Ethereal Africa
Interesting places attract interesting people, and so it is in Ethiopia. Unlike Paris, London, LA, and other tried and true (tired and true?) destinations, Ethiopia does not reign supreme at the top of most people's travel wishlist. If they only knew.
Don't come here desperate to see packs of starving children dressed in rags or swarms of locusts ravaging the landscape to confirm our expectations of poor, old Ethiopia; best leave those undernourished, media-inspired preconceptions to be verified elsewhere. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's clean, spacious, and very safe capital, is the most civilised city in Africa. Not plush by any means, but civilised. People are kind; even the beggars are gentle.
The surprises of Ethiopia begin as soon as the plane lands at Addis Ababa's ultramodern
Bole International Airport in the middle of a rural, semibarren plateau. The sweeping landscape of the Ethiopian highlands envelopes you with a cool breeze and infinite vistas right outside the brand spanking new Arrivals hall.
That's right, a cool breeze. Addis (everyone just calls it Addis) must have the best climate of any city in the world. Less than ten degrees from the Equator, one expects the torrid heat and sadistic humidity of The Africa We Think We Know. At 2400 metres, the altitude gives Addis some latitude; daytime temperatures rarely break 24-25ｰC, dropping to a very refreshing 10-11ｰC at night. It goes up a little in summer and down a bit in winter, but the range is as constant as the sunshine. Elevation also keeps 
unwanted souvenirs like malaria confined to the country's lower regions.
Actually, the surprises begin at the departure city when boarding a modern Ethiopian Airlines 767. Ethiopian Airlines? Are you kidding me? Ethiopian Airlines is one of the oldest airlines in the world and flies to some 60 or so destinations stretching from Washington to Beijing. It calls itself Africa's link to the world; looking at its routemap, it's hard to dispute that claim. Onboard service is gracious; the lead flight attendant, if female, will be draped in gold-trimmed cloth. Like Indian women, Ethiopian women can turn a simple piece of cloth into elegant attire with just a few twists and tucks. The
beauty, grace, and pride of carriage of both male and female flight attendants make their Western counterparts seem almost Neanderthal in comparison. In fact, the comparison may be made on a grander scale; Ethiopia, despite whatever hardship du jour it is enduring, is a land of courtesy, manners, and consideration for other people.
In a country where human-to-human experiences are far more valuable as souvenirs than any trinket can ever be, don't miss a night at a traditional Ethiopian restaurant with floor show. Far from a tourist trap, this type of entertainment is a favourite of locals looking for a relaxed night out with good food and good singing. Ethiopian cuisine is unique and very tasty, though some people balk at the taste of the national staple, injera, a crepe-like pancake; I who eat injera by the stack am not one of them. Thanks to the Italian occupation of 1936-41, 
there is a legacy of Western-style bread and pastries--another surprise, this one a convenient accompaniment to the excellent coffee for which the Ethiopian highlands are justly famous.
Though Ethiopian beer is well rated by swillers worldwide, it is the deceptively sweet honey wine called tej that will capture your palate, then your imagination for a few hours before you are reacquainted with sobriety. Tej is a homemade brew, and each establishment that serves it has its own recipe, providing a good excuse to sample some in every tejbet--honey pub--you go just to compare recipes.
Banish any thought of restaurant entertainment being the domain of performers desperate for work or settling into their new lives as provided by the witness protection programme. Ethiopian music has a long and rich history, just as the country itself does, and musical people are highly regarded in society at large. The highlight of the show will undoubtedly be praise singing, in which the singer eyes spectators around the room and lets out a stream of observations about each person, sung in poetry in time with the song. It is all very good natured; the responsive laughter from the appreciative patrons builds to a roaring climax as the singer saves the best comments for last. It is customary to offer a tip to the performers, and big spenders will be rewarded with more singing, dancing, and musical accompaniment. Two of the best shows in Addis are at Fasika and Jenet. Fasika has a more refined atmosphere--exactly why I prefer Jenet. Being the only faranji in a roomful of regal-looking Ethiopians confirmed the fact that Jenet is not yet a tourist haunt; it is for the real people. Fasika had another white 
person besides me, which means, like cockroaches, there must be ten times the number lurking unseen in the area.
As huge countries are prone to do, Ethiopia offers an overwhelming array of travel options. Most first-time travellers opt for the northern historical route to the Orthodox Christian villages such as Axum and Lalibela; it is in this region where pious adherence to traditions lives today as it has lived for thousands of years, where devoted men and women swathed in white cloaks kiss the walls of rock-hewn churches decorated with astonishingly beautiful, 900-year-old paintings.
The majesty of Ethiopia is obvious to anyone standing on the top-of-the-world terrace of Goha Hotel in Gondar (2300m), snaking through the carved passages linking those remarkable rock churches of Lalibela, or visiting serene Lake Tana, source of the Blue Nile. The Bradt Guide has most everything you need to read about the country's history, tourist attractions, and hotels and proves itself to be an invaluable companion while in country (alarmist views of criminal threat notwithstanding). Somehow, though, the sights are secondary to just being there amongst a proud people clamouring for bars of salt in an open-air marketplace, the scents of frankincense and raw meat commingling in the nostrils, knowing soon it will be back to skyscrapers, noise, traffic, meetings, deadlines, and more noise.
Tip of the tongue
Ishee, usually shortened to a breathy ishhhh, means okay, yes, thank you, and about a hundred other things. Use it when you want to convey any of the above or when you have no idea what the person is saying but do not wish to offend.
Tip of the young
Hire a good guide to make the most of your time in each town. In Gondar, especially rich in history and stories, Getachew Sisay is your man; he personifies young Ethiopia. Spending time with him will infuse you with understanding as conversation flows between tourist trivia and the hopes of young Africa. getasis@yahoo.com.
What time is it?
Ethiopia never switched to Western measures of time using the Gregorian calendar; as
the Julian calendar is still in use, you will become seven years younger immediately upon arrival. Each year has thirteen months, one of which has a mere four days. Ethiopian time differs by six hours from its time zone, but businesses usually adhere to standard time. Confused?
Ethiopian Airlines flies from Bangkok, Mumbai, Hong Kong and Guangzhou to Addis Ababa; Business Class is appropriately known as Cloud Nine.
More Information:
www.tourismethiopia.org
www.ethiopiatravel.com
www.gondarlink.org.uk
www.selamta.net
www.bradtguides.com
photos: John Douglas, JohnDouglasArt.com