A Sacred Pilgrimage to Ceel Afweyn, Sanaag, The Republic of Somaliland

[Alpha Blondy]

OMG, this is the farthest east i've gone:D and its absolutely wonderful. Ceel Afweyn is the most beautiful place I've ever seen. this incredible city was 14th on my list of places to visit in the world. i'm here, i've made it and i'm loving it. the ceel afweynians people are very hospitable and seem to be very nice. the city is buzzing with activity. its fantastic.

 

i'll keep y'all updated.

[Alpha Blondy]

[Carafaat]

Alpha, isnt that Boqor Buurmadoow territory? what are you doing there? Are you campaigning for UCID inadeero?

[N.O.R.F]

Blimey. After 4 years there you've finally grown a

 

Keep us posted.

[Alpha Blondy]

day 2

 

the second day of this epic trip started very early. at 9am, we made our way to a local restaurant. Tawakal restuarant was recommended by a friend, who'd previously traveled to this city. we had fresh beer-geel and laxoox. the food was first class and the service excellent. i quickly placed an order for seconds before being reminded of the big casuumud later on in the day....

 

the ceel afweynians people are a diverse bunch and hail from various tribes. it has previously been hailed as an example worthy of following. ceel afweyn is known for many things but nothing impresses more than its 150 years and still going strong meat festival. the city was said to have been the meat capital of Somaliland. many of its residents seemed rather stocky as though they eat well. i was also informed whist in hargeisa, that the tribes of ceel afweyn took pride in their meat. i'm afraid, i will miss the festival this year but it would've been a fantastic opportunity to try out the wide variety of meats on display during the festival. it usually occurs in the peak of the rainy season, but it seems my epic trip had coincided with the 'abaar' or dry season, here.

 

at 10am, i made my first unaccompanied short trip to the city centre. i thought it would be an excellent opportunity to get to grips with the city and its customs. i visited various places and had several cups of ''somali tea'' in the different outdoor tea shacks. in one such shack, i met a man called Mahdi Calooley. Mahdi, was perhaps, ceel afweyn's biggest household name, and he informed me of his plans to firmly place this city on the global map for tourism. i agreed with him with 100% and we'd took some notes of how we'll achieve these objectives. its was approaching qado time and i joined the rest of the group and we made our way back to camp. our hosts, who'd been very hospitable thus far, further exceeded my expectations, when they'd organised the biggest and indeed the most appetising qado....ever . i was making my way to the tent to get my detol steriliser, when Mr. Osman Handuleh, insisted i sit down immediately, since no honourable guest of his, would be troubled. i wasn't troubled to be quite frank and Mr. Handuleh was very nice, accommodating and i thought he surpassed the high expectations, i had of him. but i was slightly troubled by the large washing bowl for washing our hands, quickly changing its colour to dark brown, after it was used by our driver...... i bit my tongue and used the bowl after him....:D

 

qado was excellent.....and as custom dictates, in these parts of Somaliland, we were served desert. the mixed fruits in custard were excellent. we were given toothpicks too........ :D:D

 

TBC....

[Alpha Blondy]

Carafaat;921815 wrote:

Alpha, isnt that Boqor Buurmadoow territory? what are you doing there? Are you campaigning for UCID inadeero?

inaadeero arafat,

 

i was making use of my time off work and i traveled with some friends to ceel afweyn. they will eventually go as far as erigabo but i'll return to hargeisa shortly, i'm afraid.

[Alpha Blondy]

N.O.R.F;921860 wrote:

Blimey. After 4 years there you've finally grown a

 

Keep us posted.

NORF,

 

there is bari....but i've come to realise burao, isn't bari, when you've gone as far as caynabo. suddenly, burao looked galbeed.....:D:D:D

 

i'll keep y'all posted. i haven't been able to take pictures. its a pity, really.

[Tallaabo]

What? You are coming back? You have got to go farther boy. You should pay a visit to GRANDPA. And don't forget to take off your shoes when in his vicinity:cool:

[Alpha Blondy]

Alpha Blondy;922229 wrote:

day 2

 

the second day of this epic trip started very early. at 9am, we made our way to a local restaurant. Tawakal restuarant was recommended by a friend, who'd previously traveled to this city. we had fresh beer-geel and laxoox. the food was first class and the service excellent. i quickly placed an order for seconds before being reminded of the big casuumud later on in the day....

 

the ceel afweynians people are a diverse bunch and hail from various tribes. it has previously been hailed as an example worthy of following. ceel afweyn is known for many things but nothing impresses more than its 150 years and still going strong meat festival. the city was said to have been the meat capital of Somaliland. many of its residents seemed rather stocky as though they eat well. i was also informed whist in hargeisa, that the tribes of ceel afweyn took pride in their meat. i'm afraid, i will miss the festival this year but it would've been a fantastic opportunity to try out the wide variety of meats on display during the festival. it usually occurs in the peak of the rainy season, but it seems my epic trip had coincided with the 'abaar' or dry season, here.

 

at 10am, i made my first unaccompanied short trip to the city centre. i thought it would be an excellent opportunity to get to grips with the city and its customs. i visited various places and had several cups of ''somali tea'' in the different outdoor tea shacks. in one such shack, i met a man called Mahdi Calooley. Mahdi, was perhaps, ceel afweyn's biggest household name, and he informed me of his plans to firmly place this city on the global map for tourism. i agreed with him with 100% and we'd took some notes of how we'll achieve these objectives. its was approaching qado time and i joined the rest of the group and we made our way back to camp. our hosts, who'd been very hospitable thus far, further exceeded my expectations, when they'd organised the biggest and indeed the most appetising qado....ever

. i was making my way to the tent to get my detol steriliser, when Mr. Osman Handuleh, insisted i sit down immediately, since no honourable guest of his, would be troubled. i wasn't troubled to be quite frank and Mr. Handuleh was very nice, accommodating and i thought he surpassed the high expectations, i had of him. but i was slightly troubled by the large washing bowl for washing our hands, quickly changing its colour to dark brown, after it was used by our driver...... i bit my tongue and used the bowl after him....

 

qado was excellent.....and as custom dictates, in these parts of Somaliland, we were served desert. the mixed fruits in custard were excellent. we were given toothpicks too........

:

 

TBC....

after we'd prayed dhuhr communally, the guys decided to head back to the tent for some lazy siesta sleep....i went along too but to get my handy water bottle and some vital snacks for the journey....... i was about to embark on. i informed, Osman, during qado of my desire to travel to the outskirts of the city. at first, he'd seemed a little hesitant but i managed to convinced him.

 

i walked and walked until i could walk no longer. the heat was sweltering and it was approaching 2pm, when i decided to take some well deserved rest, under a galool tree. i got my notebook out of my rucksack and wrote down my observations of this epic trip, so far. i also made, some further notes about the direction, of my life..... it was around 3pm now and the intense heat of temperature, suddenly had a little nicaaw about it. this nicaaw, this breath of fresh air, gave me an inspiration......

 

as it approached asr prayers, i felt, it was time to make my way back from these rural, arid and flat lands, where the traditional nomads still roamed the land in search of pastures greener........ i called Mahdi Calooley but his phone was switched off. i thought of catching up with him to further discuss our plans. unbeknownst to me, apparently, the entire city engages in khat sessions in the afternoons...i've seen such activities back home, in the capital but i didn't expect similar activities, here too.

 

ceel afweyn, with its flat yet silhouetted mountainous landscape, reminiscent of the steppes of ural mountains regions, is ideal for all sorts of hiking activities. this idea entered my mind, much later, as i continued walking to the city..... i thought to call Mahdi again, in the hope of adding, this new idea to our earlier discussed thoughts, this morning. i did call Mahdi and he'd picked up. he insisted, i join them, at their majilis but since i was on holiday, it made no sense to graze... i arrived at Mahdi spot....it wasn't any spot, but none more so than, the regular meeting hub for the city's elite. i didn't feel like an outsider.... by 5pm, i was sitting there unperturbed, in my a borrowed macawsi, my khat paid for, my extras fulfilled as required....and i thought to myself, of how wonderful the hospitality of these ceel afweynians was......i stayed until 9pm but many were quite sad to see me ago. Mahdi, personally insisted, he'd take me back to Osman's house. i arrived back to the tent to find the guys..... just sitting there..... with a somewhat semi-retarded look on their faces. i'd quickly told them of my extraordinary journey and some expressed disappointment that.....i, didn't, invite them, along to Mahdi's majilis.....

 

tomorrow, we've agreed to do a group activity....but, i've got my own plans with the maid from Mahdi's majilis....LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

[Wiil Cusub]

This remind me " Carmasheedda iyo caanaheega marka laysku darro Ceelafwayn Cadan way ka sidataa" Faisal O Mushteeg a.u.n

[AfricaOwn]

You never got the permission from me son, keep yourself in Berbera

 

Seriously though, post some pictures for us to see...Thanks in advance.

[Alpha Blondy]

^ Africaooow,

 

i do not need permission from you or any other habar of your kind to visit Ceel Afweyn. we've managed to resolve our issues regarding the Abarso tech controversy, marka, why are you being tribalistic? isku xishood and please issue an apology as soon as you can.......LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL.

[Alpha Blondy]

NOTICE

 

i lied about going to ceel afweyn. i DID NOT go to ceel afweyn.......i would've continued posting, had it NOT being for seeing JB, yesterday morning near suuq hoose ee hargeisa. at about 3pm, he updated this status on facebook with......the following.....

 

Wiil Cusub;922417 wrote:

This remind me "

Carmasheedda iyo caanaheega marka laysku darro Ceelafwayn Cadan way ka sidataa

" Faisal O Mushteeg a.u.n

make the slighest of changes by capitalising A.U.N......i realised i was busted when another SOLer also commented and liked the status update. since being busted...... i haven't bothered to update this thread.

 

p.s - i was meant to go to ceel afweyne walahi but i couldn't go due to personal commitments. inshallah, i will go to ceel afweyn one day and i will blog about my real experiences and views of the place.

 

p.s.s - if there are NO pictures to company my posts....it means i didn't go..... remember: NO PICTURES = NO SHOW LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

 

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

 

:D:D:D:D

[QansaxMeygaag]

^

You are one creative dude (dudette? not sure at this rate LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL).

 

So how did you get all those stories especially the Calooley character? I actually liked him LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

[Alpha Blondy]

Qansaxoow,

 

inaadeeroow,

 

mahdi calooley's character profile needs further development but i'm very glad you liked him...what exactly did you like about him? what would you add to this character, if you had the chance?

 

ceel afweyn 4 life....LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL.