May 09 2013 Ricardo Coarasa publishes «Journey to the Sources of the Blue Nile»

• Travel to the sources of the Blue Nile Ricardo Coarasa

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  Today we advance the final book in one of those responsible for Travel to the Past, a tour of northern Ethiopia has prefaced Javier Reverte

Axum is fiesta. And not for nothing. The prodigal son back home resting. Las calles de esta ciudad del norte de Etiopía de apenas cincuenta mil habitantes que ancla sus orígenes en las simas de la historia se han engalanado con banderas etíopes y del Tigray para darle la bienvenida. Red, yellow and green. Despite their infirmities 1.700 years, looks so tall and robust as the proud Axumites had heard describe their parents and grandparents. Because in a country with a life expectancy of 46 years, witness his departure has long since died. Casi tres cuartos de siglo han tenido que esperar para cerrar esa herida. El obelisk robado Mussolini en 1937 ha regresado a Axum y ese ansiado retorno puede leerse en las sonrisas de los etíopes que se acercan en tropel a fotografiarse con él y en el festivo ademán de las muchachas de inmaculadas togas rojas que pasean sus recién estrenadas licenciaturas.

The impressive wake, the 24 meters and 160 ton, is wrapped in scaffolding, as a convalescent, September morning 2008. I count the hours for your biggest day, when the whole nation will his eyes to Axum to celebrate the opening of a symbol of the history of Ethiopia, silent witness to one of the great kingdoms who knew the ancient world. Within three days, President Meles Zenawi (died at the 57 years unexpectedly in August 2012, during the editing process of this book) lead the official ceremony with which this African nation suffering will be reunited with the legacy of its most splendid history.

Casi tres cuartos de siglo han tenido que esperar para cerrar la herida: el obelisk robado Mussolini en 1937 has finally returned to Axum

In the hotel Ramhai, the best in town, the activity is frenetic. All employees work tirelessly trying to clean up the facilities for the presidential visit. It smells like varnish in any corner and hallways are a constant symphony drills, martillazos y lijadoras que desquicia a los escasos huéspedes, surprised only set foot in the room by the hardness of the mattresses on the beds. Simply, acaban de cambiarlos para impresionar a las autoridades y, with that prediction tends to bring African anything possible performance, have had to choose the "stone model", más propio del ascetismo anacoreta del santo local Tekle Haimanot.

But the hotel management, which is named after an ancient Axumite king V century BC, the first to mint gold coins, plata y bronce y responsable de la erección de uno de los siete obeliscos– no se ha limitado a lavarle la cara al edificio. Reception is upside down while several workers are employed in a hurry to change the floor tiles and give a quick coat of paint to your walls chipped.

In the hotel Ramhai, the best in town, the activity is frenetic. All employees work tirelessly trying to clean up the facilities for the president's visit

The main entrance, por donde deberá circular el cortejo presidencial, raised is largely because you have to replace the damaged slabs, which is a few. Right, opposite reception, two workers try to convert the roof of a rectangular porch, da that the pool, on a terrace. At this point, and just missing the days to Zenawi landing with all su cutting senior, seems a mission impossible. They should build a ten-foot ladder that allows access to the future viewpoint, surround it with an iron railing and fill the concrete floor tiles. About a precarious wooden scaffold, operators, flashlight in the
head, continue to work even at night.

Everything should be ready within 48 hours for the meal with which the hotel management wants to entertain his illustrious guests. And what better views than those offered this impromptu escorted by the pool terrace and the facade of the building, adorned with garlands of colors more typical of a mall at Christmastime? The least is that after the visit of the President is not used for anything.

About a precarious wooden scaffold, operators, linterna en la cabeza, continue to work even at night

In that habitat will have to take the rest who wait like manna arrival in Axum Zenawi. Managers of service firms, contractors, inversionistas ávidos de negocios, several intermediaries, second rank politicians and all sorts of the foreign dealers swear by closing profitable agreements with any government representative or, at least, in tie future contacts conducive privileged treatment. Algunos ya están alojados en el hotel y se les reconoce a la legua. Tom Mikael is one of them. Thin mustache and thick face, curly hair and prominent sideburns, luce pantalón de pinzas y camisa fucsia arremangada al estilo europeo.

Sitting at a table on the terrace of the hotel, dotted with palm, exhibe ademanes de nuevo rico haciendo alarde de su cámara digital compacta. With an unmistakable dismissive gesture and halo of "you can never buy one of these", asks the waiter to take a picture, insisting they remove the tray table to deface the snapshot. While he fits, Tom Mikael vierte lentamente la cerveza Saint George en el vaso de tubo y sonríe al objetivo orgulloso de su estatus reluciente en un país de pobres. El camarero aprieta el botón y la cámara se le desliza hacia abajo levemente. The salt nightlife photo. Back to square one, this time pouring a coke more parsimoniously be, as if taking a dry martini in a cafe in Saint Troppez. Now, to make, makes you throw two photos.

Tom Mikael vierte lentamente la cerveza Saint George en el vaso de tubo y sonríe al objetivo orgulloso de su estatus reluciente en un país de pobres

Finally gives its approval, but does not give further spotlight. To show off the flash in the waitresses, is dedicated to photographing the coke bottle like a Zurbarán still life they were. When you think you've deployed all their technological prowess, gets up and tries to hit the string with three young Ethiopian departen at a nearby table. Soon he realizes that he has nothing to do with them and return to your site to keep fiddling with the camera totemic. Tom Mikael maybe look tonight at one of the many prostitutes who frequent hotels like this, Western hunting the quarrelsome, to show the abilities of your digital camera.

«Viaje a las fuentes del Nilo Azul. A route through northern Ethiopia », Ricardo Coarasa. Editorial Mundo Black. Madrid, April 2013. More: http://www.edimune.com/viaje-a-las-fuentes-del-nilo-azul