Gadling http://www.gadling.com Gadling http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Gadling http://www.gadling.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Queen of Sheba's gold mine discovered in Ethiopia]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/13/queen-of-shebas-gold-mine-discovered-in-ethiopia/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/13/queen-of-shebas-gold-mine-discovered-in-ethiopia/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/13/queen-of-shebas-gold-mine-discovered-in-ethiopia/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Queen of Sheba
The gold mine of the Queen of Sheba has been discovered in Ethiopia, the Guardian reports.

A local prospector led British archaeologist Dr. Louise Schofield to a mysterious mine in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region. Schofield believes that this was the source of the Queen of Sheba's fabulous gold, a large pile of which she gave to King Solomon when she visited the Holy Land, as is reported in the Old Testament, the Koran, and the Kebra Nagast, one of the holy books of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

Sheba was probably the Sabaean Kingdom, a wealthy kingdom that included what is now northern Ethiopia and Yemen. It rose to power 3,000 years ago and controlled trade along the Red Sea, especially the profitable spice trade.

Inside the extensive mine, Schofeld found an inscription in Sabaean and a stele bearing a carved sun and crescent moon, the symbol of the Sabaean Kingdom. The remains of a temple and battlefield were found nearby. Schofield is planning to start a major excavation at the site.

This can only be good news for Ethiopia's growing tourist industry. During a road trip around Ethiopia two years ago, I was stunned by the desolate grandeur of Ethiopia's Tigray region. The main attractions are Axum, the ancient capital of a kingdom dating from 100-940 AD and considered by many to be a successor state to the Sabaean Kingdom, and Debre Damo, an amazing clifftop monastery that I had to climb up a leather rope to visit.

When I returned to Ethiopia a year later to live in Harar, I found that tourism had increased. Most of the visitors I spoke with said that Ethiopia's history was one of the main reasons they came to visit, and the Queen of Sheba was often mentioned. While Ethiopia can be dangerous just like any other adventure travel destination, most regions are safe and I've had no trouble in the more than four months I've spent in the country. Going back is my number one travel priority this year.

Hopefully this latest discovery will help inspire more people to discover Ethiopia's long history, friendly people, great food, and of course the world's best coffee.

Photo of an Ethiopian painting of the Queen of Sheba on her way to meet King Solomon courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Gallery: Tigray and the Sabaean Civilization

The story of the Queen of Sheba, painted in traditional Ethiopian styleThe second half of the paintingMap of the various kingdoms of ancient Yemen and TigrayFunerary stele from first to third centuries AD, Southern Arabia. It bears a Sabaean inscriptionSabaean inscription on a stele at Axum, northern Ethiopia

Queen of Sheba's gold mine discovered in Ethiopia originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure destinationsadventure traveladventure travelsadventure vacationAdventure VacationsAdventureDestinationsAdventureTravelAdventureTravelsAdventureVacationAdventureVacationsancient historyAncientHistoryArchaeologicalExcavationsarchaeologyArchaeologyNewsarcheologyAxumBibleBible storiesBibleStoriesEthiopia tourismEthiopia travelEthiopian historyEthiopianHistoryEthiopiaTourismEthiopiaTravelgoldgold minegold minesgold prospectingGoldMineGoldMinesGoldProspectinghistoryKebra NegastKebraNegastKoranprospectingQueen of ShebaQueenOfShebaSabaeanSabeanShebaTigrayTigray regionTigray tourismTigray travelTigrayRegionTigrayTourismTigrayTravelMon, 13 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tourists killed in Afar Region, Ethiopia]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/18/tourists-killed-in-afar-region-ethiopia/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/18/tourists-killed-in-afar-region-ethiopia/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/18/tourists-killed-in-afar-region-ethiopia/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

tourists killed, AfarFive tourists have been shot dead in Ethiopia's northern Afar region, the BBC reports.

Ethiopian State TV announced that the tourists were killed late on Monday by gunmen who had crossed over the border from Eritrea. It said they were part of an Afar rebel group trained by Eritrea.

The names and nationalities of the tourists were not released. Two other tourists were injured and are now in hospital. Another tourist escaped unharmed. The attack occurred near the active volcano Erta Ale, shown below in a photo courtesy Jean Filippo.

Details of the incident are still unclear. Al-Jazeera reports the attack happened at 5am Tuesday and that in addition to those killed, four people, including two tourists, were taken captive. Eritrea rejects the claim that they sponsored the gunmen.

Ethiopia and Eritrea fought a war from 1998 to 2000 and have never formally declared peace. Ethiopia says Eritrea backs numerous Ethiopian rebel groups in an attempt to destabilize Ethiopia. In 2009, the UN imposed sanctions on Eritrea for supporting Islamist rebels in Somalia and Ethiopia's Somali region. Ethiopia's border with Eritrea is heavily guarded, as I myself saw when I was there. The border region is also home to numerous large camps filled with Eritrean refugees fleeing what they say is an oppressive regime back home.

The Afar region attracts a steady stream of adventure travelers because of its rugged landscape and the reputation of being one of the hottest places on the planet. It has always been considered a lawless region and some Ethiopian tour operators I know refuse to go there.

This sad incident may have an adverse effect on Ethiopia's growing tourist industry. This industry is bringing much-needed hard currency and foreign investment into the country and employs an increasing number of people. I have spent four months in the country, doing a road trip through northern Ethiopia and living in Harar, and never experienced any problems. Adventure travelers need to remember, however, that the level of safety in some nations varies widely depending on the region.

Map courtesy Dr. Blofeld.

tourists killed, Afar

Tourists killed in Afar Region, Ethiopia originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventureadventure destinationsadventure traveladventure travelsadventure vacationAdventure VacationsAdventureDestinationsadventuresAdventureTravelAdventureTravelsAdventureVacationAdventureVacationsAfarEritreaEthiopiaEthiopia tourismEthiopia travelEthiopiaTourismEthiopiaTraveltourists killedtourists killed in EthiopiaTouristsKilledTouristsKilledInEthiopiatoursits killedToursitsKilledtravel safetyTravelSafetyWed, 18 Jan 2012 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Opinion: Dutch khat ban smacks of racism]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/16/opinion-dutch-khat-ban-smacks-of-racism/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/16/opinion-dutch-khat-ban-smacks-of-racism/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/16/opinion-dutch-khat-ban-smacks-of-racism/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

khat, qat
The Dutch government recently announced that it will ban the use of khat, a narcotic leaf widely chewed in the Horn of Africa and Yemen.

I've written about khat before. I've spent four months in Ethiopia, especially Harar, a city in the eastern part of the country where chewing khat (pronounced "chat" in the local languages) is part of many people's daily lives. It's a mild drug that makes most people more relaxed, mildly euphoric, and talkative. It also helps concentration and is popular among university students.

Of course there are side effects. Short-term effects include sleeplessness, constipation, and for some people a listlessness that keeps them from achieving their potential. Long-term use can lead to mental instability and heart trouble. I met one western researcher in Harar who had been there two years. He'd stopped using khat after the first few months because he was afraid of the long-term effects. If I lived in Harar that long I'd stop chewing khat for that very reason.

So the Dutch government seems to have a good reason to ban khat. Or does it? This is a country where marijuana, hash, herbal ecstasy, and psychedelic truffles are all legal. And if we're talking about long-term health effects, we need to throw in alcohol and tobacco too.

So what's different about khat? It's almost exclusively used by the Dutch Somali community, numbering about 25,000 people. According to the BBC, "a Dutch government report cited noise, litter and the perceived public threat posed by men who chew khat as some of the reasons for outlawing the drug."

Drunks aren't noisy? Cigarette smokers never litter? The last reason is the most telling: "the perceived public threat posed by men who chew khat." In other words, black men. In Europe, khat is a black drug, little understood and rarely used by the white population. This ignorance and the fear it generates are the real reasons khat is being banned.

While there are some valid health and social reasons for banning this narcotic plant, they also apply to the narcotic plants white people like to use. But we can't expect white people in The Netherlands to give up those, can we?

Gallery: The Khat culture

Chat field in EthiopiaEdge of a harvested chat fieldA chat dealer on the streets of HargeisaChat leaves up closeEating chat in a roadside chat house

Opinion: Dutch khat ban smacks of racism originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AfricaAfrican immigrantsAfricanImmigrantsAfricans in EuropeAfricanSafariAfricansInEuropeblackblack menblack peopleBlackMenBlackPeopleblackscrimecrimesdrugdrug newsDrugNewsdrugsDutchDutch khat banDutch qat banDutchKhatBanDutchQatBanEthiopiaHararHollandimmigrantsimmigrationimmigration issuesImmigrationIssueskhatkhat banKhatBanlegal highlegal highsLegalHighLegalHighsnarcoticnarcoticsNetherlandsopinionopinion-pieceqatqat banQatBanracismracistracistsSomaliSomali cultureSomaliCultureSomalisThe NetherlandsTheNetherlandsMon, 16 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[My adventure travel year: a look back and a look forward]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/31/my-adventure-travel-year-a-look-back-and-a-look-forward/http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/31/my-adventure-travel-year-a-look-back-and-a-look-forward/http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/31/my-adventure-travel-year-a-look-back-and-a-look-forward/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

adventure travel, Harar
This was a strange year for me. I didn't see any new countries but I still had some great adventure travel. I spent two months living in Harar, Ethiopia, writing a series about it for all you fine folks. I'd visited this fascinating medieval walled city back in 2010 during a road trip in Ethiopia and passed through on my way to Somaliland. The three weeks I spent in Harar in 2010 convinced me I had to come back and learn more.

This time, however, I came to settle in for a while. My colleague--local historian, author, and guide Mohammed Jami Guleid (harartourguide @gmail.com)--helped me explore Ethiopia's Somali region and meet the Argobba, a little-visited tribe. Other highlights included feeding a pack of hyenas and meeting a traditional African healer. The best part of my stay, however, was the day-to-day life of visiting friends and making new ones. Harar is a small town and it seemed that by the end of my two months there everyone knew me.

Sadly, that was my only adventure travel in 2011. I didn't get to do my usual long-distance hike, scheduled in late August right after my birthday. I like to do these to prove to myself that I'm not old yet. In previous years I've blogged about hiking the East Highland Way and Hadrian's Wall. Hopefully I'll bring you another long-distance hike in 2012.

My main adventure travel destination this coming year is the Orkney Islands. My family will be along for this one and we'll be exploring these rugged isles far to the north of Scotland. I've always wanted to see the Orkneys for their bleak grandeur and archaeological sites such as the mysterious brochs and stone circles like the Ring of Brodgar, pictured below courtesy flickr user joeri-c. Last summer I checked out an Ordnance Survey map of Orkneys and found that the farm right next to it is called "Sean". Looks like I'm fated to go.

Other plans include a short trip to The Gambia and another trip back to Ethiopia. I need to get some funds for both of these adventures so I can't guarantee they'll happen. If they do, you'll certainly hear about it!

Of course I wasn't the only Gadling blogger to have adventures. The one that made me most jealous was Alex Robertson Textor's series on Far Europe, and of course Jon Bowermaster is always doing something cool.

What were your adventure travel highlights for 2011? What are you plans for next year? Share your adventures in the comment section!
adventure travel

My adventure travel year: a look back and a look forward originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 31 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventureadventure traveladventure travelsadventure vacationAdventure Vacationsadventure-traveladventuresAdventureTravelAdventureTravelsAdventureVacationAdventureVacationsbudget travelBudgetTravelEthiopiaEthiopia tourismEthiopia travelEthiopiaTourismEthiopiaTravelHararnext year in travelNextYearInTravelOrkney IslandsOrkneyIslandsOrkneysyear in travelYearInTravelSat, 31 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New Book celebrates 10 years of the Tour d'Afrique]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/13/new-book-celebrates-10-years-of-the-tour-dafrique/http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/13/new-book-celebrates-10-years-of-the-tour-dafrique/http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/13/new-book-celebrates-10-years-of-the-tour-dafrique/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Tour d'Afrique celebrates ten yearsThe Tour d'Afrique is a legendary cycling event that runs from Cairo to Cape Town on an annual basis. Covering more than 7500 miles, and requiring four months to complete, the Tour is a popular "bucket list" item for adventure travelers and cyclists the world over. This year, the Tour d'Afrique commemorates its tenth anniversary, and to celebrate, the company behind the epic event has released a fantastic coffee table book entitled 10: Celebrating Ten Years of the Tour d'Afrique Bicycle Race and Expedition.

The book begins with a forward written by Tour founder Henry Gold. A decade ago, when he first pitched the idea of a bike ride across Africa, Gold was met with skepticism to say the least. Many thought that it simply wasn't possible for an event like this one to exist and he was regularly told he was crazy for even considering it. Ten year later, Gold has turned his idea into a yearly event, and his adventure travel company produces similar cycling tours in a host of other locations across the globe.

10 is filled with stories from the road, as riders share tales, quotes, and anecdotes of their own experiences from the Tour. For some, it was a life altering experience for others an adventure of a lifetime, but no one who has taken part in the journey has come away unchanged. Their words are likely to inspire readers to want to join Tour as well, and even if you haven't been on a bike in years, you may find yourself dreaming of pedaling under African skies. The book doesn't try to hide the challenges of the ride, which range from oppressive heat to unexpected downpours, not to mention ever changing road conditions, but the amazing beauty of Africa and the camaraderie that is formed amongst the riders, will have a universal appeal all the same.

If the words of the riders don't inspire you than perhaps the amazing photographs contained in this book will. 10 is a visual love letter to cycling, adventure travel, and most importantly, Africa itself. The 252 page volume is packed with breathtaking images that have been compiled over the past decade and capture the spirit of the Tour very well. Not only do those photos show the day-to-day experiences of the ride, but they also manage to convey a sense of wonder at the countries and environments that the riders pass through, as well as the people that live there.

If you have a cyclist or adventure traveler on your holiday shopping list, than this book is sure to be a hit. Just be warned, after reading it, they may feel compelled to join the ride themselves. Africa is most definitely calling.

New Book celebrates 10 years of the Tour d'Afrique originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure cyclingadventure traveladventure-travelAdventureCyclingAdventureTravelbook reviewBookReviewbookscairocape townCapeTowncyclingcycling toursCyclingTourstour dafriqueTourDafriqueTue, 13 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The best Italian restaurant in the world?]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/12/the-best-italian-restaurant-in-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/12/the-best-italian-restaurant-in-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/12/the-best-italian-restaurant-in-the-world/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The best Italian restaurant in the world? "Prego," said the Italian woman sitting behind an elevated counter. She waved me into one of the dining rooms, bedecked with rich wood paneling and white tablecloths draped over the half dozen tables. I was given a menu, which listed the canon of Italian cuisine: sausage and polenta, spaghetti alla vongole, and a colorful and fresh-looking anti-pasta bar, among others. It would be perfectly understandable if you thought I was dining in Rome or Ravenna.

But I was, in fact, about 3,000 miles from Rome. The chaotic, but intriguing miasma of concrete, steel, and car exhaust known as Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, dwelled just outside the window of Castelli. The restaurant, opened, according to Rossella Castelli, the woman at the counter, in 1957 (though many reports have suggested 1948). It's a relic of the failed Italian occupation. The Castelli family opened the restaurant and stayed here instead of following Italian troops back home.

I didn't come to Ethiopia to eat Italian food. In New York, where I live, there's an Italian restaurant on every block, many of which are sub-mediocre quality. I lived in Italy for a few years, where I ate the cuisine every single day. Italian cuisine has managed to conquer the world, to borrow the title of a recently published book. But when I'm in a place like Ethiopia, I'm going to eat the local fare.

It wasn't until I read that Bob Geldof, member of the rock band the Boomtown Rats and the man behind LiveAid and other benefits to help eradicate famine in east Africa, said Castelli was the best Italian restaurant in the world that I decided I couldn't leave Addis Ababa without trying it.

Continue reading The best Italian restaurant in the world?

The best Italian restaurant in the world? originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>addis ababaAddisAbabafeaturesMon, 12 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Culinary Cab Confessions: where to eat raw meat in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/05/culinary-cab-confessions-where-to-eat-raw-meat-in-addis-ababa/http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/05/culinary-cab-confessions-where-to-eat-raw-meat-in-addis-ababa/http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/05/culinary-cab-confessions-where-to-eat-raw-meat-in-addis-ababa/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Culinary Cab Confessions: where to eat raw meat in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
The cab driver didn't blink when I told him what I wanted. It might have been one of the most unusual requests he'd ever had. But he didn't even look back at me or take a glance in the rearview mirror. He pointed his diminutive blue taxi up the wide boulevard and asked where I was from. As we turned on to Chechnya Street, named because of the apparent anything-goes debauchery that takes place here when the sun goes down, he turned into a de facto tour guide, pointing out the places where one might encounter a prostitute.

But I wasn't seeking thrills of a sexual nature. I wanted to eat. And to eat at a place I may never find on my own. Welcome to Culinary Cab Confessions, a short series about letting cab drivers decide where I'll be eating. There's a long-standing belief that taxi drivers hold the secret to a city's best eateries; not the upscale variety, but the affordable, no frills type; the places where we may never think of going and in neighborhoods where we might rarely venture. Wherever I'm traveling in the world or if I'm home in New York City, I'll be hopping in cabs and telling the driver to take me to wherever he--or she--likes to eat. And then I'll be writing about it. If the driver is hungry and inclined, I'm always happy to have a culinary guide to the restaurant. Lunch is on me.

Continue reading Culinary Cab Confessions: where to eat raw meat in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Culinary Cab Confessions: where to eat raw meat in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Culinary Cab ConfessionsCulinaryCabConfessionsFeaturefeaturesMon, 05 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[10 best eco-friendly hostels in the world]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/11/05/10-best-eco-friendly-hostels-in-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2011/11/05/10-best-eco-friendly-hostels-in-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2011/11/05/10-best-eco-friendly-hostels-in-the-world/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

portland hawthorne hoste websiteWhile you can usually expect an inexpensive stay at a hostel, not all of these accommodations are alike when it comes to being sustainable and green. For your next trip, why not stay somewhere that will not only give you a social experience on a budget, but will also be good for the planet? Check out this list of the 10 best eco-friendly hostels around the world.

Portland Hawthorne Hostel
Portland, Oregon

The Portland Hawthorne Hostel offers a clean, safe accommodation in the Hawthorne District of Portland, Oregon. The hostel has free breakfast, cheap bike rentals, and is a short walk from Mount Tabor and Luarelhurst parks. Not only that, but this hostel does its part in being eco-friendly. One of their biggest draws is their ecoroof, a "green living roof of vegetation and soil". The project is low-maintenance and self-sustaining and is being encouraged by the city due to its ability to soak up stormwater and return it to a natural water cycle (water that is not soaked up usually becomes full of sewage and dirt and negatively affects aquatic habitats). Along with the ecoroof, the hostel makes use of green cleaning products, recycling and composting, and gives guests arriving by bicycle a discount of $5 per night.

Continue reading 10 best eco-friendly hostels in the world

10 best eco-friendly hostels in the world originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 05 Nov 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>budget travelBudgetTraveleco friendly accomodationeco traveleco-friendly travelEco-friendlyTravelEcoFriendlyAccomodationecotourismEcoTravelgreen accommodationgreen hostelsgreen hotelsgreen travelGreenAccommodationGreenHostelsGreenHotelsGreenTravelSat, 05 Nov 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Somali murals: funky advertising in the Horn of Africa]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/10/21/somali-murals-funky-advertising-in-the-horn-of-africa/http://www.gadling.com/2011/10/21/somali-murals-funky-advertising-in-the-horn-of-africa/http://www.gadling.com/2011/10/21/somali-murals-funky-advertising-in-the-horn-of-africa/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

SomaliOne of the fun parts of travel is discovering the street art of a new place. Whether it's the elaborate graffiti of New York or Madrid, the political murals of Mexico, or the current craze of Yarn Bombing, there's always something cool happening on the street.

In the Horn of Africa, street art takes the form of murals. I believe this is a Somali development, because I've seen it much more in Somaliland and the Somali region of Ethiopia than I have anywhere else. There's a fair number of murals in Harar, Ethiopia, but that has always had close trade connections with the Somali region.

Some are simple, like this ad for a dentist in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland. I don't know why this guy jumped into the frame and bared his teeth but hey, it made for a better picture so I'm not complaining.

Then there's this mural inside a bakery in Harar. It shows the founder, an Greek expat who opened the most modern bakery in town. One day I met his aged widow, who still presides over the family business. She treated me to tea and regaled me with tales of the old days. She was very proud of the mural and in fact that's what drew me inside in the first place. Another example of art bringing people together.

Check out the gallery below for more images from Ethiopia and Somaliland.

What kind of street art did you discover in your last trip? Tell us about it in the comments section!



Gallery: Somali paintings

Mecca and Coca-ColaA Harari woman in tradtional costume, selling breadOh so fashionable!Painting a notice on the Harar police stationPainted tombstone near Harar

Somali murals: funky advertising in the Horn of Africa originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure activitiesAdventure traveladventure vacationadventure-outdoorsAdventureActivitiesadventuresAdventureTravelAdventureVacationAfrican artAfricanArtartart historyArtHistoryEthiopiaHararHargeisaHorn of AfricaHornOfAfricamuralmural paintingMuralPaintingmuralsSomaliSomali artSomali muralsSomali region of EthiopiaSomaliaSomaliArtSomalilandSomaliMuralsSomaliRegionOfEthiopiaSomalistravelFri, 21 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Eating in the Horn of Africa: camel, goat and. . .spaghetti?]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/10/13/eating-in-the-horn-of-africa-camel-goat-and-spaghetti/http://www.gadling.com/2011/10/13/eating-in-the-horn-of-africa-camel-goat-and-spaghetti/http://www.gadling.com/2011/10/13/eating-in-the-horn-of-africa-camel-goat-and-spaghetti/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Horn of Africa, Somaliland
When my wife and I went to the Horn of Africa last year for our Ethiopia road trip, we were eagerly looking forward to a culinary journey. We weren't disappointed. Ethiopian food is one of our favorites and of course they make it better there than anywhere else!

While it came as no surprise that the food and coffee were wonderful, the cuisine in the Horn of Africa turned out to be more varied and nuanced that we expected. The two countries I've been to in the region, Ethiopia and Somaliland, have been connected to the global trade routes for millennia. Their national cuisines have absorbed influences from India, the Arab world, and most recently Italy.

Ethiopians love meat, especially beef and chicken. One popular dish is kitfo--raw, freshly slaughtered beef served up with various fiery sauces. I have to admit I was worried about eating this but I came through OK. Chicken is considered a luxury meat and is more expensive than beef. One Ethiopian friend was surprised to hear that in the West chicken is generally cheaper than beef.

Ethiopian booze is pretty good too. Tej is a delicious honey wine and tella is a barley beer. They also make several brands of lager and one of stout.

I've also spent time in the Somali region of Ethiopia and Somaliland. Living in arid lowlands rather than green and mountainous highlands, the Somalis have a very different cuisine than the Ethiopians. A surprising staple of Somali cooking is pasta. Actually on second thought it isn't so surprising. The former Somalia was an Italian colony for a few decades. Italian food is popular in Eritrea and Ethiopia as well and makes for a refreshing change from local cuisine. Some Somalis are still pastoral nomads, moving through the arid countryside with their herds of camels and goats much like their ancestors did centuries ago. Pasta is a perfect food for nomads--compact, lightweight, nutritious, and easy to prepare.

The only downside to eating pasta in the Somali region is that Somalis, like most Africans, eat with their hand. I made quite a fool of myself trying to eat spaghetti with my hand!

Gallery: Food in the Horn of Africa

In Harar, Ethiopia, they decorate their homes with kitchenwareFruit for sale in an Oromo market in Harar, EthiopiaOromo vendors at a market in Harar, EthiopiaKitfo, raw beef and spices. An Ethiopian delicacyArgobba country store, Ethiopia

Continue reading Eating in the Horn of Africa: camel, goat and. . .spaghetti?

Eating in the Horn of Africa: camel, goat and. . .spaghetti? originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>camelcamel meatCamelMeatcookingeating cameleating goatEatingCamelEatingGoatEthiopiaEthiopia tourismEthiopia travelEthiopian cuisineEthiopian cultureEthiopian foodEthiopianCuisineEthiopianCultureEthiopianFoodEthiopiaTourismEthiopiaTravelfoodfoodweekfoodweek featureFoodweekFeaturegoatgoat meatGoatMeatHorn of AfricaHornOfAfricaItalian cookingItalian cuisineItalian foodItalianCookingItalianCuisineItalianFoodpastaSomaliSomali cookingSomali cuisineSomali cultureSomali region of EthiopiaSomaliaSomaliCookingSomaliCuisineSomaliCultureSomalilandSomaliland tourismSomaliland travelSomalilandTourismSomalilandTravelSomaliRegionOfEthiopiaThu, 13 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Travel Read: The Coffee Story]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/15/travel-read-the-coffee-story/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/15/travel-read-the-coffee-story/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/15/travel-read-the-coffee-story/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

coffeeAs a writer, I read many books by authors I know. As a traveler, I read lots of books set in places I've been. The Coffee Story by Peter Salmon gave me the rare chance to read a book about a place I love written by someone I met there.

For the record, I don't review books by friends because that's both unprofessional and unwise. Peter isn't a friend except in the Facebook sense of "I got drunk with this guy once and have his email address".

I met Peter while I was living in Harar, Ethiopia. Peter's novel is set in Harar in the 1930s and just weeks before it was published he visited for the first time. That's right, he visited Harar after he wrote the book.

To 99.9% of his readership that doesn't matter since they've never been to Harar. I have and it did. The book is laden with mistakes. For example, Peter has Harar surrounded by jungle when in fact it's surrounded by rocky hills and cultivated fields, and where the hell did the Jain community come from? He also uses the G-word for the Oromo. While I suppose this epithet would have been in common usage among whites living in Ethiopia in the 1930s, it will do nothing to endear him to Ethiopian readers.

But this isn't really a story about Harar, or indeed about coffee. These are simply backdrops with which to tell the story of Theodore Everett, heir to a huge coffee business, now dying of cancer. Most of the action takes place 70 years before, when he's a kid on his father's plantation in Harar, where the best coffee in the world comes from. Ignored by his greedy and abusive father, Theodore falls under the sway of an Ethiopian Marxist and other locals, as well as a mysterious white girl who emerges from the jungle one day.

Theodore tells us right off that he's "not given to suspense" and a terrible showdown is inevitable between the Marxist and his father. To steal the title of a wonderful film, there will be blood. It's a tribute to Salmon's excellent storytelling that the final showdown, when it comes, is nevertheless laden with suspense. We have an inkling of what's going to happen all along, but like two cars veering towards a head-on collision, it's terrible to see them hit.

While there's no sense of place beyond a stereotypical "deepest, darkest Africa" worthy of some old Tarzan flick, most characters are brilliantly drawn and often hilarious, and the prose loops and curls in on itself. Like many old men, Theodore repeats himself constantly. This gets a bit irritating but the characters and narrative tension kept me turning pages. The prose is rich (bonus points for using "flibbertigibbet") and the characters spring to life the first sentence they're introduced.

I give this book three out of five stars. Sorry Peter, I know it's my round, but while you're an excellent stylist and a sharp wit, the whole thing veers a wee bit too close to neocolonialism. You put Harar in a jungle because Africa's all jungle, right? The Ethiopians all sound like Europeans with a bit of earthy spiritualism thrown in for color, and the only female Ethiopian character is oversexed and two-dimensional. Although she's sleeping with the underaged protagonist, Theodore's One True Love is the only white girl he meets in Africa. And the blackface scene made me embarrassed even though I wasn't the one who wrote it.

There's an old adage among writers: stick with what you know. Set your next novel in England or Australia and you'll write a masterpiece.

Travel Read: The Coffee Story originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 15 Jul 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bookbook reviewbook reviewsBookReviewBookReviewsbookscoffeecontemporary literatureContemporaryLiteratureEthiopiaHararnovelstravel booktravel bookstravel readtravel readingtravel readsTravelBookTravelBooksTravelReadTravelReadingTravelReadsFri, 15 Jul 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The n-word, the g-word and the hidden perils of travel]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/12/the-n-word-the-g-word-and-the-hidden-perils-of-travel/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/12/the-n-word-the-g-word-and-the-hidden-perils-of-travel/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/12/the-n-word-the-g-word-and-the-hidden-perils-of-travel/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

n-word, Ice-TLiving in Spain, I get a lot of questions about the United States. One of the most common, and certainly the most disturbing, is if it's OK to use the N-word.

Let me just say from the outset that I think the term "N-word" is silly. By using it you immediately think of the word I'm trying not to say so, in a sense, I've actually said it. On the other hand, if I actually used the word n-----, Gadling would fire my ass, and they'd be right to.

N----- is getting more and more common on American TV shows that get broadcast here. The Wire uses it in almost every scene. Most Spaniards realize it's a bad word, but are confused to hear it used on TV by whites and blacks alike. I've had to explain on more than one occasion that it hasn't become OK. At least it isn't OK with this white boy. I don't think it's OK for black people to use either, but they're probably not interested in my opinion.

Now anybody with two brain cells to rub together knows TV isn't reality, but if you've never been to a country before, TV is probably the main way you know about it. The average European has spent far more time watching American TV than talking to actual Americans. Like the guy I met in a bar who was about to go to the U.S. for the first time and used n------ during our conversation. He wasn't a racist, he just thought the word was OK now. I'm glad I got to talk to him before he got his butt kicked.

I had a similar experience when I spent two months living in Harar, Ethiopia. I was researching a book on Ethiopian history and kept coming across a name for a tribe called the G----. This word appears in many English-language books about Ethiopia, including many modern ones. One day I was chewing qat with my friend Mohammed Jami Guleid (harartourguide @gmail.com) a local guide and historian, in a small village near Harar. Casually I asked him, "Who are the G----?"

Mohammed gave me a look like I had just farted in a mosque.

Continue reading The n-word, the g-word and the hidden perils of travel

The n-word, the g-word and the hidden perils of travel originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 12 Jul 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>African-Americanafrican-americansculturediversityEthiopiaEthiopia tourismEthiopia travelEthiopian cultureEthiopian historyEthiopianCultureEthiopianHistoryEthiopiaTourismEthiopiaTravelHararharariHararTourismHararTravelMenelikn-wordOromoOromo cultureOromo historyOromoCultureOromoHistoryraceracial slurracial slursRacialSlurRacialSlursracismrespecttoleranceTue, 12 Jul 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Photo of the day: Donkey traffic jam]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/02/photo-of-the-day-donkey-traffic-jam/http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/02/photo-of-the-day-donkey-traffic-jam/http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/02/photo-of-the-day-donkey-traffic-jam/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Photo of the day
Regardless of how transportation evolves, sometimes the old ways are still the best ways. New York and London have some of the oldest public transit systems in the world and while they've made a few upgrades in the last century, the original tunnels are still in use. Many parts of the world disregard modern vehicles all together, like these men with their drove* of donkeys. Donkeys are cheap to run, easy to park, and make far more interesting sounds than cars, though the clean-up might be less fun. Flickr user fdortort ran into these donkeys in Debark, Ethiopia, far north of Harar where Gadling's Sean McLachlan spent two months this spring.

Share your favorite travel pix with us - bonus points for collectives of animals - in the Gadling Flickr pool and we may use one for a future Photo of the Day.

*Herd and pace can also be used to describe a group of donkeys.

Photo of the day: Donkey traffic jam originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>donkeyethiopiaflickrhararphotophoto of the dayphotographyPhotoOfTheDayphotostransportationThu, 02 Jun 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Obama pen: weirdest African souvenir ever?]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/05/16/the-obama-pen-weirdest-african-souvenir-ever/http://www.gadling.com/2011/05/16/the-obama-pen-weirdest-african-souvenir-ever/http://www.gadling.com/2011/05/16/the-obama-pen-weirdest-african-souvenir-ever/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Obama, Ethiopia
Obama is big in Africa. There are Obama shops, Obama hotels, Obama t-shirts, even Obama: The Musical. A craze of naming babies Obama hit the continent when he was elected. Even better, the proud parents could fill out the birth certificate with an Obama ballpoint pen.

I came across these in a shop in Harar, Ethiopia. A friend of mine worked for his campaign, so it seemed the perfect gift. The box proudly proclaims the virtues of "Quality+Econmy", promises "maximum writing pleasure and comfort", and offers a one-year money-back guarantee. How CAN´T you buy this amazing item?

So why is Obama so big in Africa? There's more to the craze than the fact that his father is African. Many Africans told me they see him as an inspiration, that no matter where your family is from you can make it big. Some also see his election as a hopeful sign that the U.S. is getting beyond its racist past. There was some serious Obamamania in Africa when he got elected but, like in the U.S., that initial enthusiasm has cooled off somewhat. Now Africans are questioning his policies, asking why he hasn't created closer ties with Africa and why he's helped some Muslim nations in their struggle for democracy and not others.

It looks like no president's honeymoon lasts forever.

[Note for the easily offended: the crack about the birth certificate was a joke. I am not a birther. You can tell because all the words in this post are spelled correctly]

Gallery: The Obama pen

When I saw this on the counter I knew I had to buy some!Look at all the languages on the carton. Obviously they were hoping for a global craze of Obama pensThe pen itself. it write pretty well, but it looks like it will dry out quickly.

The Obama pen: weirdest African souvenir ever? originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 16 May 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventureadventure traveladventure vacationAdventure Vacationsadventure-travelAdventureTravelAdventureVacationAdventureVacationsAfricaAfrica tourismAfrica travelAfricaTourismAfricaTravelballpoint penballpoint pensBallpointPenBallpointPensBarack ObamaBarackObamabirtherbirther movementBirther-MovementBirtherMovementBirthersMovementbizarreEthiopiaEthiopia tourismEthiopia travelEthiopiaTourismEthiopiaTravelfunnyHararHarar tourismHarar travelHararTourismHararTravelHorn of AfricaHorn of Africa tourismHorn of Africa travelHornOfAfricaHornOfAfricaTourismHornOfAfricaTravelObamaObamamaniaoddpenpenssouvenirsouvenirsstrangeweirdMon, 16 May 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Africa's new middle class benefits travel]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/05/12/africas-new-middle-class-benefits-travel/http://www.gadling.com/2011/05/12/africas-new-middle-class-benefits-travel/http://www.gadling.com/2011/05/12/africas-new-middle-class-benefits-travel/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Africa, EthiopiaAfrica's middle class is growing.

The African Development Bank says one in three Africans are now middle class. While the bank's definition isn't comparable to the Western definition--the African middle class makes $2-$20 a day--the lifestyle is similar. Middle-class Africans tend to be professionals or small business owners and instead of worrying about basics such as food and shelter, their main concerns are getting better health care and getting their kids into university.

The bank says the countries with the biggest middle class are Botswana, Gabon, and Tunisia, while Liberia, Mozambique, and Rwanda have the smallest. The BBC has an interesting photo gallery profiling members of this rapidly growing class.

So how does this affect travel? With an growing middle class you get more domestic tourism, good news for non-Africans traveling in Africa. More regional airlines are cropping up, and comfortable buses provide an appealing alternative to the bone-shaking rattletraps familiar to travelers in Africa.

It also makes consumer goods easier to find. This generally means cheap Chinese exports of even worse quality than what we're accustomed to in the West, but in bigger cities quality goods are readily available. There's also an increasing number of nice restaurants and cafes geared towards locals. Internet access is also improving.

During my Ethiopian road trip and my two months living in Harar I benefited from Ethiopia's middle class. Mobile phone coverage is available everywhere except remote villages and the wilderness, and although the Internet is slow, there are Internet cafes in every town. Improved education meant there many people who could speak English and who could help me learn some Amharic and Harari. Often I could take a more comfortable "luxury" bus rather than be stuffed in a local bus with an entire village of passengers. Self-styled budget travelers may turn their nose up at spending an extra two dollars to be comfortable, but the middle class buses are quicker and you're more likely to meet someone you can talk to.

In fact, I made some good friends on the luxury bus to Harar. A group of Ethiopian pharmacy students showed me the town and gave me insights into their lives. University education is free in Ethiopia if you pass a rigorous entrance exam. The government even pays for your room and board, and you pay them back by working a government job for some time after you get out. The students I met will be setting off to villages to provide basic health care.

Nearly all these students, and in fact nearly all middle-class Africans I've met, yearn to go to the West. One even called her country "a prison". While heading to the West may be a good career move, it hurts the continent. As one African pointed out in the BBC photo gallery, the money it takes to get to Europe can start up a nice business in Africa.

Africa's new middle class benefits travel originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 12 May 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AfricaAfrica tourismAfrica travelAfrican middle classAfricanMiddleClassAfricaTourismAfricaTraveldeveloping worldDevelopingWorldeconomicseconomyeconpmic developmentEconpmicDevelopmentmiddle classMiddleClassphotophoto essayphoto essaysPhotoEssayPhotoEssaysphotographyphotosprofessionalprofessionalssmall businesssmall business ownersmall business ownerssmall businessesSmallBusinessSmallBusinessesSmallBusinessOwnerSmallBusinessOwnersthird worldThirdWorldThu, 12 May 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ten (more) random observations about Ethiopia]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/26/ten-more-random-observations-about-ethiopia/http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/26/ten-more-random-observations-about-ethiopia/http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/26/ten-more-random-observations-about-ethiopia/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Ethiopia, Harar

When writing last year's Ethiopia travel series, I collected twelve random observations about Ethiopia. These were interesting bits of information that didn't fit in any of my articles. While writing my Harar travel series, I collected ten more.

1. The standard traveler's money belt that hangs from your neck and is tucked under your shirt is very amusing to Ethiopians because Oromo women wear them. You'll often see them digging them out in the market to get change. The above photo shows them being made.

2. The banknotes smell spicy. This is because Ethiopians eat with their hands and then handle money in order to pay for their meal. A few years of this treatment makes Ethiopian money smell like a spice stall in the market. Crisp, odorless banknotes fresh from the bank don't seem real!

3. The currency is called birr, which means "silver." Before coins became common, people used more practical objects as currency, such as bullets and slabs of salt.

4. Ethiopians have a unique dance called the uuzkista in which you jiggle your shoulders back and forth. Check out the video to see how it's done.


Continue reading Ten (more) random observations about Ethiopia

Ten (more) random observations about Ethiopia originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventureadventure activitiesadventure vacationadventure-travelAdventureActivitiesAdventureTravelAdventureVacationAfricaAfrica tourismAfrica travelAfrican danceAfrican dancingAfricanDanceAfricanDancingAfricaTourismAfricaTravelArifan cultureArifanCulturecityofsaintsdancedancingEthiopiaEthiopia tourismEthiopia travelEthiopian cultureEthiopian danceEthiopian dancingEthiopianCultureEthiopianDanceEthiopianDancingEthiopiaTourismEthiopiaTravelhorn of africaHornOfAfricapostcardpostcardstourismtravelTue, 26 Apr 2011 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Tomoca: the best little coffee house in Africa]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/25/tomoca-the-best-little-coffee-house-in-africa/http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/25/tomoca-the-best-little-coffee-house-in-africa/http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/25/tomoca-the-best-little-coffee-house-in-africa/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

coffee, Coffee
Ethiopia has a lot of great attractions--castles, medieval cities, even werehyenas--yet the thing visitors rave about the most is the coffee.

And why not? Coffee was discovered in Ethiopia. Legend has it that long ago a boy was tending his flock and saw his goats eating unfamiliar berries off a bush. Soon they were dancing around and looking happy. The boy brought some of the berries home to his mother and the rest, as they say, is history. The same story is told about the discovery of the narcotic plant qat.

Most people arrive in the capital Addis Ababa first, and this is the place to try Ethiopian cafe culture at its best. There are hundreds of cafes throughout town, from chic Italian-style places to little roadside stands. In Ethiopian markets you'll often see women carrying around a thermos and a few battered cups, selling a shot of coffee for two birr (12 cents). No matter where you buy it, Ethiopian coffee is always rich and strong. If you're lucky, you'll get invited to a private home and be treated to an Ethiopian coffee ceremony.

My personal favorite cafe in Addis, and the favorite of many locals, is Tomoca. They've been serving it up since 1953. Many Ethiopian businessmen from nearby Churchill Avenue come here for a pick-me-up, and more relaxed patrons will read a newspaper or watch BBC News on the TV. It's certainly on the tourist map, so if you want to pretend you're the only foreigner in town, this place isn't for you. The coffee is great, though, and they sell vacuum-sealed bags of beans, both ground and unground, for you to take home. Any time I'm in Addis I load up on a couple of kilos.

Tomoca, like most Ethiopian cafes, has a friendly atmosphere and is a good place to meet Ethiopians and practice a bit of Amharic. To get you started: buna means "coffee", buna bet means "cafe", and betam konjo means "very good"! You'll be saying that last phrase a lot.

So give Tomoca and the other cafes in Addis a try, and if you want to explore something stronger, check out this post on Ethiopian alcohol.


Don't miss the rest of my series: Harar, Ethiopia: Two months in Africa's city of Saints.

Coming up next: Ten (more) Random Observations about Ethiopia!


Gallery: Tomoca, tasty cups of Joe since 1953

Brewing up the good stuffMementoes and beans to take homeWho can argue with Balzac?Translation for the AnglophilesSorry for the size, but there's interesting reading here

Tomoca: the best little coffee house in Africa originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Addis AbabaAddisAbabaadventureadventure activitiesadventure traveladventure-travelAdventureActivitiesadventuresAdventureTravelcafecafescityofsaintscoffeecoffee culturecoffee shopCoffeeCulturecoffeehousecoffeehousesCoffeeShopEthiopia tourismEthiopia travelEthiopian coffeeEthiopianCoffeeEthiopiaTourismEthiopiaTravelHorn of AfricaHornOfAfricaMon, 25 Apr 2011 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The worst zoo I ever saw]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/21/the-worst-zoo-i-ever-saw/http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/21/the-worst-zoo-i-ever-saw/http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/21/the-worst-zoo-i-ever-saw/#commentsFiled under: , ,

zoo, Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Lion ZooI feel sorry for my Harari friends.

During my stay in Harar, Ethiopia, they were so hospitable, so eager to ensure I had a 100% positive impression of their city and country. For the most part I did, and I left for the capital Addis Ababa with lots of great things to say about Ethiopia.

They should have warned me not to visit the Lion Zoo in Addis Ababa.

It's billed as a natural wonder, where you can see rare Ethiopian black-maned lions descended from the pride that was kept in Haile Selassie's palace. In reality, it's a sad display of animal cruelty and neglect.

The lions, primates, and other animals are kept in undersized cages with bare concrete floors. They look bored, flabby, resigned. Several of them look sick. Visitors shout at the listless animals or even throw pebbles to get them to move. Some toss packets of chocolate or potato chips to the monkeys and laugh as they tear the packages apart to get to the food inside.

The worst are the lions, proud carnivores, kings of the wilderness, reduced to trapped objects of amusement for bored city dwellers who don't give a shit about nature. The lions lie around most of the time, doing nothing. Occasionally one will get its feet, shake its dirty mane, take a few steps before realizing there's nowhere to go, and then sit down with an air of defeat.

The whole place made me feel ill, yet I can't feel morally superior. I come from a country where people freak out if someone beats a dog but cheer when a Third World country gets carpet bombed. Where a zoo like this would be a national scandal but people eat meat raised on factory farms that make Ethiopia's Lion Zoo look like a nature reserve. Only vegans can talk about animal cruelty from any moral high ground, and I'm not a vegan. Meat tastes too good.

Gallery: The Lion Zoo, Addis Ababa

Not much to do but lie aroundThis fellow would be beautiful if he were in the wildLooking off in the distanceThis little guy paced back and forth constantly, looking for a way out


But a travesty like this zoo is totally unnecessary. Ethiopia is anxious to promote itself as a tourist destination, a friendly, civilized country where Westerners can feel at home. Well, if it wants to do that, it better do something about the Lion Zoo.

Like shut it down.

So to my Harari friends, I'm sorry. You came close to getting a 100% positive series (well, except for my bumbling around Ethiopia's Somali region) but it was not to be. I understand Ethiopia has bigger priorities than a few animals in a zoo in Addis Ababa, but if you want to make a positive impression on Western visitors, this place has got to go.


Don't miss the rest of my series: Harar, Ethiopia: Two months in Africa's city of Saints.

Coming up next: Tomoca: the best little coffeehouse in Africa!

The worst zoo I ever saw originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Addis AbabaAddisAbabaanimal crueltyanimal rightsanimal welfareAnimalCrueltyAnimalRightsanimalsAnimalWelfareblack-maned lionblack-maned lionsBlack-manedLionBlack-manedLionscityofsaintsEthiopiaEthiopia tourismEthiopia travelEthiopiaTourismEthiopiaTravelHaile SelassieHaileSelassieHararlionlionsmonkeymonkeysprimateprimatestourismtravelveganvegansvegetarianvegetarianismvegetarianswildlifezoozoosThu, 21 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The hyena man of Harar: a unique relationship between beast and man]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/19/hyenas-in-harar-a-unique-relationship-between-beast-and-man/http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/19/hyenas-in-harar-a-unique-relationship-between-beast-and-man/http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/19/hyenas-in-harar-a-unique-relationship-between-beast-and-man/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Harar, harar, hyena, hyena man
The hyenas come just after dusk. We've been sitting in Yusuf's modest farmhouse on the outskirts of Harar talking about them when we hear their familiar yipping laugh. Yusuf picks up a big bucket of mule and camel meat, shoos away his well-fed cat, and strolls outside to meet them.

Yusuf is Harar's biggest celebrity, the famous "hyena man" whom everyone who has heard anything about Harar has heard about. He's not Harari, though, his parents were Oromo and Somali, and he lives outside Harar's medieval walls next to the town dump, a favorite hangout for hyenas.

Yusuf calls out into the darkness, and I spot a few hulking, dark shapes beyond the clearing in front of his house. He sets the meat down and whistles, like you'd do with a pet dog. One by one, the hyenas emerge from the shadows, giant canine shapes like Rottweilers on steroids. At first they seem uncertain, creeping closer and backing away again as Yusuf pulls out ribbons of raw flesh from the bucket.

I sit down to watch.

I've come with Marcus Baynes-Rock, an Australian graduate student who's doing his Ph.D. thesis on the interaction between people and hyenas in Harar, and keeps a fascinating blog about Harar hyenas. As Yusuf puts a strip of meat on the end of a stick and holds it out to the lead hyena, Marcus tells me about the strange and unique coexistence that's sprung up between humans and hyenas in this region of East Africa.


Gallery: Feeding the hyenas in Harar

I love my job!Too bad I wasn't wearing my Gadling shirtYum!Yusuf likes feeding them from a stick in his mouthYusuf's cat sneaks into the meat bucket to steal from the hyenas

Continue reading The hyena man of Harar: a unique relationship between beast and man

The hyena man of Harar: a unique relationship between beast and man originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventureadventure activitiesadventure traveladventure vacationadventure-outdoorsadventure-travelAdventureActivitiesAdventureTravelAdventureVacationAfrican folkloreAfrican folktaleAfrican folktalesAfrican legendAfrican legendsAfricanFolkloreAfricanFolktaleAfricanFolktalesAfricanLegendAfricanLegendsamazing videoAmazingVideoanimalanimalsArgobbablacksmithblacksmithscityofsaintscrazy videoCrazyVideoEast AfricaEast Africa tourismEast Africa travelEastAfricaEastAfricaTourismEastAfricaTravelethiopiaEthiopia tourismEthiopia travelEthiopiaTourismEthiopiaTravelextremefolklorefunny videoFunnyVideohararHarar tourismHarar travelHarars hyena manHararsHyenaManHararTourismHararTravelHorn of AfricaHorn of Africa tourismHorn of Africa travelHornOfAfricaHornOfAfricaTourismHornOfAfricaTravelhyenahyena manhyena man hararhyena man of hararHyenaManHyenaManHararHyenaManOfHararhyenaslegendlegendarylegendslycanthropelycanthropeslycanthropymental telepathyMentalTelepathynatureoddodditiespreadatorsscavengersshockingshocking videoShockingVideoSomaliSomali folkloreSomali legendSomali legendsSomali talesSomaliFolkloreSomaliLegendSomaliLegendsSomalisSomaliTalesstrangetelepathyvideoweirdwerehyenawerehyenaswerewolfwerewolveswildlifewildlife videoWildlifeVideoTue, 19 Apr 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Argobba: visiting a little-known African tribe]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/15/the-argobba-visiting-a-little-known-african-tribe/http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/15/the-argobba-visiting-a-little-known-african-tribe/http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/15/the-argobba-visiting-a-little-known-african-tribe/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Argobba, argobba
Ethiopia is home to dozens of different ethnic groups and tribes. Some have populations numbering in the millions, while others have only a few thousand. One of the smallest tribes is the Argobba, a Muslim people scattered in villages across eastern Ethiopia. The Argobba number only about 10,000, yet they're determined to be counted in Ethiopia´s government and are fighting to preserve their heritage.

The closest Argobba village to Harar is Koromi, and is one of the easiest and most enjoyable day trips from Harar. This village of about 700 people is an hour's drive through rugged mountains south of Harar. I went with Mohammed Jami Guleid (harartourguide @gmail.com), a local historian and guide who wrote a government report on the Argobba back in 1997. Each ethnic group and tribe is guaranteed a seat in the Ethiopian legislature, but before Mohammed's report the Argobba were lumped in with the Harari and had no separate representation. His report proved they were a distinct culture and ensured them a seat in the legislature.

It's easy to understand the government's mistake, however. The Argobba and the Hararis share a lot of culture and history, as I was to learn when I visited Koromi.

We set out in a Landcruiser early in the morning, taking the road towards Ethiopia's Somali region before heading onto a dirt track leading uphill. As we trundle along we pass villages of the Oromo, the region´s largest ethnic group, and big fields of qat plants the size of trees. Qat and groundnuts are the main sources of income for Argobba farmers. They're especially good at growing qat and make lots of money selling it to qat-loving Hararis. We passed several lines of women walking to market. Considering that a trip from Harari to Koromi takes an hour by car, these women must walk most of the day.

Gallery: Visiting an Argobba village

Another view of this lovely ladyThe local shopThis saint's shrine between Harar and Koromi is a popular spot for prayersMe getting artyA typical Argobba home

Continue reading The Argobba: visiting a little-known African tribe

The Argobba: visiting a little-known African tribe originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 15 Apr 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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