Back in Addis after Meles’s death
I arrived back in Addis very early on Saturday morning, the day before Meles Zenawi’s state funeral. I came back to a country in mourning. Everywhere vigils were organised and … Continue reading
Adopted!
Ethiopia is currently one of the most popular destinations for international adoption, particularly in America where the number of Ethiopian babies and children adopted is on the rise from year … Continue reading
The former imperial city of Gondar
The city of Gondar, north of Lake Tana, was once the prestigious capital of Ethiopia, founded by King Fasilides around 1635. Before his reign, the emperors of Ethiopia had no … Continue reading
Bahir Dar and the Blue Nile falls
Bahir Dar is a pleasant town on Lake Tana, the largest lake in northern Ethiopia. It is also the regional capital of the Amhara region, but it is most famous … Continue reading
The expats
As we’re getting close to the end of the school year, many expats are getting ready to leave Addis to move to new places. To get rid of unwanted stuff, … Continue reading
From cattle to handbag
With one of the largest herds of cattle in the world, Ethiopia has a long tradition of working with leather. There are many tanneries in the country producing very fine … Continue reading
The gem in the gemstones
I have to start talking about the people I meet in Addis. Like many foreigners, we tend to regroup together at the start, but slowly we “branch out” to get … Continue reading
Contemporary dance made in Ethiopia: the great Melaku Belay
As I discovered since moving here, Ethiopia has a unique dance culture…..Dance is everywhere. A dinner in a traditional restaurant is always accompanied by live singers and musicians known as … Continue reading
The contrasting land of consumerism
When people in Addis, expats and Ethiopians alike, need to seriously shop, they go to Dubai. It is the nearest Westernised city, which serves as a shopping hub for Africa … Continue reading
The famous churches of Lalibela
From the moment I heard about it, I had wanted to go to Lalibela to see the famous rock-hewn churches dating from the 13th century. Beyond being one of the … Continue reading
Salambo in Addis 