My Kind of Place: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Why Addis Ababa?
Travellers frequently use Addis Ababa, the sprawling capital, as no more than a glorified pit stop from which to enter Ethiopia, before swiftly moving on to explore the treasures in the rest of the country. But spend a few days in Africa’s diplomatic centre, and you’ll discover that the city is deserving of its own attention. Culture abounds here and there are a cluster of intriguing museums and monuments which provide context to any traveller’s journey through the country.
The Ethnographic Museum, housed in the former palace of Haile Selassie, has well-curated exhibits which take you through aspects of Ethiopia’s varied social and cultural history. If you ever wanted to gain deeper insight into the lives of the more than 80 ethnic groups that live in Ethiopia, the ingeniously arranged artefacts and texts, provide a wealth of information. A short drive away, the National Museum commands as much attention. It’s home to everyone’s Aunt Lucy, standing in the middle of an intriguing paleontological exhibition. This fossilised hominid, a celebrity now in her own right, is claimed to be one of humanity’s oldest ancestors.
Read more at: The National
