Sometime in the 1980s, I purchased a painting depicting the Ethiopians of Africa as they emerged from Italy’s occupation. I knew Ethiopia as the home of Lucy, one of the oldest hominins, dating back 3.2 million years. I later found Ethiopia was the only African country not colonized. My curiosity grew when I found they possessed the oldest Bible, dating back to 390-570, which begs the question: When did God request an update resulting in all these subsequent versions?
This country has a fascinating history, so I put Ethiopia on my bucket list. One of the most intriguing aspects of their war with Italy was that the Ethiopians trained Lions to capture the Italian soldiers and fought side by side with Cheetahs and bees.
When I arrived in Addis Ababa, the capital, in November 2024, I discovered how much I didn’t know about this country. As my cab entered the city, I couldn’t help but marvel at the number of tall offices, apartments, and commercial buildings. This place had a skyline that rivaled Manhattan, New York. New construction was everywhere. They also had Manhattan-like traffic jams.
Addis Ababa’s metro system was installed approximately eight years ago, and its train system dates back to 1950. The Ethiopian airline was created 78 years ago.
So, I thought, this is how an African country progresses when it is not burdened with the toxic environment of colonization.
I stayed at the Golden Tulip, a nice hotel with better-than-average accommodation and a great buffet breakfast. My guide, Desale Sisay, gave me an in-depth tour of the city, including the National Museum of Ethiopia, which housed Lucy’s skeleton.
What impressed me most was the hustle and bustle of pedestrian and vehicle traffic. Many people wore traditional Ethiopian clothing, but a larger than average (to me) number of people were wearing business attire.
I usually take the non-tourist approach to a new destination, but understanding the Amharic language was like trying to decode hieroglyphics, and very few that I met spoke English I could understand, so I stayed in my tourist lane. And although I played golf at one of two courses in the city and ate at the club restaurant, getting a cab to take me back to my hotel was an adventure.
Speaking of golf, it was an adventure within itself. I walked the course with my caddy, Melat, a young lady in her early twenties who was very knowledgeable. There were few markers, so she would judge the distance and give me a club. I never questioned her because she was usually on point. Her fellow caddy confided that Melat liked me because she didn’t have to spend half the time looking for lost balls.
Picture a course where 50% is roughage, and if you hit into it, chances are you’ll need to drop. I considered it an accomplishment that I only lost four balls the first time I played and only two the second.
There are a few rules tourists need to know while traveling the city. (1) Keep your phone away from the car window. If you’ve paid attention to the Olympics, you know Ethiopians are fast people. (2) Cars have the right-of-way. Cross any street at your own risk.
The food takes some getting used to, but the coffee? Man! I usually mix my coffee with cinnamon and honey, but there, I drank it straight, no chaser.
I had signed up to travel to Omo Valley and visit the indigenous tribes there, but due to a miscommunication, I missed my plane. Maybe next time.
Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed this trip, made friends, and learned some serious history.
