Taste of Ethiopia in Food, Art and Entertainment

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – It is impossible for a tourist to Ethiopia to miss out on experiencing the East African country in every way possible. Hosts and hotels ensure that one gets a load of food, art, entertainment and culture no matter how short the stay. That was the case when our reporter visited recently.

Ethiopians love to show off their culture and ensure that even their young can market the country to every tourist no matter their ages or status.

Upon arrival and making acquaintances, the tour guide asked tourists: “Is this your first time in Ethiopia?” For those who said “yes,” his response was: “Oh, then you must have tasted injera?” For those who said “no,” his response was: “You must taste injera.” The most famous word for the rest of that day was ‘injera’ as first timers inquired about what it was and why it was so talked about, and those who were familiar made efforts to describe what it is.

To support these explanations about injera, a sourdough-risen flatbread with a light texture and somewhat sour taste, the tour guide and staff of Ethiopian Airlines who organised the Family Trip took the Nigerian tourists to Yod Abyssinia Restaurant.

Yod as it is popularly referred to by locals, one of Addis Ababa’s pioneer traditional restaurants, was established in 2003 and is on the list of Addis Ababa’s top 10 restaurants. It is almost a must-visit for most tourists as their hosts, when they want to give them a treat of Ethiopian food, would usually suggest that they went to Yod and add: “You will see a lot of dances from all over Ethiopia and many of our musicians too.’

Indeed, the dances a major accompaniment for the cuisine, were as varied and as appetising as the array of food available. The dancers thrilled the Ethiopians as much as they thrilled the tourists who were often dragged on stage to try their skills on Ethiopian dance steps.

Read more at: Daily Trust