Being Creative In Addis Ababa Cafés

There are many cafés in every parts of the city; ranging from very old, traditional, trendy to ordinary coffee shops, which all open their doors to locals and visitors alike, with their own unique style.  

If you are a writer or some kind of content creator, who wants to use cafés to kindle your creativity, here is the good news; in Addis you can find different kinds of coffee places which beckoning writing depending on your taste.   

In Addis, Many cafés are opening up time to time and it seems like it’s not only about the coffee business anymore, but also, taking steps in creating lush grounds for creative geniuses too by setting up, free wifi for laptop users, making it cozy and comfortable.  

Though it’s not like Paris, there are two important things that you can definitely find in the Addis Ababa Cafés when it comes to being creative in them. One is the fact that Addis is “coffee Paradise”, where you can find good coffee at many places and at reasonable price. Second, the real life show of the Capital City of Africa is so entertaining, inspiring and assures that the City of Addis Ababa is to creativity too.

There are cozy little cafés in Addis Ababa which can be hidden gems for writers or content creators too; though having plenty of outlets for laptop users and the access of free wifi can still sometimes be an issue but I think they are worth to pay visit and I would love to give you quick-flick of which I think is one of the good Cafés in Addis Ababa for being creative in it.  

This particular café has got big windows for regular glimpse of Addis Ababa’s real life show and let enough light into the room.

The fact that the café is situated a little bit far down from the main street, being not too crowded and not too extensive,  and its moderate background noise, gives it peaceful atmosphere and makes it cozy. It’s spotlessly clean. It has got a magazine stand-in Addis it’s a sign that encourage reading and writing. 

I love the color choice, white and green; of course apple green is my favorite color but also studies shows that a green scene sparks creativity so I think it’s true and helps.  

  

The coffee is pretty good and the food is good too, you have healthy bread and salad choices which I really like. But on this particular day spontaneity brought this on my table and was awesome.

Though the stuff don’t bother you for sitting there for long, the unwritten rules like, leaving tip more than the usual, ordering more than one coffee if you decide to spend more than an hour and so applies in the Addis Ababa Cafés too .   

One more latte, with the flower on it, won’t hurt right?  

 

Well, I looked up through the window, and saw this Addis’s cute kid smiling at me, I think he can represent one of the best characters for the Addis Ababa City scene and he was photogenic so I decide to share him with the world and finishing up with his smile.

Plums- In season In Addis Ababa Now

It is still the month of Tir in Addis Ababa, a month that already brought two fascinating celebrations.  Though twelve days left to say good bye to this opulent month; and just right after getting out of holiday fever and start thinking about to whittle post-holiday waistline, the month of Tir, once more unwrapped it’s present box and showing what’s in store for Addis. Awesome! It is exactly what we need.

After eating all those delicious Ethiopian dishes -which are certainly loaded with unsaturated fat- for the holiday, no wonder if it seems like the month of Tir is saying “It’s time to get healthy”.  And gratefully, a lot of people are taking advantage of this time of year, when you can find healthy and succulent fruit almost every where at reasonable price in the city of Addis Ababa. 

 

People, who make a living out of small business, are also benefiting from this gift of Tir.  As usual, they are making it too tempting and making it too hard for the people who are passing by to resist by displaying their lorry full of beautifully red plums out in the street, beneath the bright sun of Addis which makes the plums even more tantalizing. 

Since they are part of the people who are playing a role in the spectacle of Addis’s street life, they are making it so convenient and affordable for everyone to enjoy this seasonal fruit.  Their price starts from   3birr for few plums to 10 birr/kilo. You might hear them saying Preem! Preem! Preem! In order to draw people’s attention toward them, and just so you know, they are not miss- pronouncing Plum, simply we Ethiopians call it, Preem that’s it.

If you are not fan of street food stands, no worries! Because every Addis Ababa City fruit places, are also commemorating the season by hanging up packed up plums, which are obviously little bit bigger and better quality. They are selling it at the price of 20 birr/kilo. 

Addis’s restaurants, cafés and juice places are also partaking in reflecting the season while putting their hands up on the opportunity that Mother Nature brings, to wow their customers, by adding up - this rich in vitamins and minerals, low in calories, high in flavor, and void of fat seasonal fruit- whether into their salads, juices, pies, muffins, or desserts.

Along with the summer breeze, Addis Ababa is enjoying Tir’s generous gift of Preem.

The Festival Of Timket Holiday In Addis Ababa

For the past three days, Addis Ababa City was surrounded by the halo of Timket holiday spirit. As usual, Timket (Ethiopian Epiphany) lasted for three days and it was colorful than ever before.  The Eve of Timket called Ketera, which is the day, when the celebration of this astonishing Timket festival officially starts.  On Tir 10, 2005 (January 19,2013), every street of Addis Ababa was adorned with the green, yellow and red Ethiopian flag. It was the day when Tabots (replicas of the Ark of the Covenant) were taken to chosen places.

Earlier on the Ketera day, one of the neighborhoods of Addis Ababa called 22 Mazoria on the way to Megenaga looked like this.

Later in the afternoon, some people started to gather at one of the selected place to welcome the Tabot.

Others accompanied the Tabots, by walking with it all the way to the destination.  The journey always adorned with priests who hold decorated sparkling umbrellas, exceptionally dressed children’s of traditional gospel singers of particular orthodox churches, traditional Ethiopian gospel songs and moves.  It seems like, almost everyone was out on the street to witness this ‘must-see’ ritual.

During the night, the priests and many faithful followers of the religion, participated in a vigil around the Tabots.   The clear sky of Addis Ababa, amazingly shining stars and the beautiful moon, the burning torches and candles surpassed the darkness and made Addis Ababa glow than ever before.

 

Tir 11,2005 (January 19,2005), the streets of Addis Ababa City was packed  with children, men and women who were walking to Jan Meda – where the main festival of Timket takes place- and other selected places, in different kinds of neighborhoods, to attend the event, pray and blessed by the holy water, wearing the Ethiopian traditional clothe called Netela and I was one of them.

Splashed by the holy water.

Though almost every business centers and shops were closed in the Addis Ababa City for Timket holiday, at the festival, there were some people selling stuffs like candles, torches, umbrella, and ‘Ketema’-the freshly cut green grass- which the Ethiopian holidays wouldn’t feel complete with out it.

Buying Ketema.

 

One of the cute kids of Addis Ababa.

After the main event of the festival, people started to walk back to their homes to celebrate it with the family and of course, the best way we know how ‘Ethiopian Way’. The reputable coffee ceremony is a must, decorating  the house by sprinkling Ketema on the floor to bring the freshness and smell of nature inside, and preparing the main traditional holiday Ethiopian Dishes that range from Doro Wot to Tibes which customarily accompanied by Injera (we Ethiopians just can’t live without it).

 

On the Timket day, all the Tabots are then paraded back to the churches, with the same kind of vibrant process, except the Tabot of Saint Michale church.  This particular Tabot remained at the place for another day and this is the reason why the Timket holiday continued for the 3^rd day.

That was the highlights of the festivity of Timket holiday in Addis Ababa City hope you enjoyed it.

It Is The Wedding Season In Addis Ababa

In Ethiopia it’s the month of Tir, in the middle of the year 2005. Addis Ababa is bright and shiny as usual, it is chilly early in the morning, and at night, but with clear beautiful sky embellished with spectacular shining stars and the silver smile of a glowing moon.

Addis celebrated Timket (Epiphany) on Tir 11, 2005 (January 19, 2013). It’s not only this colorful holiday, that the month of Tir brings along reasons for Addis Ababa  to celebrate, but it is the most cherished month by almost every Addis Ababa’s  couples  to ‘tie the knot’, love is in the air in this beautiful City too.

It is that time of the year, when you hear traditional Ethiopian wedding songs almost everywhere.  If you ever happen to be in Addis this month, don’t get confused by thinking that there is some kind of famous person in the city or someone is making movie; it’s just Addis’s streets getting crowded by decorated fantasy cars which drive the bride and the groom around the city, usually preceded by the pickup truck, that carry the video camera man, followed by Family, Friends, and loved ones blowing their horn, flashing sign lights, singing, clapping and weaving their hands out of the car window.

We Ethiopians use the Julian calendar that means the month of Tir is from Jan 9 to Feb 7 in the western calendar.  Tir, is the best time of the year to visit Addis Ababa or Ethiopia; for travelers or anyone who is interested to experience and witness, the fascinating celebration of Timket holiday and the tradition-rich Ethiopian Wedding Ceremony.

If you are already in Addis, walk around the city, especially at the weekends, even more, stop by at Ghion Hotel Park where lot of weddings and ‘Kodak moment’ is taking place. If you get lucky and get an invitation for one of Ethiopian Wedding Ceremonies in Addis, don’t miss it for the world, I assure you it is one of ‘must- see’ events of Addis Ababa.

Now that I tell you to attend Addis Ababa’s Wedding Ceremony, here are some tips for it too.  I suggest you get dressed up properly of course but I insist you put on nice shoes and get it cleaned –because in Addis, you are judged by your shoes: and that’s one of the reasons why Addis’s shoe shiners are at every corner, worth to pay visit they are awesome. Don’t forget to grab your camera, get ready to eat – food is very important in Ethiopia wedding ceremony, traditional events and holidays -but don’t get wild with traditional dishes, which is too spicy and the national staple, Injera is very filling.  All in all, try to be in the present moment, soak up the atmosphere and enjoy.