Apr 29th, 2010 at 1:00PM: One evening I was walking near my home in Madrid and in front of me there was a group of people discussing where they should go to dinner. They were just passing Mesob, the only Ethiopian restaurant in Madrid. One of them said, "Look, Ethiopian food!" and they all started laughing. Several stupid comments about empty plates and starving children followed. Needless to say they didn't go in, and ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
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Some thoughts on travel in Ethiopia
Apr 29th, 2010 at 1:00PM: One evening I was walking near my home in Madrid and in front of me there was a group of people discussing where they should go to dinner. They were just passing Mesob, the only Ethiopian restaurant in Madrid. One of them said, "Look, Ethiopian food!" and they all started laughing. Several stupid comments about empty plates and starving children followed. Needless to say they didn't go in, and ...Exploring Harar, a medieval city in Ethiopia
Apr 28th, 2010 at 1:00PM: In my last post I wrote about how Harar is an alluring walled city that made me throw away my travel plans and stay for three weeks. A serene atmosphere and an ever-widening circle of knowledgeable, hospitable acquaintances were what kept me there, but what is there to actually see?
Plenty.
The main attraction, of course, is the city itself, with its crowded markets, quiet back alleys, and ...Harar: Ethiopia's medieval masterpiece
Apr 26th, 2010 at 4:00PM: If you're lucky, every now and then when you're on the road you'll come to a place where a little voice will say, "Stop here. This is what you were looking for." You'll have other plans, a nice neat schedule you made up in your head of what you wanted to see in the time you have for your trip. If you stop, if you listen to the little voice, you'll miss a lot of things you had planned to see.
Do ...Addis Ababa: Ethiopia's new flower
Apr 23rd, 2010 at 1:30PM: When I talk to NGO workers who have worked all over Africa, most say their favorite posting was Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia's capital is a young city, founded by the Empress Itegue Taitu in the late nineteenth century. She named it the "new flower", and while the pollution and crowded streets don't give a very flowery impression, it's still an enjoyable and easy city to visit.
I've already ...Lalibela: Ethiopia's ancient jewel
Apr 19th, 2010 at 11:30AM: For an agnostic I've certainly been to a lot of holy places.
I've always been skeptical of received wisdom, and fascinated that so many people dedicate their lives to a deity they can't see, can't prove exists, and who has left them in the lurch on more than one occasion. I'm also fascinated that this strange behavior called religion often makes people better people, and just as often is used ...Boozing it up in Ethiopia
Apr 15th, 2010 at 1:00PM: My first impression of Ethiopia was that the Ethiopians are a lot like us, and by us I mean Mediterranean Europeans. One of the ways they're similar to us is they like to have a drink every now and then, but don't make a habit of drinking to excess.
For the cross-cultural drinker, Ethiopia has a lot to offer.
The best and most unique drink is tej, a honey wine like European mead. As any mead ...Twelve random observations about Ethiopia
Apr 13th, 2010 at 10:00AM: For the past couple of weeks I've been posting a series of articles about travel in Ethiopia. I'm about halfway through but I have some observations that don't fit into anywhere but would be of interest to people considering a trip there. So here are a dozen facts about one of Africa's most interesting countries.
1. When kids see you they'll often shout out "Farenj!" (Foreigner!) It's not meant ...Climbing Ethiopia's clifftop monastery
Apr 12th, 2010 at 2:30PM: While visiting the ancient capital of Axum is one of the highlights of any trip to Ethiopia, you can't see its most famous relic--the Ark of the Covenant, reputed to be kept in a special building behind the Cathedral of Tsion Maryam. Only a lone caretaker is allowed entry into this sacred building. Every Ethiopian Orthodox Church has a replica of the Ark, called the tabot, but only members of the ...Ethiopia's northern borderlands: Tigray and its ancient civilization
Apr 9th, 2010 at 11:00AM: Driving north out of Ethiopia's Amhara region into the borderland province of Tigray, the landscape becomes rockier and drier. The mountains rise higher and are more frequent, and at times sheer cliffs loom above the road. This is a harsh land with a harsh history. The bloody Ethiopian civil war and the war with neighboring Eritrea destroyed villages and crops and killed hundreds of thousands. ...A Glimmer of Hope for Children in Ethiopia
Apr 7th, 2010 at 12:00PM: One thing you notice right away in Ethiopia is the children.
Everywhere you drive they're by the side of the road, smiling and waving. Whether you're on a newly paved highway or a rutted, back country dirt track, the kids love seeing foreigners and wave at each one. One day I counted 110 waves and it felt like a slow day.
It's impossible not to feel good when children are smiling at you all ...Gondar: Ethiopia's Camelot
Mar 30th, 2010 at 12:30PM: The road north from Lake Tana, Ethiopia, gradually ascends into the mountains. The landscape grows greener and the farms look richer here.
The combination of rough mountains and good farmland made it an obvious place for a capital city, and for many years it was. Gondar is nestled in a mountain-ringed valley at 2133 meters (6,998 ft.) altitude and is free from the malaria that plagues the Lake ...Medieval monasteries on Lake Tana, Ethiopia
Mar 28th, 2010 at 9:00AM: The Christian communities of Ethiopia have an eye for dramatic settings. From the sweeping views of Debre Libanos to the many monasteries perched atop sheer cliffs, the surroundings of a holy place are often as beautiful as the place itself.
It makes sense from a religious point of view. If you're going to spend your life celebrating Creation, where better to do it than a place where Creation ...Road trip: Ethiopia
Mar 23rd, 2010 at 9:00AM: Ethiopia is like the United States--it's best seen on a long road trip. The easiest way to see Ethiopia's beautiful landscape and ancient monuments is to hire a driver and vehicle in the capital Addis Ababa.
My wife and I picked Abey Roads based on a personal recommendation and decided to celebrate our tenth anniversary by doing the popular two-week "northern loop" encompassing the provinces of ...First impressions of Ethiopia
Mar 22nd, 2010 at 9:00AM: They say first impressions are lasting impressions, and while that's a cliché, strong first impressions of a country can tell you a lot.
I've been in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, for four days now. My wife has just joined me and I'm treating her to a two-week road trip around the historic northern part of the country to celebrate our tenth anniversary. Memories make the best ...
