DJIBOUTI

Location - North East Africa; Capital - Djibouti City; Population - 1 million; Currency - Djibouti Franc

A bus from Dire Dawa in eastern Ethiopia took me to Djibouti, in December 2006.

The Djibouti Franc - this note has been replaced by a newer smaller version, but I like the old one better..

There's good views of the Gulf of Aden from the Plateau du Serpent area of Djibouti City

The People's Palace, Djibouti City

A walled off area close to the port, Djibouti City

If you can read French, Petit Fute's guide to Djibouti covers the country well

A French colonial building in Place Menelik, Djibouti City

Place Menelik, or Place 27 Juin 1977 (the date of Djibouti's independence from France), is the heart of the European quarter of Djibouti City

Drinking Heineken at a Place Menelik bar restaurant (there's not many places in town that sell alcohol) - Djibouti City

Djibouti City becomes a ghost town around midday

The quiet early afternoon streets of Djibouti City

Clothes shop in Djibouti City

The European quarter, Djibouti City

Hamoudi Mosque and the market area at Place Rimbaud, in the African quarter of Djibouti City

Ancient rock paintings on the road between Djibouti City and Lake Assal

This gorge is found before the Bay of Ghoubbet comes into view

A magnificent view of the Bay of Ghoubbet, almost cut off from the rest of the Gulf of Tadjoura

Devil's Island in the Bay of Ghoubbet

The beautiful turquoise waters of Lake Assal

Lake Assal is a crater lake situated 153 metres below sea level, the third lowest in the world after the Dead Sea and Sea of Galilee.
What looks like a sandy beach is actually a huge salt field.
Volcanic lava rocks lie in the foreground.

Salt formations are plain to see - Lake Assal

Lake Assal

Salt crystals on the shores of Lake Assal, the most saline body of water in the world

The salt pan of Lake Assal

Crunching my way across Lake Assal's salt pan

Thermal waters escape from underground - Lake Assal

Volcano and lava near Lake Assal

Ardoukoba Volcano's lava fields

A distant view of Tadjoura from Hotel Restaurant Le Golfe

Tadjoura is on the opposite side of the Gulf of Tadjoura from Djibouti City

Taking refuge from the incessant Tadjoura rain

Chilling out in Tadjoura

The bus ride back to Djibouti City was a bit hair-raising as after torrential rains, much of the road had disappeared and landslides blocked the road. Get out and push!

Website and content Copyright © 2008-2011 Mark Wilkinson. All rights reserved.

LINKS

If you can read French, Petit Fute's guide to Djibouti covers the country well

www.office-tourisme.dj - Djibouti tourist board, in French

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djibouti

I am not responsible for the content of external websites.