Wandering around the Artisans Bazaar in Addis this weekend highlighted the impressive culture in Ethiopia for unique, handmade, beautifully crafted items – weaving, paintings, baskets, coffee pots, natural cosmetics, scarves, the list goes on.

Amongst the traditional, are an emerging generation of artisans who are putting Ethiopia on the map for producing high-end luxury products, desired the world over. Amongst these is Abai Schulze, a lady full of business acumen, high design and a warmth that makes you want her as a friend.

Abai is Founder and Creative Director at ZAAF – a collection of luxury apparel and leather accessories produced by Ethiopian artisans. Abai combined her background in economic development and love of fine arts, to create a business that, quite frankly, wouldn’t be out of place in Paris, London or New York.

The ethos behind ZAAF however, the hands on involvement Abai has in design decisions and the personal way in which each visitor is welcomed to the showroom, is distinctly Ethiopian – reminding you that you’re in the beautiful land of artisans. Initially, Abai employed six artisans to create the first two collections; as the business rapidly builds, so too is the team, with nearly 20 staff now employed by ZAAF.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Abai recently, to find out a little bit more about ZAAF and the journey the business has been on since launching internationally in February 2014, and within Ethiopia just over a year later.

Congratulations on the recent opening of your first showroom in Addis Ababa – what is it like and has it been well received?
We were overwhelmed and encouraged with the outcome of the showroom launch. People were pleased to see ‘Made in Ethiopia’ products that have been so well received internationally, now available here in Addis.

How important was it for you to be able to retail in your home country?
It was an important move for us – we want to challenge and inspire the local design and creative class here in Addis and really pass the message that consumers do demand good quality made from the best Ethiopian materials by Ethiopia’s talented people.

Where does your interest in fashion and design stem from?
My driving passion and vision for many years was centred around using my education and experiences to create economic opportunities in my country of birth. So ZAAF comes out of a convergence of both opportunity and passion. I understood the value of my education and strong family support in the US, and the possibilities to capture and capitalize on the potential and trends of my home country.

My passion for design and creative expressions has always been a driver for me, even though I spent my university years focused on the hard facts of economics. Nonetheless, I was able to continue my creative development and skills with a fine arts minor.

How do you source the materials for your products, and how important is it for you to source from within Ethiopia?
Ethiopia is home to the largest population of livestock in Africa, with over 40 million people owning livestock. This country produces some of the finest leather in the world. All the raw materials at ZAAF (leather and handwoven textiles) are sourced from Ethiopia and handcrafted by local talented artisans. We strongly believe that real economic development is about producing top quality products using unique cultural, natural, and human resources that can compete anywhere in the global marketplace.

What has been your proudest moment with the business?
Unfortunately, the “Ethiopia brand” is stuck in the stereotypes of hunger and instability, rooted in events of the past. This brand needs to be updated to reflect the reality of the nation’s amazing growth and human and cultural capital. Our mission is to celebrate and promote Ethiopia as well as the entire continent’s rich cultures through exacting top quality products made with indigenous natural resources by our gifted and brilliant artisans.

One of my proudest moments, was seeing this mission in action – seeing ZAAF on the runway at New York Fashion Week, and being highlighted by top fashion magazines including Elle, Lucky and Vogue amongst others.

Your bags have a signature (and beautiful!) block of fabric included. What has been the inspiration behind the designs in your collection?
For us, it is important that our consumers feel the sense of where their products are made. In our collections, we integrate ageless patterns created on traditional looms, with leather. The fabrics we use are made by talented weavers, who meticulously count knots to produce patterns with a fantastic combination of colours and styles – their skills are handed down through generations. ZAAF utilises these resources in a way that means we can support and advance traditional industries to cater to the global market, without compromising their identity. We merge traditional techniques with modern designs.

Where would you like to see ZAAF Collection in five years’ time?
In five years, we hope to create a luxury lifestyle brand – under the notion of “Made in Africa” that recognises brilliance in craftsmanship and artistry while celebrating the rich heritage and culture of the continent.

If you had just five words to describe ZAAF Collection, what would they be?
Classic. Chic. Authentic. Functional. Bold.

If you could give one of your bags to anyone, who would it be and why?
It would be an honour if we could give one of our bags to Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge. She has her own unique sense of classic style – one of elegance and grace. I think one of our ZAAF bags would complement her very nicely.

As a successful Ethiopia business woman, what advice would you give to Ethiopian girls and women seeking to achieve their dreams?
Find something that you are truly passionate about and build a vision for it – think big, but start small. Surround yourself with people who can challenge you and hold you accountable for your actions and progress.

Indeed, this is advice that everyone can take something from. Abai is an inspirational example of a lady who knows what she wants to create, and no matter what obstacles confront her, she finds a way to make it happen. I get the feeling that what she has created is on the cusp of exploding into a really exciting brand, recognised the world over.

ZAAF’s showroom is just behind Shala Park, in Addis Ababa – I urge you to make the time to go for a visit…you’ll want to leave with one of everything!

Photos courtesy of Kyle La Mere

Since abandoning the hunter-gatherer way of life in favour of exchanging money for goods, men have become the greatest value hunters on the face of the earth.  In order to facilitate the exchange they managed to set up venues where they came together in their large numbers. This general fact holds to be more or less the same everywhere around the world and across societies. In this regard, around Addis Abeba one market venue, in particular, stands out in attracting almost everyone who is looking for an bargain: An enormous sized shopping venue, known by the name Merkato exists in the heart of the city. The place is worth to visit either to hunt for a fat deal or just to fish and release.

Merkato, meaning ‘market place’, is an adapted name from the attempted occupation of the Italians during the Second World War. With the intention of making their stay in Addis as comfortable as possible and as a way of avenging their imperialist forefathers defeat during their previous encounter, the Italians tried to segregate the city. Piazza becoming their city center where they did their shopping and everything else. The indigenous Habeshas, deliberately omitted from the equation, had no other option but to set up new shopping venue. The city dwellers and people living in the surrounding towns, without any direct influence from those in power started getting together just west of the Italians’ Piazza to exchange their produces. As a living testimony to the unlimited potential of the free market, Merkato flourished both in size and variety of supplies right under the eyes of the doomed occupiers.

Geographically speaking, Merkato is found in the northern side of western Addis Ababa. It lays on several square kilometers of area in Addia Ketema sub-city, one of the ten sub-cities Addis Abeba is segmented into. On the southern side, Merkato borders Black Lion specialized hospital and extends for three or more kilometers to the north all the way to Amanuele hospital,  center for the mentally ill. passing by a number of renowned and historical landmarks like Saint Teklehaimanot Square, named after the adjacently located Ethiopian Orthodox Church with the same name, where the former Emperor used to execute capital punishments and the Grand Anwar Mosque, the largest mosque in the country, are few of the attractions found on the north-south route. On the eastern side, Merkato neighbors Piazza, its former competition and going downhill  west bound from there it extends all the way to the Federal Supreme Court extending to about three or four kilometers.

Traveling around Merkato is a fascinating experience, much like visiting Willy Wonka’s factory in the absence of Mr. Wonka himself and his Oompa Loompas. Well, sort of. The identical little people are replaced by the diverse cultures of merchants who come from all over the nation trading not just candy and gum but an endless array of products. When you are in Merkato never expect a personal tour as one would get in the imaginary land. In Merkato one has to find his own way through the extreme crowd and countless turns. The visual paradox is just too much to take at once, confusingly mesmerizing to the imagination: the newly built modern shopping malls look down at the old stores as if saying we are better than you. The make shift stores on the side of the road block the walk way with their protruding displays leaving the pedestrians without an option but to walk on the main road side by side with the barely moving vehicles. The Grand Anwar mosque and Saint Raguel, Church of the Ethiopian Orthodox, their compounds separated simply with a fence, coexist in peace and harmony. The followers of these two old religions mingle in their secular affairs without any boundary, a brilliant manifestation of inborn tolerance at its purest form.

What makes Merkato what it is is not just what is seen from the outside but also what is found deep inside, intertwined with the trading culture of the people who run the stores and who dwell the streets. The small neighborhoods found in Merkato and the chain of stores with names describing what they have to offer add another dimension to its unique features. For instance “Goma Terra” meaning “chain of stores for vehicle tires” is where stores that sell different types of car tires are found. Similarly, “Atikilt Terra”, located at the eastern border of Merkato close to Piazza is an equivalent of Farmer’s Market where variety of fruits and vegetables are brought directly from the countryside to be sold at a discounted price. Despite their attractive bargain for fresh produces Atikilt Terra is not for the faint stomach. The smell from rotten fruits and vegetables supplied the previous days is sensible from afar. Anyone who dares to approach closer is guaranteed at least to go through a rumbling stomach. But despite this, make sure to give a freshly prepared cocktail salad or mango juice a try.

The nomenclature of the places in Merkato, as helpful as it is in locating commodities, it is sometimes deceiving. For example “Bomb Terra” (meaning a chain of stores that sell bombs) have nothing close to weaponry in their stocks but rather they provide consumer goods at  wholesale price. If one wonders how the name was given, after some investigation, he or she will find out that Bomb Terra has retained its name from the past when it used to sell guns and ammunition.

Yet again, one of the most interesting neighborhoods in Merkato is perhaps, “Minn Alesh Terra” translated as “what have you got”. At first glance the place looks like a junk yard. This is where products that have outlived their use are collected from all over the city to be recycled into something useful. Nothing is thrown away in Min Alesh Terra. A tin can is cut, Hammered and molded into a pot. A piece of metal rod thrown away from a construction site in another corner of the city is brought here by recycling agents, called “Quralees”, to be softened in a furnace, hammered, reshaped, sharpened and attached to a wooden handle to be sold as a kitchen knife. Min Alesh Terra also prides itself as being capable of having almost anything buyers are looking for. As unconventional as the inquiry is, chances are it is found there. Including, but not limited to, things like a single shoe.

The other “Terra” or chain of stores in Merkato is the infamous “Somali Terra” or sometimes called “the slaughter house of cars”, which used to sell car parts and accused of being behind many a theft of vehicles and vehicle parts around the city. The place where some drivers had to negotiate their own property after it was stolen and found its way to Somali Terra. Unfortunate occurrence to the drivers, while they are sitting in their car bargaining with the pretentious middle men for the return of their stolen headlight, the opportunist “handy men” of Somali Terra  dismantle the tail lights of the same vehicle. Their way of assuring the perpetuation of their evil deeds, they dare call business. Now, to the satisfaction of vehicle owners, the desperados of Somali Terra have scaled down since their relocation to the western tip of Merkato after their east cost anarchist territory was recently demolished to be replaced by window covered high rises. But the place has retained the name “Somali Terra”, as a sad remainder of the days of the wild wild east.

Merkato is now fast changing to match the rest of the city. Nothing is guaranteed to remain as it was. however one thing is certain, the daily people who flow to Merkato in large crowds will continue to do so and benefit from its blessings so long as Merkato continues to be what it has been for the past 70 years or so; the most convenient venue for the contemporary value hunter and anyone else who wishes to be part of its grandeur.

[WPMAP;14]

Getting around Addis Abeba can get a bit tricky. Being a moderately crowded city and seemingly ever expanding in all directions; reaching your destination at the right time and place is not an easy chore. Depending on the amount one is willing to spend and comfort to trade off or not to, there are few options to get around the city. Delivering prayer to the guy upstairs and saddling up inside the belly of the infamous blue demon is one common alternative.

The yellow cabs of New York give contrast to the tarmac road to the streets of the world capital. On the streets of Addis, the capital of Africa, one color in particular stands out as well. Any direction one looks on the streets of Addis it is virtually impossible not to see at least one, if not more, vehicles painted blue with a white roof top. Either parked or moving, vacant or packed beyond limit the blue minibuses are seen everywhere. If there is none in plain sight then perhaps one might have not arrived in Addis yet.

The blue demons, so called because of their crazy driving habit and all the hustle they create to the rest of the road commuters, are a two-men traveling circus-like taxi service. The driver, besides maneuvering the vehicle, is responsible for music selection, recurrent moving violations and creating constant discomfort to the passengers and other drivers. The master of ceremony who is the assistant or commonly called “weyalla” besides collecting taxi fair from the passengers, is responsible for calling out the route of the travel from the top of his lungs. Since he has to mention a number of places in the shortest possible time he has to came up with poetic phrases to attract attention and arrange it to a melody to sweeten up his words to the ears of the preoccupied audience.

As if his job is not already complex enough, in most cases, the weyalla has to do this while the taxi is in motion. Every time he sees a potential client on the side of the road he picks out his neck through the side window, tune up to the right tone, bring volume all the way to the top, maximize tempo and let his melody do the rest; hopping the person is impressed and gives him a sign to stop. If that happens the Weyalla pounds the body of the car to signal the driver to restrain the galloping demon. Conditioned to this sound the weyalla makes, this sweet drum line of their two piece orchestra, the driver, with complete disregard to the rest of the traffic on the road, instantly pulls the rein of the demon.

Consequently, The drivers behind the mini-bus taxi and the travelers inside the belly of the beast come to experience first hand the essential nature of the blue demon and why it is called so. The abrupt breaking followed by extreme shifting to the right with the least possible angle, The improvisation in this chaotic symphony, makes the heart skip a beat of everyone witnessing the interlude in this act from hell.

Once a passenger finds a blue demon that is destined in the direction as one wishes to go a seat is provided by the weyalla. If all the seats are occupied the weyalla always manages to find a space for the latest comer. No one is left behind is the moto all the blue demons give their allegiance to. There is no such thing as full capacity with Addis Abeba’s minibus taxi service. The term ” full” does not seem to be in their dictionary. In extreme cases, “Almost full” is the term the weyallas prefer to use. A Toyota, Haici van with a design capacity of 12 passengers squeezes together upto 20 passengers in a manner that makes canned sardines feel good about their situation.

The atmosphere inside the taxi is one of a kind. People that has never met each other before are dictated by their shared destiny to seat tightly together without being greedy over their personal space. Some chitchat with one another. While others ponder their own thoughts. Some listen to the live entertainment hand picked by the driver/ DJ while others yell their personal business over their mobile phone. It is not rare to find one passenger that argues with the weyalla over the amount of fair asked to pay. Despite the minibus taxi fair being the second cheapest means of transport, about one Ethiopian Birr per one kilometer traveled, the cheapest being the lion city bus service, provided courtesy of the government, the blue demon is not always free from argument over how much to pay. When this happens every one else in the wagon involves and pass their verdict to settled the matter at the spot.

An individual to use the service of the blue demon effectively it is most important to know the names of places of Addis Abeba. If a passenger has to take one at a terminal, where large number of them get together to feast over their victims, it gets even trickier. All the weyallas shouting at ones calling on their travel routes with no harmony whatsoever even confuses the recurrent user. Even worse to that, the city lacking street number system to help uniquely identify each road puts a maiden voyager in such a predicament.

The other factor for effective usage of the service of the blue demon is to understand few lingoes spoken in the business of denying comfort. One essential lingo is “YEMOLA YEMOLA…” used by the weyallas in between calling out names of places. It simply means the taxi is almost full and they are looking for one passenger to depart. These demons are the most desired ones by those who are in a hurry to reach their destination. In reality the calling “yemola yemola…” is a trick because as soon as the latest passenger is seated the weyalla continues calling out ones again “almost full…almost full” looking for the next victim on his perpetual scam. This is where one is introduced with the oldest trick in the blue demons’ multi-volume book of tricks. This powerful revelation, a foreshadow to the ill journey, adds a funny look to the faces’ of the passengers to mach their discomfort.

Yet again, one Amharic phrase stands to be the most important lingo for a passenger inside the belly of the beast. The password that needs to be entered to disengage oneself from the jaws of the blue demon. Inability to use this lingo leads to permanent suspension in a limbo. It has to be said loud and clear with no room for ambiguity. When one has enough of the crazy circus or simply upon reaching destination just cry “WERAGE ALLE!”… “get me out of here!”

When I was about eight years old my parents took my siblings and I to the countryside to see our grandparents. I remember being so excited since it was my first time going to see them where they live. And also because I’d get to play with countless dogs and the possibility of going horseback riding for the first time was a given.

After a shaky three hour ride and close to an hour walk from the main road in to the villages that loath the city life, we finally arrived. As we got to their village I saw my grandparents waiting for us outside their house and I started running their way to hug and greet them. But what was waiting for me was unexpected.

Perhaps I was hoping for too much – a hug and a kiss, maybe a little lift up and spin, but no! As soon as I got close, my grandmother started spitting on me, yes, spitting! It was not big balls of saliva but it was still relentless sprinkles directed at my face. With utter disgust I yelled out “why are you spitting at me?!” turned around quickly and started running back to my parents only to see my dad laughing at me so hard. Taking joy out of my misery, I thought.

That day I learned that in our old culture when an elderly does that to a kid it is actually a blessing and the kid should not shy away from it, and oh yeah, their blessings do come true. It has happened to me a few more times throughout the rest my childhood but I’ve always either avoided or dodged it.

May be I shouldn’t have. Who knows where those blessings could have gotten me by now.

But imagine had it happened to an unsuspecting grownup, on a first visit, it would have without a doubt been just too weird and awkward no?

Here are the few tips that might save you from those few weird and awkward moments that we have in store for you for your first visit to Ethiopia.

The Weyalas

The line buses/minibuses in Addis are the most commonly used modes of transportation to get around the city. So let’s say just when you were trying to hop in one to go somewhere, you see a guy in front of you by the bus door staring at you and yelling out names of random areas to you. What do you do? Run as fast as you can in the other direction? No, don’t do that.

These guys are called Weyalas and they are not possessed and they don’t have mental problems. Their job is to help to the bus driver. What they do is yell out the areas that that specific bus passes through and its final destination to everyone passing by so that you’ll know which one to catch. And they also collect the fees from the passengers, tell the driver to pull over when someone wants to get off and also open and close the door for the passengers. So just don’t run away. It’s weird.

Gursha

That awkward moment when eating Ethiopian food (mostly Injera) with an Ethiopian and he/she rolls a big one for you and stretch out the arms to put the food in your mouth.

It happens a lot and it is quite hard to avoid.

No, they do not think that you have not mastered the art of putting food in your mouth and no, they do not think you are in bad shape and you need to eat more. This selfless act is called ‘gursha’ and it is done for a simple purpose: to show affection. All Ethiopians have grown up with a lot of gurshas flying their way. And it is not so nice to say no once the arm has been stretched. There is even an episode of The Simpsons where they actually took joy out of gursha. So can you.

So when it happens to you, man up, open your mouth and take it like an Ethiopian.

The other thing you might notice about Ethiopians is that they will always invite you to join in on eating their food with them. They are just being polite and they just don’t want to eat alone if they are not alone. The word used to ask someone to join in on the feast is ‘enibla’ which means ‘let’s eat’.

This you can say no to without the person taking offense.

The Eyebrow Thing

Let’s say you were talking to an Ethiopian and the conversation reached the point where you had to ask him/her a yes or no question, and you did, but there was no reply so you ask again and still no reply. What do you do? Yell at that person? No! Just try to notice the eyebrow movement because a swift move of raising the eyebrow up then down means yes. It’s like nodding but only slicker.

To say no or disagree we shake our heads like everybody else. So no tricks there.

The Short, Quick Inhale

When speaking with an Ethiopian you might notice that they do the short quick inhale thing every now and then as they listen to you. It is like taking a fast short breath, a relaxed voluntary hiccup without the click, the equivalent of a nod or the “aha… aha” you do when you are listening to a person.

So don’t be mistaken, it is not because we are highlanders and there is a shortage of oxygen. It’s perfectly healthy and a sign that you are being listened to. So do not worry.

Ferenj, China, and African

It doesn’t matter which corner of the world you are from, for most Ethiopians, if you are white you are a Ferenj. It is said that a long time ago there were some French people here in Ethiopia and the Ethiopians pronounced it as ‘Ferenj’. And to this day the word that is used to refer to a Caucasian is Ferenj.

Most Ethiopians refer to the Chinese, Korean, Japanese and such, as ‘China’. I think there is no need to do research to find out why we do but I have a reason to believe that it is not out of ignorance. It’s just that thing we do.

You can point to people from different sub Saharan countries and ask an Ethiopian where they are from, the answer will be “He’s African”. Then ask the Ethiopian where he/she is from and the answer will be “I’m Habesha” (means Ethiopian). It is not because that person is facing an identity crisis, it is just the way they refer to themselves and the rest of Africa. It is quite common to hear Ethiopians refer to other Africans as if Africa is another continent. Is it a nationalist thing? A pride thing? I do not know but it is definitely a thing.

And in the words of the wise old man who used to live next-door to my parents “Do not ask questions you do not want to know the answers to.” Wait what?!

This popular restaurant (or is it a cafe…) has a fantastic atmosphere and makes a nice place to hunker down for a bit of laptop love – as long at it’s not too busy. The Bole Road Lime Tree closed recently, leaving their sister cafe in Kazanchis as the only choice for getting your lime juice fix. The cafe is located on the bottom floor of a large building just a bit south of the International Continental Hotel. You’ll see the patio with ‘Lime Tree’ written in green circles.

Lime Tree has a pretty cozy atmosphere, decent food, friendly service, good coffee, and super delicious lime ginger iced tea. While Lime Tree has the slick appearance of a great spot, the food can sometimes be bit of a let down, depending on what you order. I’ve tried several dishes, some that are quite tasty, some resulting in a resounding ‘meh’, and one being completely inedible.

To start with the worst – the ‘Buffalo Chicken Wings’ are nothing at all like legit Buffalo chicken wings. They’re not a regular menu item but if they ever make it to the specials board, they’re best avoided. Why do restaurants the world over insist on using the word ‘Buffalo’ without actually using the correct sauce? People! Honey glaze chicken wings are not Buffalo wings. Sesame chicken wings? Also not Buffalo wings. If there’s ginger involved… yep, also not Buffalo wings. Lime’s Tree’s burnt black chicken wings with a weird ketchup dipping sauce? I’m not certain that’s even food but I know damned well that they’re also not Buffalo wings! The most interesting part of this whole experience is that the waiter insisted that the black char on the outside was the sauce. So… I don’t know what’s going on with those things. I’d recommend you steer very clear of that scariness.

While the mains have been somewhat questionanable, the breakfast has impressed – well, at least the pancakes (50 birr) have . All light and fluffy and with that ‘pancake syrup’ sugary goodness that I love. Add a very creamy, tasty macchiato (15 birr) into the breakfast mix and I’m a happy customer.

The chocolate cake I tried, on the other hand, let me down in the dessert department… I can’t explain it except to say it was weird. The icing was odd. The cake was… odd. Something just not quite right that I can’t put my finger on. It looked a lot better than it tasted and that’s a sad, sad, thing, my friends.

I like the breezy atmosphere of the place. There’s plenty of space and you could easily combine tables if you happen to arrive as part of a group. I have yet to find a plug socket that works but I suppose that’s their way of quietly encouraging the laptop people to depart. But the Kazanchis branch doesn’t have wifi anyway (or at least it didn’t while I was there) so they’re unlikely to have too many people sticking around to milk them for internet.

Service is pretty good when you can get their attention. They don’t really check up on your table so you have to flag them down if you want anything but that’s ok… I’d rather have an inattentive waiter than someone who hovers over me, although that might be a weird personal preference. One time the waiter forgot to put my tea and lime juice on the bill and then gave me the total without giving me an updated bill… since I ordered the tea about 4 minutes before receiving the bill, and since there are signs all over the place requesting customers not to pay unless they get a bill (which I only noticed later), I’m assuming this is a bit of shady behaviour on the part of the waiter. Of course… it could be an honest mistake and it doesn’t really effect me anyway… but I’m not one to support shadiness so keep an eye out for this if it bothers you.

Overall… Lime Tree’s food is decent but not great. I love their lime juice and ginger lime iced tea (both 30 birr) and it’s worth a trip there just for these. You can even opt for an unlimited supply for 15 birr more. I love their coffee. I like the atmosphere. The servers are friendly. Overall… Lime Tree is a well-located spot to get a decent meal and some tasty drinks and it’s worth totally worth a stop.

Hours: Daily, 7 am – 9 pm
Phone: 0911 444 373
Website: http://www.limetreeaddis.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Lime-Tree-in-Addis-Ababa/132100066818955

[WPMAP;15]

After the 911 attacks on the two towers of New York more than a decade ago, all the Ethiopians that call these towers their workplace were taken in for questioning. The police had a good reason to believe that they were potential suspects. Now, how did these people who are from a country that is allies with the US and moved to the land of opportunities to get the taste of the “American dream” end up being suspects for the terrorist attack? The reason is amusing;

As one can imagine when the Ethiopians were rounded up and taken in to the interrogation rooms they were undoubtedly shaking with fear and some might have even wet their pants. But this panic and fear that can be read from these Ethiopians’ faces can only be mistaken for culpability for the first 5 minutes of the questioning, till the million dollar question was asked; ‘Why were you not at work on the day of the attack?’ The interrogators surely have heard it all when it comes to reasons, lies and alibis. But not this reason, not ever. And the reason was

‘It was New Year’s Day, It was a holiday’

I’m sure the questions that followed were something like ‘in mid-2001?!’, ‘in September?!’, ‘and why in God’s name on the 11^th?’ but little did they know; it was not 2001 for Ethiopians, it was not September and it sure was not the 11^th in the land of thirteen months of sunshine, oh yes, thirteen months!

It was Meskerem 01, 1994.

Breaking Down Ethiopian Calendar and Time System

This calendar system belongs to the Orthodox Tewahido churches and Coptic Orthodox Church and it is used by the whole of Ethiopia and Eritrea (once part of Ethiopia) as a primary calendar system.

The Year

It is believed that the difference between the Ethiopian and the Gregorian calendar system came about when the counting started. Somebody was lazy? No!

The Orthodox churches believe that the Ethiopian calendar started counting from the year of the birth of Jesus and that is why the Ethiopian year is called ‘Amete Mihret’ meaning ‘year of mercy’.    And this means that the Gregorian calendar must have started somewhere between 7 and 8 years before the birth of Christ. Who knows the birth year of Jesus more than the church really, right?!

The Months and Days

The Ethiopian year is consisted of thirteen months, lucky people huh! Well, not too lucky. Why? Let me explain.

Just like the rest of the world the Ethiopian year has 365 days and 366 on a leap year. But here’s the trick; the first twelve months of the year have 30 days each, and that means that at the end of the twelve months there will be 5 or 6(leap year) more days left to enjoy before calling it a year. And that is when the thirteen month ‘Pagume’ is born determined to entertain the extra few days that the rest of the months couldn’t handle.

The Ethiopian new year starts on the Meskerem 01 which the 11^th of September for the rest of the world and it ends on Pagume 05 which is the 10^th of September.

The Time

I know what you are wondering, there is no way that the time could be different?! Ohh yes! If you are Ethiopian there is a way.

Since Ethiopia is located close to the equator, the land enjoys an equally shared 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night throughout the year. So when the sun is out and it is day the Ethiopians start the new day which is at 1 se’at (7am for the rest of the world) and when the sun sets and it is dark the Ethiopian  night time starts which is at 1 se’at (7pm). The day changes when the sun rises and the time system counts the lengths of day and night.

There is no AM and PM in Ethiopia so to distinguish the difference between AM and PM all you have to say is Qen or Mata (day or night). Get it?

So 8 se’at Qen is 2 PM and 8 se’at Mata is 2 AM. Quite fascinating really.

Pros

• You will get to enjoy two New Year’s celebrations and two Christmases.
• Christmas is on Tahisas 29 7^th of January, more time to buy presents.

Cons

• The time system is confusing for expats to arrange meetings and appointments untill they get used to it. Or untill they start saying 2pm ‘ferenji time’ (meaning foreigner time) at least.

Bottom Line

No need to fantasize about time travel after watching all these Hollywood sci-fi movies. Buy a round trip ticket to Ethiopia. One to the past, one back to the future.

Veganism as a way of life is said to have been known in the Western world for about 70 years or so. But over on the other side of the world Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, in the process of practicing their religion, have been occasional vegans with out having been labeled as such.

Ethiopia has been predominantly a Christian nation since its introduction in the early years of the first millennia. Since then, Christianity in Ethiopia has come a long way – facing its own ups and downs along the way over the past two thousand years. Today Ethiopia has its own Church known to the rest of the world as the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Church with an estimated 30 to 40 million followers.

The Church follows very traditional and strictly followed long-standing religious practices, one of the more obvious being the fasting practice. There are, in total, around 250 fasting days spread across Ethiopia’s thirteen calendar months. Of these, 180 (including the lent season) are considered major. The remaining 70 fasting days are practiced only by the most strict (mostly older) followers of the religion.

Fasting season is considered a period of complete obedience to the church and the Holy Trinity. The followers are expected to leave aside all of their earthly desires and to strictly dedicate themselves to the words of the heavenly father. It is the time where good deeds are expected to be practiced and appreciated in all aspects of individual and communal life. It is the time of remembrance of the less fortunate and thriftiness is a widespread action. Repeated visits to the church, constant praying and lamentation are also actions that supposedly guarantee the heavenly gates to be wide open with a spectacular reception awaiting in the afterlife.

One very basic practice observed during the fasting season is the change in the eating habit of the practitioners. During this time feeding upon animal products like meat, egg, milk, cheese, butter or any derivatives of animals is strictly prohibited. Some say that seafood consumption is allowed however this action is highly contested by the hardcore conservative advocates of the religion as being an act of cheating over the long standing culture of fasting passed from generation to generation traveling through time to reach to this day.

So the question remains, what does one eat during the fasting season if eating animal products are prohibited? Is it possible to have a healthy viable life feeding only upon cereals, fruits, and vegetables? Well the Ethiopian Orthodox Church has proven it to be possible – they’ve done so even before vegetarianism and veganism were a way of life! Lucky for the Orthodox Christians, Ethiopian culture has highly developed vegetarian cuisine. The staple in every Ethiopian’s diet is ‘injera’, a spongy flat bread rich in iron and dietary fiber. It’s widely considered as a healthier alternative to wheat and maize because it’s gluten free. The primary ingredient in injera is ‘teff’, the seed of a plant which is a variation of a grass family. Teff is grinded into a powder, prepared as a sourdough and lovingly baked into Ethiopia’s beloved bread.

Injera is served as the base of a platter of Ethiopian dishes with each offering piled on top in globs. More bread is then rolled or cut into pieces and used to scoop the food into your waiting mouth. Therefore, eating Ethiopian cuisine with injera does not require using any utensils but rather having clean dexterous fingers is sufficient to enjoy the deliciousness.

Dishes served during the fasting seasons are entirely vegan friendly. Injera served with various vegetables and cereals cooked in a sauce or a thick stew are common. Potato, carrot, cabbage, mixed legumes, chickpea, collared greens, spicy lentils, spinach, beets, split yellow peas are just some of the ingredients quintessentially prepared during this time. Salads and fruits are also common as a side or dessert. All of those yummy animal products are reserved for the feasting season that follows fasting, particularly after the lent.

The popular meal known as ‘Beyayinetu’, assorted cereals and vegetables cooked in various ways, is served in almost all households and restaurants during the fasting season. Beyayinetu is a big platter of over ten types of mouthwatering scoops of stews made from various vegetables and cereals. Sometimes a whole chili filled with freshly diced tomato and onion minced with oil is served with a generous dollop of a chickpea-and-white bean dish called ‘Shiro’. Beyayinetu, the kaleidescope of the different colors of ingredients put together on one platter, looks so visually appealing and the taste is amazing which makes it a popular dih during the fasting season. It would be an understatement to referred to it as the ambrosia of the occasional vegans.

The popularity of Beyayinetu, which even attracts strict carnivores with its sophistication, is even hugely popular outside of the fasting season. Any vegans out there who have yet to discover Ethiopian fasting cuisine are missing out! A visit to Ethiopia would be a welcome relief to vegans who, no doubt, have a difficult time finding suitable food while travelling. Just make sure not to come during feasting season… that’s for the meat-lovers among us!

Sarbet, whose name literally means ‘grass house’ is a charming neighborhood just outside the main city area. Although it used to be considered mainly a residential area, it has quickly become a popular expat hang out due to its close location to the African Union, the large International Evangelical Church, and the Canadian Embassy.

Accommodation

Sarbet is considered a desirable place to live by many expats because of the secluded street of homes located behind the Canadian Embassy. It’s one of the few places within the city that has a decent amounts of trees and flowers. Houses in the area can be a bit expensive with most costing between 30,000 and 40,000 Birr a month. However, the homes usually have several bedrooms and bathrooms and are surrounded by a garden area and secure fencing.

If you’re a single person and aren’t looking for a fancy place to live, you can find a simple one bed room apartment for around 3000 Birr a month.

For those staying only a short time, there is one hotel in the area called King’s Hotel. It’s located across from the International Evangelical Church (IEC) and is know for its great service and free wifi. Most rooms cost between $50-65 a night.

Shopping

Sarbet isn’t known for being a great shopping destination, however, there are a few stores in the area. Most of them are found inside Adams Pavilion which is the large building beside the roundabout. One of the most popular stores you can find there is the international best selling brand, sole Rebels. Adam’s Pavilion also has several ATMS in the lobby.

Piñata, considered the best part supply store in Addis, is located in Sarbet too near King’s Hotel. It has everything you need for your next celebration including custom made piñatas.

There are also two grocery stores in the area that are both known for carrying a decent amount of Western food brands. The first is Novis Supermarket which is located next to King’s Hotel. The second is Fantu Supermarket which is after the roundabout on the way to Karl’s square.

Many people also enjoy shopping at the NGO bizarre which is held at IEC the last Saturday of every morning from 9am-11:30am. The vendors sell all types of food, crafts, and artisan designs.

Transportation

Getting to and around Sarbet is easy. Mini-buses from Mekanissa, Mexico, and Gabrielle all pass through the area, and any contract taxi would be familiar with getting there as well.

You can also find a bus out of Sarbet by waiting at any of the main bus station areas which are located on both sides before and after the overpass. You can also usually find a ride by waiting outside the Canadian Embassy or Munich German Bakery and Cafe. Contract taxis are also prevalent and will stop just about anywhere in the area.

The only thing you must keep in mind though is that because there are no clubs or bars in Sarbet, transportation shuts down early. After 9pm, it will become difficult to find a ride home.

Restaurants & Cafes

Sarbet offers lots of choices for cafes and restaurants. Most of them only serve Western food though so you will probably be out of luck if you’re craving injera.

• Kaldi’s – This popular chain cafe is always a popular meeting place and is located in Adam’s Pavillion. It’s quite loud here so if you need some peace and quiet, it’s better you look elsewhere.
• Tomoca – This is both a cafe and an art gallery. On warm days they also open up their roof top for those wanting some sunshine.
• Bella’s – Many choose this place for its selection of cakes. They also serve coffee, tea, and other quick bites.
• Efoye – Located next to King’s hotel, this restaurant has some of the best pizza and sandwiches in town. They also offer a soup of the day and several vegetarian meal options. The place is quite small and their sign is written only in Amharic so it’s quite easy to miss, however, it’s worth hunting down because the food is amazing.
• Garden Paradise Restaurant and Bar – Located in Adam’s Pavillion, this restaurant has several different Western food dishes as well as big screen tv’s which they turn on for football matches.
• Munich German Bakery & Cafe – This cafe offers both lunch and dinner options, although it is mostly known for fresh baked bread and touch of German influence. It’s located across the street from the Canadian Embassy.

Haya Hulet is one of the areas of Addis that is getting a complete construction overhaul. With the new LRT being built that will pass straight through the neighbourhood and repairs underway to improve the old roads, Haya Hulet can be an extremely overwhelming area to go for a walk.

Located between Urael and Megenagna, Haya Hulet can a very busy place with all its shops and stores.

Accommodation

With the rent of a four bedroom nice old house with hardwood floors being anywhere from $1,250 USD and up, living in Haya Hulet is not as cheap as it used to be. The rent of an unfurnished one bedroom space in a shared compound would go for a minimum of $450 per month.

In November 2014, I was looking for a house and was surprised to find out that I couldn’t find a two bedroom place for less than $600 unless the house was unfurnished or the compound was shared with the landlord.

Regarding shared housing, I know of someone who lives with three housemates in an old big house and the rent per month is $300 per person. Prices have surely gone up a lot within the past few years for Haya Hulet’s residents and will definitely go up even more once the railway and the roads are finished.

Shopping

If you are looking to buy some clothes, you are in heaven. Everything from fake Louis Vuitton Chinese copies to nice and affordable European and American brands are all there. Especially the street that stretches from Haya Hulet out to Bole Medhanealem is full of these stores.

There are also two supermarkets just a couple of hundred meters away from each other by Zerihun Building. You can find most of the stuff you need between these two supermarkets. For other small things there are always plenty of those small shops that you can find everywhere in Addis.

There is also a big duty free store but it is only for those who have the duty free status, people who work for embassies and NGOs.

Recreation

There isn’t much to do when it comes to recreational activities in Haya Hulet but it is close to Bole and Megenagna so you can always go to these neighborhoods to find something you cannot find in Haya Hulet. There are of course gyms that are open for membership all year round in most of the hotels including Capital Hotel and Axum Hotel. Capital Hotel also has a swimming pool and there is soon going to be a full spa as well.

Restaurants & Cafes

There are a lot of those copy cafes with nothing to differentiate then from the rest. The ubiquitous all coffee, tea, cake and soda menu. But that is what Haya Hulet is all about. A lot of same things, everywhere. If you want just a coffee all you have to do is basically walk in to the next café you see.

• Yeshi Buna – Located just at the end of Chechnya road, Yeshi Buna is known for its 24 hour service and delicious Ethiopian food. It is common to see this place packed at 4 and 5 in the morning since people like to make a stop there for a quick bite after a heavy night of partying.
• Zebra Grill – One of the well-known and old restaurants of Haya Hulet, Zebra grill is known for its selection of European dishes (Chicken being their specialty) since the rest of the restaurants mostly just serve Ethiopian.
• Pizza Corner – Just across the street from Yeshi Buna, Pizza corner is one of the newest additions to the restaurants of Haya Hulet. They have a selection of nice dishes and combos of your choice.
  Right next door, there’s an ice cream place that serves different flavors of ice cream and shakes. But what they are most known for is obviously their pizza. I’d recommend it.
• Elsa Restaurant – All you’ll find here to eat is Ethiopian. ‘Qurt’ and ‘Kitfo’ which are both raw meat dishes, is what you will most likely to see people ordering since they are known for their good quality meat. They have a variety of Ethiopian dishes on the menu to choose from so it might be better to go there with an Ethiopian the first time.

Nightlife

Just like the cafes, there are loads small bars that are all quite similar to each other. Whatever you can find in one bar, you can likely find in the other. Unless you are shopping for prostitutes, just jumping in to one small bar gives you the experience of all.

But then there is Tobia, Known for their ‘Tej’ which is honey wine, and their Ethiopian dishes. Even though it cannot be classified under nightlife because it closes down at 10pm, a lot of nights start there since Tej has the tendency to make people go merry.

And then there is Road Runner where people like to go and get beers sitting around the fire. It had a nice atmosphere and friendly people both times I went there.

• Fiesta – A place with two bars on one floor, with the small one as the VIP, Fiesta is like the bars you find in Bole. It has that lounge-y look and a DJ that loves to play either dance or Tigrigna music. Which can be a bit of a weird mix. But all in all it is a fun place to hang with a hookah on your table.

Positioned right around the center of Addis, Kazanchis is one of the oldest parts of town. Kazanchis was one of the places where our fathers went for a little jamboree. Stretching from about four kilometers from the palace down to Urael church, Kazanchis still reflects the soon to-be-forgotten swinging jazz days of Addis. It’s an area that still refuses to be quiet at night.

After decades of longing for a piece of Kazanchis, investors and the Richie Rich have finally got to it. Sadly, it’s changing quickly and in fewer than 10 years from now, there will likely be only hotels and mixed use buildings that tell no story of how things use to be.

Accommodation

Since you can find those 60-year-old, wooden-floored houses hidden behind all the cafes and bars, renting a house can be a bit cheaper than in the other, more central, parts of town. I’ve seen two- and three-bedroom houses that are being rented out for no more than $600 USD a month.

With all of the ongoing construction in Kazanchis, more and more apartment buildings are popping up and adding new options to the choice of housing. The rent for a two bedroom apartment on one of these newly built buildings would be somewhere from $650 to $800 USD based on whether the apartment is furnished or not.

Kazanchis is now also the home 4 and 5 star hotels so if you are in Addis just for a few days, there is that option of spending more than a hundred dollars a night.

Shopping

Kazanchis is a place where you can get plenty of same item vendors that inexplicably seem to cluster close together. There is an abundance of stationary shops in Kazanchis and also quite a few shops for computer accessories. You can also find a few boutiques along the main road but that’s about it. Kazanchis is not a shopping haven.

Restaurants & Cafes

There are a lot of small local cafes and restaurants where you can stuff your face with $2 meals so it is simply awesome for the non-snobbish. But the small, cheap restaurants mostly only serve Ethiopian dishes. There are also some nice restaurants where you can find more expensive European fare.

• Lime Tree – With the UN right behind it, Lime tree can get pretty busy around lunch time. It’s a nice, small place with good service. And for the lemonade crazed, they have a pay for one and have unlimited lemonade rules. So go crazy.
• Kabana – Opened no longer than a year ago, Kabana is the new addition to those who crave Caribbean. Their menu includes delicious Caribbean dishes like oxtails and jerk chicken. The owner is mostly there and super nice so if you’re not happy with what’s on your plate, you should not hesitate to send it back.
• Romina – Once the party spot of Kazanchis, Romina has now turned to a decent restaurant with a decent menu. The food is decent and slightly cheaper compared to the other nicer restaurants in that area too. There’s a whole lot of ‘decent’ at Romina!

Nightlife

If you are out for a fun night involving alcohol and some boogie boogie there are a couple of nice places in Kazanchis that you can go to. Plus there are heaps of those small local bars with extremely loud music and prostitutes that some might prefer to go to.

• Liquid Lounge – Liquid is a nicely designed lounge in the heart of Kazanchis. They have a DJ playing dance music throughout the week but it is only packed on the weekends. Which is good for the ones who go there not for the dancing but for a tête-à-tête with a few drinks and hookah.
• Club Voltage – This club is lcoated inside the Intercontinental Addis Hotel. Even though they have they have nice couches, a big dance floor and a DJ, they still have not managed to fill the dance floor. But they do host some fun parties and events there every now and then.
• Fendika – Fendika is a small traditional restaurant that has been around for a long time. The owner is a renowned traditional dancer and is still one of the performers there. It is usually packed with expats and diaspora who are there to see these performances while sipping on Tej (honey wine). The owner also invites old and somewhat forgotten Ethiopian musicians to Fendika and gets them to perform for his audience.