Saturday, February 11, 2012

A day exploring the city

I ended up staying in the city this weekend.  It was fortunate that I was able to link up Shana Miles, a fourth year medical student from USU School of Medicine in Bethesda, Md.  She is 26, has completed her PhD in Microbiology and will start her Ob. Gyn residency in June.  We decided to share a driver and Explore around Addis.

Our day started with a drive into the Entoto Mountains north of town.  Near the summit is the octagonal Entoto Maryam Church.


This was the site of the coronation of Emperor Menelik in 1865.  It is now considered a holy place where Ethiopians come to be healed from any number of maladies including HIV/AIDS.  Ethiopia has an estimated 2 million people living with AIDS.



Near the church is Entoto Palace built by Menelik II.   Menelik is revered for driving out the Italian invaders  in 1896 allowing Ethiopia to be the only country in Africa never to be colonized.


Shana with our guide in the palace

After taking time to view the city, we drove to Merkato which is said to be the largest market in Africa

 

Before heading back, we stopped for lunch at the Taitu Hotel which was built in 1898 and is the oldest hotel in Addis. 

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