January 11, 2006
Addis Ababa – the new Beirut
Ethiopia's tourism troubles are over. Apparently Addis Ababa has started to attract a whole new breed of holiday-makers.
Ethiopia's capital has just appeared in a double page spread by The (London) Times of places "Where The In-Crowd Go". Here's the full entry from the Saturday magazine.
ETHIOPIA: Notting Hillbillies, always in search of fresh horizons in Africa, are heading to the continent's unsung gem, says Tim Best Travel. There are extraordinary Gondar castles and underground churches, as well as ramshackle modern architecture, magnificent scenery (waterfalls and desert) and exotic nightlife in Addis Ababa (set to take over from Beirut as an unexpected party town.)
You've got to admire the ingenuity – particularly in selling Addis's "ramshackle modern architecture" as an attraction. And Ethiopia really is a great place to visit. But, if I had the intelligence and time, I would now be making some snide joke about Addis being a bit more like the old Beirut at the moment rather than the new.
Posted by aheavens at January 11, 2006 3:06 PM
Comments
Hi Andrew:
Glad to have you back in Addis. I think you are the best and most professional foreign correspondent Ethiopia has ever seen. We love you; so do take care...the usual sensible thing. Doing a difficult job in a difficult time in Ethiopia is just brave. I will read your book when you write it one day.
I hear Vicki at Entoto did not miss your presence when she invited foreign correspondents a few weeks ago. Yeah, the guys who write about cheetah and the hungery lions who ate Ethiopian villagers are the harmless ones (wimps, I call them). But Andrew? No, you wrote real stuff.....
Good Luck.....
Admirer
Sambo
At any rate,
Posted by: Sambo at January 11, 2006 7:09 PM
Thanks for reffering me to this made my day. I like the fact that the authors seem genuinley stunned by the ability to combine water and a dessert in one country.
Only been reading for a few weeks, and you're making me miss Addis, but it's great other than that. Keep it up.
Rob
Posted by: Rob at January 11, 2006 10:46 PM
I was born in Addis but grew up in the states. I haven' returned back since. I am now planning my first visit as an adult after 15 years, any suggestions or advice?
Posted by: snnnyd at January 12, 2006 5:08 AM
Actually, the modern architecture of Addis really is pretty stunning -- everything from pre-War Deco through Soviet Brutalism, and now even some po-mo around town (love the new Sunshine Construction Building on Bole and the Sheikh's eternally unfinished space needle in front of the Ghion...).
In a perfect world, there would be money to refurbish the area around Electricity House in Piazza, the shopping area around the National Theatre, the several other large Deco/Moderne buildings around town -- even the Wabe Shabelle could be pretty chic with a little investment. For that matter, in that same perfect world there would be the political will to open both the super Pyongyang-style memorial on Churchhill AND the Jubilee Palace as public attractions, each to its era...
Posted by: Alex at January 12, 2006 5:28 AM
Andrew,
You are officially habeshaized! You managed to pass a would-be snide comment about Addis without somebody hitting the roof.
Posted by: Tobain at January 13, 2006 10:00 PM
Hey nice title,but unfortunately that's not the case,the diasporans have really lost it now they are resorting to flat out lies and rumors,but that won't do them no good.
Posted by: Daniel L. at January 14, 2006 7:52 AM
hi everyone, im an architectural masters student from south africa studing african political architecture.I am struggling to get my hands onto the plans of africa hall and the AU headquarters.can anyone help? een the name of the architects would be helpfull
you can email me at imhere@mweb.co.za
Mohammed Adam
Posted by: mohammed adam at June 2, 2007 10:42 AM
all rubbish talk. just get the cement for our housing project. things will be fine
cheers!!
Posted by: bruno at September 22, 2007 5:18 PM