Ethiopia: Part 1
The naming of this blog is on purpose, as I can already feel this would be one of many trips to this country. It's culture, it's food, it's destinations: as well as its people left a lasting impression on me, and I did miss out on a few activities. These activities are visiting Afar and the Danakil depression, Abune Yemata (Rock Church) and a few others.
Before looking forward to trip number two, I first have to update you on trip number 1. Before heading out, I had to secure my visa. Flights and hotels can be booked prior to the application as it's a pretty straightforward visa. (visa's are dependent on your home country)
I would say try to get the visa first, then book flights so you don't run into the issues I went through (unrelated to Ethiopia) I tried to visit Djibouti in the same trip and was unsuccessful in keeping the original plan and had to cancel and rebook and change hotels in the end but the visa was already granted. Visas are here.
This was my first time flying Ethiopian Airlines and I was impressed. Seats were comfortable, food was great and I enjoyed my time onboard. The way the flight attendants dressed gave me the first glimpse of the thoughtfulness in incorporating their culture in the uniforms. As an avgeek (Aviation geek), I particularly liked the seat-back entertainment showing a glimpse into the fleet and different areas of the country.
I landed just before midnight. First thing I realized is I had no cell service in Ethiopia. Luckily, I booked a hotel while waiting on the airport in New York. The reason for being so last minute, I had originally planned to stay at the Ethiopian Skylight Hotel. This is a hotel you can stay at for free while transiting through Ethiopia courtesy of the airline. The reservation was to be booked with the airline prior to departure and considering I could no longer go to Djibouti (no visa) I no longer qualified for the program. I picked the Swiss Inn Nexus Hotel instead.
The hotels free shuttle service was there to take me to the hotel. From there I checked in and called it a night. At this point I had been traveling for almost a day and rest was the only thing that could help me. The next day I decided to take a city tour to learn more about it's capital Addis Ababa. We pretty much drove around to take in a few of the sights. We stopped at the Merkato Intra-City Bus Terminal to begin the walking portion of the tour. We visited the different areas of the market, whether it was clothes, spices, food or metal works before having a small tea break. We then drove to the Wutma Hotel for Ethiopian food. After having one of the best meals of my life, we drove to the National Museum of Ethiopia.
At the museum, there is a lot to learn. You are first greeted by Lucy. One of the oldest skeletal remains in the entire world that shines a light on the beginning of humanity as a whole. Another interesting topic of the museum was Emperor Haile Selassie. Having learned so much about him as a child growing up in the Caribbean listening to reggae music, it was good to know more. We also visited both residences, before and after he became the leader of Ethiopia and the church in which he became the Emperor. We then moved to Entoto Park for unobstructed views of Addis Ababa before concluding the tour at Tesfa Coffee. You cannot visit the home of coffee (locally known as Buna) and not try a cup.
The coffee is served with insense to mimic the atmosphere in visiting a local home. After the tour I finished the night at Totot to keep the theme of exceptional Ethiopian food going. This is a lively atmosphere frequently by locals and a guaranteed good time.
The next day, I was back at the airport, this time the domestic terminal to head north to Lalibela. I was picked up from the airport by my guide Abrham and a driver that took me to my guesthouse to check in before visiting the Rock-hewn churches. We spent the afternoon visiting 3 of the 11 churches beginning with St. Georges before retiring on a hill for a magnicent sunset. We had dinner at a local restaurant in which I didnt record the name. Life in Lalibela was such a blur, I tried to take in as much as possible so I pretty much spent two days without my phone (had no service anyways) The footage I did record was of the churches.
Day two in Lalibela started with mass at the St. Georges church followed by trips to the 8 other Rock-hewn churches. I got to visit the churches in action and see how the locals go about their day in the churches. Aftwewards we went to the square at the center of town and hung out before I had to depart Lalibela. I have an appreciating for being off-grid and an appreciation for the sights and people of the city.
I flew back to Addis Ababa and had a buna(coffee) at the hotel before heading back to Totot. Tonights meal was Tibs, cubed lamb with onions and traditional spices. It can also be made with beef. The dancing alone is a reason to visit Totot as you will make your way to the stage.
The next day, it was back to reality. Before I left, I already began planning trip number two. The purpose of this trip was to visit the Hewn churches but I fell in-love with the country and people, and can't wait to return.
Editors Note: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any parties mentioned. None of the entities mentioned has reviewed, approved, or endorsed the content listed in this post.
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