable in Bishkek. Like, in Almaty, you can buy a variety of different milks from different animals, fresh and fermented at the markets, but in Bishkek, you can buy the milk (or milk adjacent beverages) on the street. On nearly every corner is a woman sitting under an umbrella with 1-3 plastic barrels in front of her, selling drinks by the glass.

The most prominent is the Шоро or Shoro company, which sells milk beverages. They sell maksym (made from fermented barley, wheat, millet and/or corn), chalap (fermented milk, yogurt, and salt), and jarma (a fermented grain mixed with yogurt drink). You can mix maksym and chalap together, which is called aralash. Other stands will sell kymyz, which is fermented horse milk.

Maksym is the national drink of Kyrgyzstan…it is also the one I liked the least. I also found out after the fact that maksym usually has some form of animal fat in it – maybe butter or maybe other rendered animal fats – so it probably isn’t vegetarian. (oops.)

The other main company that sells their drinks on nearly every corner is the Eneasy company, which sells cold tea and milk/yogurt drinks.

All of these things you can buy in the market made in small batches or at roadside stands, but you just can’t escape the sidewalk sellers in Bishkek – and you wouldn’t want to. The milk and yogurt drinks are delicious and cost maybe 15 cents a glass.

*me, beating the heat with a refreshing glass of chalap*

Impressions

I also noticed that, while it is a Central Asian Muslim country, I saw a surprising number of cool, counterculture-looking young women with visible piercings or tattoos, partially shaved heads, and brightly dyed hair. (Like me as a teen.) I’m not saying I saw a lot of them, but enough that I took note. That’s not something I have noticed in similar places. Between this observation, the green spaces, and the cafes, I had this reoccurring thought: Is Bishkek the Portland, Oregon of Central Asia? That might be a weird comparison, but there is something to it. I liked it anyway.

I’m really squishing together my two days in Bishkek, but that’s mostly what I did. The third day I would take to the country for a bit of rural sightseeing.