Best of Ethiopia
We visited Ethiopia for 29 days starting on March 24, 2014. After two failed attempts of obtaining our tourist visa at the Ethiopian Embassies in Kampala and Nairobi to continue our travels overland, we were left with the last resource of flying into Addis Ababa to get the visa upon arrival. Despite this issue that disrupted our bus route through Africa, we were looking forward to setting feet in Ethiopia. This nation was the birthplace of African nationalism and unlike so many other African states it fought colonialism at every turn. For decades, Ethiopia was the country where many Africans planted their hopes of independence and sovereignty, because they were able to defeat the Italians on their attempt of colonization. As we were getting closer to visiting Ethiopia, we identified with the sentiment expressed by Nelson Mandela in his autobiography: “Ethiopia always has a special place in my imagination and the prospect of visiting Ethiopia attracted me more strongly than a trip to France, England, and America combined. I felt I would be visiting my own genesis, unearthing the roots of what made me an African.”
During our days in the country we traveled a total of 70.5 hours by bus, making stops in Addis Ababa, Shashemene, Bale Mountains National Park, Harar, Lalibela, Gondar, and Simien Mountains National Park. From an entertaining night of azmari and honey wine in Addis Ababa, the Caribbean vibe of the Rastafarian community in Shashemene, hiking adventures in the Bale and the Simien mountains, the spectacular rock-carved Orthodox churches of Lalibela, an Ethiopian cooking class with a local family, a visit to the Gondar Palace, a taste of the best fruit juices, the ancient city of Harar and the unforgettable chance of feeding hyenas, Ethiopia was legendary! Everywhere we went, we were called “faranji” (foreigner). The climate in most of the towns was fresh and pleasant, and thanks to the high elevation we enjoyed days without mosquitoes. The only problem took place at night, when Gisela got eaten alive by bed bugs. In Ethiopia, we saw more men holding hands and fathers with their children and wife than in any other of the African countries we previously visited. Ping-Pong tables, foosball tables, and billiards were recurrent games in the streets that Sal loved playing with the locals. The people were spontaneous and willing to interact with us, one particular guy in Harar asked us if we were carrying the Lonely Planet and called this travel guide the “Faranji Bible”, we couldn’t disagree or contain our laughs. Sometimes what shocked us and made us sad about Ethiopia was the predominant number of beggars of all ages in the streets, they were everywhere. After visiting other African countries where poverty is an issue but people do not beg for money, we got to think about the cultural aspects behind this social phenomenon and came to a conclusion that this behavior is not only a result of economic challenges.
Ethiopian culture and cuisine is exquisite and well preserved. We found cafes in every corner and became fans of their thick, tasty juices of mango, avocado, guava, papaya, and pineapple always enhanced with a refreshing squeezed lime. We were in the country during the fasting days of Easter and loved eating bayanet with our hands: injera (traditional light pancake) with colorful vegetarian dishes. Finishing our meal with a delicious tea or a coffee ceremony was a must. The alphabet, calendar, and time system used in Ethiopia are particular to this country. In the same way, the food, music, and dances of this nation are also unique. If you want to learn more about all the cultural traditions we discovered in Ethiopia you shouldn’t miss our article.
Ethiopia is a multi-ethnic country that harbors different religious beliefs: Orthodox Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and a variety of indigenous belief systems. The history of this nation is characterized by ancient civilizations and kingdoms. The last emperor Haile Selassie ruled the nation until 1947 before he was dethrone by the communist group, Derg, leadered by Mengistu Haile Mariam with the support of the Soviet Union. During the following years of terror and Derg control, a strong campaign against anti-revolutionaries took place in Ethiopia and many civilians were tortured and assassinated until 1991. Military camps, factories, and some palaces were converted into detention centers, torture houses, and killing fields. According to Amnesty International’s report more than half a million youngsters, male and female, elders, Christians and Muslims were indiscriminately slaughtered by the Derg regime. 725 mass graves were found in different parts of the country and a total of 4,855 martyrs were excavated. Despite all the atrocities committed by Mengistu, he received asylum in Zimbabwe in 1991 and remains there without facing justice for his crimes.
Although in August 1995, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia was proclaimed, the politics of the country continue to be tainted with corruption and social inequality. For the past years, the nation has been within the top 10 fastest growing economics in the world and yet, the gap between those having financial means and those living in poverty is huge and evident across the entire territory. Ethiopia also has one of the highest growing population rates in the world and, with concern, has been estimated that their number will reach 120 million people by 2025. The government controls and sensors the media and critics of the system are unlawful. Ethiopians are still deprived of the fundamental right that nurtures a real democracy: the freedom of speech. The government has welcomed Chinese investment and construction is taking place all over the country. A promising, but controversial, dam in the Nile River will become the source of energy for Ethiopia and other neighboring countries. With the development of inexpensive construction projects, comes the result of fast deterioration. Highways built only a year ago around the Bale Mountains are already cracking, the cheap solutions become expensive but nobody can publicly question it. Most people’s hopes for the coming elections in 2015 are very low because they are sure, like in the past, the winner has been previously arranged.
We left Ethiopia inundated by the nostalgia. Words cannot explain how much we were going to miss their food, culture, climate, and landscape. For many months, we dreamed with the idea of visiting this nation and reality did not disappoint us. We left Ethiopia wanting more!
Below are other great things we enjoyed about Ethiopia:
Food and Drinks
Injera: a flat, spongy, pancake-like bread
Pineapple Juice
Ethiopian Coffee
Ethiopian Tea
Tej: Honey Wine
Pineapple Tea
Mango Juice
Avocado Juice
Papaya Juice
Harar Beer
St. George Beer
Meta Beer
Dashen Beer
Kitfo: slightly cooked ground beef with butter and spices
Goat Tibs
Gouder Red Wine
Hanid with rice: Goat meat
Ouzo: local alcohol
Beets
Berbere: Ethiopian spices
Keka wat: berbere chick pea sauce
Kekalicha wat: tumeric chick pea sauce
Tekele gomen: cooked cabbage salad
Tekor gomen: cooked spinach salad
Korofi: local beer
Shiro: Ethiopian sauce
Favorite Sights and Activities
Feeling the Adrenaline while Feeding Hyenas in Harar
Trekking through Simien Mountains National Park
Learning how to Cook Ethiopian Food in a Family Restaurant in Lalibela
Discovering the Rock-Hewn Churches in Lalibela
Enjoying Unique Ethiopian Dance Performances at Azmari Bets throughout the Country
People
Emmanuel: from Nigeria, our CouchSurfing host in Addis Ababa.
Getu: from Ethiopia, Emmanuel’s friend and employee that taught us a lot about Ethiopian culture and history.
Faithful: from Nigeria, Emmanuel’s friend and employee.
Lawrence: from Kenya, Emmanuel’s friend and employee.
Alex and Emily: from the UK, met in a restaurant in Lalibela.
Sisco, Tihitina, Tigisit: from Ethiopia, mother and daughters where we took a cooking class, taught us how to dance Ethiopian style, and had many laughs together.
Alemeneh: from Ethiopia, our CouchSurfing host in Gondar.
Fanta: from Ethiopia, Alemeneh’s friend.
Betty: from Ethiopia, Alemeneh’s cousin.
Zodu: from Ethiopia, our scout in the Simien Mountain National Park.
Animals Viewed
Goats
Warthog
Mountain Nyala
Other Antelope
Mules
Gelada Monkeys
Bushbuck
