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Hotel Class: 
4 Stars - 52 Opinions
Bole Medhanialem, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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of people enjoy staying here
52 Opinions
Street stalls in Piazza, Addis Ababa
Tiglachin Monument, Addis Ababa
Tiglachin Monument, Addis Ababa
In the streets of Addis Ababa
Hi There,
I'm moving (alone) to Addis soon as an expat for 2 years.
I'm coming November and will probably stay in a hotel/or Appartment temporarily until I find a permanent residence.
I will appreciate any feedback from people living there in terms of social life , transportation, housing rent, internet access/prices (are we able to get internet on a mobile phone ?), weather and security.
Hobbies and sports ?
Do you still have Electricity/Water cut ?
What do I need to pay attention to ?
Thanks
You will get far more answers on Tripadvisor/Ethiopia Forums
and Thorntree Ethiopia
Another good source of info is BradtEthiopia Updates page.
Will reply tomorrow.
Get a copy of 2009 Bradt Guide to Ethiopia...........the best.
Id second the advise re Bradt Ethiopia guide. Its outstanding.
1. Security - miles safer than London,New York, Nairobi or Joburg
2. Elec/water - can still be some probs. Elec should be better now due to new HEP scemes finished
3. Sport you can play includes Golf,Tennis,Horse Riding,5 a side football.Swimming
4. Weather - greatOctober to May..........
5. Internet - improving.
6. Transport - cars very very expensive.
7. Renting house..Best if your employer can do it ?????????????
No estate agents shops..Find house by phonin g brokers who advertise in newspapers weg Fortune - English language Sunday paper.
IF you want details on any more of these send me a private message on Tripadvisor or Thorntree Ethiopia. or use addisadvisor@yahoo.com
Check this web site and you will find it to be a trove of information.
www.addisallaround.com is a guide to entertainment, arts, dining, events, news and business opportunities for the city of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
I am sitting in my room at ¨Tronto Guest House¨ in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Tomorrow will be my last day of " weeks staying in Addis Ababa. I have only good word about ¨Tronto Guest House¨. They treat me as their best friend. The manager Tigist, Messy, House keeping ladies, front door guard,... everybody is so friendly. They could be reached at: shewalia@hotmail.com. Phone# +251 0913 549165
Sorry, it's "TORONTO GUEST HOUSE"
The city possesses a complex mix of highland climate zones, with temperature differences of up to 10°C, depending on elevation and prevailing wind patterns. The high elevation moderates temperatures year-round, and the city's position near the equator means that temperatures are very constant from month to month.
This is the main avenue in Addis, joining the Railway Station and Piazza area. Here are the Post Office, Commercial Bank main branch, National Theatre, Telecommunications office, Lufthansa, etc.
It is a reference point and many minibuses go along this way.
Best viewed on a Saturday and with a guide, this huge series of streets, alleys and buildings goes on for several kilometres. If it isn’t sold here – it’s not been made. Some sections specialised in just 1 or 2 products. There are clothes, vegetables, meat, household plastic items, you name it. There are no written prices and polite negotiation is the order of the day. Some will not give you reasonable prices because you are a foreigner – walk away. Also never take the first price. Your guide should get you near or at the local price.
There are some interesting things to see in the market. You will see reengineered items. I have seen many large tin cans of cooking oil provided by United States Aid cut down to form kitchen utensils of various uses. There is the secondary market where handicapped and poor people sell odd shaped vegetables or scraps left my other traders. You can go into the chicken market and buy one for about $5 and you will be handed the live chicken by his/her feet. They won’t move and you can get on a bus with them without any difficulty. Definitely pick up some coffee for gift if you go to someone’s house and to take home. There is also an amazing spice Market where, unfortunately, most thieves hang out in. That’s why you need a guide.
A guide for a few hours in the market will cost you $2-3. Pickpockets will go right after you. They went after me in the middle of the street at high noon and someone was with me! There are also kilometres of streets and at least 7,000 businesses to find – or to get lost. If you want to arrange a guide before you arrive, email me and I will get you someone to help you out.
You don’t want to miss this mass of people, colours, smells, sights and even flavours in one of the many eating establishments. There is also the dominant Al-Anwar Mosque to see, but do not get too close and do not take photos close by. The men go nuts about that.
I came across this colourful and interesting scene in the Entoto Mountains above Addis Ababa. Emperor Menelik II founded a large church up here before going on to create the capital of Addis Ababa. It’s a very important church for Orthodox Christians and the priests hold large ceremonial processions here and in Addis itself. The priest (draped in yellow) is trying to choose a ceremonial umbrella that is to his liking. He is assisted by another member of the church. I watch the priest try just about every umbrella over several hours. When I left he was still out there trying umbrellas!
I was in Addis Ababa the first time in 2008. A foreign SIM card was at that time very hard to use. Roaming was difficult, and only one of ten attempts of sending SMS was successful. The situation was totally changed when I visited Addis for the second time in May 2010. Using a foreign SIM card was easy.
Anyway, it's much cheaper to get an Ethiopian SIM card in one of the many phone shops here. And you can recieve calls without credit, so it doesn't cost you anything. The country code is +251.
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