Under construction
A number of my readers commented on the fact that my recent posts about life in Addis were not so positive and portrayed sentiments of frustration and tiredness on my … Continue reading
Addis Threat
As if we were not restricted enough in our freedom of movement by the limited number of places we can go to, we now have to be extra vigilant because … Continue reading
Addis fatigue
As soon as I got back from a two-week work trip in Mozambique, I got hit by what I call the Addis fatigue syndrome. We all suffer from it from … Continue reading
Melkam Addis Amet 2006
This week we celebrated the Ethiopian New Year on 11 September. We are now in 2006 according to the Ethiopian calendar. The whole country came to a standstill in the … Continue reading
Back in Addis
Back in Addis after a two months break in Europe. This time I feel I am coming back to a familiar environment, I can’t quite call it home as this … Continue reading
Embassy life in Addis
As I am preparing to travel to Europe for the summer and momentarily interrupt writing on this blog, I need to mention a few words about the “true expat life” … Continue reading
The Emperor’s old Palace
I am currently reading a fascinating biography of the late emperor Haile Selassie by the Italian historian Angelo del Boca, an author who has written extensively about the Horn of … Continue reading
Fall of the Derg
Last week Ethiopia celebrated the fall of the Derg regime (on 28 May on the international calendar to be precise). The Derg (which means committee in Amharic) was the bloody … Continue reading
Addis 1960s Architecture
I recently attended a conference at the Goethe Institute on 1960s architecture in Addis. Addis may not be known internationally for its architecture, however it has some unique examples of … Continue reading
Expat life carries on as AU celebrates its 50th anniversary
I don’t need to mention that Addis Abeba was in the news this weekend with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the African Union, the pan-African organisation based in … Continue reading
Salambo in Addis 