Ethiopia

[Chuckanut]

Does anybody have any experience with traveling in Ethiopia in the past decade? This seems like an interesting country to visit. I would prefer first-hand knowledge, but if you have a trusted friend or relative that has visited Ethiopia, I am open to finding out what they think.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Wow, not on my list. But I've read a few first-hand accounts of people who went there for adoptions and it seems like a pretty friendly country, for the most part.
And I thought going to the 'stans made me seem weird! I'll be interested if any of our travel-loving folks have preceded you there.

 

[youbet]

Are you going there to train for your next marathon?

The Ethiopians and Kenyans sure dominated the recent Chicago Marathon.

Sounds like an interesting adventure Chuckanut!

 

[Midpack]

If you go, bring me back some of coffee beans. Best coffee I have ever had came from Ethiopian beans...(non sequitur much?)

 

[kevink]

Yes have been to Ethiopia for my work as a coffee buyer. It is an incredibly beautiful and diverse place, and I've wanted to go back with my wife and spend at least a few weeks doing tourist stuff.

Culturally and culinarily it's really quite amazing, and you really need to get up into the highlands around Sidamo and Yergacheffe. As for the coffee, since it is coffee's native land and unlike any other producing country they keep a lot of their best coffee and know how to brew it you'll be mightily impressed. The people are gracious and beautiful, the food is amazing and the cultural riches are endless. Enjoy!

 

[bssc]

The Ark of the Covenant is there in Axum.

 

[audreyh1]

Definitely the best coffee beans. And I love the food. There was an Ethiopian restaurant in Austin and we enjoyed it for many years before they closed down. My sister has traveled there many times for her work, but I don't think she has been there in the last 10 years.

 

[samclem]

I recently traveled through Addis Ababa, but I only saw the airport while waiting for another flight. FWIW, Ethiopian Air seemed like a nice enough airline (I've still got the golden sleep socks and eye covers they issued on the plane). On my previous visit (in 1998) war broke out between Ethiopia and Eritrea just as we landed at Addis Ababa and so flights out were very hard to get.

Obviously, the place is a lesser developed part of the world and so standards will be different from those of more developed spots. This should go without saying (and you're probably looking forward to the adventure), but you should have heard the newlywed couple who boarded our plane after their safari honeymoon in Tanzania. They apparently expected things would be just like Boston, but with giraffes. Surprise!

 

[OldDawg]

Lived in Addis Ababa for three years, 2002 to 2005, and traveled extensively through the rest of the country. Highly recommend it. Fascinating history and culture, beautiful people and country, fabulous coffee and cuisine.