Also spelled Macchiato and a few other ways. This is an espresso with milk. Guaranteed to wake you up without giving you an upset tummy. It is available in just about any good restaurant, but usually found in pasty shops and cafes. Enjoy!
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Ethiopia Travel Guide
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 | A FOOD TIP: MAKEATO |    |  |
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 |  on May 24, 2007 |
Also spelled Macchiato and a few other ways. This is an espresso with milk. Guaranteed to wake you up without giving you an upset tummy. It is available in just about any good restaurant, but usually found in pasty shops and cafes. Enjoy! |
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| THE VERSATILE PLASTIC WATER BOTTLE | | |
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| on April 5, 2008 |
Don’t throw away these useful containers! Please do not crush or discard them. Poor people can use them to gather water from various sources and store it. I always gave them to the homeless people when I was finished with them. It’s not a bad idea to give them away with some of the water still inside as well. The bottles can also be cut open with a good knife to make cups or for use with bathing. If you leave them out when you leave a hotel, they will be reused for all sorts of purposes. |
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| Dallol hydrothermal springs | | |
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 |  on February 12, 2008 |
A few mimute car ride from Lake Assale and Ahmed Eyla village you reach Dallol. From the base it is a short hike uphill through brown salt and sand and then you find yourself next to ... colouful sulfur creations and steaming water - unless you arrive there at the end of dry season. As the whole phenomenon exists due to sulfur exhaust of volcanic activity plus groundwater and microbiotoc activity, the colours go away with the receding groundwater at the end of dry seasion. |
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| Afar village near Bilen Lodge | | |
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| on February 18, 2008 |
Bilen Lodge is a hotel in Awash National Park (see accomodation tip) which is run in cooperation with the nearby Afar villages. Some of the profit goes into aid projects for these villages, such as schools. As exchange, you can visit the village without feeling too bad about walking near strangers' houses and get a chance to see one inside. But still remember to be decent, especially with taking pictures. The nearby swamps are home to monkeys and there are supposed to be crocodiles in the Awash river. In the savanna most commonly seen animals are the smal dik-diks. The walk from the Lodge to the river via the village and back takes about half a day. |
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| Awash National Park | | |
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| on February 14, 2008 |
The road to Djibuti crosses Awash NP which has grasslands and the acacia trees that for most non african people I know (including myself) are the prototype image of the continet. Just do not expect too much of the normally associated wildlife - not much there. Nice spots are the hot springs, about an hour by 4WD from the park entrance with crocodiles and monkeys and the Awash waterfall that I prefer to the Blue Nile Falls near Bahir Dar, because there was more water and less tourists. Some of our group saw crocodiles at the bank. |
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| Saltworks at Assale | | |
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| on March 4, 2008 |
The salt of Assale Salt Lake is manually exploited. Bricks of salt are cut out of the surface of the salt lake and cut into pieces of a defined size and then transported by camel caravan to the salt market at the town of Bere Ale. It used to be carried up to Mekele, but the camels are not allowed into the city anymore. Salt workers live in the near village of Ahmed Eyla which consists of small shelters of wooden sticks which are so widely set that you can see inside. It is a temporary place for the salt workers. Best thing for tourists who have already spent 4 nights in the desert is that they have a bar with some coke, sometimes beer. It serves as a local cinema where the workers come and pay entrance to watch DVDs. |
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| Gondar at Timkat | | |
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| on February 14, 2008 |
There are already many detailed tips on Gondar here on VT, so I just want to recommend going there during Timkat, the Epiphany celebrations of the Ethiopian Coptic Church when the baptism of Jesus is celebrated. Historical details can be found in any guidebook. Ethiopians agree that Gondar is the best spot do see the festival and it was really fantastic: People dressed in white praying and dancing on the streets, men with big drums, colourfully dressed priests with equally colourful umbrellas, pilgrims, .... Some men are running and dancing with wooden sticks in their hands which is a custom of the Oromo tribes and symbolizes strength - the stick is an important part of the herding culture, every man carries one. The non religious ritual had been integrated into the festival as the government supports the cultural diversity of the country. Timkat celebrations are from 19th to 21st of January ("our" gregorian calendar - in Ethiopia the julian calendar is used). The first afternoon, the Tabbot is taken to Fasilidas Baths in a big procession. Early in the morning of the 20th people go down to Fasilidas Baths in a huge crowd and try to get close to the pool, where after a ceremony people jump into the blessed water. A great spectacle, but very crowded and as anywhere else in this world in such situations be sure to have no valuables easily available for pickpockets. |
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| Tis Abay | | |
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| on February 18, 2008 |
is a village 1 hour bus ride from Bahir Dar. It is known as the spot from where to go to the famous Blue Nile falls "Tis Isat". The falls are described in every guidebook and there are also tips on other VT pages already. What I found strange is that nowhere anything is written about this little village. It is a nice laid back place where peasants from the surrounding farms come to grind their chilis and grains, because due to the hydro-power plant the village has electricity. There is also a food market nearby that has an atmosphere that reminds more of the southern parts of the continent than of Ethiopian highlands. I really liked the place a lot. |
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| Erta Ale volcano | | |
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| on March 4, 2008 |
is one of the 2 or 3 volcanos in the world that have active lava lakes right now. It is located a 3 day ride by 4WD into the desolate Danakil desert. From the base it is a three and a half hour walk up to the caldera (see intro pic). Inside the caldera there are sulfur fumaroles and - of course - the crater with the lava lake. Very impressive! For further information see i.e. http://www.v-e-i.de/ (english version existant) The tour continues further to Lake Assale and Dallol (see next tips) and then via Bere Ale to Mekele, 5-6 days camping in the desert. Of course it can also be done the other way round. |
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| Danakil Desert | | |
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| on March 4, 2008 |
is one of the most desolate places on earth. Eroded lava, sand patches and salt lakes provide most of the landscapes. The main reasons to come are Erta Ale volcano with an active lava lake and Dallol hydrothermal springs. (see seperate tips) Landscape being as hostile as it is, a tour or at least a private vehicle (4x4 obligatory plus good driving skills) is required to get there. Most tour operators will go only with two cars - even if one would be enough for the number of people going - because it is hot, really hot, and getting stuck there is not the best idea. (We met another group, but you could also be unluclky I guess...). And you need a guide of the local Afar tribe, a small man with a big Kalaschnikow who shows you the way and keeps you away from trouble. As long as you have him, you are fine, but if you go individually and do not take one, you might get in trouble with not so friendly men with big weapons. You leave the paved road near Semera and then you have 2 nights camping ahead until you reach the base of the volcano. On the way you pass Afdera saltlake and the somewhat strange Afdera town/village where the salt miners live. |
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More Ethiopia Tips
| Overview | General Tips Tips: 60 - Photos: 50 |
| Restaurants Tips: 32 - Photos: 20 | Hotels and Accommodations Tips: 35 - Photos: 16 |
| Things To Do Tips: 124 - Photos: 113 | Nightlife Tips: 6 - Photos: 2 |
| Off the Beaten Path Tips: 25 - Photos: 17 | Tourist Traps Tips: 9 - Photos: 6 |
| Warnings or Dangers Tips: 29 - Photos: 15 | Transportation Tips: 52 - Photos: 37 |
| Local Customs Tips: 73 - Photos: 70 | Packing Lists Tips: 15 - Photos: 10 |
| Shopping Tips: 6 - Photos: 3 | Sports Travel Tips: 2 - Photos: 2 |
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