Bar Royal, Asmara

There are so many fantastic buildings in Asmara that sometimes you don't know where to look next.

This is Bar Royal, a chic cafe on a busy corner. And it is the way that this building addresses the corner that makes it stand out.

The facade is quite plain and curves in a smooth arc around the corner with the cafe entrance set back a little from the footpath. Above the door, two metal-railed balconies follow the curve of the building.

It goes some way to explaining what an extraordinary place Asmara is to say that this is just another building in this amazing city.