"I love cities with meaningful names " a Addis Ababa Travel Page by SirRichard

Founded more than a century ago to be stablished as capital of the Ethiopian country, Addis does not look at first as a "new flower". It is indeed a chaotic dusty city but in the other hand it is a safe busy and bustling place in the highlands that surely deserves more time than a couple of days as arrival/departure hub.

In Addis, as in many african capitals you will find "capital" contrasts between the modern new areas and the tin huts around it.
Addis is a city of Ministries, the Ministery of Health, the Ministry of Commerce... huge avenues, wide and empty and also many many many bustling quarters with low buildings and high activity, markets, restaurants, taxis, minibuses.
I like walking and on my second day I decided to save on taxis and go from one side of the "centre" to the other walking. Man, it was a long walking, it took me more than 1,5 hours, walking along governmental avenues, endless gardens (closed to the public of course), monumental hotels (for foreigners, obviously) and infinite suburbian avenues till I found the restaurant I was heading for. It was about to close, Haha.

I found people in Addis friendly and helpful. Though not many, except some young people, speak fluent english, I always found people willing to help and nice with the visitor.
When I returned to Addis on the way back to take the place I made no reservation for hotels, just as I did all the way in my trip. BUT Addis hotels areoften full and there is not much offer. In my 3rd trial that night, I arrived to the Buffet de la Gare, they were full also, but the man in charge let me wait at the lobby (it was raining and I was carrying a heavy rucksack). He then asked me which range of hotel was I looking for. Made a couple of phone calls and he told me in the Lido they had place for one. Called a taxi 4 me and put me on the way to the Lido, which happened to be a really nice place.
That's hospitality, I Think!