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Here are some pictures
from a trip cross country from |
(can't read Amharic or Arab? move your mouse over the names!) (can't see the pictures? go to www.ziegeler.de/horn-of-africa.htm) |
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 Soon after leaving Addis, some mini-volcanos remind you how this country came about |
 Scenery: a heard of camels reaches a lake, surrounded by volcanic stone |
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 lush hills allow the growth of corn ... |
 ... and coffee, ehem, well, ... actually there are only a few coffee plantations left (Harar coffee, the best in the world), since cultivating khat (the dark-green round bushes) brings much more profit |
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 Dangers of new transportation: Did he try to avoid ... |
 ... her? No traffic sign warns of crossing two-feet-long turtles |
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 Dangers of old transportation: protected by a Kalashnikov, they are worth more than a man's life |
 The 100-year-old gate of Harar has been applied to become World Cultural Heritage ...??? |
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 Harar: Yes, the street of tailors! |
 Harar: He'll sharpen your dagger, too! |
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 Haile Selassie (Ras Tafari) was born in the house of his father Ras Mekonnen, who had conquered Harar after centuries of fighting in the late 1800s. Indian architects shaped the residence according to the needs of the duke, but it is obviously equally fit to serve as a dwelling for (about) ten families. |
 The most successul branding in the world |
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 Birds of prey await the careless shopper in the butchers' court; a picture of a butcher's shop has been eliminated from this collection ... |
 ... instead I'm showing you some imported silver and amber of mostly Yemenite and Somali origin |
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 Some pray here (in Ethiopian-orthodox churches, the believers must always stay outside), ... |
 ... others here (Muslims frequently have a small your-friendly-neighborhood-mini-mosque, where they can conveniently observe the frequent praying requirements without losing too much time) |
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 Harar features a creepy ritual of feeding hyaenas. Seemingly, hyaenas and cats behave as family. |
 The region has known many a conflict. |
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 As you drive down towards the Danakil desert, the dwellings become simpler ... |
 ... and the rivers are dry. But obviously not all the time. |
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 The desert is alive (mat, cloth, or skin-covered igloo-type foldable dwellings) ... |
 ... and this subspecies should not be called "ship of the desert", but "locomotive of the desert". |
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 At the border between Ethiopia and Djibouti: immigration office in Gewelle (they had to go get the stamp and ink from somewhere, but found it after a few minutes) |
 Customs border control. Everything the bible says about customs officials is true. It took us one and a half hours to talk our way through. Yes, the food aid sacks (of EU and US origin) must have "somehow" ended up here. |
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 A saltlake with some water left in it ... |
 ... and a saltlake with no water left. | ||
 The desert gets even dryer ... |
 ... before you reach the port of Djibouti. Surprise!, the Lübeck, a German frigate participating in operation "Enduring Freedom". Who would have expected this a few years ago? |
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 When the command of Task Force 150 passed from the German to the French admiral, ... |
 ... the ambassador got quite some company. |
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 Work (with the Executive Secretary of IGAD). |
 Prepared to drive back |
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 Back home, we had a look at the (formerly royal) Ethiopian lions ... |
 ... including this heartwarming cub. However, we acquired a puppy from the Russian defense attaché (see picture below). |
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 Work at our house has begun (no, these stones are meant for a wall) ... |
 ... and will be finished in six weeks, when the containers arrive. Hopefully, that is. |
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 Just a few alterations.  Well, now, this will be home sweet home. Not in Alabama. |
 Please meet Rasputin (he is Russian), or (in short) Ras (which means Prince in Amharic). He is a CAO (Central Asian Ovcharka) or "wolf killer".  And he will defend it to all intruders. This is Ras' size 7 (seven) weeks old. CAOs get huge (150lbs). |
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 There are beautiful flowers in the garden ... |
 ... but we will not go as far as the creations of this Ethiopian gardener. |
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 It took 16 days to get the cars registered - Ethiopian administration at its best! A knacking noise on the Jeep turned out to be ... |
 ... a -welded- shock absorber. No, not African mechanic, Miami offroad specialist! |
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 some going out (we call this style ethno-techno) |
 some going around |
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 Our hotel appartment has seen some parties ... |
 ... with people gaining experience. |
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 happy troupers sleep well ... |
 ... and take good care of their friends |
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| Come visit! |
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