|
 | Addis Ababa Shopping | Tips 1 - 10 of 10 |  |
Popular Shopping | Miscellaneous Shopping Tips | All Tips (10)
The African Bookshop looks a bit rundown but is an old favourite with backpackers. They sell second hand books and their selection depends a lot on what people have brought in. They are open Monday-Saturday 9am-1pm & 2:30-7pm.
Located just north of the Piazza and across the street from the British Council Leave a Comment Theme: BooksAddress: Hailesilase St.Directions: |
The Mega Book Shop is an interesting mixture of mostly English Books. Their range of books varies from cheap romance novels to Engineering and medical textbooks. I think they even have some guidebooks. The staff are friendly and helpful and they have plenty of reading books, both fiction and non-fiction.
They have expanded over the last year and have at least 3 other locations that I have seen now. Obviously I can only list one address below. They actually have 2 locations in the Piazza area alone. They can also order books and textbooks for you. Just pop in and see them. Leave a Comment Theme: BooksAddress: General Wingate St.Phone: 011 111 23 23Directions: Located on General Wingate Street near the intersection with Mundy St. Essentially it is just down the hill from the Piazza and the Wutma Hotel.Website: fax 23 42 50 Other Contact: mde@rthionet.et |
In many places in Africa this is known as ‘Chewy Stick’ and it works as good as a toothbrush – with toothpaste! Locally known as ‘Mafakia’ it has been proven to have antimicrobial qualities. You chew on this very hard piece of wood and scrape your teeth with the top edge. I used it and found it helpful. Expect to pay about 1 Birr (11 US Cents). The sellers are found in the Merkato, Piazza, Meskel Square and Bole Road. Give it a try! Leave a Comment |
Shopping in Addis is a great but taxing experience. If you are a type who does not like to haggle then you are in trouble. About 99% of the cases, the price of items/goods is not displayed anywhere, so you have to ask for it. Invariably, if you are a 'Ferengie', then they will tell you an inflated price. Never, ever accept the first thing the quote you. The rule of thumb is, start haggling at about 50% of the quoted price and expect to pay about 75% of what they tell you initially.
For jewelry Piazza area is absolutely perfect. Ethiopians love their gold but everything is available. Most shops now take Visa card as well - with about 6% commission. By European standards, you will find cheap jewelries, especially silver. Ethiopian silver is about 10Bir per gram (1USD) so go ahead and indulge. Gold is much more expensive.
If you want souvenirs, go to Merkato. Lots of shops sell everything you need there. However, you must go with a guide otherwise, you will be lost. Theme: Jewelry |
Inside Bole International Terminal is a series of privately owned shops selling ‘Duty Free’ goods. Alcohol, cigarettes, traditional & modern clothes, luggage, souvenirs and books. It really is a good collection. Some of the prices are shockingly low. I paid $1 for a litre of Scottish whiskey and $15 foe an Adidas backpack at 2 different shops. I found the EXACT same items in 2 other shops for exactly DOUBLE the price. So shop around and compare. There are some real bargains. And the only lady selling fridge magnets at $7? I have told her on 2 separate occasions she will never sell them and she is overpriced. Leave a Comment Theme: Other |
I found the selection of Ethiopian crosses at the Addis Ababa Museum gift shop to be the best selection for "antique looking" items. They ranged from 200 to 300 for the most part and are "silver plated"...or so I was told.
art, ethiopian crosses
$20+ Leave a Comment Theme: AntiquesDirections: on Meskel Square & Bole Road |
I found that the area of Algeria Street, which is all the way up by the American Embassy, had the widest selection of locally made fabrics. For just under $12 US, I got a huge stack of cotton fabric which I will definitely be able to make something nice out of. There are also a lot of beautifully embroidered items besides the plain fabrics. Just one thing though, a lot of the fabric smells like smoke for some reason, so no doubt you will want to dry clean it if you decide to purchase some.
around $10 to $20 Leave a Comment Theme: Local CraftAddress: Algeria StreetDirections: nearby the American Embassy |
There is a supermarket at the basement of Friendship Mall in Bole area.
Daily stuff Theme: Food and Drink |
This is a small shop set up like most US/European coffee houses. It is usually full of people.
I don't drink the stuff myself but I did buy some 1/2 and 1/4 kilo bags as gifts.
They do sell sweets in here and tea so all is not lost but while I don't like drinking the stuff I do like the smell. You will find locals and expats in here
Coffee...some say the best in the world????
It's cheap.... Leave a Comment Theme: Food and DrinkAddress: Wavel St.Directions: Just below the Piazza off of Churchill on your left hand side if going down the street |
I have bought many gabbies over the years and frequently wrap myself in one whilst watching television during the winter here in England.
They are massive cotton sheets, actually four long sheets sewn together ( the loom is the width of a person's body ). Some times they have a decorative border at each end. They get softer the more they are washed and the little black bits, in them when new, the seeds of the cotton plant, eventually wash out.
There are many ways of wearing them, you need to ask someone in the shop to show you.
Both men and women wear them.
There are some beautiful green ones that I'm told are woven only up country. I didn't manage to find one.
The price varies considerably from £8.00 - £20.00 Theme: Men's Clothes |
 | 1 |  |
|
|
on May 26, 2007
on November 2, 2007
on July 4, 2006
on November 21, 2007
on December 24, 2007
on June 17, 2007
