Tag Archives: Eritrea

Dancing to Perfidia – Poem #15 – From the Archives

Posted on June 14, 2020 by toritto

The Hotel Torino – Massawa, Eritrea built by the Fascists when Eritrea was an Italian colony.  In 1960s it had a roof top bar; 20 year old Toritto  misspent a portion of his youth in Eritrea and had many a drink … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Italy, Libya and Eritrea -From the History Archive

Posted on May 15, 2020 by toritto

A poster from the Fascist era advertising the Tripoli Grand Prix in Italian Libya on   March 7, 1933 -Year eleven of the Fascist dictatorship.  Cost of a ticket?   Lira 12 Muammar Gaddafi  is dead since 2011 and Libya … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dancing to Perfidia

Posted on February 18, 2017 by toritto

The Hotel Torino – Massawa, Eritrea built by the Fascists when Eritrea was an Italian colony.  In 1960s it had a roof top bar; 20 year old Toritto  misspent a portion of his youth in Eritrea and had many a drink … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Diaspora

Posted on August 24, 2016 by toritto

    The Cathedral Snack Bar – Asmara, Eritrea – 1965 Bougainvillea Passegiatta Old men doffing borsalinos wearing double breasted suits. Topolinos in the street run as if on memory pretty girls now walking by laughing, giving boys the eye. … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

An Honor Guard for Haile Selassie

Posted on May 9, 2016 by toritto

“Toritto” in Ethiopia at 23 – looking maybe 17!  Once upon a time Toritto was a soldier; he spent four years of his life defending the nation against the evil empire.  He married his prom date some 5 weeks after … Continue reading →

Posted in family | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Christmas at Kagnew Station

Posted on December 18, 2015 by toritto

A re-post from last Christmas  I spent the Christmas of 1964 and ‘65 at Kagnew Station. Where you ask is Kagnew Station? Kagnew was the 4th U.S. Army Security Agency Field Station in Asmara, Eritrea. Yes. We had and still … Continue reading →

Posted in family | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Italy, Libya and Eritrea -The Long Embrace

Posted on September 3, 2015 by toritto

Turkish police carry the body of a dead Syrian child washed up on a tourist beach Well, Moammar Khadafi is dead and Libya has been in chaos ever since. Oil companies were licking their chops in anticipation eager to get … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Diaspora

Posted on August 24, 2015 by toritto

by toritto The Cathedral Snack Bar – Asmara, Eritrea Bougainvillea Passegiatta Old men doffing borsalinos wearing double breasted suits. Topolinos in the street run as if on memory pretty girls now walking by laughing, giving boys the eye. “Un espresso … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Toritto at the Hotel Torino – 1965

Posted on August 19, 2015 by toritto

Welcome to the Hotel Torino! No not in Turin. In Eritrea. First you need some background on how geeky Toritto wound up in Eritrea in 1964. No surprise. We had troops there. We have troops everywhere. One Spring day while … Continue reading →

Posted in travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Cut

Posted on July 21, 2015 by toritto

by toritto Lithe and lovely Eritrean girl high cheek bones, pearly whites chocamocha, caffe latte has me staring at her aquiline nose. “Hey G.I! You buy hashish today?” Smoke rings and a purple haze scotch and water, tobacco and hash … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments