Addis Ababa Archives

Back again for the second time in Ethiopia and for the second time in Addis Ababa, I can assure you these are the 5 most fun things to do in the Ethiopian capital, before you travel around the rest of the country.

With Abushe in Jinka, Ethiopia. Read about my days with him **here**

1: Africa’s Biggest Open Air Market

Mercato is the biggest outdoor market not only in Addis Ababa or Ethiopia, but in the whole of Africa. The must see parts of Mercato include the Spice Market, the hand made baskets market and the second hand items market. It’s closed on Sundays, but totally alive on most of the others days. You can meet different people who come from the more than 90 tribes of Ethiopia and communicate in Amharic language. You can buy some really cheap local stuff here, bargaining for a good price is how buying/selling goes here.

2: Tomoca Coffee

I’m not the biggest fan of coffee, but this place is a must-visit in Addis Ababa. Being the oldest Coffee Shop in the capital, Tomocca Coffee serves deliciously brewed different flavors of Ethiopian coffee. As Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee, you have to taste your delicious (even for me) cup of coffee in Addis Ababa here. You may also ask for “Macciato,” which is a great mix of coffee with milk. This place’s coffee is ‘black gold.’

3: Entoto Hills

Great view of Addis Ababa from the Entoto Hills

Mount Entoto is the best spot to enjoy the great scenery of Addis Ababa. Mount Entoto is also where two of the oldest Ethiopian Orthodox Christians Churches are found at – St. Raguel (Elias) and St. Mary of Entoto. Hiking in the eucalyptus tree forest is a great experience and just in general a really nice place to go, to get away from the hassle in the big, busy city of Addis Ababa. Stunning views over the city!

St Mary’s Church, Entoto Hills, Addis Ababa

St. Mary Church of Mount Entoto has a Holy Water which is widely believed in Ethiopia to have a miraculous healing power, including curing HIV.

4: Unique Dancing

Ethiopians are superb dancers. Regardless of age, all Ethiopians appear to relish the chance to dance, or on a night out in Addis Ababa hit the dance floor (or turn any location into a dance floor basically.)

Night out with my Ethiopian friends seconds before we hit the dancefloor, Addis Ababa

Ethiopians love it when a foreigner joins in to dance, or at least tries to. At night – especially at the weekend – the city’s old central Piazza neighborhood becomes super alive with neon lit bars emitting booming music styles from across the country. Ask for Jambo House or Arada if you want to see locals letting their hair down in style! You can’t beat to witness the wild, eye-popping traditional iskista dance of the Amhara people.

5: Try The Local Food

Injera is Ethiopia’s national dish, a grey, spongy bread with vegetables and sauce toppings

Addis has a number of well-known traditional restaurant options, which typically also put on traditional dancing displays while you eat. My favorite Ethiopian foods is first of all the Ethiopian tibs. Tibs is a sauteed beef or goat, sometimes cooked with onion, garlic, and peppers. You can also get Tibs grilled in a clay pot with hot coals. And I really like the raw meat too..

Ethiopians eat lots of raw meat and has a kind of love affair with eating raw meat combined with super spicy spices. It’s considered one of the most delicious delicacies by most people in Ethiopia. I really like the raw meat too and I ate it every day on my first and second stay in Ethiopia, without any problems at all.. Even though food experts claim you are risking salmonella and listeria infection by eating this, I just feel like getting a lot of energy from it and I enjoy it so much! But yes, there’s a small risk of course..

Sharing some raw meat with my Ethiopian friends, Addis Ababa

You might ask yourself why Ethiopian eat meat raw? An Ethiopian myth is that warriors didn’t cook meat because the smell and the smoke of cooking meat, and the light and smoke of their fires, could be seen and smelled by their opponents from far away. The Ethiopians have just continued eating it raw ever since…

That’s It For Now, Addis Ababa

After you have tried these 5 most fun things to do in Addis Ababa, you’re ready to explore the rest of Ethiopia. One of my favorite countries in the World, so whenever you have the chance to go here, GO!

Getting accepted by the Banna tribe and attending a bull jump ceremony, deep in the the Omo Valley, Ethiopia

Enjoy Ethiopia!

Gustav

gus1thego.com

1: The landscapes are incredibly scenic

Arid plains, spectacular mountains, lush green areas, and vast lakes define Ethiopia’s scenic landscapes. The country boasts 70% of the mountains on the African continent. Whether you are in the Semien Mountains or the Danakil Depression, every corner of the country offers a view pleasant to the eyes.

2: Tasty food with extensive choices

From the raw meat delicacy to an extensive vegetable dish, Ethiopia’s cuisine is as diverse as it is flavorful and one you should experience. Meals are usually served on a common platter to encourage dining together. Injera, the country’s staple food, makes a frequent appearance on the dining table. People eat using their right hand and use injera to scoop up food served alongside it.

3: You can go back in time

It’s still 2011 in Ethiopia! The Ethiopian calendar follows the ancient Coptic calendar, which makes it fall seven to eight years behind the Gregorian calendar. The difference in the two calendars comes in the calculations to determine the Annunciation date of the birth of Jesus Christ.

4: Home to over 80 ethnic groups

Ethiopia is a melting pot of different cultures, with over 80 ethnic groups and languages spoken. After a look at the different traditions, you will hardly feel like you have visited just one country. The Hamer Tribe, the Banna tribe, the Mursi people, and tribes of the Omo valley are a few of the many ethnic groups with spectacular, traditional ways of living. Staying with the Banna tribe was an experience of a life-time!

5. The Wildlife

Ethiopia, as well as having beautiful scenery, also has beautiful wildlife. Ethiopia has many national parks, such as Awash National Park, Abijatta Shalla Lakes National Park, Mago National Park, and more. These parks, along with the lakes of the Great Rift Valley, are home to rare species of birds and animals, such as the Mountain Nyala, the African antelope, the Walia Ibex, the mountain horned goats, and the Ethiopian wolf.

Gustav in the surburbs of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Compared with many African countries, Ethiopia is remarkably safe – most of the time. Serious or violent crime is rare; against travellers it’s extremely rare. Outside the capital, the risk of petty crime drops still further. So, as much as it is safe to travel around Ethiopia, you need to realise that sometimes not-so-nice situations may happen – as they can and do happen in any city in the world. Just be ready for them, so you’re not disappointed.

I really enjoyed my 10 days in Ethiopia. Hopefully not my last time here.

– Gustav