Entoto Natural Park, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
On the way up to Mount Entoto Natural Park, Ethiopia
During our two week stay in Addis Ababa last December, we hired a driver to take us to Mount Entoto Natural Park. Much of the city is at an altitude of about 2500 metres and is ringed by a chain of mountains reaching up to about 3100 metres.
When we left the school campus where our daughter was teaching last year it was a pleasantly mild day, probably about 20C with a clear sky. As we drove to the top of the mountain over the next hour, the temperature progressively dropped and was quite chilly at the top.
Along the way we drove through a dense eucalyptus forest. It was a bizarre feeling, almost as if we were driving through the Adelaide Hills here in South Australia – yet we were in Ethiopia. These trees were planted in the late 1800s as firewood became scarcer in the surrounding hills. More were planted over the next 50 or so years and they remain the dominant tree in the greater Addis Ababa area. They are ideally suited to the soil and climate, and provide much needed safeguards against erosion. They also provide much needed supplies of firewood and building materials for local people.
On the way up to Mount Entoto Natural Park, Ethiopia
On the way up to Mount Entoto Natural Park, Ethiopia
From near the top of Mount Entoto Natural Park, Ethiopia
From near the top of Mount Entoto Natural Park, Ethiopia
More scenes of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
CBD of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Despite its economic challenges, its extreme poverty in some areas, frequent droughts in rural areas and a growing population, Ethiopia’s capital city of Addis Ababa has some parts in the CBD which are thriving and can take their place proudly alongside many other cities of the world. Today I feature several more photos taken in the heart of the city.
CBD of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
CBD of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
The CBD of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
CBD of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
During our short holiday in Ethiopia last December we didn’t go shopping in the CBD of Addis Ababa but we did drive through it several times. Consequently I only have a few photos to share and no comments to make about whether it’s worth visiting this part of the city – or not.
CBD of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
CBD of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
CBD of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
A horse and cart in Addis Ababa
Horse and cart in the streets of Addis Ababa
While out shopping in suburban Addis Ababa during our visit there last December I took this photo of a horse and cart trundling along in the streets. Now my readers may wonder why I did that; what’s unusual about a horse and cart.
In all the time we were in Ethiopia I can recall only seeing two horses even though we travelled in some of the rural areas. It is very common to see donkeys in the rural areas of course, but they are also very common in the city. On almost every drive through the city we saw a few donkeys. On some occasions we saw many donkeys – but only the one horse in the city and one other in the country.
Sabaha Silk Shop, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
In the garden of Sabaha Silk Shop, Addis Ababa
On one of the days we had in Addis Ababa we went shopping with colleagues of our daughter. They drove us around to various places of interest around the city. One of those places was to the Sabaha Silk Shop in the suburbs. The shop was interesting enough and my wife and daughter found it great to pick up a few nice items. I was more interested in the gardens in which the shop was set.
The silk shop was a small building set near a private home with extensive private gardens surrounding both buildings. The gardens were quite beautiful and provided visitors with a quiet retreat from the hustle of this frenetic African city. I also enjoyed the birdlife in gardens and managed a few good photos (see me other site for details: Trevor’s Birding).
Sabaha Silk Shop, Addis Ababa
In the garden of Sabaha Silk Shop, Addis Ababa