Apr 26th, 2011 at 9:30AM:
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 ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
cityofsaints posts
Ten (more) random observations about Ethiopia
Apr 26th, 2011 at 9:30AM:
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 ...Tomoca: the best little coffee house in Africa
Apr 25th, 2011 at 9:30AM:
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 ...The worst zoo I ever saw
Apr 21st, 2011 at 9:00AM: I 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, ...The hyena man of Harar: a unique relationship between beast and man
Apr 19th, 2011 at 1:00PM:
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 ...The Argobba: visiting a little-known African tribe
Apr 15th, 2011 at 2:30PM:
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 ...Qat culture in Harar: East Africa's favorite legal high
Apr 7th, 2011 at 9:00AM:
Every afternoon in Harar, you see men walking along carrying plastic bags filled with leaves. Hararis aren't big fans of salads; they're chewing these leaves for a completely different reason. It gets them high.
Qat (pronounced "chat" in Harari, Amharic, and Somali) is a narcotic leaf from a fast-growing bush found all over the Horn of Africa and Yemen. It's legal and hugely popular in this ...Oromo villagers fight to preserve their heritage
Apr 5th, 2011 at 9:30AM:
A week ago I talked about exploring the ancient civilization of Harla near Harar, eastern Ethiopia. The modern Oromo village of the same name sits on the site and of course farmers come across ancient artifacts as they work in the fields. Harla ruins are scattered in between modern buildings and even the favorite tree for kids to climb is growing out of an ancient ruin.
While this makes for a ...Ethiopia's Somali region: a potential adventure travel destination?
Mar 31st, 2011 at 9:00AM:
As I mentioned yesterday, I've been exploring Ethiopia's Somali region. While my quest for Ahmed Guray's castle was a failure, I did see potential for adventure travel in the region.
Adventure travelers generally are looking for three things: historical sights, interesting cultures, and natural wonders. The Somali region is a bit short of historical sights, although there are a few of interest, ...Exploring Ethiopia's Somali region
Mar 30th, 2011 at 9:00AM:
It's the dream of every adventure traveler--to explore a region that gets virtually no tourism, to see a culture with little contact with the outside world, to be among the first to visit the sights. It can be a thrill, an amazing rush that gives you valuable insights into a foreign culture and its history.
It can also be a major pain in the ass.
To the east of Harar lies Ethiopia's Somali ...Harla: Ethiopia's lost civilization
Mar 29th, 2011 at 9:30AM:
Eastern Ethiopia's history is shrouded in mystery. Most archaeologists investigate early hominids like Lucy, the famous Australopithecus afarensis, or study the great civilizations of the north like Gondar and Axum. The east, though, is virtually unknown, and only enigmatic ruins and strange legends remain.
Scattered around eastern Ethiopia all the way to Somaliland and the Red Sea are the ...A visit to an African market
Mar 28th, 2011 at 8:30AM:
One of Africa's best attractions are its markets. Full of vibrant life and color, an African market always makes for a fascinating visit.
Harar has one big and several smaller markets. There used to be one at each of its five gates, but some have dwindled to barely half a dozen women selling tomatoes and potatoes. The only big gate markets now are at Assum Gate, where there's a busy market ...An interview with a traditional African healer
Mar 25th, 2011 at 8:30AM: At first glance, Alia Abdi doesn't look like someone who can cure cancer with a simple recipe. A middle-aged wife and mother living in a typical home at the end of a rambling alley in Harar's old city, she offers visitors hot coffee and a ready smile, like any other hostess in this hospitable town.
Alia gets a lot of visitors. She's a traditional Ethiopian healer, with a variety of herbal ...Harar home stay: living in a traditional African home
Mar 17th, 2011 at 8:30AM:
If you're staying for any length of time in a place, the best way to experience the local culture is through a home stay. Luckily Harar has a number of traditional homes offering spare rooms.
A local guide showed me a few and I chose one hidden away in a small alley not far from the Catholic mission. This is the neighborhood that got Harar a UNESCO religious tolerance award because there's an ...The Arab revolution: the reaction of one Muslim community
Mar 14th, 2011 at 8:30AM: For the past few weeks, headlines all over the world have been dominated by the so-called Arab Revolution, a wave of anti-government protests across the Middle East. I'm living in the Ethiopian Muslim community of Harar and locals here are absorbed in the events. Sitting in living rooms or cafes to escape the heat of the day, all eyes are glued to the satellite channels and conversation revolves ...Harar tour: a walk around one of Africa's most unique cities
Mar 11th, 2011 at 8:30AM: After a few days in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa and a long Ethiopian bus trip, I've made it to Harar, my home for the next two months. I'll be exploring the culture and history of this unique city and making road trips to nearby points of interest.
Harar is a medieval walled city in eastern Ethiopia between the central highlands to the west and the Somali desert to the east. It's been a ...Getting to Harar: riding the bus through eastern Ethiopia
Mar 7th, 2011 at 9:00AM:
It's good to be back in Ethiopia again.
I've noticed some changes since my last trip to Ethiopia. More high-rises are going up in the capital Addis Ababa and ATMs have finally appeared. The Internet is faster too, although it isn't the full broadband promised by the government.
Addis is fun, but my real destination is Harar, a medieval walled city in eastern Ethiopia. The whole city is a ...Top five sights of Ethiopia: traditional tribes, rock-hewn churches, and medieval castles
Mar 2nd, 2011 at 9:00AM:
As I mentioned on Monday, I'm moving to Harar, Ethiopia, for two months to explore the ancient and unique culture in that medieval walled city. Before settling in, I thought I'd share some of the most popular places to visit in the country. Many of them were covered in my travel series about Ethiopia during my visit last year. All but the Southern Tribes are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
...Harar, Ethiopia: Two months in Africa's City of Saints
Feb 28th, 2011 at 9:00AM: What makes an adventure traveler return to a place he's been before? When so many other destinations beckon, why spend two months in a town you've already seen?
Because there's so much more to see. Harar, in eastern Ethiopia between the lush central highlands and the Somali desert, can take a lifetime to understand. For a thousand years it's been a crossroads of cultures, where caravans from ...
