Asmara, Amore Mio: The Story of Italian Eritrea (Part One)

Admittedly, the so-called "Rush to Africa" conjures up the usual European suspects: France, Belgium, and, of course, Britain. But lesser known is Italy who established its own colony in East Africa in a place they called Eritrea (from the Latin name for the Red Sea that borders it). Today, the capital city of Asmara is a hodgepodge of Romanesque churches, Modernist architecture, and businesses with names in both Italian and Tigrinya (the primary native tongue). Come along with me for a tour of this beautiful country and how the Italians shaped the place it became.