Travel Blog » Africa » Ethiopia

Ethiopia Travel Blogs

Background: Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule, with the exception of the 1936-41 Italian occupation during World War II. In 1974 a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). A constitution was adopted in 1994 and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A two and a half year border war with Eritrea ended with a peace treaty on 12 December 2000. Final demarcation of the boundary is currently on hold due to Ethiopian objections to an international commission's finding requiring it to surrender sensitive territory.

Ethiopia

Map of Ethiopia

Ethiopia's Flag

Hostels in Ethiopia
Latest Ethiopia Blog Entries
Ethiopia Photos

By Al and Sara
June 29th 2009

If you go down to the woods today... Africa » Ethiopia » Benishangul-Gumuz Region » Asosa

Chris

If you go down to the woods today So we were back in the glorious motherland once more! Having been back at Christmas we kind of knew what to expect this time. Apart from seeing friends and family again, we were looking forward to all the amenities we had missed - electricity, hot water, drinking water from a tap, flushing toilets, fully stocked fridges, huge choices of food and drink, TV, broadband...ok, ok I'll stop now...but having landed, all we really wanted was a nice comfortable bed and some recovery time. This visit was not a planned one. Sara's sister Ondine [View Full Entry]

By Kimbj
June 29th 2009

Black Lion Hospital Africa » Ethiopia » Addis Ababa Region » Addis Ababa

KItchen with Mold dripping from the ceilings

Black Lion The largest hospital in all of Ethiopia is Black Lion. I again was granted unlimited access to video and photograph the conditions of this public facility. Black Lion is the last referral hospital in Ethiopia, if your illness requires more care then what they can offer, the next place you will go is Nairobi, Kenya and from there to South Africa. This hospital sees approximately 370,000- 400,000 patients a year but the exact number is not known. They have 800 beds, with 130 specialists, 50 non-teaching doctors. This is the largest teaching hospital for the University of Addi [View Full Entry]

By GoKulbisGo
June 29th 2009

Cactus Curiosities Africa » Ethiopia » Harari Region » Harar

Cactus 1

(Kovas writing…) In the dry rural parts of Ethiopia we have seen many different cacti. They are diverse and interesting plants! Some looked and grew as tall as trees because they had one main stem and many branches that grew up. Others had big thorns and were dark green in color. The ones that we mostly saw driving to the eastern city of Harar grew to waist height, were light green, and had groups of many small thorns. Unfortunately, I accidently touched these little groups of thorns. If this happens to you, you will find three or four small, yellowish thorns [View Full Entry]

By Otto Masher
June 28th 2009

Addis Abeba to Metema Africa » Ethiopia

(no photos, memory card was formated) Addis Ababa Rattled around. Felt very alone, miserable. Tried to busy myself with little tasks, washing my sandals, mending my trousers, emailing. I wrote some gear rating in my journal then got tried of it. Printed off a sign in Amharic that read "no stone throwing," or at least I hope that's what it says. I felt empty and done with Africa, tired of being a stereotype of privilege, good only for some cash or maybe a little entertainment. I pined to ride through this beautiful continent unmolested. I spent 6 hours waiting at the [View Full Entry]

By Kimbj
June 27th 2009

Walking People Africa » Ethiopia » Amhara Region

Typical Home

The Rural Areas Traveling to the rural area was literally a step back in time. It is a simple, difficult and fulfilling life people lead. Women, men and children spends their days pretty much the same everyday. They get up and go early to gathering water for the day to tend to their farm, animals and families. The earlier you get to the watering hole the less muddy it is from everyone else who goes there. Sometimes this walk might be 2 hours each way, returning with heavy containers of water. So it was 5:30am and the roads are full of [View Full Entry]

By Al and Sara
June 27th 2009

Breathing Out Africa » Ethiopia » Benishangul-Gumuz Region » Asosa

In BOD we trust

Breathing Out We made it to Addis, but then the problems really started! On the Tuesday night we (Sara, Allan, Clare, me) and a lady called Jill - who does the weekly homeless person food run in Addis; and is quite famous for it - all headed off to the Armenian resturant in Arat or Sidist Kilo (I can't remember which). Food was great but my guts spent the next 5 days fighting a running battle with something nasty trying to get a foothold in my digestive system. Just like the Great Doxy vs. Corner Bar Sambusa battle of last year, [View Full Entry]

By Al and Sara
June 26th 2009

Going Jack-a-nory Africa » Ethiopia » Benishangul-Gumuz Region » Asosa

The Bureau Data Centre

Going Jack-a-nory We arrived in Addis feeling pretty breathless after our English exam shenanighans, yet we still had 60 or so papers to mark as well as a host of other tasks to complete before flying on the Friday. Allan - the final survivor of the St George Beer Lodge (aka The Gin Palace) - had kindly agreed to put us up for the time. As he is off back to Scotland to start teacher training in early August this would probably be the last time we had the pleasure of one of the plushest volunteer accomodations in Addis (VSOs may [View Full Entry]

Telecoms Main Distribution Frame (I think)

By Kimbj
June 25th 2009

Rural Areas Africa » Ethiopia » Amhara Region

Beauty

Here are some photos I took while I was in the rural areas of Ethiopia. Click on them to make them larger for the full affect. [View Full Entry]

By JohnnyLamoney
June 25th 2009

June Post Africa » Ethiopia » Southern Nations Region » Awasa

Let’s see… It is one o’ clock on a Tuesday or Wednesday. I am at my house being completely lost at the fact I have had electricity for some part of the day since Saturday. I had power all day Saturday and Sunday, which never happens. I am just waiting for the power to get cut off for a good three or four days in a row. I am stocked on candles so that won’t be a problem. Chris Woodling or Biker as some people know him came out for a week and we had a great time. I won’t talk [View Full Entry]

By Kimbj
June 24th 2009

What can I say to help you understand the way it is here? Africa » Ethiopia » Amhara Region » Bahir Dar

Lake Tana and very old tree

I love the Bahir Dar area. I love it. But it is so sad because it's citizens deserve more. The city by the lake is a mixed blend of new and old, with condos and huts within the same area of town. Just walking the streets you get a sense of all these time periods colliding into one. There is so much I could write and I have volumes of photo's of the rural areas, the hospitals and Bahir Dar. But for now here are some photo's until I can condense the information into a non-novel form. I am a [View Full Entry]

Travel Blog » Africa » Ethiopia

Ethiopia Travel Blogs, page 5

Ethiopia Travel Blogs

Ethiopia