Selamta Volume 28 No1 by Creative Camerapix

selamta

Volume 28, Number 1 January - March 2011

THE IN-FLIGHT MAGAZINE OF ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES VOLUME 28 NO.1

Your Complimentary copy

Africa’s 1st 777-200 Long-range Aircraft

Welcome aboard

THIOPIAN has come

A year of significant progressa long way to reach its

present position as a world-class airline and one of the most respected in Africa. This year, as in previous years, we have reached From the humble beginnings significant milestones in the Airline’s performance. of our first flight to Cairo 1946 to our our targets, current 58we set Although in 2008/2009 wein realized our sights even higher destinations for 2009/2010 and actually worldwide, it exceeded our targets. has been an inspiring and challenging journey. Despite the world’s aviation industry¹s decline in Following a long line of revenue due to the global economic downturn, I am illustrious predecessors, I am happy to take the helm as the Chief pleased to mention that our performance for 2009/10 Executive Officer of this great organisation. I look forward to showed a significant increase. Passenger numbers advancing the excellent growthFreight opportunities that lie ahead increased by 12%, kilogrammes (cargo) andincreased to fosteringbythe vision mission of Ethiopian 7% andand thestrategic unaudited operating revenue Airlines. In theincreased long-term we transform Ethiopian Airlines and profit byshall 38%. to the Ethiopian Aviation Group which shall consist of a group fiscal with yeartheir we have launched new destinations of This companies respective profit five centres providing to Mombasa, Monrovia, Pointe Noire, Riyadh passenger and cargo air transportation, aviation training, flight and Malabo, bringingrepair Africa closer as to well theas world. catering, maintenance, and overhaul, ground This expansion gives you more choices of places to fly to. services. Our vision is much more than just meeting financial targets. We have now increased flight frequencies to more than It is about monitoring and constantly improving every aspect 20 of our destinations in Africa, Europe, Asia and the of United our operation we can reach even higher of Statessoofthat America. Ethiopian has levels introduced a customer service and exceed our customers’ expectations, with daily flight from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport a convenient networkDulles and efficient connections to anywhere more to Washington Airport giving passengers andThe flexibility. in options the world. arrivals of our five ultra modern B777200LR (long-range) aircraft are already underway and will haveby added six787s new Next Generation beWe followed the Boeing and Q-400 the Airbus A350-900s. turboprop aircraft to our fleet. This additional seating In addition to comfort and safety the new aircraft mean much capacity and upgrading of our domestic operations will more to our customers like flying non-stop to most destinations boost both domestic and regional routes. shortening the flight time, they are all equipped with state-ofthe-art systems channels We inflight will beentertainment taking delivery ofwith fivemany newmore B777-200LRs – to the choose from and individual seat back screens, better longest range airplane in the world, theseatfirst of pitch in Economy Class, a sleeper seat in Cloud Nine, which will arrive inand November 2010. Among itswith state-ofimproved the-artservice. features, this aircraft will enable Ethiopian to connect Addis Ababa to United of America and We are very pleased and proud of ourStates latest achievement moremembership destinations Asia nonstop. to to secure withinthe Star– Alliance – a big family of 29 global carriers – which will provide our customers with With Ethiopian’s of the travel. Star Alliance we, and our increased connectivity joining and seamless Indeed, another associated airlines, have coverage of more than 181 plus for our customers. countries and 21,200 airports and this will further To ensure that the airline attains these and many other of its enhance our operations. goals, a new management team has already been put in place. OnFinally, behalf of the newlike team, would like to assure I would to Isay ‘thank you’ for you yourthat support weofwill continue and to excel in all providing and delivering to you, Ethiopian wish our valued customers a happy successful Newthe Year. ourand esteemed customers, most efficient and personalised service possible.

Welcome aboard!

Enjoy your flight!

ưéĞ EƼǏŋ ưŉưĶŋ Ɯöŋ IŋƶǷƳ Aưċ öŧǏƼ æöĻĆċ Eŧƃŧ Ʒäť öǣ:: EŧƺæȊŋ Ɯöŉŋ àç ĶƳƥŢƗû Ɯöŋ öŧǏƺœŧ źȎņŭ ƗǦŋ æùûǥŋ Ķģōëȝ

Aưċ

E.Ŷ.A. ư2008/09 ưEģƼ ſŧƕŦ AöċĠ źöåţû ĶéƵ ĶƳƥŢƗ Ɯöŋ ŽæȉƗ źȎ Ƴæ ǔĻ AƗǧņŧ ưŢĶĆ Đåŧ ŽƒǥŢƗ ǔĻ ưņęæ ƗǦŋ æùēöƥǏĻ Ķģņťëȝ ưƜæû AĞȎ ưûǥŦ ßĻŋ ĞƗē ĶAưċ IŧƸēŋĈƗ éƵ ŽēźņæƗ ưǏĸ ùěĤëĤë Aŧȅċ ĐŉƵ ưƢä Ɯöŋ ưIŋƶǷƳ Aưċ öŧǏƼ ưăĉ ſŧƗŧ Eǌǔ ưéĞ ƗǦŋ ùēöƥǏķŧ đĶēċ Ʒēŉ Ƶþùŭëȝ ĶƢä Ɯöŋ źŉƱŋ EƼǏŌœ ǧĠŌŏŧ æöǔæȇ Ƴäë ưöŧǏƷŰœ ğǧċ Ķ12%Ȟ ưEġ ǯŢŋ Ķ7% Eť AǢġéƵ Ǐĸť ŋċȎ (ûċöĉ ƳëņƷĆǏĶŋ) Ķ38% AƼǘëȝ ĶƳƥŢƗ Ɯöŋ Aûēŋ Aƺƹē ưĶĆĉ öēöČœŧ ƒƷ üûĹđȞ üŨČŀƳȞ ȔƵŧŋŧƕċȞ ĈƳƼ Eť ùéļ ưǇöċŧ Đåŧ Ƶäû AȎĈŽŧ źĞĈƗ Ɯæû ǒċ ƵĶëǧ źùĞĉĆķ ĶņǪùĈ æƷŧĶŰőœŧ ưņęæ ûċǭ ƵĎǥëȝ ź20 ƒƷøĶëǣ ĶAȎĈŽ ĶEēƳ ĶAƗČȗť AúĈŽ ƒƷøǏū öƺĆęƘœ ưĶĆĉ ğǧċ ưǪöċŧ Đåŧ ưAúĈŽ ĶĆĉ ĶưĞţ Eŧƹåŧ öƷĆǐ æöŧǏƷŰœ ưņęæ ưûċǭ EƼë þǧōëȝ ēƼēŋ Q-400 ưņĹç ƠöťƔ AƗČȖéŨœ ưņĆźĻŧ Đåŧ ưŢƢä AƗČȖéŨœ ûŔŋť ņǪùĈ ưöĞöǭ ğǧċ ưîǏċ Ɨēǧ ĶĆĉŧ źùęęçû ĹęǏċ AƗČȖéŨŏ ĶAŽĹĸƗ ƒƺçŋ ßǏČœû ǯûċ ưöĻĆċ Aģû AéŎƗȝ źäƺċ ƒċ ǇûČ Aƹē ưǏƣťŎƗŧ ļƵŧǔ 777-200LR ưņĹçŋŧ Ćǌû ċĞŋ Ķöǘƥ ņƒƺƺĈ ưêéŎƗŧ Aûēŋ AƗČȖéŨœ öĆźĻ EŧǇûĉæŧȝ ĶŢƢäû AƗČȖéŨœ EŧƷ őƵťť AúĈŽ Ƴçŋŧ ưĆǌû ċĞŋ ĶĆĉƘœ ĶĞǧŉ öĻĆċ Eŧœéæŧȝ Ķģċķ ưSTAR ALLIANCE AĹë Ķöåŧû źAǒċ Aưċ öŧǏƽœ ǒċ ź181 ßǏČœť 21,200 AƗČȖéŧ ùĆȋƳƘœ ƒƷøĶëǣ öƺĆęƘœ öŧǏƷŰœŧ ưùǘǘƥ Aģû ēæøŨĆŧ æƷŧĶŰőœŧ ưøĎǢƗ ǧģû źȎņŭ ŢƗȝ ĶöǪĆęû æĎǥœàŧ ƼǒȎ źëĻ EƳöĎǏŧŧ öǬƗ Ơöŧ ưƷēŉť ưēžŋ Ơöŧ Eŧƹåŧéœà ûŰŊŧ EǏëȅæàȝ öëŽû ĶĆĉ!

Tewolde Gebre Mariam

Chief Executive Officer, Ethiopian Airlines JANUARY - MARCH 2011

ethiopian TEAM

Tewolde Gebre Mariam Chief Executive Officer, Ethiopian Airlines

selamta vol. 28 no.1

Tewolde Gebre Mariam Chief Executive Officer, Ethiopian Airlines

January - march 2011

Contents Vol. 28 No.1 January - March 2011

14 22

Volume 25, Number1 January- December 2008

Publishers: Editorial Director: Editor: Editorial Assistant: Senior Designer: Design Assistant: Production Manager: Production Assistant: Editorial Board:

Camerapix Magazines Ltd Rukhsana Haq Roger Barnard Cecilia W. Gaitho

Sam Kimani Charles M. Kamau

Azra Chaudhry, UK Rose Judah Rukhsana Haq Belen Dessalegn Yeneneh Tekleyes

26 54

Selamta, meaning ‘Greetings’ in Amharic,

is published quarterly for Ethiopian Airlines by Camerapix Magazines Limited PO Box 45048, 00100 GPO Nairobi, Kenya Telephone: +254 (20) 4448923/4/5 Fax: +254 (20) 4448818 or 4441021 E-mail: creative@camerapix.co.ke

Correspondence on editorial and advertising matters may be sent to either of these addresses: Editorial and Advertising Office: Camerapix Magazines (UK) Limited 32 Friars Walk, Southgate, London, N14 5LP Tel: +44 (20) 8361 2942, Mobile: +44 79411 21458 E-mail: camerapixuk@btinternet.com Advertising Representatives: Africa Media International Tel: +44 (0) 1229 715000, Mobile: +44 771 0666 8996 E-mail: carol.ibb@btinternet.com Advertising Representative in Ethiopia: Camerapix Magazines Ltd, Addis Ababa Mahlet Aklog: +251 911 202489 Printed in Thailand. ©2010 CAMERAPIX MAGAZINES LTD All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the Publisher.

selamta vol. 28 no.1

60 40

DESTINATIONS

Maputo Raises its Profile

Mozambique’s lively capital has a reputation to keep up – first-time visitors to Maputo are pleasantly surprised by its unique mix of styles.

Uncovering Stockholm

Bangui, a City of Diversity

Explore Stockholm, a refreshingly different yet charming city of 14 islands framed by sparkling sea – an all season’s destination.

Today, the Central African Republic is very much open for business – and a visit to Bangui, its vibrant capital will make a valuable contribution to its ongoing revival.

FEATURES

Ethiopian Airlines and the Boeing 777-200LR – a Winning Combination!

Ethiopian is now the first airline in Africa to operate the most technologically advanced and longest-range airplane in the world.

A Volcanic Birthday

Keukenhof – Holland’s Tribute to the Tulip

A journey into the hottest place on earth in a summer month: fraught with mysterious mythologies, spectacular landscapes, and impressive geological features.

Discover one of the most spectacular gardens in Europe, Keukenhof, a sprawling 70acre botanical extravaganza, which pays tribute to the tulip – Holland’s iconic flower.

Cover picture: New Boeing 777-200LR.

Fascinating Reptiles & Amphibians ... and Deadly too!

Chilling out Beyond Addis

Ethiopia’s Entry into the Jet Age

We commemorate a momentous occasion in the Airline’s history.

06 Ethiopian News

Are you a First-Class Sleeper?

46 Across Ethiopian Skies ...

Dutch Treat, Spyker Aileron

Derriere les remparts

REGULARS

Here is an insightful exposé on these incredibly secretive, successful and rather fascinating creatures. There’s never been a better time to relax in one of Ethiopia’s new lodges.

If not, don’t let it keep you awake . . .

Encounter the spectacular Spyker, a relaxed looking supercar that stands out in a crowd and brings a smile to the face of everyone who sees it. Le château de Windsor s’élève majestueusement sur un promontoire en calcaire datant de 900 ans, symbole glorieux en pierre de la romance édiévale et du pouvoir royal.

CEO’s Message

02 Ethiopian Airlines Team

Domestic Route Map and Offices

72 International Route Map 74 Ethiopian Fleet 76 Healthy Travelling 77 Tips for the Traveller in Ethiopia

SPORTS

68 Ethiopian Airlines Great Ethiopian Run – a Perfect ‘Ten’!

The 2010 Ethiopian Airlines Great Ethiopian Run international 10 kilometres road race successfully celebrated its 10th edition in Addis Ababa with a record 35,000 people taking part.

78 Ethiopian Offices 81 Entertainment Guide 104 Crossword Puzzle & Sudoku

The views expressed in this magazine should only be ascribed to the authors concerned, and do not necessarily reflect the views either of the Publishers or of Ethiopian Airlines. The printing of an advertisement in Selamta does not necessarily mean that the Publishers or Ethiopian Airlines endorse the company, product or service advertised.

January - march 2011

ethiopian news Ethiopian takes delivery of 777-200LR aircraft

Ethiopian and AFD sign € 30 Million Loan Agreement Ethiopian Airlines and the Agence Francaise de Development (AFD) have signed a loan agreement of 30 million Euros. The funds will finance the expansion and upgrading of Ethiopian’s training academy with state-of-theart infrastructure and facilities. Ato Tewolde G. Mariam, Chief Executive Officer Designate of Ethiopian and Mr. Didier Grebert, AFD’s Regional Manager for Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia signed the agreement.

With the delivery of the first (of two) 777-200LR aircraft on 20 November 2010, Ethiopian became the first airline in Africa to operate the world’s most technologically advanced, and longest-range airplane in the world, further reaffirming its leading position on the continent. The aircraft flew direct from Washington to Addis Ababa. The 777200LR entered service in March 2006, and has the capability to connect virtually any two cities in the world nonstop. It carries more passengers and more revenue cargo further than any other jetliner. The 777-200LR will enable Ethiopian Airlines to connect the United States to Addis Ababa and to more destinations in Asia – nonstop. The 777-200LR can carry a full cargo load on routes where other airplanes are limited. This will give Ethiopian the capability to carry the same number of passengers further, and with additional revenue-generating cargo. Ethiopian’s 777-200LRs are configured to carry a total of 321 passengers – 34 in Business Class, and 287 in Economy.

Above: Ato Tewolde G. Mariam, Chief Executive Officer Designate of Ethiopian and Mr. Didier Grebert, AFD Regional Manager for Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia signed the agreement at Ethiopian headquarters.

42nd Annual General Assembly of AFRAA

Left to right: Mr. Randy Tinseth, Vice President Marketing Boeing, Ato Girma Wake, Chief Executive Officer Ethiopian Airlines, H.E. Ato Seyum Mesfin, Chairman of the Board of Management of Ethiopian Airlines, Mr. Robert Morin, Vice President United States Exim Bank.

The African Airlines Association’s (AFRAA) 42nd Annual General Assembly (AGA) was held in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa from 21 to 23 November 2010 under the theme ‘Adapting to Survive and Prosper’. The General Assembly and African Air Transport Summit was hosted by Ethiopian at the UNECA (United Nations Economic Conference of Africa) Conference Centre. AFRAA ‘s Annual General Assembly is by far the biggest and most prestigious aviation event in Africa, bringing together Chairpersons and Chief Executive Officers of all the major African airlines, civil aviation authorities, airport companies and other stakeholders in the aviation industry from within and outside the continent. The conference also attracts top government and industry policy makers and representatives of international and regional aviation organisations.

BOOK YOUR NEXT FLIGHT 6

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Ethiopian’s First Female Captain Left: Captain Amsale Gualu Endegnanew, first female Captain of Ethiopian Airlines. Ethiopian celebrated the maiden flight of its first female Captain on 14 October 2010. Captain Amsale Gualu Endegnanew proudly took off on her first flight from the left hand seat of the flight deck of a Q-400 aircraft from Addis Ababa to Gondar, then to Axum, and finally returned to Addis Ababa after a total of 3.6 flight hours. Ato Tewolde G. Mariam, Chief Executive Officer Designate of the airline, families and friends of Captain Amsale warmly welcomed her at the Bole International Airport on her return flight from Axum. Ato Tewolde said, “We congratulate Captain Amsale on her outstanding achievement. She deserves the recognition as she has demonstrated tremendous dedication to reach this pinnacle.”

Ethiopian Sponsors the 2010 Great Ethiopian Run

Ethiopian once again took the title sponsorship of the 2010 Ethiopian Great Run, the biggest road race in Africa. The 10 kilometres run took place on 21 November 2010. This year’s race coincided with the delivery of Ethiopian’s new Boeing 777-200LR (long range) aircraft, the first of its kind in Africa, giving Ethiopian a reason to celebrate the long distance running culture of Ethiopians with the long range service of Ethiopian Airlines. The airline has been the ‘Official Airline of the Race’ since 2006. For the second year running as a title sponsor, Ethiopian truly displayed its affinity to the mass sport and its ongoing commitment to athletics.

Left to right: Haile Gebreselassie, Lornah Kiplagat, World Half Marathon Champion (Kenyan born Dutch), Abel Anton, World Marathon Champion (Spanish), Ato Gobena Mikael Senior Vice President Global Sales and A/Chief Commercial Officer, Senior Vice President Global Sales of Ethiopian and Olympic Silver Medalist, John Treacy (Irish).

Ethiopian Receives its 7th Q-400 Aircraft Left to right: Wzo. Elizabeth Getachew A/Senior Vice President, Corporate Human Resources Management, Captain Tensae Berhanu, Director Flying and Training, Ato Tewolde G. Mariam, Chief Executive Officer Designate, friends, Ato Yeneneh Tekleyes A/Vice President Marketing, Director Advertising and Promotions and Flight Officer Endale Teshome.

Ethiopian received its seventh Q-400 Next Generation turboprop aircraft from the Canadian manufacturer Bombardier Inc. on 11 October 2010. The Q-400 aircraft will support the country’s ever-increasing tourism market and domestic business travel. Currently, Ethiopian provides domestic flight services with Boeing 737-800, Q-400 and Fokker aircraft to its 17 domestic destinations.

Ethiopian Airlines Launches new services to Maputo and Bangui

Ethiopian Airlines has introduced new flight services to Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, in a Code Share agreement with Linhas Aéreas de Mozambique (LAM). Travellers now have direct access to one of the most dynamic countries in Africa via Ethiopian’s strategic hub in Addis Ababa. Ethiopian operates three weekly flights to Maputo with modern Boeing 737-700 aircraft. With this new service, Ethiopian offers seamless connections to passengers travelling between Maputo and Europe, the Far East and the United States, as well as to Ethiopian’s extended network in Africa. LAM is the national airline of Mozambique, based in Maputo. It operates scheduled services in southern and east Africa and to Europe (Lisbon), as well as a network of regional services in Mozambique. It was originally founded as DETA in 1936, making it one of the oldest existing Airlines in Africa. In 1980, the airline was re-launched and changed its name from DETA to LAM. Ethiopian Airlines is also pleased to announce its new twice-weekly flight to Bangui, the capital of Central African Republic. The new flight marks Ethiopian’s 60th destination, expanding Ethiopian’s route network to link major African cities with the rest of the world. It offers direct connections via Addis Ababa to Ethiopian’s vast network across the globe. Ethiopian operates a Boeing 737-800 aircraft to Bangui offering a total capacity of 154 seats – 16 in Business Class and 138 in Economy.

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new DESTINATION

Maputo Raises its Profile

Mozambique’s lively capital has a reputation to keep up, says Kate Nivison.

legant colonial buildings, wide tree-lined avenues, salsa music belting out from basement clubs, a waft of prawns piri-piri from the ocean-view restaurants along the Marginal – first-time visitors to Maputo are often pleasantly surprised by its unique mix of styles. At its heart, it’s an exotic blend of old-world Mediterranean charm and Rio carnival, with a deep African pulse. But that’s hardly surprising. Ever since Portuguese sailors first set eyes on its beautiful bay, this fascinating port/resort/capital city has managed to reinvent itself many times – and it isn’t over yet. As the new decade gets underway, Maputo looks certain to undergo yet more transformations. The Portuguese set up shop at various fortified sites around the bay, although not without some spirited resistance from powerful local tribes such as the Shangaan. The Fort (Fortaleza da Nossa Senhora) on the north bank of the Espirito Santo estuary dates from 1787. It is near the original docks (now the ferry port) and makes an interesting visit with its old cannons, plaques remembering battles with the Shangaan people and statues of former governors. The settlement was named Lourenço Marques, after a navigator who realised its value as a sheltered stop-over for trade with Goa and the Indies. Today Delgoa Bay is now Maputo Bay, and its scenic 95 kilometres sweep of Indian Ocean waterfront is an attraction in itself. Into this harbour sailed many influences from the East as well as West. Swahili traders brought their language and Islam, while Chinese and Indians added their distinctive cuisines and business acumen to the mix. The city has since spread in all directions from

selamta vol. 28 no.1

its historic core with a population officially approaching two million, but with many more in ‘informal settlements’. Fortunately the rapidly expanding modern port facilities, serving a hinterland that includes Johannesburg, Swaziland and Zimbabwe, are tucked deeper into the estuary, and don’t mar the ‘resort’ atmosphere. However, it wasn’t until the Portuguese realised that South Africa was becoming a major economic force in the region that Lourenço Marques was made the capital. With the construction of the railway to Pretoria in 1897 and the arrival of cruise liners from Europe, ‘LM’ (Lourenço Marques) quickly became the showcase for their colonial ambitions in sub-Saharan Africa, and the good times really rolled. From the early 1900s until a fractious independence was won in 1974, the city and port blossomed, quite literally. A gridpattern of broad avenidas, shady with scarlet flamboyants, sea hibiscus, yellow cassia and jacaranda set the tone. Fine beaches, international-standard hotels (often with casinos) and a relaxed Latin ambience amid parks and formal gardens attracted tourists from all over southern Africa. Sadly, what happened next was a tragedy from which the whole country is only just recovering, but even decades of civil war couldn’t destroy the natural advantages and the rich architectural and cultural heritage of the city (now renamed Maputo) or the beauty and marine life of its bay. The street names still linger on from the dark days – Avenida Karl Marx, Mao Tse Tung, Kim Il Sung, Ho Chi Min, along with dates of half-forgotten revolutionary events, but at least there are plenty of vehicles on the roads again. Maputo is still nothing like as congested as Lagos or Nairobi, but there are plenty of Hondas

Above and inset: Maputo city centre and harbour; into this harbour sailed many influences from the East as well as West

The really good news is that this area of the Maputo Special Marine Reserve was given UNESCO World Heritage status in December 2010 – surely a good omen for the city’s commitment to a better future.

Above: Poolside relaxation at the luxurious Polana (Inset) The face of the new Maputo

Next page: The restored grand façade of the main railway station

and Toyotas about, with increasing numbers of private cars among the overloaded pick-ups, bicycles and straining lorries. One of the first buildings to get a make-over when peace arrived was the Central Railway Station near the harbour. Designed by Gustave Eiffel of Tower fame, it’s now back to its former wedding-cake glory – in a delicate shade of Eau de Nil green with crimpy white icing. It is so photogenic that it featured in the film Blood Diamonds starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Another restoration success is the famous five-star Hotel Polana on the Avenida Julius Nyerere, with its fine views of the bay. On re-opening it once again became a magnet for every visiting dignitary, including Bill Clinton and other international celebrities. Fortunately its elegant white 1922 façade remains, while inside it’s still colonial style but with all mod cons and flown-in flower arrangements. Fresh seafood deliveries here and to other first-class hotels and restaurants around the city ensure that the cuisine is delicious and often inspirational. The salsa clubs, family bakeries, pavement cafés, gelatarias (ice cream parlours) and pastelarias are back in the main squares, recreating that Riviera ambience. As you would expect of any large port, the night-life around the numerous markets (mercados) and areas like Feira Popular is positively jumping, but there are plenty of more sedate and safer places to eat and party into the small hours (a legacy of Portuguese dining habits) around the main squares and along the stately avenidas. In daylight hours, it’s safe to stroll around in Maputo’s generally very pleasant warmth, tempered by ocean breezes. The Tunduru Botanical Gardens, laid out by an English landscaping expert, are perfect for a cool drink after taking in the neoclassical colonial arcades around Independence Square (Praça de Independência). Nearby is the landmark white spire of the Catholic Cathedral – very art deco – and the chicly restored French Cultural Centre.

Museum buffs will find plenty to amaze in the Natural History Museum, both outside and in, including fossils of giant prehistoric animals and massive tusks from Mozambique’s once mighty elephant population. Even the Geological Museum is housed in a mini-Sultan’s palace that’s worth a photo, and inside it’s a treasure house of the many spectacular and rare minerals for which Mozambique is famous. At the other end of the Avenida 24 de Julho, historians might prefer the Museum of the Revolution where it soon becomes clear why Mozambique is the only country whose national flag features an AK-47 assault rifle. All these attractions are walkable from the main hotel district, but taxis of various kinds are never in short supply, particularly round the numerous markets. The Central Market (Mercado Central), not far from the Fort, is an organised chaos of tiny stalls for fresh fish and prawns, fruits, vegetables and spices and masses of cheap household items. The largest market in the whole of Mozambique is the Mercado Xipamanine, best known for its ‘traditional medicine’ section which often dismays vegetarians and wildlife enthusiasts, but there are also huge arrays of capulanas, the colourful cotton wraps worn by most Mozambican women in one style or another. Saturday morning in the Praça 25 de Junho is the time for browsing the Mercado Artesanato for every possible kind of African art and craftwork. Best buys include speciality Makonde wood or stone sculptural carving from the north of the country, recognised by its fine detail, openwork structure and good finish. A favourite trip is driving further out along the Avenida da Marginal to the fishing area of Costa do Sol. Indeed, a little Costa Spanish makes a reasonable substitute for Portuguese in Maputo. The use of English declined when tourism was out of the question, but it’s coming back again around the hotels as South Africans return in droves. The long stretches of sandy beaches fringed with tamarisk and sea almond trees seem to go on for ever. January - march 2011

Maputo raises its profile

Photographers love the vast seascapes of shallow lagoons and sand banks dotted with fishing dhows and canoes, or groups of women collecting shellfish against a backdrop of distant islands. Less than a decade ago, much of the Marginal was potholed and awash with tomato-soup mud when it rained, but the difference these days is enormous. Luxury villas, gated communities and high-end hotels are springing up along the Marginal. Much of the development has that Far-Eastern look that’s becoming familiar in many African capitals. Maputo is now twinned, not just with Lisbon but with Shanghai, and the effects are beginning to show. A view from the Marginal towards the city tells the same story. Tall construction cranes and many new high-rise buildings are easily visible from here, changing Maputo’s once modest skyline into something that looks more like a rapidly developing modern capital city. Other areas south across the Espirito Santo estuary are also booming, in particular, the suburb of Catembe and Inhaca Island. The 15-minute ferry ride to Catembe is cheap, regular, and a good way to mingle with hundreds of Maputanese on the move with their copious and interesting baggage. Inhaca Island at the entrance to the bay can also be reached by ferry or by a 10-minute light aircraft flight for those staying at Inhaca Lodge. Nature walks and all kinds of watersports are available, with scuba and snorkelling top favourites among the unspoilt reefs. Dolphins and migrating Southern Right whales can often be seen, but the really good news is that this area of the Maputo Special Marine Reserve was given UNESCO (United nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage status in December 2010 – surely a good omen for the city’s commitment to a better future.

Ethiopian flies 4 times a week to Maputo, Mozambique

FEATURE

Photos courtesy of ethiopian airlines

Ethiopian Airlines and the Boeing 777-200LR – a Winning Combination!

hen Ethiopian Airlines took delivery of its first 777-200LR in November 2010, it became the first airline in Africa to operate the most technologically advanced and longest-range airplane in the world. Partners since 1946, Ethiopian Airlines currently operates an all-Boeing fleet, including the 737, 757, 767, MD11 Freighter and one 747 Cargo aircraft. In addition, Ethiopian Airlines was the first airline in Africa to order the 787 Dreamliner. Its vision of the future includes five 777-200LRs and ten 787s, both of which will significantly enhance its network and generate more revenue. The 777-200LR entered service in March 2006, and has the capability to connect virtually to any two cities in the world nonstop. It carries more passengers and more revenue cargo further than any other jetliner. The 777-200LR will enable Ethiopian Airlines to fly non-stop from the United States to Addis Ababa and to more destinations in Asia—nonstop. The 777-200LR can carry a full cargo load on routes where other airplanes are limited. This will give Ethiopian Airlines the capability to carry the same number of passengers further,

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and with additional revenue-generating cargo. Ethiopian is configuring its 777-200LRs to carry a total of 321 passengers – 34 in Business Class, and 287 in Economy Class. Approximately 35 per cent of the 777-200LR’s design has been changed from earlier 777 models. New valueadded technology has been added to make the world’s most technologically advanced airplane even more high-tech. Each wing has been extended by 198 centimetres (6.5 feet) by adding raked wingtips to improve overall aerodynamic and fuel efficiency. The raked wingtips will help reduce takeoff field length, increase climb performance and reduce fuel burn. Ethiopian Airlines’ 777-200LR aircraft are powered by the General Electric GE90-115BL engine, the world’s largest and most powerful commercial jet engine. The combination of the airframe and engine contribute to substantial savings in fuel burn for the Airline. Leading the continent in its environmental stewardship, Ethiopian Airlines is currently promoting its ‘green’ initiative to plant a tree for every passenger carried. This concern for the planet fits in well with the benefits to the environment that the

Above: The new Ethiopian Boeing 777-200LR

Above right: The Boeing 777-200LR offers wider seats and a most spacious passenger cabin ever designed. Inset: Business Class (Above), Economy Class (Below)

Ethiopian Airlines’ 777200LR aircraft are powered by the General Electric GE90-115BL engine, the world’s largest and most powerful commercial jet engine.

aircraft provides. Thanks to a new wing, more efficient engine and a lighter structure, the 777 makes efficient use of fuel. This, in turn, means lower emissions per passenger seat. For every pound of fuel conserved, three fewer pounds of carbon dioxide are generated. The bottom line is that fuel efficiency is not only good for economics, it’s good for the environment. Ethiopian Airlines’ 777-200LR features the award-winning Boeing Signature Interior, which is the most spacious passenger cabin ever designed. In a recent worldwide survey conducted by Executive Travel magazine, and targeted at premium passengers, the 777 ranked number one as the most preferred aircraft for that target audience. Passengers flying on the new aircraft will benefit from large overhead compartments which increase stowage capacity. Outboard, as well as centre stowage bins are designed to open downward for convenient loading. When closed, the stowage units fit neatly into the streamlined contours of the interior architecture to allow ample overhead clearance. Not only will passengers enjoy the onboard ambience and service of Ethiopian Airlines’ new 777-200LR aircraft, the crew

will also benefit from the overhead crew and attendant rest areas in the fuselage crown above the passenger cabin. Most airplanes have crew rest areas either in the passenger cabin or in the cargo compartment. By moving crew and attendant quarters off the main deck, Ethiopian can gain between four and seven revenue passenger seats. Using overhead crew rest areas also frees up room for additional capacity in the cargo compartment. For improved, more efficient inflight service, the 777-200LR is equipped with an advanced cabin management system that is linked to a computerized control console. The cabin management system assists cabin crew with many tasks and allows Ethiopian Airlines to provide new services for passengers, including a digital sound system comparable with the most state-of-the-art home stereo or disc players. Ethiopian Airlines has already taken delivery of two 777200LRs. This aircraft, with its many passenger-pleasing features, ultra-long-range, favourable economics and environmental benefits, will enable the Airline to continue its leadership position in Africa and beyond. Ethiopian’s New Spirit of Africa and the 777-200LR – a winning combination!

January - march 2011

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Photos © Stockholm tourist office

Uncovering Stockholm by Gilly Pickup.

tockholm, a city of 14 islands framed by sparkling sea, is Sweden’s sparkling clean, wholly efficient, stylish capital city. The waterfront is home to a pick ‘n’mix selection of boats, from ferries that trundle back and forth between islands, to sailing boats, yachts and cruise ships. Each island offers its very own take on the city but wherever you go you will find great shopping, fabulous cuisine, plenty of sights to see and things to do. What’s more, Stockholm is easy to explore by bicycle or foot and locals are proud of the fact that it is possible to go ocean fishing, kayaking and swimming in the heart of the city! Stockholm is an all seasons place to visit. In summer, the sun virtually never sets because of its position in the far northern latitudes. Hot air balloon flights are popular during summer months because ballooning conditions are superb, while cyclists come out in their droves. In winter, although chill and darkness set in, there is no better time to enjoy crisp walks in the parks 18

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(an impressive one -third of the city’s total land area is green space), stroll around art galleries, relax in cosy pubs and warmas-toast restaurants or even up the ante by putting on a pair of skates and skimming across the frozen rivers! The locals are an outdoorsy bunch who seem to revel in the cold and frosty weather. Winter is also the time to watch a game of bandy, which is lightning fast hockey played on a football field – the Swedes love it! For those keen on museum, Stockholm is the tops. The city has so many – around 100 – that it would take weeks to visit all of them. Even those who equate ‘museums’ with ‘boring’ may be surprised with the choice and are bound to find one that interests. One of the most popular is the Vasa (Galarvarvsvagen 14) with its well preserved 17th-century Royal warship which sank on its maiden voyage in 1628. Commissioned by the king of the day, Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, the ship provides an interesting

As a refreshingly different city break destination, Stockholm, an easy place to be, pleases and charms.

Photo © Wikimedia

Above: Stockholm, the capital and largest city of Sweden is strategically located on 14 islands (Inset) Ericsson Globe in Stockholm Globe City

insight into the excesses of the king and his decision to continue adding onto it against the wishes of the ship’s designers. His flagship spent a mere 20 minutes in the water before it sank – he should have listened to his advisors. It lay 333 years in the mud beneath the waves until being salvaged in 1961. The Stockholm Music Museum (Sibyllegatan 2) is a music lovers dream with thousands of exhibits including pianos, electric guitars and traditional Scandinavian folk instruments such as hurdy-gurdies.Those interested in dancing may prefer the small Dance Museum (Gustaf Adolfs Torg 22-24) where highlights include traditional dance masks from Africa, India and Tibet, costumes from the Russian ballet, Chinese and Japanese theatre puppets and one of the world’s finest collections of early 20th century Ballets Ruses costumes. For kids of all ages, the Toy Museum (Tegelviksgatan 22) is a treasure trove packed with all manner of toys, including dolls, dolls houses, mechanical toys, cars

and games, while the Historical Museum of Wines and Spirits (Dalagatan 100) is where you can find out all you ever wanted to know about vodka and visit a turn-of-last century wine merchant. If you prefer to be out in the open air visit Skansen on Djurgarden, the world´s oldest and largest open-air folk museum which encapsulates Swedish architecture throughout history. There is a living community here where aptly costumed Swedes interpret various time periods and provide an insight into life in 19th century Sweden. Exhibits range from blacksmiths and glassblowers to a windmill, farms and houses. In summer, this tranquil oasis is popular with locals who come to lie in the sun or have picnics and folk dancers and musicians perform here regularly. Almost right in the middle of the city the Gröna Lund amusement park is where to experience the thrills of the highest Free Fall in Europe – if you dare! This attraction, also called the Power Tower, reaches a height of 80 metres before hurtling towards the ground at a speed of 110 kilometres per hour! If that’s too scary, take a gentle roller-coaster ride, meet a giant octopus or ride a musical carousel. Then after you’re all thrilled out, there are plenty of restaurants and cafés to relax in. Stockholm’s most visited area is fairy tale Old Town ‘Gamla Stan’ and is where Stockholm began more than eight centuries ago. Dripping with history and surrounded by mediaeval-era walls and brimful of little alleyways, it is home to the impressive 608 room Royal Palace, biggest palace in the world still used by head of states. Try to time your visit around the Changing of the Guard ceremony held at noon every day. It is well worth a visit to admire the impressive state apartments and collections from the Royal Armoury and Treasury in which the nation’s crowns and sceptres are kept. On the first floor is a baroque audience chamber and below that you can admire the silver Swedish royal throne. However, you won’t catch a glimpse of Their Highnesses, because the Royal Family don’t actually live here anymore. They moved about 12 kilometres west 30 years ago, to their other castle Drottningholm. Several of the city’s other major sights and glimpse-and-gasp moments are also in the Old Town including the 13th century Cathedral and 16th century German Church. If you don’t want to walk, take a ride on a horse drawn carriage. Knowledgeable guides bring the Old Town’s history alive. January - march 2011

uncovering stockholm

Despite all the history though, Stockholm is no fuddy duddy enclave. Citizens have developed a reputation for being trendy, daring and innovative, especially in the global realms of Information Technology and fashion, frequently in the forefront in the fields of design and technology. As a refreshingly different city break destination, Stockholm, an easy place to be, pleases and charms. What’s more, the people are polite and speak excellent English! Best View of the City: If you don’t mind heights, it’s worth climbing the 155-metre high Kaknas Tower to revel in the views. If you prefer something less leg aching take a boat trip where you can relax and marvel at Stockholm from the sea, there are plenty to choose from. If you’re feeling energetic, hire a kayak from the former prison island of Langholmen. Must Try: Enjoy some typical Swedish fast food like a grilled hot dog topped with a generous serving of pink mayonnaise-based shrimp salad or a Tunnbröd, Sweden’s answer to the burrito. This flatbread is served with hot dog and mashed potatoes, sold by street vendors. Don’t skimp on the herring and vodka tasting either! Top Tip: Best buys here include crystal, leather goods, handmade paper and ceramics. Shops you Just Have To Visit: Ladies who love to shop will love: Camilla Norrback (Norrbackagatan 60). For well-designed, classy and affordable 20

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clothes. Camilla Norrback clothing is designed and made with an ecological philosophy. And worth a visit for it’s name alone: ‘Life is too short not to wear beautiful things’, or known to tockholmers simply as ‘Life’. All the luxurious clothing you could want under one roof! ... and for something different: Created from 40 tonnes of ice collected from the Torne River in Jukkasjärvi, 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, the Icebar is kept at a teeth-chattering temperature of minus five degrees Celsius. Everything inside this dreamlike environment is fashioned from crystal clear ice: walls, bar, tables, seats, even the drinking glasses. Guests are only allowed to stay inside for around 35 minutes and are provided with a thermal cape and gloves before entering. The entry price includes a vodka cocktail or non-alcoholic drink served in an ice glass. If you want to feel really cosy, you can ask for a double cape to wear with your partner! The Icebar is permanent and open all year round. Every six months the whole interior is rebuilt with a completely new design theme. (You’ll find the Ice Bar in the Sea Hotel, at Vasaplan 4, in the centre of Stockholm.)

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Above: It is possible to go ocean fishing, kayaking and swimming in the heart of the city!

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Photos © peter holthusen

BANGUI by Peter Holthusen. A City of Diversity

espite the Central African Republic’s rather daunting public image, the private face of this fascinating country is one with an attractive countenance of forests, waterfalls and magnificent national parks that teem with wildlife. Despite the dangers that can lurk in large cities, the country’s vibrant capital is friendly, with a very strong emphasis on arts and crafts. The Central African Republic (CAR) is an entirely landlocked country in central Africa. It borders Chad in the north, Sudan to the east, the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on the south, and the Cameroon on the west. Before its colonial history, the area now known as the CAR was settled by successive waves of peoples, mostly Bantu. European penetration of Central African territory began in the late 19th century during the so-called ‘Scramble for Africa’. The indefatigable Count Savorgnan de Brazza took the lead in establishing the French Congo with headquarters in the city named after him, Brazzaville, and sent expeditions up the Ubangi River in an effort to expand France’s claims to territory in Central Africa. King Leopold II of Belgium, Germany and Britain also competed to establish their claims to territory in the Central African region. In 1889 the French established a military post on the Ubangi River at Bangui, the future capital of Ubangi-Shari and the CAR. Bangui lies on the northern banks of the Ubangi River just below a spectacular series of rapids that limit major commercial shipping further upriver, on the southern border. The navigable Ubangi River turns sharply south below Bangui and connects to the Congo River just south of the Equator near Brazzaville as its chief northern 22

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tributary. The river marks the border between the CAR and the DRC. The Congolese town of Zongo sits opposite the river from Bangui. At the beginning of the last century, the present-day capital was a modest village beside the Ubangi River; it now extends over 67 square kilometres. Built on a rock, Bangui is shaded by tropical greenery and features many modern buildings. The city was founded in what was then the French colony of ‘Haut-Oubangui’ (Upper Ubangi), later renamed ‘OubanguiChari’ and made part of French Equatorial Africa. The settlement was named after the nearby rapids, and a large city soon grew around the French military post, with wide, shaded boulevards and a central market area from where everything radiated. Today, this area is known as the ‘old town’, but all public transport and commercial activity still converges here. Bangui served as an administrative centre in the colonial era and continues to be the administrative hub of the CAR. It is the capital and the largest city in the CAR. The majority of the population of the nation lives in the western parts of the country, near Bangui. The capital itself has a population of more than 700,000. The economy of Bangui is rapidly improving and the city serves as an administrative, trade, and commercial centre. Bangui is also an expanding manufacturing centre, with textiles, food products, Mocaf the local beer, shoes and soap among the core business ventures. The main exports are cotton, timber, coffee and sisal.

Above: Lying at the very heart of Bangui, the Place de la République with its imposing white arch were built as a monument to JeanBedel Bokassa, the former dictator who was overthrown in 1979

Today, the Central African Republic is very much open for business – and a visit to Bangui, its vibrant capital will make a valuable contribution to its ongoing revival.

Above: People of Bangui are exceptionally friendly, and music plays a very important part in their lives

The CAR is situated just north of the Equator and consequently throughout the year daily high temperatures rarely fall below the high 27°C (80°F). Bangui features a tropical wet and dry climate. The rainy season lasts from May until October. Bangui, being in the south of the country and thus closest to the Equator, is slightly hotter and wetter than the northern parts of the country. Several of the neighbourhoods of Bangui are in low-lying areas and are prone to recurrent urban flooding. In the summer of 2009 for instance, severe rains left 11,000 people homeless. Bangui M’Poko International Airport is located seven kilometres northwest of Bangui. There are flights to Douala, Tripoli, Paris (once a week), Brazzaville, Yaoundé, Cotonou and N’Djamena. Transport for all towns except M’Baïki is very reliable and sets out from the gare routière (bus station) around 6.00 am, and is becoming increasingly popular with tourists seeking to explore the surrounding area. M’Baïki services depart from a lane beside Le Punch Coco. All vehicles then cruise up and down Ave de l’Indépendance looking for passengers. Once a vehicle has picked up as many passengers as possible, it heads for the control post at Kilomètre 12, which is the best place for catching a ride given all transport must wait there to complete formalities. Destinations from here include M’Baïki, Bossembélé, Sibut, Bossangoa, Bambari, Bouar, Berbérati, Sido, Bangassou and Garoua-Boulaï. Bangui also hosts a thriving river port, with regular ferries sailing to Brazzaville and Zongo. It may be true that Bangui doesn’t hold any trump cards when it comes to Africa’s not-to-be-missed attractions. But if you travel to dig beneath the surface, to immerse yourself in the ideologies and

idiosyncrasies of places you visit, there is so much to see and do in this vibrant capital. Lying at the very heart of Bangui, the Place de la République with its imposing white arch was built as a monument to Jean-Bedel Bokassa, the former dictator who was overthrown in 1979. Offering precious artefacts of the CAR’s history, the Musée de Boganda (Boganda Museum) on the Ave de la France features a delightful collection of musical instruments and other curios. Just blocks from Bangui’s port, the Marché Central is the city’s central market, which sells an abundance of African handicrafts, clothes, jewellery (particularly malachite necklaces), fresh fish, meat, fruit, vegetables and local produce. The prime time to visit is early Sunday morning, when local residents flock in from all around Bangui, but do not be tempted to buy rare African Grey parrots that are often traded illegally in the town. You will be arrested if you do. Other attractions in Bangui include the Bokassa Palace and the Cathédrale Notre-Dame, the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of the CAR, and the Saint Paul Mission, whose small brick church overlooks the river, and the Hausa quarter. The Grande Corniche leads to the banks of the Ubangi and provides a picturesque view of the fishermen’s round huts and canoes. The city is also home to the renowned Université de Bangui (University of Bangui). Archaelogical studies in and around the city have yielded at least 26 ancient Iron Age sites that contain a plethora of metallurgical tools and objects, illuminating the pre-European history of Bangui and the surrounding area. These fascinating archaeological sites were added to the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)

January - march 2011

Bangui, a city of diversity

World Heritage ‘Tentative List’ on 11 April 2006 in the Cultural Heritage category. Bangui has a great range of places to stay, from luxurious international-style hotels such as the Oubangui Hotel or the National Hotel, to smaller properties in the centre of the city such as the renowned Hotel du Centre and Hotel Somba, and almost all of them offer competitive prices and some form of discount to overseas visitors. Dining in Bangui is an experience to behold. There are places to suit practically everyone’s taste and budget, with a particularly strong selection of cafes and delis. With both the Ubangi River and fruitful farmlands on hand, you can be pretty much assured of fresh, top-quality ingredients wherever you eat. There are three types of restaurant in Bangui. Firstly, those with French orientation (although they do have an African ambience and include some classic African dishes) include ‘Relais des Chasses’, ‘L’Equateur’, ‘Satis’, ‘Tropicana’, and ‘L’Escale’. Secondly, there are numerous restaurants focusing on contemporary foreign cuisine, such as the Lebanese ‘Ali Baba’ and ‘Beyrouth’, and a positively delightful Chinese restaurant simply known as ‘Chinese Restaurant’. Thirdly, there are many superb African restaurants, very popular with the locals, which include the celebrated ‘Madame M’Boka’. A number of bars and street food stalls also complement Bangui’s culinary scene. There is much to see in Bangui’s provinces too. The Lobaye Region, 100 kilometres from the capital, is inhabited by indigenous forest tribes living in encampments of small, low huts made of lianas and roofed with leaves. There are coffee

plantations on the fringe of the forest. A number of similar villages can also be found in the M’Baiki Region, 100 kilometres southwest of Bangui. The spectacular Boali Waterfalls are 90 kilometres northwest of Bangui, near the charming and picturesque village of Boali. They are 250 metres wide and 50 metres high, with a stunning view from the restaurant at the top. The nearby hydroelectric power plant can also be visited. At Bouar, in the east of the country, there is an area of burial mounds with many upright megaliths (tanjunu) thought to be thousands of years old. In Bangassou, near the Ubangi River on the border with the DRC, are the extraordinary Kembe Falls on the River Kotto. There are numerous opportunities to view wildlife in the country’s national parks, most of which are accessible by fourwheel-drive vehicles from Bangui or Birao, in the far north of the country between the Chad and Sudanese borders, during the dry season only. It is also possible to charter light aircraft to travel to these areas. The three most important parks are Manovo-Gounda St. Floris, known for its high concentration of hippos; Bamingui-Bangoran in the north; and Dzanga-Sangha in the southwest. The game population of these national parks is impressive. Today, the CAR is very much open for business – and a visit to Bangui, its vibrant capital will make a valuable contribution to its ongoing revival. Ethiopian flies 3 times a week to Bangui, Central African Republic

Photos © Barbara adair

Photo © Ariadne Van Zandbergen

FEATURE

A Volcanic Birthday An essay for Marek Bozalek by Barbara Adair.

he Danakil Depression is a place fraught with mysterious mythologies: Afar warriors with bones between their nostrils and mud red colours on their fighting clothes, their rebellious verdant cross dresses; my thoughts meander to a photograph that Arthur Rimbaud took of the Afar warriors, cradling their spears, treasuring their foreignness. And I remember his envy: “Pagan blood ... I’ll return with iron limbs, dark skin, an imperious gaze: my mask will mark me as a member of a powerful race.” Even before he met these long fierce men, he yearned to be one of them. And science, the empirical truth of a thing that can never be challenged, it challenges my imagination, expert knowledge, truth that I make untrustworthy. The Depression is the product of a tectonic triple junction, at the meeting place where the spreading ridges that form the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden emerge on land and meet the East African Rift. These three pieces of the earth’s crust meet at Lake Abbe, a mid-ocean ridge on land. This land is alive now, but in millions of years the Red Sea will erode the highlands surrounding the Depression and flood the valley. Then geologists predict that the whole of the East African Rift will be submerged, forming a new sea as large as the Red Sea. Africa will have lost its Horn. Salt and volcanos; the lowlands of the Depression are dominated by heat and drought. There is no rain for most of the year; the annual rainfall averages about 150 millimetres. The Awash River, which flows north-east, provides a narrow green

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belt, but only 120 kilometres away the river ends in a chain of salt lakes where its water evaporates as quickly as it is supplied; it is a sculpture of salt. The hottest place on earth in a summer month; endless salt and sulphur, a place where the earth’s crust is slowly moving apart, which means that there is a continuous sequence of earthquakes. Fissures, hundreds of metres long, and as deep, open up the ground where molten rock is injected, the earth is forced open, the volcano, a covetous destructiveness, cleaves the earth. This part of Ethiopia is close to the border with Eritrea, but borders are porous; a visitor from Eritrea overnights in an Ethiopian village, partakes in the coffee ceremony, gossips; a camel caravan from across the border brings news; people compare the price of salt, a different price for they live in a different country. We stop at Berhale and pick up a policeman and a guide, the policeman and the guide are one and so the policeman brings his brother, and then we move to Hamdela where we are to camp for three nights. Hamdela is on the ridge of the Depression, at sea level, not below it; how low is the lowest point of earth? It is the day before my birthday, but I want my adventure to start now; I wind a white turban around my head and sit on top of the vehicle as we race along the salt; tracks left in the white follow us, downwards, down towards the Dallol, as it is called, the sulphur and salt. The car stops; for a moment I do not know where I am: a moonscape, hard under my feet. I walk, tentative, the salt crunches, a moment of truth; far in the distance are mountains,

Above: The Danakil depression in northeast Ethiopia drops to more than 100 metres (328 feet) below sea level

... bubbling springs of sulphur salt, yellow and green, hot, clammy, needle stalactites, ghostly. The hottest place on earth in a summer month.

Above: Erta Ale (613 metres high) active shield volcano, is the most active volcano in Ethiopia

Below: The Awash River

salt mountains. We walk further; small tables, mushroom-like are everywhere – gypsum. I sit on one and look around; there is nothing but yellow and white; sharp edges to the table catch at my shirt; it rips; a tear drops from my eye, the salt is bitter and the wind blows. I stand up, lie down, crouch on my haunches, kneel, photograph after photograph, I want to show people where I was to validate my experience. I want the image to remember; a photograph reveals reality that is past, a salty space that is not there. I walk further: everywhere the smell of rotten eggs, bubbling springs of sulphur salt, yellow and green, hot, clammy, needle stalactites, ghostly. A dead bird lies on the edge of the

liquid; the fumes; he has flown off course, a lost airplane, he cannot navigate in the heat, a wheatear, Isabelline, I pick up his body and honour his funeral pyre. Later that evening as I sit and yawn and drink boiling tea – heat cools – a young man comes to me. “What is your name?” he asks me. “Marek”, I reply. He wants to know who I am for I have requested that early the next day, my birthday, I want to run in the Depression, along the brown white salt, watch the sun rise in the hottest place on earth, for I am a runner. What will I think about when I run, what will I talk about when I talk about running in the Danakil; a memory of age and salt and dying and running on my 60th birthday. Later that evening, when the sun is low; I receive an invitation. “Come to my encampment tonight, all of you, for we want you to join us in the coffee ceremony.” Later than night I walk across the salty sand. A woman pours coffee from an earthenware coffee pot; she throws frankincense into the coals; I eat popcorn. There is talk, a rustling of paper. A young man comes to me and hands me a few pieces of lined paper. The words ‘Happy birthday Marek’ are written on them, and an outline of a flower. I feel happiness; this is a celebration, a remembrance, a tapestry of history for me to long imagine. And in the morning I run, as I look up at the morning sun and follow the tracks that the car made the day before, I see a soldier on the hillside, he watches me through his binoculars; a car drives a long distance behind me. They guard me; make me safe, for this is a special day. We drive to Kursewad, the village where we start our journey up the mountain, the active volcano: Erta ale. There is no road, only tracks, but even these are haphazard; they go forward, they go backwards, they go nowhere, they January - march 2011

go somewhere. We stop and ask for directions; ‘this way’ a young boy points, his white shirt blows, he owns this land and its harshness; it is unforgiving. I step out of the car as the driver and boy talk, I stand next to the skeleton of a camel, an open mouth, rotting teeth. Even camels die of thirst out here. We drive onward into the dust storm, a young girl, her hair braided in the Afar tradition, her cheekbones high, waves to us as we go past, she holds a tired chicken in her arms, she offers it to the movement of a machine. Kursewad, we have navigated the sand correctly. I enter a grass structure and lie down for I am tired. A while later we climb into the vehicle and drive to the foot of the mountain. Two camels are to meet us at its base; they will carry my friend and the sleeping equipment over the shards of lava to the summit. We arrive at the base of the mountain and wait; camels take a long time to walk the 25 kilometres that we have just driven in an hour. As the sun goes down a camel caravan passes by, the sacks across their backs are empty, tomorrow they will return this way laden with salt bars, salt for sale. The moon rises slowly, it is a full moon, the neon light of a reflection, it cannot hide me. The camels arrive. We pack. We do not need a torch for the moon lights our caravan. I walk over the rock, it is hard on my shoes, I stumble and go on, the guide walks ahead, he does not falter, he knows this mountain, he is sure of foot. Three hours later we arrive at the top, Erta ale. We walk to the edge of the crater, the lip of the volcano. There are fumes, rumbling acrid steam, clouds of burning earth. 28

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Photos © Camerapix

a volcanic birthday

The mountain is awake, blazing scoriae, Prometheus’s stolen goods; beads of blood on my forehead, the volcano burns in an underworld. I lean forward, press myself into the gas fumes, feel the ashy vapour. Red and yellow, a porridge that undulates, the fiery mantle plume melts and surges; if ever I believed that there is a god, it is now. I watch a miracle, the centre of the earth seethes. Slowly we walk back to where we will sleep. I unwrap a wet towel, the bottle of champagne is lukewarm for nothing can remain cold in this space. I pour the liquid into plastic cups and light a cigarette for only fire can make me cool. As the wind swirls and blows the humps of hardened lava around me I salute the sky, for the sky will always be older than me, immortal, it will shelter the boiling earth forever; and then, tired and exhilarated, I go to sleep in a dream.

Above and inset: A caravan of salt traders coming from Danakil, the bars of salt were locally used as a form of currency

Photos © linda barghoorn

Photo © Wikimedia

FEATURE

Keukenhof –

Linda Barghoorn indulges in a little ‘Tulipmania’.

Holland’s Tribute to the Tulip

s the long, dark days of the European winter melt away, tulip fields across the country erupt into a riot of colour – a giant patchwork quilt in varying hues of yellow, red, pink, orange, white, purple and mauve. This is spring in Holland and it is magnificent! Nestled amidst these fields, Keukenhof is a sprawling 70-acre botanical extravaganza, which pays tribute to the tulip – Holland’s iconic flower. Its gardens are among the most spectacular in Europe, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors each spring when the park bursts into bloom and beds of tulips carpet the grounds as far as the eye can see. Although the tulip itself may appear elegant and uncomplicated, its past is tangled in legend, controversy and greed. Despite having been adopted as the national flower of Holland, the tulip is actually indigenous to the mountains of ancient Persia and the Caucasus – between modern day Turkey and Russia – where it grew as a wild flower. Persian legend claims that it first sprouted from the drops of crimson blood shed by a grief-stricken lover. Although it was already being cultivated in Persia by the end of the first millennium, it was a botanist by the name of Carolus Clusius who brought the tulip to Europe in the 16th century. He couldn’t have envisioned the havoc he was about to wreak when

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he planted a handful of bulbs in the botanical gardens at Leiden in 1593. Although Clusius’ interest in the tulip was purely for medicinal purposes, the rare bloom became highly prized, and a booming tulip market in Europe was born as the wealthy aristocracy was prepared to pay astronomical prices for the privilege of owning a single, rare bloom. At the centre of the turmoil was a ‘brokencoloured’ tulip – known as a Rembrandt – whose dramatic complexions were caused by a plant virus, which produced striking, deeply coloured flames on the petals. By the turn of the 17th century, those with the means to do so paid up to today’s equivalent of US$ 1,500 for a single bulb. This created a chaos of speculation which became known as ‘Tulipmania’ and which, for many, would end in disaster. Trading whatever they owned in a desperate attempt to cash in on this get-rich-quick scheme, the middle class bartered everything from houses and paintings to farm animals, stores of beer and cheese, and even wedding dowries. One transaction listed ‘two loads of wheat, four loads of rye, four fat oxen, eight fat swine, 12 fat sheep, two hogsheads of wine, four barrels of beer, two barrels of butter, 454 kilogrammes (1,000 pounds) of cheese, a marriage bed with

Above: The tulip, Holland’s iconic flower

Keukenhof, its gardens are among the most spectacular in Europe, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors each spring.

Right: The gardens are immaculately tended, with not a wilting bloom in sight

Below: While the gardens are designed to induce awe and enchantment, they are also meant to inspire visitors to create their own mini Keukenhofs at home

linens, and a sizeable wagon to haul it all away.’ Fortunes were made – and lost – until it all came to an abrupt, disastrous end in 1637. The tulip market finally crashed, shaking the Dutch economy to its very core and sending economic shudders across the globe. Today the tulip is one of Holland’s most celebrated symbols – as Dutch as windmills, wooden clogs and Gouda cheese. Keukenhof, with its seven million bulbs and thousands of tulip varieties, would blow the financial minds of the 17th century bulb

speculators. It was masterminded by the mayor of nearby Lisse in 1949, and has grown to become one of Holland’s biggest attractions, located half way between Amsterdam and The Hague. Its origins, however, reach far back to the early 15th century when herbs were gathered from the gardens of Teylingen Castle, which stood on this site. These herbs were used in the castle’s kitchens. The name Keukenhof, which translates as ‘kitchen garden,’ celebrates the heritage of these historic gardens. A 21st century crew of gardeners plants the extensive grounds from late September to the time of the first frost, using layered planting techniques, which enables the gardens to bloom continuously for several months in the spring. From late March to early May the park is ablaze with a mutiny of spring flowers, starting with daffodils and crocuses; then hyacinths and finally the much-anticipated tulips. Dazzling displays of formal and informal gardens are set amidst woodlands, around ponds and sparkling fountains, along winding paths. Several indoor pavilions offer exhibits of more exotic varieties – a welcome place to escape the occasional rain shower. The gardens are immaculately tended, with not a wilting bloom in sight. During daylight hours the gardeners are nowhere to be seen. But each evening, after closing, they descend like a team of sprites to snip drooping blooms and yellowing leaves. Luscious golf-course like lawns are impeccably clipped and the gardens’ soil is freshly turned so that with each new morning Keukenhof appears picture perfect. With such overwhelming attention to detail, each flower seems to bloom with the pride of its individual contribution to the spectacular whole of these gardens – its brief appearance a source of wonder to visitors, before it meets its end at the point of the gardener’s shears. While the gardens are designed to induce awe and enchantment, they are also meant to inspire visitors to create their own mini Keukenhofs at home. Visitors can buy a wide variety of bulbs at several outlets throughout the park, where knowledgeable staff are available to answer any gardening question. And if working with the soil is not your thing, then there is even an artists’ weekend when you are invited into the park with your art materials to create your own garden on canvas. It is easy to spend a day here leisurely strolling the winding footpaths, relaxing on a park bench, browsing exhibits and shops, and enjoying a coffee or traditional Dutch frites (or ‘fries’) in one of its outdoor cafes. While you’re visiting, why not look for one of the tulip varieties that started all the fuss almost 400 years ago. Some of the varieties still exist today: from the chrome-yellow Tulipa Tarda, which dates back to the 1590s and the famously mottled Rembrandt tulips from around 1610, to the novel Viridiflora – green!! – which didn’t arrive on the scene until 1700. Nowadays, the diseased varieties that fuelled the Tulipmania craze are no longer sold; actually, they’re illegal! But, many look-alikes are still available. In the rainbow-paletted fields around Keukenhof and across Holland literally billions of bulbs are grown annually for export to more than 100 countries across the globe. Tulips – once symbols of power and prestige for the privileged few – are now accessible to millions. The tulip’s simple, elegant beauty has been celebrated by artists from Monet to Renoir, but nowhere on earth offers a more stunning tribute than the spectacular Keukenhof. Tulip-lovers beware!

January - march 2011

FEATURE

Photos ÂŠ wikimedia

Fascinating Reptiles & Amphibians â&#x20AC;Ś and Deadly too! Are our reptiles and amphibians destined for extinction or will man wake up in time and stop destroying their habitats? Johan Morais wonders if our childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s children will be able to see them in real life?

lthough Africa has an abundance of reptiles and frogs, the continued existence of many species is threatened. In southern Africa alone there are nine endangered and one extinct species of reptile. Frogs live a night-time existence to which they are uniquely adapted. Their food ranges from the smallest insects to rodents and, in some instances, even snakes! Most of their habitats are linked to water, but some have conformed to very dry surroundings and lay their eggs in underground burrows. The grey tree frog is often seen on Acacia branches during the heat of the day. It changes to white so that it can reflect most of the heat from the African sun. After a heavy downpour, up to half a dozen males will get together on a branch and with pumping legs they construct a foam nest, often the size of a soccer ball. Females deposit their eggs into such nests and metamorphosis takes place within the protective layers of foam. Fully formed tadpoles drop into the water below and complete their larva stage within days. It is vital for the fully formed frogs to leave the 34

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water as soon as these waterholes invariably dry up within a few days. Because of their dark world, the males attract members of the less colourful sex by making calls to which only females of the same species respond. This process is complicated by much dispute and rivalry amongst the males. Their calls are unique and, although as many as a dozen species may call from a single pond, the females have no problem in locating the correct males. Spawning usually takes place in the water though some frogs have evolved rather ingenious methods of ensuring the survival of their offspring. Toads may spawn thousands of eggs at a time while the leaf folding frog lays its eggs on a leaf just above the water line. The leaf is then folded and glued together, thereby neatly encasing and protecting the eggs. The tadpoles, once they hatch, merely have to drop down into the water. The even more secretive snake inhabits a larger variety of habitats. These poorly understood creatures are common throughout Africa, from the depths of the ocean through coastal

Above: The black mamba is by far the largest venomous snake in Africa and one of the deadliest snakes in the world

Above and right: A python enfolds a Thomson’s gazelle in a deadly embrace as it embarks on the long process of swallowing it head first

Photo © Camerapix

We must respect and appreciate all forms of wildlife. And now is the time to join or support an organisation that is concerned with sensible conservation.

desert to the peaks of mountain ranges. Snakes have adapted to various habitats in many different ways. Diminutive desert adders had to develop a sidewinding motion as dune sand is far too unstable for a snake to move in the conventional serpentine manner. And dune sand can get very hot. Other snakes, like the spotted bush snake, have very strongly keeled belly scales which enables them to climb exceptionally well even to the top of a smooth palm tree. Fortunately, snakes avoid human confrontations and despite an abundance of deadly poisonous species in Africa, very few people die from snakebite. In fact, more people are killed by bee stings. Snakes because of their secretive existence, are poorly understood and numerous fallacies are passed on from generation to generation. They are not wet and slimy, never chase after people, do not have nests, do not always move in pairs so that a snake can take revenge if its mate is killed and never hang from trees to ambush humans passing beneath them. But they are incredibly successful and rather fascinating. The forked tongue of a snake which is flickered regularly is quite harmless and cannot harm or sting in any way. It certainly does not contain any venom. They use their tongues to smell and have unique olfactory organs situated in the roof of the mouth. These organs analyse particles picked up by the forked tongue and the tongue features prominently in feeding as well as in locating prey. Other sensory organs are not that acutely developed. Snakes do not have external ears and cannot hear airborne sound. To counteract this shortage they are very sensitive to vibrations and easily sense the approach of a person. Most snakes have rather limited eyesight and, quite often, only see movement. Hence the old, but true bit of advice that should you come across a snake, it will not strike at a stationary person. With their elongate, limbless bodies they are not designed for speed and tire out very quickly. But, as mentioned, they are very successful. A rodent family, in its network of burrows beneath the soil, is quite safe from most predators including cats, diurnal birds of prey and owls. A snake, however, can easily slither down such burrows and will not just kill one of the rodents but may devour an entire family in one session! Most snakes make use of muscle power to overcome their prey and the python is a good example. With strong, recurved teeth it will latch onto its prey and instantly engulf it in a few coils. As the prey exhales the coils are tightened and the animal succumbs due to suffocation. Despite popular belief this is not a crushing action and bones are not broken in the process. Other snakes have evolved a venom apparatus. This is used largely to obtain food and even assists in digestion. Such venom may also be used in self defence. Many snake venoms are prey specific and have little effect on other animals including man. The vast majority of African snakes are not dangerous to man but some do possess venom. Africa has some of the deadliest snakes in the world.

The tree snake or Boomslang is a shy and notably unobtrusive snake that inhabits scrub and forests throughout Africa. It is arboreal and rarely descends to the ground – perhaps to hunt or bask in the morning sun. In the leafy concealment of a tree or shrub it is very well camouflaged and is extremely difficult to detect. Males are usually bright green in colour whereas females are usually a dull brownish colour. Drop for drop, the backfanged tree snake has the most potent venom of any African snake. It is potently haemotoxic and may cause severe internal bleeding. It must, however, be added that this is also one of Africa’s more placid snakes and unless one is physically handled it is near impossible to receive a bite from this snake. The one or two victims that are bitten every few years are invariably snakepark attendants or snake collectors. The gaboon adder is strictly terrestrial and is by far the largest adder in Africa, reaching close to two metres in length. It is confined to thick, mostly wooded forest regions where its bizarre markings blend well with the forest floor. It is a sluggish snake that moves mostly at night although it may bask in a patch of sunlight on the forest floor. Most adders are live bearers and this snake has as many as 30 young at a time. The gaboon adder has enormous fangs (they sometimes exceed four centimetres in length!) and, like many other adders, possess a potent cytotoxic venom. Bites on humans are rare, largely because of the secretive existence and preferred habitat of this colourful snake. Of all the venomous snakes of Africa the puff adders are by far the most abundant and problematic. It is a short stubby snake and relies on cryptic colouration to escape detection. The puff adder inhabits the savanna regions at both high and low altitudes and because of its camouflage, seldom moves out of one’s way. To worsen matters, it is a bad tempered snake. Many people accidentally stand on puff adders and get bitten in the process. In addition to large fangs this snake also possesses a potent cytotoxic

January - march 2011

Fascinating Reptiles & Amphibians and deadly too ...

venom and, although the vast majority of victims survive the bite of this snake, swelling, blisters and necrosis invariably follow a bite. Large individuals (around 1.5 metres) are known to produce as many as 150 young at a time! Africa has a number of cobras, very few of which have the ability to ‘spit’ their venom. The most abundant and widespread Africa cobra is the Egyptian cobra – reputedly the snake that killed Cleopatra. It is an enormous cobra reaching close to three metres in length. This magnificent snake inhabits savanna grasslands where it often occupies a permanent home for many years if not disturbed. Like many other snakes it often basks in the morning sun, only to disappear down a nearby hole if disturbed. The Egyptian cobra is by no means aggressive but if cornered it will spread a wide, impressive hood while as much as half of its body is lifted off from the ground! But even at this stage it will disappear down the closest hole if it has the opportunity to do so. True cobras lay eggs and this snake will deposit anything from 8 to 33 soft-shelled eggs at a time. Cobra venom is largely neurotoxic, affecting breathing and, in untreated cases, death may follow as a result of respiratory failure. Of all African snakes, the black mamba is by far the most notorious. It is, in fact, one of the deadliest snakes in the world. Black mambas often exceed four metres in length – by far the largest venomous snake in Africa. It is a graceful, alert and unpredictable snake and, with its deadly poison, it is undoubtedly the most feared African snake. This snake actively hunts its prey in the day and prefers to do so from a permanent lair, to which it will return daily if not disturbed. Once its prey is spotted – perhaps a rodent, squirrel or a bird – it will strike swiftly and effectively without holding onto its food. The prey will move off in drunken fashion and die within minutes, whereafter the mamba, with flickering tongue, will casually approach its prey and swallow it leisurely. In addition to possessing masses of a deadly neurotoxic poison, the black mamba also has the ability to inject large quantities of venom during a single bite. This snake quite often has as much as a third of its body off the ground, which enables it to strike at objects well off the ground. It is an extremely nervous snake and is quick to 0pen its mouth, gaping at any form of danger that may threaten it. The inside of the mouth is jet black, hence the common name, as the overall body colour of this snake is grayish brown

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to gunmental prey. It must, however, be stressed that the black mamba is extremely shy and nervous and usually disappears long before it is closely approached. Even if cornered, it will rather flee if it has any choice. But if threatened it will gape while forming a narrow cobralike hood and then it will not hesitate to strike out, perhaps even more than once. The consequences are often fatal. Snakes, like most living creatures in the wild, are disappearing at a frightening rate. They are threatened by habitat loss, environmental pollution, agricultural and industrial development and their general incompatibility with man. It is in the interest of biodiversity that the snake, like so many other poorly understood creatures, is protected and conserved wherever possible. A vast number of lizards are also to be found in Africa – from coastal dunes through a variety of inland habitats. These include chameleons, geckos, skinks, iguanas or monitor lizards and many, many more. And it is in our diverse lizard fauna that we observe amazing adaptation, unusual behaviour and rather unique habitat selection. The lizard species employ a variety of different defence mechanisms. The Armadillo lizard bites its tail when threatened, exposing the hard outer scales of the back and tail while protecting its soft, vulnerable stomach. The chameleon hisses violently, exposing the bright yellow inside of its mouth when handled. Otherwise it ingeniously changes colour to blend in with its background. The desert living shovel-snouted lizard dives into soft dune sand when threatened and ‘swims’ away into the sand. We do not have a single venous lizard in the whole of Africa. We also have an abundance of land tortoises. Like all other living forms, they have their specific needs and preferences and should be left alone where they occur as most captive specimens soon die as a result of starvation or poor care. There are several reasons for the decline in herpetofauna. Mass exploitation for the overseas pet trade left its mark in the past but is now frowned upon in most African countries. Habitat destruction is without doubt the greatest eliminator. Man is constantly enlarging on his concrete infrastructure and in the process we destroy a lot of habitat. We must respect and appreciate all forms of wildlife. And now is the time to join or support an organisation that is concerned with sensible conservation, for tomorrow may be too late.

Above: The puff adder is a thick,venomous, copious and problematic snake of Africa

Above left: Iguana have brilliant eyesight and can see colour, shadows, shapes and movement at long distances

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FEATURE

Chilling Out Beyond Addis There’s never been a better time to relax in one of Ethiopia’s new lodges, Selamta reveals.

ired after four days of hectic conferencing at 2,438 metres (8,000 feet) or changing planes in Addis but want a short taste of this amazing country? Then why not try one of Ethiopia’s new brands of lodges? Most international tourists here either speed off by plane to the northern historic sites, or drive south to join the people-watching circuit in the Omo Valley. In fact there is a much more relaxing alternative for, in the past decade, several new high quality lodges have been built, spreading out in every direction from Addis but all within a maximum of five hours’ drive from the bustling streets of Ethiopia’s highland capital. The quickest way out of Addis by road is to the north. There are no straggling suburbs or an industrial village tacked on to the metropolis here, because the steep Entoto escarpment means the city has gobbled up land in every direction but the north. So within 10 minutes of leaving Piazza/Menelik Square you will be climbing Entoto on the hairpin bends of the Gojjam Highway – the road to the Blue Nile, Bahar Dar and Gondar. The scenery is stunning and soon you will be at around 2,590.8 metres (8,500 feet) as you cross the cattle-strewn green plateau. After 100 kilometres of excellent tarmac the road descends towards the first of the tributary valleys on the south side of the Abbai (Blue Nile). Immediately after the signposted turn off on the right to Debre Libanos monastery, you will see the gate of the Ethio-German Hotel. Sitting on top of the gorge with amazing views is a small, simple lodge. You can visit the famous church, film the baboons on the nearby slopes, or if you are up for it, trek down into the gorge. 40

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If you leave Addis to the northeast, after 120 kilometres you will reach Debre Birhan (this road is currently being resurfaced). Forty kilometres off to the east on a gravel road lies Ankober. Here another returnee from Europe has built this beautiful Ankober Palace Lodge (+ 251 911 653643). It sits atop a conical hill only metres away from the site of Emperor Menelik’s 1870s palace – his last home before he set up camp in what became Addis Ababa. When you wake up you will almost certainly be above the clouds – you are at 2,743 metres (9,000 feet) plus. Plenty of blankets are provided but take warm clothes. The views as you look east into the Rift Valley and towards the distant Danakil are stunning. The surrounding mountains, Imemihret or Fiqre Gimb offer opportunities for trekking and mountain excursions accompanied by guides. There is also Aliu Amba, the ancient inland port and centre of Islamic culture with its own unique market that is a must for the visitor. The Ankober Palace Lodge facilities can hold small conferences and serve as a retreat centre offering tranquility and privacy. The place is a treat for the eye for honeymoon goers! On our clockwise rotation around the highways out of Addis the next new lodge is Bilen. With bedrooms built in Afar style by the Village Ethiopia Tour Company it is located at a hot spring on the Awash River, and is off the Djibouti road some five hours drive from Addis. This is a hot, dry area and you need to book a few days in advance, as the entire restaurant food has to be brought in from Addis.

Why not try one of Ethiopia’s new brands of lodges?

conferences and business retreats. An escorted early morning bird watching walk in this nature sanctuary with over 400 bird species is of great value. Swimming here is not as good as at the resorts on Langano’s western shore. Another 90 minutes south beyond the regional capital of Awassa, in the small town of Yirgalem, you will find Aregash Lodge. Set in the lush, green, coffee-growing hills of Sidamo their restaurant will give you the best breakfast in Ethiopia. The bedroom tukuls are built in the local style. Take the guided walk into the nearby countryside to visit a local family and see how they live in the ensete culture – using the root of the false banana for most of their food needs. Around evening dinner time the staff will try to get one of the local hyenas to appear for his supper too. Lastly – and only 115 kilometres southwest from Addis at Wolisso – try Negash Lodge (+ 251 113 410002/ 115 511417). Unlike the others described here this is not new – but all the bedrooms are refurbished. The lodge was first built in the Opposite and above: Uniquely situated the Ankober Palace Lodge offers spectacular views

Right and top next page: Negash Lodge, ‘Ethiopia’s hidden treasure’

Below: Bishangari Lodge, a nature sanctuary and perfect retreat for travellers seeking comfort and seclusion

Nearer to Addis, but accessed from the same road, is the very new Awash Falls Lodge. This is a 15-minute drive on a sandy road from the main entrance gate to Awash National Park. As the name suggests it stands overlooking the waterfalls on the Awash River. Only opened in the past year it is already very popular and the local baboons love it too. They will come to you, but to see the crocodiles basking on the riverbanks you will have to walk down and search a bit – preferably with a guide! On the main road south to Kenya you are spoilt for choice. Star new contender at Lake Langano is Sabana Beach Resort. It is designed by an engineer and you can tell. The bedrooms are spacious and practical. From plenty of pegs for towels and wet swimming clothes, even to original unbreakable toilet roll holders, and sensible large showers, everything reflects thought for the customer’s needs, and quality in the build. The restaurant design alone deserves an award. The roof dips into a small round hole – allowing sun and rain to reach a circular flower and cactus bed inside the building. If bird watching and filming colobus monkeys is your thing then consider Bishangari Lodge at Langano (+ 251 11 6627160/ 557533). It is around 17 kilometres off the tarmac of the Kenya highway. It sits almost in a riverine forest area on the southern tip of the lake. This is a genuine eco-lodge, a perfect retreat for travellers looking for comfort and seclusion. Also ideal for 1930s and was used as a holiday home by the late Emperor Haile Selassie because of its natural hot springs. The owner has completely transformed this with traditional elegant surroundings with an ambience that bestows peace and tranquillity. It sits in its own mini nature reserve with monkeys, hyrax and even an occasional dik dik. There is a warm water outdoor pool and on the hillside behind the main building you will see numerous welldesigned new bedroom bungalows built in the various styles of the country’s different ethnic groups. Some guidebooks described it as Ethiopia’s ‘hidden treasure’ but it has now been well and truly found by Addis residents, both Ethiopian and expatriate. Like all these lodges it is quite full every weekend. If you have the time and inclination Negash is a great base from which to visit the exquisitely beautiful Wenchi Crater Lake. A day spent walking and/or pony trekking around Wenchi is a wonderful Ethiopian experience. January - march 2011

chilling out beyond addis

Below: The upmarket Kuriftu Resort and Spa – a truly luxurious, secluded and romantic place

If you want a night or two out of Addis but with a drive of only one hour, choose Bishoftu/Debre Zeit. This town, with its five crater lakes, is only 40 kilometres south of the capital and has long been a favourite day trip destination for Addis folk. It has several hotels and lodges. New ones include the very upmarket Kuriftu Resort and Spa (book in the Boston building in Addis) on the north shore of Lake Kuriftu. It is truly a luxurious, secluded romantic place – a perfect venue for honeymoon, anniversary, retreat, conference or just a weekend escape in Ethiopia. A day ticket into this luxury lodge costs 200/300 birr but that includes a meal, swimming in the pool or lake, and use of kayaks. Added to the list of luxury chain is the new Kuriftu Beach Resort on Lake Tana. It is 50 kilometres from Addis. It has attractive stone rooms wtih shaggy thatched roofs and wooden frame windows and doors. The entire complex is navigated by small parts crossing over man made streams. The resort’s restaurant provides a spectacular day and night view of the expansive water mass and the treasures that lie in it. At the opposite end of the scale is Salayish Lodge (– a friendly rustic place with a farmyard full of domestic animals and great views – but it not on the lakeside so not convenient for swimming. Brand new in 2010 is a small guesthouse – advance bookings only – called Viewpoint Lodge. This is right on the steeply terraced Lake Babogaya shoreline with good access for swimming. Like Negash, most of these lodges are now full every weekend. You may turn up and get in midweek but you are well advised to book in advance.

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Across Ethiopian Skies ‘

he land of a thousand smiles’, home of the Ark of the Covenant, custodian of some of the world’s oldest civilisations – this is Ethiopia. But how much do you really know about this amazing country? Selamta fills in a few fascinating gaps ...

Nature and Wildlife Ethiopia’s mountains rise up to a height of over 4,000 metres, with Mount Batu, the second highest peak in Ethiopia, rising to 4,307 metres. The national parks enable the visitor to enjoy the country’s scenery and its wildlife, conserved in natural habitats, and offer opportunities for travel adventure unparalleled in Africa. Awash National Park is the oldest and most developed wildlife reserve in Ethiopia. Featuring the 1,800-metre Fantalle Volcano, numerous mineral hot-springs and extraordinary volcanic formations, this natural treasure is bordered to the south by the Awash river and lies 225 kilometres east of the capital, Addis Ababa. The wildlife consists mainly of East African plains animals, but there are now no giraffe or buffalo. Oryx, bat-eared fox, caracal, aardvark, colobus and green monkeys, Anubis and Hamadryas baboons, klipspringer, leopard, bushbuck, hippopotamus, Soemmering’s gazelle, cheetah, lion, kudu and 450 species of birds of all kind live within the park’s 720 square kilometres.

The Bale Mountains with their vast moorlands – the lower reaches covered with St. John’s Wort – and their extensive heathland, virgin woodlands, pristine mountain streams and alpine climate remain an untouched and beautiful world. Rising to a height of more than 4,000 metres, the range borders Ethiopia’s southern highlands, whose highest peak, Mount Tullu Deemtu, stands at 4,377 metres. The establishment of the 2,400-square-kilometre Bale Mountains National Park was crucial to the survival of the mountain nyala, Menelik’s bushbuck and the Simien red fox. This fox is one of the most colourful members of the dog family and more abundant here than anywhere else in Ethiopia. All three endemic animals thrive in this environment, the nyala in particular being seen in large numbers. The Bale Mountains offer some fine high-altitude terrain for horse and foot trekking, and the streams of the park – which become important rivers further downstream – are well-stocked with rainbow and brown trout.

Above: The Awash forms the southern boundary of the Awash National Park, the oldest and most developed wildlife reserve in Ethiopia | Opposite: Acacia tree silhouetted against Ethiopia’s Lake Langano, at sunrise

Ci-dessus: L’Awash forme la frontière sud du parc national d’Awash, la plus ancienne et la plus développée des réserves de vie sauvage d’Ethiopie | Ci-contre: Un acacia en silhouette au lever du soleil sur le lac Langano en Ethiopie

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A travers les cieux éthiopiens

e pays des mille sourires’, patrie de l’Arche de l’Alliance, gardien d’une des plus anciennes civilisations du monde – c’est cela l’Ethiopie. Mais que savez-vous réellement de cet étonnant pays? Selamta remplit quelques lacunes fascinantes ...

Photo © Robert Harding

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La nature et la faune et la flore Les montagnes d’Ethiopie s’élèvent à plus de 4.000 mètres, avec le Mont Batu, second pic le plus élevé d’Ethiopie, grimpant jusqu’à 4.307 mètres. Les parcs nationaux permettent aux visiteurs d’admirer les paysages, la faune et la flore du pays, préservées dans leurs habitats naturels, et offrent des occasions d’un voyage d’aventure incomparable en Afrique. Le parc national d’Awash est la réserve naturelle la plus ancienne et la mieux développée en Ethiopie. Comprenant le Volcan Fantalle de 1.800 mètres de haut, d’extraordinaires formations volcaniques et de nombreuses sources minérales d’eau chaude, ce trésor naturel est bordé au sud par la rivière Awash et se trouve à 225 kilomètres à l’est de la capitale, Addis-Abeba. La vie sauvage consiste principalement en animaux de plaine de l’Afrique de l’est, mais on n’y voit plus ni girafes ni buffles. Des oryx, des renards aux oreilles en forme de raquette, des caracals (lynx), des cochons des forêts, des macaques colobus et des singes gris, des babouins d’Anubis et Hamadryas, des springboks, des léopards, des hippopotames, des gazelles de Soemmering, des antilopes, des guépards, des lions, des koudous et 450 espèces d’oiseaux de toutes sortes vivent dans ce parc de 720 kilomètres carrés. Les montagnes de Bale avec leurs vastes plateaux – les étendues inférieures étant couvertes de la plante de St. John’s Wort – et leurs immenses plaines, leurs zones de forêt vierge, leurs ruisseaux de montagne immaculés et leur climat alpin demeurent un monde intact et magnifique. Les chaînes montagneuses

bordant l’Ethiopie du sud s’élèvent à plus de 4.000 mètres avec le pic le plus élevé, le Mont Tullu Deemtu qui grimpe jusqu’à 4.377 mètres. La création du parc national de 2.400 kilomètres carrés des Montagnes du Bale était cruciale pour la survie du nyala des montagnes, de l’antilope de Ménélik et du renard roux simien. Ce renard est l’un des membres les plus colorés de la famille des canidés et se trouve en plus grand nombre dans cette région que dans toute le reste de l’Ethiopie. Ces trois espèces animales endémiques prospèrent dans cet environnement, particulièrement le nyala que l’on retrouve en grandes quantités. Les montagnes de Bale offrent des terrains de haute altitude particulièrement propices aux randonnées à cheval ou à pied et les ruisseaux de montagnes - lesquels deviendront d’importantes rivières plus bas en aval - abondent en truites brunes ou arc-en-ciel. La zone de la rivière Baro, accessible par terre ou par air depuis le ville éthiopienne occidentale de Gambela, demeure un lieu d’aventure et de défi. En traversant les plaines ondulantes sans fin des hauts pâturages soudanais, les visiteurs pourront ressentir un sentiment d’exploit simplement du fait de retrouver leur chemin. Il s’agit de la vraie zone tropicale de l’Ethiopie et on y trouvera tous les éléments d’un safari africain, rehaussés d’une saveur typiquement éthiopienne. La perche du Nil qui pèse jusqu’à 100 kilos peut être attrapée dans les eaux du Baro, arrachée aux crocs des crocodiles géants qui abondent le long des

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The Baro river area, accessible by land or air through the western Ethiopian town of Gambella, remains a place of adventure and challenge. Travelling across the endless undulating plains of high Sudanese grass, visitors can enjoy a sense of achievement in simply finding their way around. This is Ethiopia’s true tropical zone and here are found all the elements of the African safari, enhanced by a distinctly Ethiopian flavour. Nile perch weighing 100 kilogrammes can be caught in the waters of Baro, snatched from the jaws of the huge crocodiles that thrive along the riverbank. The white eared-kob also haunts the Baro, along with other riverbank residents that include the Nile lechwe, buffalo, giraffe, tiang, waterbuck, roan antelope, zebra, bushbuck, Abyssinian reedbuck, warthog, hartebeest, lion, elephant and hippopotamus. The Simien Mountain massif is a broad plateau, cut off to the north and west by an enormous single crag over 60 kilometres long. To the south, the tableland slopes gently down to 2,200 metres, divided by gorges 1,000 metres deep which can take more than two days to cross. Insufficient geological time has elapsed to smooth the contours of the crags and buttresses of hardened basalt. Within this spectacular splendour live the Walia (Abyssinian) ibex, Simien red fox and Gelada baboon – all endemic to Ethiopia – as well as the Hamadryas baboon, klipspringer and bushbuck. Birds such as the lammergeyer, augur buzzard, Verreaux’s eagle, kestrel and falcon soar above this mountain retreat. Twenty kilometres north-east of Gondar, the Simien Mountains National Park covers 179 square kilometres of highland area at an average elevation of 3,300 metres. Ras Dashen at 4,620 metres, the highest peak in Ethiopia, stands adjacent to the park. The Simien escarpments, which are often compared to the Grand Canyon in the United States of America, have been named by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a World Heritage Site.

are bordered or fed by hot mineral springs; some play host to large flocks of flamingos, pelicans, cormorants, herons, storks and ibises; with 831 recorded bird species, Ethiopia is a bird watcher’s paradise. Ethiopia’s Lake Tana is the source of the Blue Nile. The lake is dotted with island monasteries, which house many treasures of mediaeval art. Only 30 kilometres from the lake, the river explodes over Tis Isat falls (meaning ‘smoke of fire’) – a sight that inspired wonder from the 18th century explorer, James Bruce. Before the Blue Nile joins the White Nile, which flows north from Lake Victoria, it runs for 800 kilometres through one of the world’s deepest and most dramatic gorges.

Lake Tana Ethiopia boasts seven of the Great Rift Valley lakes. Some are alkaline brown, yet surprisingly good for swimming; some are tropical in setting; some

Queen of Sheba Legend has it that Emperor Menelik I, the son of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon, brought the Ark of the Covenant from Jerusalem to Axum, where he settled and established one of the world’s longest known, uninterrupted monarchical dynasties. This is only one example of Ethiopia’s magnificent history, which encompasses legend and tradition, mystery and fact, from a powerful and religious ancient civilisation. The well-trodden path through Ethiopia’s famous and fascinating historic sites takes you through a scenic, magnificent world of fairy-tale names such as Lalibela, Gondar, Debre Damo and Bahar Dar. Travelling the route by plane, car or both will offer you a glimpse into a truly remarkable past. As well as many priceless historical relics, you will also see the castles at Gondar, the churches of Lalibela, hewn out of living rock, the mysterious giant stelae at Axum, the ruins of the Queen of Sheba’s palace, and the monastery at Debre Damo, whose access is limited to men and then only by way of a rope lowered by the friendly monks above. Taking the historic route north from Addis Ababa, the first stop is Debre Markos, 305 kilometres north of the capital. Here you will find the 19th century Church of Markos (Saint Mark), with its pale but beautiful paintings depicting scenes of biblical and religious history.

Above: Ruins of what is believed to be the Queen of Sheba’s palace; remnants of stone flooring are all that remain

Ci-dessus: ce qui reste des ruines de ce qui est supposé avoir été les palais de la reine de Saba, en fait des ruines de terrasse en pierre

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rives. Le kob aux blanches oreilles hante lui aussi le Baro, ainsi que d’autre résidents des berges de la rivière comme l’antilope lechwe du Nil, le buffle, la girafe, le tiang, le cochon d’eau, l’antilope rouanne, le zèbre, le cochon des forêts, le cochon des roseaux Abyssinien, le phacochère, le cerf, le lion, l’éléphant et l’hippopotame. Le massif du mont Simien est un vaste plateau, coupé au nord et à l’ouest par une énorme crevasse de 60 kilomètres de long. Au sud, le plateau s’incline graduellement de 2.200 mètres, divisé par des gorges de 1.000 mètres de profondeur qui peuvent prendre plus de deux jours à traverser. Le temps géologique écoulé était insuffisant pour adoucir les contours des rochers et les a recouverts de basaltes durcis. Au milieu de ce site grandiose vivent les bouquetins de Walia (abyssiniens), les renards roux simiens et le babouin de Gelada – toutes espèces endémiques en Ethiopie – ainsi que le babouin Hamadryas, l’antilope et l’antilope klipspringer. Des oiseaux comme le gypaète, le busard augur, l’aigle de Verreaux, la crécerelle et le faucon planent au-dessus des refuges de montagne. Le parc national des monts simiens se situe à vingt kilomètres au nord-est de Gondar et couvre 179 kilomètres carrés de plaine montagneuse à une hauteur moyenne de 3.300 mètres. Ras Dashen, le pic le plus élevé d’Ethiopie, atteignant 4.620 mètres de hauteur, avoisine le parc. Les escarpements simiens, qui ont souvent été comparés au Grand Canyon des Etats-Unis d’Amérique, ont été reconnus par l’Unesco Patrimoine Mondial. Le lac de Tana L’Ethiopie peut se vanter de posséder sept des lacs de la Grande vallée du Rift. Certains sont d’une couleur brune alcaline, et pourtant étonnamment agréables pour y nager; d’autres sont dans un cadre tropical; d’autres encore sont bordés ou nourris de sources d’eau minérale chaude; et certains servent de lieux d’hébergement à des foules de flamants, de pélicans, de cormorans, de hérons, de cigognes et d’ibis; l’Ethiopie est un paradis pour les amateurs d’oiseaux, avec ses 831 espèces enregistrées. Le lac Tana d’Ethiopie est à la source du Nil Bleu. Ce lac est parsemé de monastères construits sur des îles, abritant de nombreux trésors de l’art médiéval. Ce n’est qu’à 30 kilomètres du lac qu’explose la rivière dans les chutes du Tis Isat

Above: Beisa oryx share a shady spot in Awash National Park with a Swayne’s hartebeest, an endemic subspecies

(ce qui signifie “fumée sortant d’un feu”) – spectacle qui a inspiré l’émerveillement de James Bruce, explorateur du 18ème siècle. Avant le que Nil Bleu ne rejoigne le Nil Blanc, qui s’écoule à partir du nord du lac Victoria, il a parcouru 800 kilomètres à travers les gorges les plus profondes et les plus spectaculaires du monde. La reine de Saba Une légende raconte que l’empereur Ménélik Ier, le fils de la reine de Saba et du roi Salomon, a ramené l’Arche de l’Alliance depuis Jérusalem jusqu’à Axoum où s’est établie l’une des plus longues et l’une des plus continue dynastie monarchique connue du monde. Ce n’est qu’un exemple de la splendide Histoire de l’Ethiopie, une puissante civilisation antique et religieuse qui englobe à la fois légende et tradition, mystères et faits réels. Le chemin très fréquenté qui vous conduit à travers les sites historiques célèbres et fascinants d’Ethiopie vous transporte dans des lieux aux noms de contes de fées magnifique et spectaculaire comme Lalibela, Gondar, Debré Damo et Bahar Dar. Que vous fassiez la route en avion, en auto ou de chacune des deux façons, vous aurez un aperçu sur un passé absolument remarquable. En même temps que des reliques historiques d’une valeur inestimable, vous pourrez voir les châteaux du Gondar, les églises de Lalibela – creusées dans la roche vive, les mystérieuses stèles d’Axoum, les ruines du palais de la reine de Saba, et le monastère de Debré Damo, dont l’accès est limité aux hommes et encore seulement à l’aide de cordes envoyées par des moines accueillants installés plus haut. Si vous prenez la route historique du nord à partir d’Addis-Abeba, la première étape sera Debré Markos, à 305 Kilomètres au nord de la capitale. Vous y trouverez l’église de Saint Marc, datant du 19ème siècle, dans laquelle se trouvent des peintures, splendides quoique pâlies, décrivant des scènes de l’histoire religieuse et biblique. Bahar Dar Bahar Dar, étape suivante à 578 Kilomètres d’Addis-Abeba, est desservie par des lignes aériennes quotidiennes, possède de nombreux bons hôtels et est située sur les rives méridionales du lac Tana, source du Nil Bleu, avec ses anciens monastères insulaires et la vue la plus spectaculaire du Nil Bleu et du Nil Blanc que sont les chutes de Tis Isat. Vous découvrirez sur l’île de Déga Estefanos l’église de Saint Stéphane avec sa collection d’icônes et de manuscrits d’une valeur inestimable, qui abrite aussi les restes momifiés d’un certain nombre d’empereurs éthiopiens. Le point de départ de toute visite aux chutes du Nil Bleu ou aux îles du lac Tana pour tout voyageur moderne commence au marché animé de la ville de Bahar Dar sur les rives du sud-est du lac. Ces marchés pittoresques et une variété de centres d’artisanat et de tissage offrent eux aussi un but agréable d’excursions sur terre ou par voie navigable. Le port de Bahar Dar permet l’accès en bateau à de nombreuses églises et monastères historiques situés plus ou moins loin du bord du lac. La plupart datent du 17ème siècle et leurs murailles sont admirablement peintes. Beaucoup de ces lieux de culte sont dotés actuellement de musées fascinants dans lesquels les visiteurs peuvent consulter des manuscrits illustrés d’une valeur inestimable, admirer des couronnes historiques et de beaux vêtements royaux et ecclésiastiques. Certains monastères insulaires sont interdits aux femmes tandis que d’autres peuvent être visités par toute personne des deux sexes.

Ci-dessus: Un oryx de Beisa partage un coin ombragé avec un cochon des forêts de Swayne, une sous- espèce endémique, dans le parc national d’Awash

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Bahar Dar Bahar Dar, the next stop, is 578 kilometres from Addis Ababa, has daily Ethiopian Airlines flights and a number of good hotels, and is located on the southern shores of Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile, with its ancient island monasteries and both the Blue and the White Nile’s most spectacular feature, the Tis Isat waterfalls. On the island of Dega Estefanos, you will find the church of Saint Stefanos which has a priceless collection of icons and manuscripts and houses the mummified remains of a number of Ethiopian emperors. For the modern traveller, the starting point of any visit to the Blue Nile Falls, or to the islands of Lake Tana, is the bustling market town of Bahar Dar on the lake’s south-eastern shore. The colourful markets and a variety of handicrafts and weaving centres also make it a comfortable base for excursion by land or water. Bahar Dar port provides access by boat to a number of historic lake-side churches and monasteries near and far. Most date from the 17th century and have beautifully painted walls. Many such places of worship now have fascinating museums, at which the visitor can see priceless illustrated manuscripts, historic crowns and fine royal and ecclesiastical robes. Some monastic islands are forbidden to women, but others can be visited by both sexes. Visitors to Bahar Dar can also see tankwas, locally made canoes, made out of the papyrus reeds growing by the lake shore, as well as a historic old building erected in St. Georges church compound by the 17th century Spanish Jesuit, Pero Paes.

of the city. Besides the famous palaces, visitors should inspect the so-called ‘Bathing Palace of Emperor Fasilidas’, which is used for the annual Timket or Epiphany celebrations, and the abbey of the redoubtable 18th century Empress Mentewab at Qwesquam, in the mountains just outside Gondar. Lalibela Hundreds of miles to the south and east of Axum is another ancient settlement, Lalibela, which is also famous for its architecture. Lalibela, is a city carved from legend – a mediaeval settlement in the Lasta area of Wollo that is the site of 11 remarkable rock-hewn monolithic churches, believed to have been built by King Lalibela in the late 12th or early 13th century. These notable structures are carved inside and outside of the solid rock, and are considered among the wonders of the world. Each building is architecturally unique, and several of them are decorated with fascinating rock paintings. The unadulterated biblical atmosphere and vivid local colour of the Timket celebrations provide an ideal opportunity to see Lalibela as a sacred centre whose roots go back to man’s very early years.

Photo © Partner Concept

Gondar The next stop on the historic route is the graceful city of Gondar, founded by Emperor Fasilidas in 1635. The city was Ethiopia’s capital until the reign of the would-be reforming Emperor Tewodros II, also known as Theodore. During its long years as a capital, the settlement emerged as one of the largest and most popular cities in the realm. It was a great commercial centre, trading with the rich lands south of the Blue Nile, as well as with Sudan to the west, and the Red Sea port of Massawa to the north-east. Gondar is famous for its many mediaeval castles and the design and decoration of its churches. The earliest of the castles was created by Fasilidas himself and is still in such an excellent state of repair that it is possible to climb its stairs all the way to the roof, which commands a breathtaking view over much

Above right: Tankwas, locally made canoes, made out of the papyrus reeds growing by the lake shore | Above: Gondar, the Camelot of Africa

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Ci-dessus à droite: Des tankwas, sortes de canots fabriqués localement à base de roseaux de papyrus qui poussent sur les rives du lac Ci-dessus: Gondar, le camelot d’Afrique

Les visiteurs de la Bahar Dar peuvent aussi admirer des “tankwas”, un genre de canoës fait localement, bateaux de roseaux papyrus poussant sur les rives du lac, ainsi qu’un vieux monument historique construit au 17ème siècle sur le site de l’église St Georges par le Père Pero Paes, un jésuite espagnol,. Gondar L’étape suivante sur la route historique est l’élégante cité de Gondar, fondée par l’empereur Fasilidas en 1635. Cette ville a été la capitale de l’Ethiopie jusque sous le règne de l’empereur Tewodros II prétendument réformateur, connu aussi sous le nom de “Théodore”. Cet établissement a été, durant les longues années pendant lesquelles il était la capitale, une des villes les plus grandes et les plus peuplées du royaume. C’était un grand centre commercial, traitant avec les pays riches du sud du Nil Bleu aussi bien qu’avec le Soudan à l’ouest et avec le port de Massaoua au nord-est sur la Mer Rouge. Gondar est renommé pour ses nombreux châteaux médiévaux et pour l’architecture et la décoration de ses églises. Le plus ancien des châteaux a été créé par l’empereur Fasilidas lui-même et il est toujours dans un excellent état ce qui permet de grimper les marches qui mènent au toit d’où l’on a une vue époustouflante sur presque toute la cité. Outre les fameux palaces, les visiteurs peuvent aussi examiner ce qu’on appelle le “Palais des Bains de l’empereur Fasilidas” qui sert aux célébrations annuelles de l’Epiphanie appelées Timket, ainsi que l’abbaye de la redoutable impératrice du 18ème siècle Mentewab, à Qwesquam dans les montagnes qui s’élèvent juste à l’entrée de Gondar.

Harar Un voyage le long de la fabuleuse route historique d’Ethiopie ne serait pas complet sans une visite à la cité médiévale fortifiée d’Harar, qui s’élève au milieu des montagnes verdoyantes de la Grande Vallée du Rift. L’héritage d’Harar est presque entièrement musulman et oriental. Harar a probablement toujours eu plus de liens avec la culture côtière de la Corne de l’Afrique qu’avec celle des habitants des montagnes - et elle garde jusqu’à aujourd’hui un certain parfum d’Orient. Ses particularités les plus intéressantes, outre les murailles épaisses qui l’entourent, est sa place du marché riche et animée - probablement la plus pittoresque d’Ethiopie. Son caractère islamique est le mieux exprimé dans sa Grande Mosquée (Al Jami), qui domine la ville. Réputé à juste titre pour sa joaillerie étroitement travaillée d’argent, d’or et d’ambre, le marché Megalo Gudo d’Harar est également un centre où l’on peut trouver de magnifiques paniers tissés d’herbe, des tapisseries décoratives pour les murs et des châles aux couleurs vives, ainsi que tous les fruits, légumes, épices et céréales de la province. Les cinq portes d’Harar – seuls lieux d’entrée ou de sortie de la ville - ont été fortement gardées au fil des ans.

Photo © Chester Higgins Jnr

Lalibela Situé à des centaines de miles au sud et à l’est d’Axoum se trouve un autre ancien établissement, Lalibela, lui aussi renommé pour son architecture. Lalibela, est une cité marquée par la légende -un établissement dans la zone de Lasta dans la province de Wollo où se trouvent onze remarquables églises

monolithiques creusées dans la roche et dont on dit qu’elles ont été construites par le roi Lalibela à la fin du 12ème siècle, début du 13ème. Ces structures saisissantes sont incrustées à l’intérieur et sur le pourtour d’un solide rocher et sont considérées comme une des merveilles du monde. Chaque construction a sa propre architecture et plusieurs d’entre elles sont décorées de peintures sur roche fascinantes. L’atmosphère biblique préservée et la couleur locale intense des célébrations du Timket offrent l’occasion idéale d’admirer Lalibela en tant que sanctuaire sacré dont les racines remontent à l’homme des premiers âges.

Above: Harari homes are unique and reminiscent of coastal Arab architecture; bowls, dishes and basketry are hung in stylised fashion on the wall, but all are functional | Above right: Beta Gyorgis the church of St. George in Lalibela

Ci-dessus a’gauche: Les maisons d’Harari sont uniques et sont un souvenir de l’architecture côtière arabe ; des bols, des assiettes et des paniers sont élégamment suspendus aux murs, mais tous sont utilisés Ci-dessus: Beta Gyorgis, l’église de St. George a’ Lalibela

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Harar No journey along Ethiopia’s fabled historic route would be complete without a visit to the mediaeval walled city of Harar, which stands amid green mountains on the east wall of the Great Rift Valley. Harar’s heritage is almost entirely Muslim and Oriental. Harar has probably always had a great deal more in common with the Horn’s coastal culture than with the life of the highlands – and it retains to this day a certain redolence of the Orient. The most dominant features, apart from its strong encircling walls, is its rich and exciting market place – probably the most colourful in Ethiopia. Its Islamic character is best expressed in the Grand Mosque (Al Jami), which dominates the town. Rightly renowned for its intricately worked filigree jewellery of silver, gold and amber, Harar’s Megalo Gudo market is also a centre for beautiful baskets of woven grass, decorative wall-mats and bright shawls, as well as all the fruits, vegetables, spices and grains of the province. Harar’s five gates – the only means to enter or leave the city centre – have been strongly guarded over the years. Yeha, Axum, Debre Damo The journey through Ethiopia’s historic route takes you on rough tracks, through dramatic highland scenery and eventually ends in a beautiful and serene agricultural hamlet. It is here that you may see the towering ruins of Yeha’s Temple of the Moon – an imposing rectangular edifice built more than

Above: Wonders of ancient workmanship, Axum’s famous giant stelae were all made of single pieces of granite and have identical decorations

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2,500 years ago. The temple speaks eloquently of the works of an early high civilisation, although little is actually known about the people who built this great edifice. Much more is known about the historic highland city of Axum, once a great commercial centre, trading via the Red Sea port of Adulis and founded perhaps 500 years after the decline of Yeha. Axum stands in the highlands of north western Tigray, commanding spectacular views over the nearby Adwa hills. This ancient settlement is frequently referred to as ‘the sacred city of the Ethiopians’ – a description that adequately sums up its significance in national culture as a centre of Orthodox Christianity. Many remarkable monuments here attest to the great antiquity of religious expression in this country, and as a former capital that has never lost its special appeal to the hearts and minds of all Ethiopians. Axum is renowned for its Cathedral of St. Mary of Zion, where legend has it, the original Ark of the Covenant is housed. Axum is also famous for its seven mysterious monolithic stelae, hewn from single pieces of solid granite. The most notable are carved to resemble multi-storey houses; several weigh more than 500 tonnes and stand 20 metres high. They seem less like prayers of stone and more like lightning-rods to heaven. Axum’s greatest significance, however, is as the epic centre of the Queen of Sheba’s dynasty, upon which rests the notion for the sacred kinship of the Semitic peoples of Ethiopia – a notion that links the recent past to ancient times. The former Emperor Haile Selassie is claimed to be the 225th monarch of the Solomonic line. His death in 1975 marked the end of an era – and the beginning of the end of an entire way of life. Some four hours drive from Axum – plus a further two hours stiff uphill walk from the point where the road ends – lies the monastery of Debre Damo, situated on a clifftop in one of the wildest parts of Tigray. Debre Damo is unique and unforgettable. The bluff on which Damo stands is a real-life Shangri-La. Remote and beautiful, far from the hustle and bustle of the 21st century, the cool celestial island of rock offers panoramic views over the surrounding countryside and complete seclusion and peace for the 100 or so monks and deacons who live there. The monastery’s treasures include an extensive collection of illuminated manuscripts and the intricate carvings on the beams and ceiling of the ancient church around which the monastery is built.

Ci-dessus: Les merveilles de l’artisanat ancien, les fameuses stèles géantes d’Axoum, sont toutes réalisées dans un seul morceau de granit et décorées de la même manière

A quatre heures de route d’Axoum – et à partir de là, après encore une marche ardue en montagne de deux heures, on trouve le monastère de Debré Damo, situé au sommet d’une des parties des plus sauvages du Tigray. Debré Damo est unique et inoubliable. Le promontoire sur lequel Damo se trouve est un véritable Shangri-La. Isolée et magnifique, loin du tourbillon de la vie du 21ème siècle, cette île de rochers au calme céleste offre des vues panoramiques sur les paysages environnants et permet l’isolement et la paix aux centaines de moines et de diacres qui y vivent. Les trésors du monastère comprennent une importante collections de manuscrits enluminés et de gravures sophistiquées sur les poutres et les plafonds de l’ancienne église autour de laquelle le monastère est construit.

Above: Priests at Debre Damo, a clifftop church in Tigray Above right: Beautiful children of Ethiopia

Ci-dessus: des prêtres de Debre Damo, une église en haut d’une falaise à Tigray | Ci-dessus à droite: Beaux enfants d’Ethiopie

Photo © Camerapix/David Pluth

Yeha, Axoum, Debré Damo Le voyage sur la route historique d’Ethiopie vous mène par des sentiers accidentés à travers de spectaculaires paysages de montagne et se termine finalement dans joli et paisible hameau agricole. C’est là que vous pourrez admirer les imposantes ruines du temple de la Lune à Yeha, un impressionnant édifice rectangulaire construit il y a plus de 2.500 ans. Ce temple exprime de manière éloquente les oeuvres d’une des premières grandes civilisations, bien qu’à l’heure actuelle on sache peu de choses sur le peuple qui a bâti ce grand édifice. On en connait bien plus sur la ville historique d’Axoum, autrefois grand centre de commerce, faisant du négoce à partir du port d’Adulis situé sur la Mer Rouge et probablement fondée 500 ans après le déclin de Yeha. Axoum se trouve dans les régions montagneuses de nord-ouest du Tigray, et offre des vues spectaculaires sur les collines toutes proches d’Adwa. Cet ancien lieu est souvent considéré comme “la ville sacrée des Ethiopiens” – description qui résume bien l’importance d’un centre de la Chrétienté Orthodoxe dans sa culture nationale. De nombreux monuments remarquables prouvent par là l’ancienneté de l’expression religieuse dans ce pays et montrent que cette ancienne capitale n’a jamais perdu son attrait particulier dans le coeur et l’esprit de tous les Ethiopiens. Axoum est réputée pour sa Cathédrale de Sainte Marie de Sion, où d’après la légende se trouve l’originelle Arche de l’Alliance. Axoum est aussi renommée pour ses sept mystérieuses stèles monolithiques, gravées dans de simples pièces de granit. Les plus remarquables sont sculptées de façon à ressembler à des maisons à étages. Certaines pèsent plus de 500 tonnes et s’élèvent à plus de 20 mètres de hauteur. Elles ressemblent moins à des pierres de prière qu’à des paratonnerres tournés vers le ciel. L’importance principale d’Axoum est toutefois qu’elle est le centre mémorable de la dynastie de la reine de Saba, sur laquelle repose la notion de la parenté sacrée entre les peuples sémitiques d’Ethiopie – une notion qui unit le passé au présent. L’ancien empereur Hailé Selassié s’est proclamé 225ème monarque de la lignée des descendants de Salomon. Son décès en 1975 marque la fin d’une ère et le commencement du déclin de toute une façon de vivre.

january - march 2011

FEATURE

photo © Bahru Zewde

From left to right: Ato Teshome Gebre Mariam, Mr Dan Reed (partial view), President of Boeing, Ato Gad Gabra-Kristos, Ato Wondwossen Mengesha (partial view), and the former President of the Board of Ethiopian Airlines, Dajazmach Mangasha Seyoum

Ethiopian’s Entry into the Jet Age Bahru Zewde, Emeritus Professor of History at Addis Ababa University, records a momentous occasion in the Airline’s history.

s ETHIOPIAN is poised to acquire the latest in aviation technology, the Dreamliner, we can reflect on the long journey that brought it to this threshold. Three dates stand out conspicuously in the history of Ethiopian aviation: 18 August 1929, 8 April 1946 and 4 December 1962. The first marked the arrival in Ethiopia of the very first aircraft, a French Potez 25. The second signalled the inauguration of commercial aviation with the flight of ET-T-2 to Cairo. The third was the momentous day when ETHIOPIAN entered the jet age with the arrival of two Boeing 720-Bs at the newly constructed but barely finished Bole International Airport. The first and third events were deemed of such national importance that Emperor Haile Selassie attended both of them, the first as Regent (Ras Tafari) and the third as Emperor. The excitement that greeted the arrival of the first jet was so high that everyone, including the radio tower operator, forgot the second; so much so that the pilot had to attract attention and have the runway cleared for his landing by making a roaring low-pass! 54 54

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The Emperor was visibly moved. In the speech that he delivered on the occasion, he cited a special commendation for Mr. Charles Tillinghast, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Trans World Airlines (TWA), ETHIOPIAN’s American partner, the two successive General Managers of ETHIOPIAN, Waldon Gene (Swede) Golien and Vic Harrell, and the former President of the Board of ETHIOPIAN, Dajazmach (Le’ul Ras) Mangasha Seyoum. The Emperor said in his speech that Dajazmach Mangasha Seyoum that they had played such a pivotal role in the negotiations for the purchase of the jets. Indeed, as a fitting recognition of his efforts, the Dajazmach had been summoned from his administrative post in Maqale to greet the jets coming from Seattle to Athens and fly on one of them to Addis. The idea of acquiring the jets was kindled in Dajazmach Mangasha’s mind while he attended an International Air Transport Association (IATA) conference in Tokyo in 1959. Although ETHIOPIAN had just acquired three DC-6Bs, then considered the latest in airline technology, all the talk at the Tokyo Conference

Word about the tenacity of ‘the famous Dajazmach’, as he had come to be dubbed, had already preceded him.

Above: Boeing 720B, arrived in 1962

Below: Early in 1947 the airline decided to convert three newly acquired DC-3 into 21-seat luxury passenger planes

was about acquiring jets. The Dajazmach raised the issue with the President of TWA, insisting that he did not wish his airline to be stuck with propeller engines while the world was entering the jet age. The American tried to talk him out of the subject, saying that it was “too early for you”. The ETHIOPIAN President remained adamant and managed to squeeze a promise from the TWA President to send him a feasibility study. Armed with that study, Dajazmach Mangasha presented the matter at a Board meeting. Getting the Board to agree to the purchase of jets was one thing. Getting the crucial approval of the Council of Ministers to negotiate the loan for the purchase was quite another. The cautious Minister of Finance, Yilma Deressa, presented a strong case against seeking the loan at the Council and his arguments carried the day. Undaunted, the Dajazmach appealed to the Emperor and managed to get an audience. There, not only did he present his case in the strongest possible terms but also had the temerity to suggest that if the Minister of Finance was not prepared to negotiate the loan, he should be authorised to negotiate on behalf of the Ethiopian Government. The bemused Emperor finally relented and the Dajazmach left for the United States (US) as the head of a delegation consisting of Vic Harrell, the General Manager of ETHIOPIAN, Dan Reed, Head of Commercial Section, Ato Teshome Gebre Mariam, the Legal Advisor, Ato Gad Gabra-Kristos, Chief of Civil Aviation, and Ato Wondwossen Mangasha, Vice-President of the National Bank of Ethiopia. His first port of call was the US State Department, the body that could authorise the loan from the Export-Import (Exim) Bank. Word about the tenacity of ‘the famous Dajazmach’, as he had come to be dubbed, had already preceded him. Unable to get immediate response, the Dajazmach flew to Kansas City, headquarters of TWA, to work on its President. His first idea was to persuade the TWA President to lobby the State Department on behalf of ETHIOPIAN. When that proved unacceptable to the TWA President, who himself had to lobby hard to borrow money

for his own airline, the Dajazmach changed his tactic into asking him to link him up with Boeing. That was easier to arrange and the Ethiopian delegation proceeded to Seattle. As seller, the Boeing President was naturally more receptive of the Ethiopian proposal than either the State Department or TWA. He assigned his representative in Washington to arrange for the Dajazmach a series of luncheon and dinner meetings with State Department officials. After 15 days of intensive lobbying, the final day then arrived for the announcement of the US decision. But there was to be a last minute ambush. At a luncheon organised by the State Department for about 15 people, including the Dajazmach, a geologist working with Parsons, an American potash prospecting company in the Dalol region of Ethiopia raised the spectre of Cold War politics by asking the Dajazmach why he authorised Russian building of the oil refinery at Assab. The Dajazmach explained at considerable length that it was as a last resort that the oil refinery was given to the Russians. The American Ambassador in Addis Ababa had been the first to be contacted when the Dajazmach learnt of the advantages of having one’s own refinery instead of importing fuel at a higher price. But the Ambassador had nipped the idea in the bud with the usual retort that “Ethiopia was not ready for this”. Then, he had approached the Germans, who were initially enthusiastic but later changed their mind after failing to get the clearance from the Americans. Satisfied, the State Department official then formally announced the approval of the loan. The event was celebrated with cake and champagne. The gratified Dajazmach then proceeded to Seattle to seal the deal for the purchase of the two jets. It was then that he realised that there was no point in having the jets if he could not have trained Ethiopian pilots to fly them and Ethiopian mechanics to maintain them. With an additional loan of USD 5 million, six mechanics and the two senior Ethiopian pilots, Captain Alemayehu Abebe and Captain Adamu Medhane, were sent to Seattle. It was after these preparations that the jets finally arrived at Bole Airport on 4 December 1962. Among the VIPs (Very Important Persons) who were on that inaugural flight was the Vice-President and CEO of Hilton International. He was one of the guests who were given an audience with the Emperor two days later. It does not require much imagination to speculate that the seed of Hilton Addis was probably sown at that meeting.

january January -- march march 2011

HEALTH

photo © WIKIMEDIA

Are you a First-class Sleeper? If not, don’t let it keep you awake . . . by Kate Nivison.

sk how much sleep the average adult requires, and most people will come up with the figure of eight hours a night. Follow it up by asking if that is the amount they themselves actually get, and the answer is likely to be some variant of “You must be joking!” or “I only wish I did!” Which leads to some disturbing possibilities: either the majority of people are not getting enough sleep on a regular basis, or their first answer was wrong. So where did the notion come from? Is it true that, unless we manage to get in a solid eight hours of shut-eye, we should start worrying about dire consequences to our own health and safety, not to mention that of others should we happen to be, say, air traffic controllers, brain surgeons, or just trying to remember where we left the house keys – or the children. The eight-hour mantra seems to have come from Victorian Britain, where working for 10 or even 14 hours a day in mines or factories was quite usual, often in dreadful conditions. It was then that mid-19th century labour movements began to press for better treatment for workers with the slogan, ‘Eight hours work, eight hours recreation, eight hours rest’. What they didn’t actually say was ‘eight hours sleep’, but the notion caught on that this was what everyone needed. Considering the noisy, overcrowded conditions in the new industrial towns, it seems unlikely that anyone would have managed that much unbroken sleep anyway. Much as today, many of the workers had recently arrived from rural areas where life was less hectic. But maybe, now as then, there never was a ‘golden age’

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If anyone not a family member falls asleep near you – say, in the next seat – regard it as a compliment, because they obviously feel safe and relaxed in your presence.

of sleep, even in the countryside. What with cockerels crowing, animals having to be milked at dawn, fires re-kindled, hungry babies, and church bells or calls to prayer, it seems likely that the concept of having a nice lie-in at the weekends is a very recent development. Blaming urban life for lack of sleep is nothing new. Long before car horns and burglar alarms, heavy lorries, low-flying aircraft and high-decibel sound systems, townies complained bitterly about noises at night. In Ancient Rome where the main roads were paved, heavy wooden carts had to be banned from entering the city after dark. From west to east across the known world, towns imposed some kind of ‘curfew’, (literally, ‘cover the fire’) soon after sunset, by which time all decent folk were supposed to be in bed. Nightwatchmen and sentries were posted to look out for trouble so that the rest of the populace could sleep in peace, and there were severe penalties for dozing off on guard duty. Given that humanity began on the African savannas where large predators abound, it’s hardly a wonder that we are nervous sleepers. Feeling safe is the first requirement. Studies show that herd animals are never all asleep at the same time, even when domesticated and safe in zoos or barns. Somehow, they work a shift system. Females are the lightest sleepers, possibly to stop them flattening their infants when rolling over. Animals with a mainly solitary lifestyle prefer concealed dens or vantage positions when getting to sleep. Even today, it would seem that our savanna heritage is still very much with us.

The Greeks considered sleep such a serious business that they needed not just one god but a whole family of them to deal with it. Mother of the Sleep family was Nyx, goddess of night, which makes some kind of sense. One of her sons was Hypnos, the god of sleep (from which ‘hypnosis’ is derived), and another, Morpheus, was the god of dreams. Hypnos/Sleep was seen as a gentle, elusive, rather flighty young man with wings, while his younger brother Morpheus (some sources say his son, the family life of Greek gods being notoriously dysfunctional), was kept very busy in the dreams department. Morpheus could change shape to become whatever people saw in their dreams, and he had special responsibility for the dreams of kings and heroes, which had to be taken very seriously. In fact he had to take on extra staff – junior family members charged with warding off nightmares and sorting out ‘real’ dreams from ‘false’ ones. From Morpheus and his dream world are derived words such as morphine, a drug which induces a pain-free, dreamlike state, and ‘to morph’, a verb now regularly used not just for when caterpillars change into butterflies, but for the shape changes made possible on screen by sophisticated computer imaging. While the ancient world was preoccupied with what happened in dreams, modern research is more concerned with what constitutes sufficient sleep, and how to get it. Not everyone agrees with eight hours as an ideal. Grandparents still quote an old saying that nature requires only five hours of sleep, custom says seven, while laziness needed nine, and wickedness 11. Possibly this is to discourage lie-ins, but at least it recognises that sleep requirements vary enormously according to circumstances. Recent research indicates that seven hours and 20 minutes is enough for most adults, although individual variation is considerable. Age is an important and very variable factor.

Newborns and the very old sleep most, while 7-12 year-olds have boundless energy on what seems like insufficient sleep because they tend to wake earlier than their parents. But when the teen years kick in, body rhythms change. According to the United States National Sleep Foundation, many teenagers find it difficult to fall asleep early enough to get in the nine hours or more that most of them still need to get through a day at school. It’s now being suggested that lessons, and particularly important examinations, should start later to allow for this vital blip in the complicated physical process of growing up. In late maturity, inability to get to sleep until the early hours, or waking up and not being able to get back to sleep are the most common problems. This could be because this group is becoming less active, and so doesn’t need quite as much sleep as before. But this is also the group with a growing tendency to ‘nod off’, particularly during meetings, watching television or after a meal. There then follows the kind of conversation that goes something like, “But I wasn’t really asleep,” followed by a chorus of, “Then why were you snoring?” Possibly there is some kind of bio-feedback loop going on here, in that the more people worry about not sleeping at night, the more likely they are to take a nap in the day – which means they sleep less the next night . . . .No surprise then, that, as with most aspects of life, worrying about it makes it worse. One positive approach for adults is to ditch the idea that they should be getting their eight hours in on a regular basis, because the recommended average figure is actually lower, and even that figures varies considerably between individuals and according to age and circumstances. It is also helpful to understand the difference between not getting quite as much sleep as we would like or feel entitled to, and what constitutes acute sleep deprivation and its much more serious consequences. The scarier aspects of research on severe sleep deprivation are likely to be of more interest to the military than the average citizen. Feeling a little ratty in the mornings or taking a ‘power nap’ (as a postlunch doze is called these days) are not in the same league as taking lunges at imaginary blobby green enemies, driving down the wrong side of the motorway or missing your mouth when trying to eat. If urban life is partly to blame for problems with sleep, whether real or otherwise, it’s a trend that is likely to continue. In 2007, almost unnoticed, the United Nations declared that this is the Urban Millennium, with 23 May of that year as the symbolic date when the world’s population became more urban than rural. In 1900, only 29 per cent lived in towns or cities. By 2050 that is expected to rise to two-thirds. There’s no shortage of ‘sleep doctors’ in today’s busy world, where many surveys claim that over 70 per cent of those asked say they aren’t getting enough sleep. But experts do agree on several things. Absolutely do not drive anything while sleepy. When you do sleep, keep it safe, dark and comfortable. Avoid alcohol, caffeine and heavy meals in the hours before bedtime. Count sheep, or blessings, if it helps, and if you can’t solve your problems, set up a fancy wall of your own design and sweep them behind it, because some are bound to feel unwanted and creep away by morning. And if anyone not a family member falls asleep near you – say, in the next seat – regard it as a compliment, because they obviously feel safe and relaxed in your presence.

January - march 2011

FEATURE

photos courtesy of www.topcar.com

Dutch Treat, Spyker Aileron Motoring by Nick Hall.

he Spyker Aileron belongs in Monaco, Beverley Hills or Dubai – or in fact any wealth centre of the world. So invading a trailer park in Scottsdale, Arizona in the United States (US), was hardly the most tactful thing to do. Yet even the poorest residents of this ramshackle mobile home community couldn’t resist a bemused smile and a quick enquiry about the power, provenance and price of this car. That is the power of the new Dutch supercar. It magically captures the spirit of fun, decadence and wanton excess and serves it all up in a package of glowing, friendly warmth. It is a pure visual feast of details, it’s like a kid’s crazy drawing of a supercar made real – a concept car that never quite makes it to production reality. And yet here it is in the flesh, running, with a license plate, an order form and the most stunning look. It dances in the Arizona sunlight through the heat haze emerging from the Audi-sourced V8. Company founder Victor Muller penned the car and wanted to create a timeless beauty: a modern classic car with epic presence and a sense of fun. And while it always looked too much on the show stand, everyone that sees this car in the flesh falls in love. 60

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The gaping, round front end and the blindingly shiny front splitter announce its presence, and then there are the LED (Light emitting diode) lights, the incredible plunging bonnet and the central air intake on the equally shiny strip of aluminium across the front of the roof: just impossible to ignore. The side profile is equally impressive, with two air intakes, the Gurney flap and the turbine-shaped wheels that pull hot air from the brake discs. In fact, the jet engine theme runs deep through the car and its intakes, vents, pretty much everything it can. It all follows the turbine design ethos and ties into the company history that is intertwined with aviation. The back end provides perhaps the most dramatic view of all, externally at least, with the engine peeking through the glass panels, Ferrari-style, to the stainless steel rear diffuser and wraparound apron. The exhaust pipes even come engraved with the company logo and motto: nulla tenaci invia est via, (for the tenacious, no road is impassable). It’s a fitting catch phrase for a near impossible company. Spyker, in its first incarnation, started out as a carriage builder in the late 1800s. The First World War brought a merger with

Above: The Spyker Aileron; ‘a modern classic car with epic presence and a sense of fun’

Opposite: The tortoiseshell aluminium coated dashboard with elegant 19-inch directional rotor wheel

Above: Impressive side profile of the Spyker Aileron with two air intakes, and turbine-shaped wheels

The Spyker competes on a different playing field; it’s a relaxed, spectacular looking supercar that will stand out in a crowd and bring a smile to the face of everyone who sees it.

an aircraft company, which helped shape its future. But it wasn’t enough to get them through the lean times ahead, and Spyker filed for bankruptcy in 1925. That was the end of the story for a full 75 years, until Dutch lawyer, businessman and car nut Victor Muller dusted off the name in 2000 to give it a second chance. This is the second model in the line-up, and it’s a grown-up Grand Tourer (GT) car aimed roughly at the Aston Martin DB9 and Bentley Continental GT, but with a character all of its own. And if the outside of the car messes with your head, you haven’t seen anything yet. The whole dash is coated in tortoiseshell aluminium that catches the light and, as my seared retinas acclimatise to the savage assault, I’m confronted with 50s science fiction. The wheel is sourced from an Audi R8, but even that is trimmed with leather – we had to go on a hunt to find just three pieces of bare plastic in the whole interior. Everything else is leather trimmed and aluminium; the tactile toggle switches cost $50 apiece compared to the $1 parts bin specials that fill out most boutique supercars, and the new mirror assembly they’re working on, fitted to the demo Spyder at the Barrett-Jackson base, costs an eye-popping $ 3,000 – just to make. The Recaro seats are trimmed with trademark quilted leather and then there’s the gear linkage, exposed to the world and inspired by the flight controls of old-world planes. It’s a rolling work of art, and it’s here that the Spyker marks itself apart from the undoubtedly faster Italian opposition. Even

the key is special, it’s a hockey puck-style milled aluminium disc that weighs heavy in the hand and forms part of the intricate start-up procedure. The puck remotely unlocks the car, a hidden button under the mirror pops the scissor door and I have to flick the fighter jet-style red covered toggle switch then press the starter button. And that’s when we get the first minor disappointment. There is no savage explosion, no vicious burst of flames from a car that looks like a jet fighter in full flight. This is, when all is said and done, a mildly-tuned Audi V8, and it simply coughs into life and settles into a steady rumble. Muller has already specified a louder exhaust that will bring the characteristic V8 burble back into play. There are bypass valves that help make the note, but even on its loudest setting it falls far short and fails to drown out the transmission whine from the Audi S8’s ZF torque converter auto box that will form the only transmission in the early days. That, too, needs to change. Spyker reasonably argues that 100 per cent of its orders in recent years have been for automatics, so they had to go this route first. The US, Middle East, Russia and the Far East are the big markets right now, and everybody seems to want the more relaxed transmission. But the chassis is crying out with potential and this package barely scratches the surface of its sporting aspirations. With a full aluminium chassis tweaked by the company’s in-house racing team, a 1,200 kilogrammes kerb weight and the exact same suspension set-up that starred on the Lotus Evora, the Aileron sounds like a dream sportscar, and it could be. It isn’t, but it was a conscious decision to turn this big two seater into a GT. So, comparing the 0-100 kilometres per hour (kph) time of 4.5 seconds to the not too dissimilarly priced Lamborghini LP5604, Ferrari 458 Italia and Audi R8 V10 is more or less pointless, although its 300 kph top speed is far from shabby, even in this company. The ride is sublime. On the highway the car registers expansion joints with a dull thud, but there isn’t even a tug on the wheel. This is a perfectly composed machine with near perfect poise, and in auto mode it is so utterly relaxed, as well as so utterly nuts on the aesthetic front that you could easily imagine buying one for the cruise factor alone. But on the backroads it’s slightly less convincing. The Lotus-tuned suspension is magical and Spyker has produced a zero understeer car with massive mechanical grip at the rear thanks to 19-inch wheels wrapped in 235/35 and 295/30 Michelin Pilot Sports. This diamond, though, is not without its faults. January - march 2011

DUTCH TREAT, Spyker Aileron

There is no traction control, just electronic brake distribution, which goes against the gentle giant grain of the car and could catch unwary owners out. I’m not sure how to reconcile that with the GT angle, especially as it’s a racing touch on a car that is categorically not a race car. And, even in sport mode, the ZF box always feels a fraction of a second behind the rest of the car and I can’t quite trust it enough to hold the gear to really launch at the apex. Development will help toughen up this gearbox, but for my money it needs a six-speed manual to guarantee true immediacy and ultimate faith. The drive is not helped by the development AP Racing steel brakes; they aren’t completely progressive just yet and tend to grab halfway through the travel. Those stoppers should be silky smooth come sale time. Spyker says their car is an ‘and’ car, not an ‘or’ car, meaning potential owners are those who generally have a Lamborghini and a Ferrari, and possibly a Pagani in the garage already. So when the owners want to go flat out they should take one of the other cars from the collection. The Spyker competes on a different playing field; it’s a relaxed, spectacular looking supercar that will stand out in a crowd and bring a smile to the face of everyone who sees it. For those with $218,000 to spend on a second, third or even fifth supercar, this child’s dream made real could prove just too tempting. It’s a flawed underdog that has wilfully gone swimming in a sea infested with conglomerate-owned Italian and German sharks. You have to love the sheer audacity of the plan. And on his second attempt Muller has created a car that is a slug of power

and a manual gearbox away from greatness in the supercar ranks, and is already a fantastic GT in its own right. For the tenacious, it seems, no road is impassable. Specs & rating Model: C8 Aileron Engine: 4.2-litre V8 Transmission: Six-speed automatic Max power: 400 bhp @ 7,200 rpm Max torque: 480 Nm @ 3,400 rpm Top speed: 300 kph 0-100kph: 4.5 sec

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Above: At the back end, the engine peeks through the glass panels; a hidden button under the mirror pops open the scissor doors

7/8/10 8:27:02 PM

DESTINATION

PHOTOS © brian johnston

Derriere les remparts Visitez le château de Windsor et vous y trouverez non seulement un spectacle impressionnant mais aussi, d’après Brian Johnston, un bâtiment au cœur de l’Histoire du Royaume-Uni et de son imagination culturelle.

uivez en amont les rives de la Tamise depuis le cœur de Londres et vous passerez devant maintes idoles auxquelles les Britanniques sont attachés, – ainsi qu’un bon nombre de touristes – en commençant par la Tour de Londres et les Chambres du Parlement. Plus loin à l’ouest, les eaux du fleuve reflètent les magnifiques demeures de certains puissants personnages historiques lorsque la poussière urbaine s’estompe et est remplacée par des prés et des parcs. Le fleuve longe les jardins de Kew, l’un des plus grands jardins botaniques au monde. Continuez encore et à environ 30 kilomètres du centre de la Cité, vous appercevrez la plus grande idole de toutes: le Château de Windsor, émergeant dans une grandiose étendue de remparts, de tours et de tourelles. Après être passés par différents lieux importants de la culture et de l’histoire britanniques, au cours de votre voyage le long du fleuve, vous arrivez à ce qui représente la quintessence de l’esprit britannique. Le château de Windsor se projette de façon impressionnante, depuis 900 ans, sur son promontoire en calcaire, glorieux symbole en pierre du charme du Moyen-Age et du pouvoir royal lequel a toujours été au centre de l’histoire anglaise (et plus tard britannique) avec toutes ses pompes et ses

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cérémonies. Aujourd’hui encore la bannière royale flotte toujours paresseusement sur ses remparts lorsque la reine Elisabeth II y séjourne. C’est le plus grand et le plus vieux château inhabité du monde, comprenant plus de mille chambres. Et c’est aussi l’une des principales attractions touristiques de la Grande-Bretagne, tout de suite après la Tour de Londres, cet autre établissement royal,. Le roi Guillaume le Conquérant fit construire ce château au 11ème siècle et il fut agrandi par la suite par une succession de monarques. Le roi John de triste mémoire – le méchant des films sur Robin des Bois – résida dans ce château avant de signer en 1215 la Magna Carta, premier pas de l’Angleterre vers la démocratie, sur la toute proche île de Runnymede située sur la Tamise. En 1649 Charles 1er y fut emprisonné avant d’être décapité au cours d’une révolution populaire. Et la Reine Victoria régna derrière ses murs pendant quarante ans sur un empire en pleurant la mort de son mari bien-aimé, le Prince Albert qui y mourut en 1861. Cette exposition explorait la vie d’une des plus importantes figures de l’histoire de la monarchie britannique. Parmi les clous de cette exposition, on pouvait admirer une série de travaux

Ci-dessus: Une vue du château de Windsor de la Tamise

effectués par l‘artiste allemand Hans Holbein le Jeune, peintre du roi, qui fit le portrait de nombreuses personnalités clés du règne du roi Henri, y compris de ses femmes. Un des premiers portraits montrait le roi à l’âge de 17 ans quand il était beau dans sa prime jeunesse, bien avant qu’il ne devienne bouffi, imprévisible et tyrannique. Mais on pouvait voir aussi des miniatures, des livres, des manuscrits et d’autres objets – par exemple un sabre de chasse – tous concernant le règne de ce roi qui continue à exercer une vraie fascination sur le public britannique.Cette exposition explore la vie d’une des plus importantes figures de l’histoire de la monarchie britannique. Parmi les clous de cette exposition, on peut admirer une série de travaux effectués par l‘artiste allemand Hans Holbein le Jeune, peintre du roi, qui fit le portrait de nombreuses personnalités clés du règne du roi Henri, y compris de ses femmes. Un des premiers portraits montre le roi à l’âge de 17 ans quand il était beau dans sa prime jeunesse, bien avant qu’il ne devienne bouffi, imprévisible et tyrannique. Mais on peut voir aussi des miniatures, des livres, des manuscrits et d’autres objets – par exemple un sabre de chasse – tous concernant le règne de ce roi qui continue à exercer une vraie fascination sur le public britannique. Henri VIII fut enterré dans la chapelle Saint Georges du château aux côtés de sa troisième femme, Jane Seymour. Cette dernière s’arrangea pour sauver sa tête en exauçant le souhait longuement désiré du roi d’avoir enfin un fils mais elle mourut en couches. Son fils devint brièvement Edouard VII mais il mourut adolescent. Lui succédèrent ses sœurs Mary et Elisabeth. Neuf autres monarques furent enterrés là, y inclus le père de la reine actuelle, Georges VI, ainsi que sa sœur la princesse Margaret. Il serait juste de dire que nombre de visiteurs étrangers peuvent être déconcertés par les tenants et les aboutissants de l’Histoire de la Grande Bretagne et des appels des anciens monarques britanniques. C’est sans importance: le château de Windsor mérite toujours d’être visité pour de nombreuses raisons dont sa Ci-dessus : Un carrosse des écuries royales

A’droite: Une statue de la Reine Victoria érigée à l’entrée du château

Page suivante: Figurines en étain souvenir des épouses d’Henry VIII

January - march 2011

Derriere les remparts

magnifique architecture. La Chapelle Saint Georges en est l’un des centres d’intérêt marqué. Fondée à la fin du 15ème siècle, c’est une des plus belles églises du pays. Des vitraux colorés projettent des dessins rouges et bleus sur les sols, les voûtes et les colonnes s’élèvent en parfaite harmonie et des étendards de type médiéval descendent en voltigeant des plafonds. Ceux-ci appartiennent aux Chevaliers de la Jarretière, l’ordre le plus ancien de la chevalerie en Grande-Bretagne et l’un des plus estimés; au moins vingt-quatre membres sont invités à se joindre chaque fois au monarque régnant du jour. Windsor est toujours une résidence royale dans tous les sens du terme. L’actuelle reine l’utilise beaucoup plus que certains de ses prédécesseurs et le château en est devenu une sorte de royale retraite campagnarde. Il n’existe pas d’endroit qui soit plus associé aux statuts et prérogatives de la famille royale dont la dynastie a d’ailleurs pris le nom du château lui-même. La relève de la garde à elle seule stoppe le trafic dans les rues et le régiment de la reine circule en maître dans la ville. Heureusement, quand la reine n’y réside pas, le public peut avoir un aperçu sur la vie du château de Windsor. Les appartements d’Etat sont actuellement restaurés dans leur ancienne magnificence après l’incendie qui, en 1992, a partiellement détruit un certain nombre de chambres. Toutes les dorures et les enjolivures vous détournent de la réelle qualité de ce qu’il y a à voir : on notera sur les murs des tableaux qui incluent des chefs d’oeuvres de Rubens, Rembrandt, Dürer et Canaletto entre autres. Les appartements contiennent aussi des antiquités, des armures, des porcelaines et de superbes tapisseries. Un autre must pour beaucoup de visiteurs est la Maison de Poupées qui fut offerte par la nation à la Reine Mary en 1923. Elle fut conçue par le fameux architecte Sir Edwin Lutyens qui est mieux connu encore pour avoir créé à New Delhi la capitale des Indes britanniques. La Maison de Poupées est un chef d’oeuvre en miniature à l’échelle de 1/12ème ainsi que l’ameublement fait main, les clés sur les portes et la bibliothèque remplie de livres miniatures tous écrits à la main par des auteurs connus des années 1920. Avec l’électricité et l’eau courante, la Maison de Poupées était à l’avant-garde à son époque et apporte maintenant un fascinant aperçu en miniature sur la vie quotidienne du début de vingtième siècle. Ce n’est pas souvent que le peuple a la chance de fureter dans une résidence royale, - au moins dans une partie de celle-ci. Il y a toutefois encore d’autres attractions à Windsor, qui est aussi une jolie petite ville au pied des remparts, dont les constructions en brique datent principalement du 19ème siècle. La ville regorge de restaurants, de pubs aussi bien que de boutiques d’argenteries et d’antiquités où des représentations en étain d’Henri VIII et de ses femmes ne cessent de se vendre par paniers entiers. Vous trouvez dans la rue St Albans les Royal Mews ou écuries dans lesquelles ceux qui aiment ce qui a rapport aux ornements royaux trouveront un étalage de voitures et de carrosses. De l’autre côté de la Tamise se trouve encore une autre icône du fleuve: le collège d’Eton. Cette école privée (appelée, en Grande-Bretagne, de façon déroutante : école publique) fut fondée en 1440 par Henri VI, qui à l’époque était adolescent. Bon nombre de Britanniques dont des militaires célèbres, des écrivains et d’autres personnages publics connus, dont 20 premiers ministres et très récemment le Prince William, y ont étudié. Vous pourriez très bien y rencontrer des étudiants vêtus 66

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de leurs bizarres pantalons rayés et de leurs cols de chemises raides dans les rues de la ville – ce n’est qu’une des autres traditions excentriques dans lesquelles la Grande-Bretagne semble exceller. Un autre endroit qui vaut la peine d’une visite est le grand Parc de Windsor. L’ancienne forêt royale destinée à la chasse s’étend au sud du château sur plusieurs kilomètres et offre de superbes promenades et des points de vues sur le château. Ses jardins Saville le rangent parmi les plus beaux jardins d’Europe, particulièrement au printemps quand fleurissent les narcisses, les camélias et les rhododendrons. Tout à côté, les Jardins de la Vallée sont aussi remplis d’arbrisseaux et de ce qu’il y a de mieux comme arbres britanniques dans une vallée naturelle boisée bénéficiant de ruisseaux bouillonnants. Le visiteur occasionnel se baladant dans le Parc de Windsor peut très bien y rencontrer sa propriétaire, la reine elle-même, s’y promènant en chaussures Wellington et en imperméable, un formidable rappel que ce magnifique château, symbole du Royaume-Uni, est aussi, tout simplement, la maison de quelqu’un.

Le château de Windsor s’élève majestueusement sur un promontoire en calcaire datant de 900 ans, symbole glorieux en pierre de la romance médiévale et du pouvoir royal.

Air Ethiopie vole 6 fois par semaine pour Londres, au Royaume-Uni

Negash Lodge is located in the south west of Ethiopia in a place called Wollisso found in the Oromia region. It is situated 114 kilometers away from the capital city Addis Ababa. The lodge was first built in the 1930’s and was used as a holiday home by the late Emperor Haile Selassie, because of its astounding natural hot springs, which many believe, has healing powers. It is built on vast land approximately 90,000sq.m and incorporates vast forestry, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and various wildlife. In the late 1940’s, the lodge was Ethiopia’s biggest honeymoon destinations. The unique landscape and excellent service makes Negash Lodge the most desired experience in Ethiopia. It is a place of traditional elegant surroundings, and an ambience that bestows peace and tranquility within oneself. The compound is filled with many different varieties of trees, hundreds of bird species and wildlife creating a sense of peace and relaxation in this spectacular natural environment. Wollisso-----+Dilala-----+Kora------+Teji-----+Telly ------+Sebeta------+AlemGena------+Addis Ababa Wollisso Tel: +251 113 410 002 Fax: +251 113 412 716 A.A: Tel: +251115 511 417 E-mail: pabomi@ethionet.et

www.negashlodge.com

SPORTS

photos © ELSHADAI NEGASH

Ethiopian Airlines Great Ethiopian Run – a Perfect ‘Ten’! The 2010 Ethiopian Airlines Great Ethiopian Run international 10 kilometres road race successfully celebrated its 10th edition in Addis Ababa. Elshadai Negash looks back on a weekend of festivities that saw Ethiopia’s running festival become a global phenomenon.

ll great things in this world begin with an idea (or ideas)! When Ethiopian distance running star Haile Gebrselassie and the-then British ambassador to Ethiopia Miles Wickstead got together in a London hotel in 2000 to discuss the possibility of starting a mass participation race in Ethiopia, they did not envisage the impact such an event would have on Ethiopian society. Ten years on, the Great Ethiopian Run is not only a permanent fixture in the Ethiopian sporting calendar, but also an annual extravaganza of song, dance, fun, and an excuse to return to fitness. As the race celebrated its 10th edition on 21 November 2010, all the ingredients that make this race special were again on display. A record 35,000 people took part, all wearing yellow and green T-shirts, in a race which enjoyed the second year of title sponsorship from Ethiopian Airlines. A few thousand took the course – altered this year to include the Gotera overpass – as a challenge to fulfill certain time or fitness goals. But the majority jogged and walked the course, stopping to dance to the music from bands lined up on the course, and soak themselves in the water stations along the route. 68

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It also seems that with each passing year more Ethiopian folk use the public attention given to the race as a chance to dress up or don goofy costume! Others use the occasion to run for a certain cause or as part of the race’s official charity, the Dream Campaign, which raised money for two causes this time. This year’s recipients, Abebe Gobena and Mary Joy, are expected to take a share of the anticipated ETB 1 million (USD 50,000) to be raised through such efforts. But as in any sporting competition, there are those who train for the race for months before taking part in the event to test themselves against the very best. The race winner’s prize of ETB 30,000 (USD 1,700) helps to attract the finest field of upcoming talent in the country. Continuing with the tradition of previous years, there was again a quality field of elite runners in the race and an increased depth of 10 kilometres runners in both the men’s and women’s races. The men’s race has a habit of throwing surprises each year and the form book was again disrupted this year by Azmeraw Bekele’s hard-fought victory.

Above: A record 35,000 people wearing yellow and green T-shirts took part in the 10 kilometres Great Ethiopian Run

persons) representation with the presence of Netherlands’ threetime world half marathon champion Lornah Kiplagat, double world marathon champion Abel Anton, and Olympic medalist Irishman John Tracey all present during the occasion. 2010 Great Ethiopian Run 10 kilometres road race Men’s results 1. Azmeraw Bekele 29:25 2. Yenenew Alamrew 29:26 3. Berhanu Bekele 29:27 4. Tigabu Gebremariam 29:30 5. Seboka Nigusse 29:33 6. Assefa Mengistu 29:40

Above: Sule Utura winner for women’s race

The Great Ethiopian Run is not only a permanent fixture in the Ethiopian sporting calendar, but also an annual extravaganza of song, dance, fun, and an excuse to return to fitness.

Right: Azmeraw Bekele, winner for men’s race

Running against a young, but hungry elite field, Bekele, who is also the national 15 kilometres champion; executed perfect finishing tactics to take victory in 29:25, just one second ahead of Alamerew Yenew with Berhanu Bekele third a further second behind. The 20-year-old looked intent on taking the race from the onset when he made multiple breakaway attempts as early as the 2.5 kilometres mark. These were largely covered by a leading pack of 11 runners that produced an even, but fast opening half of 14:03. But after slowing between 5 and 7 kilometres, the race blew wide open as the pack was reduced to five at first, and then later to three, before Bekele made his decisive break at the turn towards the finish to take by far the biggest victory of his career so far. Behind him, Yenew also showed why he is highly coveted in Ethiopia’s distance running ranks with an impressive second. “It was the first time I’ve run the Great Ethiopian Run,” confirmed the race winner. “I was well prepared to win the race. The competition was not that tough – the only place which challenged me throughout the course was the Gotera overpass. I began the kick after the bridge and managed to keep it till the finishing line.” In contrast, Sule Utura, who also won the 2010 Confidence Women First 5 kilometres run in Addis Ababa in March, made light work of beating upcoming runner Abebech Afework after taking control of the race at the 7 kilometres point. She crossed the line in 33:35, eleven seconds ahead of Afework with Ahaza Kiros, the second place finisher in the 2005 and 2006 editions of the race, coming home in third in 33:59. “I wasn’t much prepared for this competition, but I won,” Utura said after the race. “[The new course] was easy until past the halfway point, but it is a little bit difficult starting from the Gotera overpass and it was a bit windy.” Of course, it was not all about the elites. Spanish ambassador Antonio Benedito Gaspar was the first ambassador home in just under one hour, while the race saw strong VIP (very important

Women’s results 1. Sule Utura 33:35 2. Abebech Afework 33:46 3. Ahaza Kiros 33:59 4. Bizunesh Urgessa 34:01 5. Makeda Haruna 34:10 6. Hiwot Ayalew 34:30

Elshadai Negash is a freelance Ethiopian athletics journalist based in Lausanne, Switzerland. He is Ethiopia’s first ever nominee for the CNN Multichoice African Journalist Awards, winning a high commendation for the sport award in 2009. He can be reached at elshadainegash@yahoo.com

January - march 2011

Ethiopian Airlines Domestic ROUTE MAp AND Offices

DOMESTIC ROUTE MAP Destinations

Re dS ea

Shire

Axum

Denakil Depression

Ras Dashan (4,620m)

Makale

Simien Mountains eau lat ra P ha Am

Gondar

Bahar Dar

n Ade f o f Gul

Lalibela

Tana

Choke Mountains Asosa

ADDIS ABABA

Akaki

Dembidollo

Ah Gambella

tai

n ou

Dire Dawa Jijiga

Koka Gore Jimma

Zwai Abiata Langano Shala

Mizan Teferi

Arba Minch

Kabri Dar

Abaya

Shamo

Gode Shilavo

Jinka

Ogaden Region

Mendebo Mountains

ADDIS ABABA Main City Ticket Office Churchill Road PO Box 1755 Tel: 251-11-5517000 Fax: 251-11-5513047/5513593 ARBA MINCH Tel: 251-46-8810649 (CTO) ASSOSA Tel: 251-057-7750574/75( CTO) 251-091-1255674 (CELL) AXUM Tel: 251-34-7752300 (CTO) 251-34-7753544 (APT) 251-91-1255682 (CELL) Email: AXUTSM@ETHIOPIANAIRLINES.COM

BAHAR DAR Tel: 251-58-2200020 (CTO) 251-58-2260036 (APT) 251-91-1255675 (CELL) Email: BJRTSM@ETHIOPIANAIRLINES.COM DIRE DAWA PO Box 176 Tel: 251-25-1111147 (CTO) 251-25-1114425 (APT) 251-91-5320405 (Cell) Email: DIRAM@ETHIOPIANAIRLINES.COM GAMBELLA Tel: 251-47-5510099 (CTO) 251-91-1255677 (CELL) GODE Tel: 251-25-7760015 (CTO) 251-25-7760030 (APT)

GONDAR PO Box 120 Tel: 251-58-1117688 (CTO) 251-58-1140735 (APT) 251-91-1255676 (CELL) Email: GDQTSM@ETHIOPIANAIRLINES.COM JIJIGA Tel: 251-25-7752030 (CTO) 251-25-7754300 (APT) JIMMA Tel: 251-47-1110030 (CTO) 251-47-1110207 (APT) 251-91-1255678 (CELL) Email: JIMTSM@ETHIOPIANAIRLINES.COM

LALIBELLA Tel: 251-33-3360046 (CTO) 251-91-1255679 (CELL) Email: LLITAM@ETHIOPIANAIRLINES.COM MEKELLE PO Box 230 Tel: 251-400055 (CTO) 251-34-4420437 (APT) 251-91-1255680 (CELL) Email: MQXTSM@ETIOPIANAIRLINES.COM SHIRE Tel: 251-34-4442224 (CTO) 251-91-1255681 (CELL) CTO – City Ticket Office APT – Airport Office CGO – Cargo Office CELL - Cellphone

january - march 2011

international route map sel routemap July2010.pdf

5/24/10

9:24:58 AM

Ethiopian Destinations Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) Abu Dhabi (UAE) Abuja (Nigeria) Accra (Ghana) Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) Bamako (Mali) Bangkok (Thailand) Bangui (Central Africa) Beijing (China) Beirut (Lebanon) Brazzaville (Congo) Brussels (Belgium) Bujumbura (Burundi) Cairo (Egypt) Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) Dakar (Senegal) Delhi (India) Dire Dawa (Ethiopia) Djibouti (Rep. of Djibouti) Douala (Cameroun) Dubai (UAE) Entebbe (Uganda) Frankfurt (Germany) Guangzhou (China) Harare (Zimbabwe) Hong Kong (China) Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) Johannesburg (S. Africa) Juba (Sudan) Khartoum (Sudan)

Kigali (Rwanda) Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) Kinshasa (D. R. of Congo) Kuwait City(Kuwait) Lagos (Nigeria) Libreville (Gabon) Lilongwe (Malawi) Lomé (Togo) London (United Kingdom) Luanda (Angola) Lubumbashi (Congo) Lusaka (Zambia) Malabo (Equitorial Guinea) Manama (Bahrain) Maputo (Mozambique) Mombasa (Kenya) Mumbai (India) Nairobi (Kenya) N’Djamena (Chad) Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) Pointe Noire (Congo) Paris (France) Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) Rome (Italy) Sanáa (Yemen) Stockholm (Sweden) Tel Aviv (Israel) Washington D.C. (USA) Zanzibar (Tanzania)

Vancouver Seattle

Quebec Ottawa Montréal Toronto Rochester Portland Syrac. Detriot Boston Omaha Chicago Dayton Cleveland Salt Lake City Denver Indianapolis New York Columb. Kansas Philadelphia San Francisco City Colorado Springs Cincinnati Washington D.C. St. Louis Klahoma Las Vegas San José Bashville Norfolk City Memphis Ontario Albuquerque Los Angeles Columbia Phoenix Little Rock Santa Ana Dallas Atlanta Tucson San New Jacksonville Diego San Antonio Orlando Houston Orleans Tampa Fort Lauderdale Miami Havana Minneapolis

Portland

North Atlantic Ocean

Destinations with special agreements Cape Town (South Africa) Dorval, Montréal (Canada) Gaborone (Botswana) Helsinki (Finland) Jarkata (Indonesia) Kolkata (India) Manila (Philippines) Oslo (Norway) Ottawa, Ontario (Canada) Palermo (Italy) Stockholm (Sweden) Toronto (Canada) Vancouver (Canada) Windhoek (Namibia) United States of America: Albuquerque, New Mexico Atlanta, Georgia Boston, Massachusetts Chicago, Illinois Cincinnati, Ohio Cleveland, Ohio Colorado Springs, Colorado Columbia, S. Carolina Columbus, Ohio Dallas, Texas Dayton, Ohio Denver, Colorado Detroit, Michigan Fort Lauderdale, Florida Houston, Texas Indianapolis, Indiana Jacksonville, Florida Kansas City, Kansas

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Las Vegas, Nevada Little Rock, Arkansas Los Angeles, California Memphis, Tennessee Miami, Florida Minneapolis, Minnesota Nashville, Tennessee New Orleans, Louisiana New York Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Omaha, Nebraska Ontario, California Orlando, Florida Philadelphia, Pa. Phoenix, Arizona Portland, Oregon Portland, Maine Rochester, New York Saint Louis, Missouri Salt Lake City, Utah San Antonio, Texas San Diego, California San Francisco, California San Jose, California Santa Ana, California Seattle, Washington Syracuse, New York Tampa, Florida Tucson, Arizona

South Pacific Ocean

CMY

INTERNATIONAL ROUTE MAP Ethiopian Destinations Destinations with Special Agreements

0300 (-9)

0400 (-8)

0500 (-7)

0600 (-6)

0700 (-5)

0800 (-4)

0900 (-3)

1000

Helsinki

Oslo

Stockholm

Amsterdam London Brussels Frankfurt Paris Geneva

Milan Beijing

Rome

(Peking)

Palermo Beirut Tel Aviv Alexandria

Kuwait

Cairo

Bahrain Riyadh

Jeddah

Dakar Ouagadougou

Monrovia

Accra Abidjan

Khartoum

Niamey Kano

Bamako

N‘Djamena

Asmara

Abuja

Lomé

ADDIS ABABA Juba

Lagos Douala

Malabo

New Delhi Dubai Guangzhou (Canton) Haiphong Hong Kong

Muscat Mumbai (Bombay)

Kolkata (Calcutta) Yangon (Rangoon)

Sanáa

Vientiane Manila

Bangkok

Djibouti

Dire Dawa

Bangui

Yaoundé Entebbe

Libreville Brazzaville Pointe Noire Luanda

Kigali Bujumbura

Kinshasa

Dodoma

Zanzibar

Jakarta

Dar es Salaam

Lubumbashi Lusaka

outh Atlantic Ocean

Nairobi Mombasa

Kilimanjaro

Indian Ocean

Lilongwe Harare

Windhoek Gaborone Johannesburg Maseru

Pretoria Maputo Mbabane Durban

Cape Town

(-2)

1100

(-1)

1200 (Noon GMT)

1300 (+1)

1400 (+2)

1500 (+3)

1600 (+4)

1700 (+5)

1800 (+6)

1900 (+7)

2000 (+8)

2100 (+9)

2200 (+10)

january - march 2011

ETHIOPIAN FLEET Ethiopian Airlines Current Commercial Fleet Long Range Passenger Services 2 Boeing 777-200LR ET-ANN, ET-ANO Long Range Passenger Services 11 Boeing 767-300 ER: ET-ALC, ET-ALH, ET-ALL, ET-ALJ, ET-ALO, ET-ALP, ET-AME, ET-AMF, ET-AMG, ET-AMQ, ET ANU

Boeing 777-200LR Seat Capacity: (ET-ANO, ET-ANN) ,Cloud Nine, 34;

Engines: PW4062.

Economy Class, 287. Total: 321

Sea Level Thrust — LB: 62,000.

Medium Range Passenger Services 8 Boeing 757-200 ER: ET-AKC, ET-AKE, ET-AKF, ET-ALY, ET-ALZ, ET-AMK ET-AMT, ET-AMU

Max. Gross Weight: Take Off, 347,450 kgs;

5 Boeing 737-800 ET-ANZ, ET-AMZ, ET-AOA, ET-ANA, ET-AOB

Total Cargo Volume: 5,330Cu.ft. Engines: GE90

Landing, 223,160 kgs; Zero Fuel, 209,100 kgs Operating Empty Weight: 160,856 kgs Sea Level Thrust — LB: 115,300 LB

5 Boeing 737-700: ET-ALK, ET-ALQ, ET-ALM, ET-ALU, ET-ALN

Cargo and Non-Scheduled Services 1 Boeing 757-260 Freighter: ET-AJS 1 Boeing 757-200 PCF: ET-AJX 1 Boeing 747-400F 2 MD-11 CF: ET-AML, ET-AND

Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner A super-efficient airplane with new passenger-pleasing features. It will bring the economics of large jet transports to the middle of the market, using 20 percent less fuel than any other airplane of its size. Seating: 210 to 250 passengers Range: 8,000 to 8,500 nautical miles (14,800 to 15,700 kilometres) Configuration: Twin aisle Cross Section: 226 inches (574 centimetres) Wing Span: 197 feet (60 metres) Length: 186 feet (57 metres) Height: 56 feet (17 metres) Flight deck size: Similar to that of a 777 Cruise Speed: Mach 0.85 Cargo Capacity After Passenger Bags: 5 pallets + 5 LD3s Maximum Take Off Weight: 476,000 lbs Program milestones: Authority to offer Late 2003 Assembly starts 2006, First flight 2007 Certification/Entry into service 2010

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Economy Class, 195. Total: 225. Max. Gross Weight: Take Off, 186,880 kgs; Landing, 145,149 kgs; Zero Fuel, 130,634 kgs. Operating Empty Weight: 90,426 kgs. Engines: PW4060-3. Sea Level Thrust — LB: 60,000.

Boeing 767-300 ER Seat Capacity: (ET-ALL) Cloud Nine, 24; Economy Class, 213. Total: 237. Max. Gross Weight: Take Off, 186,879 kgs; Landing, 145,149 kgs; Zero Fuel, 133,809 kgs. Operating Empty Weight: 91,367 kgs Total Cargo Volume: 5,200 Cu.ft. Engines: PW4062.

Coming Soon

Seat Capacity: (ET-AMQ) Cloud Nine, 30;

Total Cargo Volume: 5,200 Cu.ft.

8 Bombadier DHC-8 Q400: ET-ANI, ET-ANJ, ET-ANK, ET-ANL, ET-ANV, ET-ANW, ET-ANX, ET-ANY Domestic Passenger Services 5 Fokker 50 ET-AKR, ET-AKS, ET-AKT, ET-AKU, ET-AKV

Total Cargo Volume: 5,200 Cu.ft.

Sea Level Thrust — LB: 62,000.

Seat Capacity: (ET-ALO) Cloud Nine, 24; Economy Class, 211. Total: 235. Max. Gross Weight: Take Off, 186,880 kgs; Landing, 145,149 kgs; Zero Fuel, 133,809 kgs. Operating Empty Weight: 93,499 kgs. Total Cargo Volume: 5,200 Cu.ft. Engines: PW4062. Sea Level Thrust — LB: 62,000. Seat Capacity: (ET-ALP) Cloud Nine, 24; Economy Class, 208. Total: 232.

Seat Capacity: (ET-ALC) Cloud Nine, 24;

Max. Gross Weight: Take Off, 186,880 kgs;

Economy Class, 210. Total: 234.

Landing, 148,149 kgs; Zero Fuel, 133,809 kgs.

Max. Gross Weight: Take Off, 185,065 kgs;

Operating Empty Weight: 93,277 kgs.

Landing, 145,149 kgs; Zero Fuel, 130,634 kgs.

Total Cargo Volume: 5,200 Cu.ft.

Operating Empty Weight: 90,416 kgs.

Engines: PW4062.

Total Cargo Volume: 5,200 Cu.ft.

Sea Level Thrust — LB: 62,000.

Engines: PW4062. Sea Level Thrust — LB: 62,000

Seat Capacity: (ET-AME) Cloud Nine, 30;

Seat Capacity: (ET-ALH) Cloud Nine, 24;

Max. Gross Weight: Take Off, 181,436 kgs;

Economy Class, 213. Total: 237. Max. Gross Weight: Take Off, 186,880 kgs; Landing, 145,149 kgs; Zero Fuel, 133,809 kgs. Operating Empty Weight: 90,058 kgs.

Economy Class, 190. Total: 220. Landing, 137,892 kgs; Zero Fuel Weight, 130,634 kgs. Operating Empty Weight: 92,087 kgs. Total Cargo Volume: 5,200 Cu.ft. Engines: CF6-80C2B6F.

Total Cargo Volume: 5,200 Cu.ft.

Sea Level Thrust — LB: 60,000.

Engines: PW4062.

Seat Capacity: (ET-AMF, ET-AMG, ET-ANU)

Sea Level Thrust — LB: 62,000.

Cloud Nine: 24, Economy Class: 213, Total: 237. Max. Gross Weight: Take Off, 186,880 kgs;

Seat Capacity: (ET-ALJ)

Landing, 145,149 kgs; Zero Fuel Weight, 133,809 kgs.

Cloud Nine, 24; Economy Class, 211. Total: 235.

Operating Empty Weight: 87,419 kgs.

Max. Gross Weight: Take Off, 186,880 kgs;

Total Cargo Volume: 5,200 Cu.ft.

Landing, 145,149 kgs; Zero Fuel, 133,809 kgs.

Engines: PW4060-3

Operating Empty Weight: 93,277 kgs.

Sea Level Thrust — LB: 60,000.

Boeing 757-200 ER Seat Capacity: (ET-AKF, ET-AKE, ET-AKC, ET-AMU, ET-AMT) Cloud Nine, 16; Economy Class, 144. Total: 160. Max. Gross Weight: Take Off, 108,862 kgs; Landing, 89,811 kgs; Zero Fuel, 83,460 kgs. Operating Empty Weight: 61,179 kgs. Total Cargo Volume: 1,794 Cu.ft. Engines: PW2040. Sea Level Thrust — LB: 40,000. Seat Capacity: (ET-ALY) Cloud Nine, 16; Economy Class, 159. Total: 175. Max. Gross Weight: Take Off, 115,666 kgs; Landing, 89,812 kgs; Zero Fuel, 83,485 kgs. Operating Empty Weight: 60,942 kgs. Total Cargo Volume: 1,794 Cu.ft. Engines: PW2040.

Seat Capacity: (ET-AMT) Cloud Nine, 16; Economy Class, 155. Total: 171. Max. Gross Weight: Take Off, 115,892 kgs; Landing, 89,811 kgs; Zero Fuel, 83,460 kgs. Operating Empty Weight: 60,023 kgs. Total Cargo Volume: 1,794 Cu.ft. Engines: RB211-535E4-37. Sea Level Thrust — LB: 40,100. Seat Capacity: (ET-AMU) Cloud Nine, 16; Economy Class, 155. Total: 171. Max. Gross Weight: Take Off, 115,892 kgs;

Boeing 737-700 Seat Capacity: (ET-ALK, ET-ALQ, ET-ALM, ET-ALU, ET-ALN) Cloud Nine, 16;Economy Class 102. Total: 118. Max. Gross Weight: Take Off, 70,080 kgs; Landing, 58,604 kgs; Zero Fuel, 55,202 kgs. Operating Empty Weight: 41,015 kgs. Total Cargo Volume: 966 Cu.ft. Engines: CFM 56-7B26. Sea Level Thrust — LB: 26,300.

Boeing 737-800 Seat Capacity: (ET-ANA, ET-AMZ, ET-AOA,

Landing, 89,811 kgs; Zero Fuel, 83,460 kgs.

ET-ANA, ET-AOB), Cloud Nine: 16;

Operating Empty Weight: 60,023 kgs.

Economy Class, 138. Total: 154.

Total Cargo Volume: 1,794 Cu.ft.

Max Gross Weight: Take Off,79,010kgs

Engines: RB211-535E4-37.

Landing: 66,330kgs; Zero Fuel, 62,730kgs

Sea Level Thrust — LB: 40,100.

Operating Empty Weight: 43,545kgs

Sea Level Thrust — LB: 40,000.

Total Cargo Volume: 1,555 Cu.ft

Seat Capacity: (ET-ALZ) Cloud Nine, 16;

Sea Level Thrust – LB: 27,300

Engines: CFM56-7327

Economy Class, 154. Total: 170. Max. Gross Weight: Take Off, 115,699 kgs, Landing, 89,812 kgs; Zero Fuel, 83,485 kgs.

Cargo Capacity: (ET-AJS & ET-AJX) 15

Operating Empty Weight: 60,942 kgs.

(88” x 125“) pallets.

Total Cargo Volume: 1,794 Cu.ft.

Max. Gross Weight: (ET-AJS) Take Off, 115,892 kgs;

Fokker 50

Engines: PW2040.

Landing, 95,254 kgs; Zero Fuel, 90,718 kgs.

Seat Capacity: (ET-AKR, ET-AKS, ET-AKT,

Sea Level Thrust — LB: 40,000.

(ET-AJX) Take Off, 109,316 kgs;

ET-AKU, ET-AKV) Economy Class, 52. Total: 52.

Landing, 89,811 kgs; Zero Fuel, 83,460 kgs.

Max. Gross Weight: Take Off, 20,820 kgs;

Seat Capacity: (ET-AMK) Cloud Nine, 16;

Operating Weight:

(ET-AJS) 53,010 kgs.

Landing, 19,730 kgs; Zero Fuel, 18,600 kgs.

Economy Class, 159. Total: 175.

(ET-AJX) 54,176 kgs.

Operating Empty Weight: 12,970 kgs.

Max. Gross Weight: Take Off, 115,852 kgs.

Cargo Volume Main:

6,600 Cu.ft.

Total Cargo Volume: (7.01m3).

Landing, 89,811 kgs; Zero Fuel, 83,460 kgs.

Lower:

(ET-AJS) 1,829 Cu.ft.

Engines: P/W 127B — Turbo prop. engine.

Operating Empty Weight: 61,072 kgs.

(ET-AJX) 1,762 Cu.ft.

Sea Level Thrust: — SHP: 2,750.

Total Cargo Volume: 1,794 Cu.ft.

Engines: PW2040.

Engines: RB211-535E4.

Sea Level Thrust: 40,000 lbs.

Sea Level Thrust — LB: 40,000.

Bombadier DHC-8 Q400 Data Seat Capacity: 78 Seats (ET-ANI, ET-ANJ, ET-ANK, ET-ANL, ET-ANV, ET-ANW, ET-ANX, ET-ANY)

Max. Gross Weight: Take Off, 29,574 kgs. Landing, 28,123 kgs; Zero Fuel, 26,308 kgs. Operating Empty Weight:17.684 kgs. Total Cargo Volume: 14.3 Cu.ft. Engines: 2 pratt & Whiteney Canada PW150A turboprops Sea Level Thrust — 5,071 shp

MD-11CF Cargo Capacity :(ET-AML,ET-AND) Upper deck: 26 Pallets (96”x125”) Lower FWD Bay: 6 Pallets (96”x125”) Lower AFT Bay: 14 LD3 Containers Max Take Off. WT.630, 500 Lb Max Landing: 491,500lb Zero fuel wt. 461,500 lb Engine: GE CF6--80C201F Pallet: 26 pallets – Upper Volume – 86 ton january - march 2011

HEALTHY TRAVELLING Seated Exercises These gentle exercises, which you can carry out easily during your flight, will help blood circulation and reduce any tiredness or stiffness that may result from sitting in one place for several hours. Check with your doctor first if you have any health conditions which might be adversely affected by exercise. Ankle circles: Lift feet off the floor, draw a circle with the toes, simultaneously moving one foot clockwise and the other foot counterclockwise. Reverse circles. Do each direction for 15 seconds. Repeat if desired.

Knee to chest: Bend forward slightly. Clasp hands around the left knee and hug it to your chest. Hold stretch for 15 seconds. Keeping hands around knee, slowly let it down. Alternate legs. Repeat 10 times.

Foot pumps: Start with both heels on the floor and point feet upward as high as you can. Then put both feet flat on the floor. Then lift heels high, keeping the balls of your feet on the floor. Continue cycle in 30 seconds intervals.

Knee lifts: Lift leg with knees bent while contracting your thigh muscles. Alternate legs. Repeat 20 to 30 times for each leg.

Shoulder roll: Hunch shoulders forward, then upward, then backward, then downward, using a gentle, circular motion.

Arm curl: Start with arms held at a 90-degree angle: elbows down, hands out in front. Raise hands up to chest and back down, alternating hands. Do this exercise in 30-second intervals.

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Forward flex: With both feet on the floor and stomach held in, slowly bend forward and walk your hands down the front of your legs towards your ankles. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds and slowly sit back up.

Other Tips for a Comfortable Flight • For your own comfort try and travel light. • Wear loose clothing and elasticated stockings made of natural fibre. Overhead stretch: Raise both hands straight up over your head. With one hand, grasp the wrist of the opposite hand and gently pull to one side. Hold stretch for 15 seconds. Repeat on the other side. Shoulder stretch: Reach right hand over left shoulder. Place left hand behind right elbow and gently press elbow toward shoulder. Hold stretch for 15 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

Neck roll: With shoulders relaxed, drop ear to shoulder and gently roll neck forward and to the other side, holding each position for about five seconds. Repeat five times.

• Increase your normal intake of water and only if need be, drink alcohol but in moderation. • Use moisturising cream to keep your skin from drying out. • Take off shoes in the plane to prevent your feet from swelling up or wear shoes that will cope with expanding ankles. • Avoid heavy meals during the flight. • Short walks once every two hours are excellent for circulation. • Try to touch your toes when waiting in the aisle to stretch your hamstrings. • On arrival at your destination, have a hot shower or a relaxing bath. • On arrival a quick jog, brisk walk, or a vigorous scrub will help stimulate your circulation.

TIPS FOR THE TRAVELLER IN ETHIOPIA Land

Ethiopia covers an area of 1.14 million square kilometres (944,000 square miles).

Climate

There are two seasons: the dry season prevails from October through May; the wet season runs from June to September.

Topography

Ethiopia has an elevated central plateau varying in height between 2,000 and 3,000 metres. In the north and centre of the country there are some 25 mountains whose peaks rise over 4,000 metres. The most famous Ethiopian river is the Blue Nile (or Abbay), which runs a distance of 1,450 kilometres from the source in Lake Tana, to join the White Nile at Khartoum.

Economy

About 90 per cent of the population earn their living from the land, mainly as subsistence farmers. Agriculture is the backbone of the national economy and the principal exports from this sector are coffee, oil seeds, pulses, flowers, vegetables, sugar and foodstuffs for animals. There is also a thriving livestock sector, exporting cattle on the hoof, hides and skins.

Language

Ethiopia is a multi-ethnic state with a great variety of languages spoken in the country, of which there are 83 with 200 dialects. Amharic is the working language of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia while Oromigna, Tigrigna and Guragina are widely spoken.

Electric Supply

Ethiopia uses 220 volts 50 cycles AC. Plugs are two pin.

Time

Ethiopia is in the GMT +3 time zone. It follows the Julian calendar, which consists of 12 months of 30 days each, and a 13th month of five or six days (on a leap year).

People

The population is estimated at 78 million.

Excursions

Excursions within Ethiopia, whether for a day or for a month, may be organised for you by any of the travel agencies or by the National Tour Operation.

Hotels

Addis Ababa has hotels that cater for all pockets, from the luxurious Sheraton, Hilton and Ghion hotels to the four and three star tourist-class hotels. All tourist resorts offer a choice of modern hotels.

Banking Hours

Banking hours are usually from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm from Monday to Friday and from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm on Saturdays. Closing times may be an hour longer in some private banks. Most banks work through lunchtime; however foreign exchange services are closed during lunch hours (12:00 noon – 1:00 pm).

Communications

Telephone, fax and Internet access is available in Addis Ababa in most hotels, at the Ethiopian Telecommunications Authority’s main office and at private internet service centres found around the city.

Courier and Money Transfer Services

Money transfers can be made through Western Union and Money Gram. Both have representative branches in Addis Ababa and also make their services available from private and national banks. For courier services, DHL, Fedex, UPS, TNT and EMS have offices in Addis Ababa.

Working Hours

The government offices have 39 working hours a week. The office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm. from Monday through Thursday. Working hours on Friday are 8:30 am to 11:30 am and 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm. Private and public businesses are often open on Saturdays.

Public Holidays

Public holidays are celebrated according to the Ethiopian (Julian) Calendar which consists of twelve months of thirty days each and a thirteenth month of five days (six days in a leap year). The calendar is seven years behind the Western or Gregorian Calendar, with New Year falling in the month of September. September 11 September 27 August 30 November 6 January 7 January 19 March 2 February 15 April 22 April 24 May 1 May 5 May 28

– Ethiopian New Year – The Finding of the True Cross (Meskal) – Id ul Fitr (Ramadhan) – Id ul Ahda (Sacrifice) – Ethiopian Christmas – Ethiopian Epiphany – Victory of Adwa – Birth of Prophet Mohammed PBUH (Mauwlid) – Ethiopian Good Friday – Ethiopian Easter – International Labour Day – Ethiopian Patriots’ Victory day – Downfall of the Dergue Regime

*The holidays of Id ul Fitr and Id ul Ahda and the birthday of Prophet M0hammed (S.A.W.) are subject to moon sighting.

Customs

Duty-free imports are permitted for up to: a) 200 cigarettes , 100 cigars, or 250 grammes of tobacco b) 2 litres of alcoholic beverages c) Half a litre of perfume. Visitors may export souvenirs with a value not exceeding Birr 500.

Health Requirements

A yellow fever certificate is no longer essential for Ethiopia but is often required for some other African destinations i.e Nairobi, Johannesburg etc. Vaccination against cholera is also required for any person who has visited or transited a cholera-infected area within six days prior to arrival in Ethiopia.

Visa and Immigration Requirements

Visas are required for all foreign visitors to Ethiopia, with the exception of nationals of Kenya and Sudan. Visa applications may be obtained at Ethiopia’s diplomatic missions overseas and visas are readily available. However, nationals of 33 countries are now allowed to receive their tourist visas on arrival in Ethiopia at the regular charge. The list includes Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Mexico, North Korea, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, Slovakia, South Africa, Thailand, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States.

Bole International Airport

The units of currency are the Birr and cents. Notes are 100,50,10, 5, and 1 Birr. Currently the new 1 Birr coin is also in circulation. ATMs (Automatic Teller Machines) are found in major Addis hotels, shopping malls and at the Bole International Airport. For a full list of national ATM locations go to Dashen Bank Website. Retain currency exchange receipts from banks.

The airport is about 5 kilometres from Maskal Square and the Central Business District. Passengers entering and departing Ethiopia must fill in entry and exit cards. Free luggage cart, and paid porters are available in the baggage hall. All bags must go through X ray check just before you exit. Passengers proceeding directly to domestic flights must leave the International Terminal and walk or taxi to the Domestic Terminal close by. Taxis are readily available and may be ordered inside the terminal. Privately owned taxis are not metered nor have fixed rates; agreeing the fare is advisable before getting in to the vehicle.

Residence Permit

Security

Currency

The Main Department for Immigration and Nationality Affairs issues a residence permit to a foreign investor, upon submission of an Investment Permit issued in his/her name. A foreign investor, who is a share holder of a company or branch company and an expatriate staff who has a work permit, is also entitled to a residence permit.

Security at the airport is tight and travellers need to produce their air ticket and passport to enter the terminal building. All other visitors are required to pay a fee of three Ethiopian Birr at the booths located in the parking lot and need to show identification cards at the guard post.

January - march 2011

ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES GENERAL SALES AGENTS ABU DHABI Salem Travel Agency Tel: 9712 6233333/6218000 Fax: 9712 6268337 Email: selamtrv@emirates.net.ae ALGERIA Air Algeria Tel: 213 643731, SITA-ALGRRAH ANGOLA Luanda, Angola Tel/Fax: 244 222 335713 Email: tchukombe@yahoo.com ARGENTINA Aviareps Tel: 54 1148933003, Fax: 54 114893005 AUSTRALIA World Aviation System (P Only) Ground level, 64 York Street, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia Tel: 1300 600 001, Fax: 61 2 9290 3306 Email: ethiopian.sydney@worldaviation.com.au www.worldaviation.com.au AUSTRIA AVIAREPS Austria, Argentinierstrasse 2/4 1040 Vienna/Austria Tel: 43 1 585 36 3019 Fax: 43 1 585 36 30-88, Email: sbuocz@aviareps.com ATC Aviation Cargo Agent ACC, Bldg. 262, Entr. 08,3rd Fl, AT-1300 Vienna Tel: 43 1 7007 388 54, Fax: 43 1 7007 388 53 Email: vie@atc-aviation.com BAHRAIN Chamber of Commerce Building Tel: 973 17223315/210175 Fax: 973 17210175 Email: bitgsa@Bahraintravel.com SITA: BAHTOET BANGLADESH MAAS Travels & Tours Ltd. Tel: 8802 9559852/9568388/9565380 Fax: 8802 956 5378 Email: mass@agni.com abhuyan@rja.com.jo SITA: DACRRET Globe Travel Tel: 253 354848 BELGIUM & LUXEMBOURG Brussels RTO Tel: 0032 2712 0586 RTO Fax: 0032 2725 8392 Tel: 32 0 22750175/32 0 24034476 Fax: 32 0 24034479 Aviareps Tel: 31205200281, Fax: 31206230151 Air Support (Cargo Only) Tel: 32 0 2 7528680, Fax: 32 0 2 7528686 Email: INFO@AIRSUPPORT.BE BENIN Vitesse Voyage (Speed Travel) Tel: 229 310718, Mobile: 229 9713-7791 BRAZIL Aviareps Tel: 5511 3123 1800, Fax: 5511 3259 8440 BURKINA FASO EUROWORLD SARL Fax: 226 50 30 18 86 Tel: 226 50 30 16 52/16 85 Email: prakashsuccess@yahoo.com CANADA CARGO GSA Airlines Service International (ASI) Address 5160 Explorer Drive Unit 4 Suite F Mississauga, Ontario L4W 4T7 Tel: 905629 4522 Fax: 905 629 4651 Email: asi@airlineservices.com CHILE Aviareps Tel: 562 2362748/2362749, Fax: 562 2362750 CHINA Megacap Logistics International Ltd Unit 11g, Shanghai zhaofeng Universal building 1800 zhongshan Road West Shanghai, 200235, China Tel: 86 21 6440 3482/86 21 6440 3485 Fax: 86 21 6440 0907 Email: SUPPORT@MEGACAP.COM.CN KEVINCHEN@MEGACAP.COM.CN SITA: PVGMCXH COLOMBIA Aviareps Tel: 571 317 2805/257 1818 Fax: 571 317 2890

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CONGO Brazaville Euro World SARL Tel: 242 6712020/6713037 Cel: 971505589504, Fax: 31 020 655 3686 Email: a_chandirani@yahoo.com Almadar Tour & Traveles Fax: 243 180 1751933, Tel: 243 81 8113377 Email: vazir@jefferytravels.com CZECH & SLOVAK REPUBLICS TAL Aviation Czech & Slovak Republics, Mala Stupartska 7, Praha 1, Czech Republic Tel: 420 224 815 375, Fax: 420 224 815 379 Email: flamini@t-m-i.cz DENMARK Khyber International (Passenger Only) Tel: 45 33934455, Fax: 45 33933799 Email: sales@ethiopian.dk SITA: CPHZZET Kales Airline Services (Cargo Only) DK - 7190 Billund Denmark Tel: 45 75354511, Fax: 45 75354569 DUBAI Asian Air Travel & Tour Agency Tel: 9714 2868008, Fax: 9714 2832115 FINLAND & ESTONIA Matkantekijat oy (Tour Planners Ltd) Tel: 358 9687 78940, Fax: 358 9687 78910 Email: ethiopian@matkantekijat.fi Kales Airline Services oy (Cargo Only) Perintötie 2D, 01510 Vantaa, Finland Tel: 358 9 8700 350, Fax: 358 9 8700 3515 GERMANY Ethiopian Airlines – AVIAREPS AG Hessenring 32 64546 Moerfelden-Walldorf Germany Tel: 49 0 6105 206 053 Fax: 49 0 6105 206 235 ReservationsET.Germany@aviareps.com; SalesET.Germany@aviareps.com; Tel: 49 0 69690 51921; 49 0 1764 0251387 Fax: 49 0 69691945 Email: fraapt@ethiopianairlines.com ATC Aviation, Cargo City Süd, Geb.641, 60549 Frankfurt/Germany Tel: 49 0 69 698053 47, Fax: 49 0 69 698053 20 Email: fra@atc-aviation.com GREECE Gold Star Ltd. Tel: 30 210 3246706, Fax: 30 210 3246723 Email: ethiopian@goldstar.gr HONG KONG Pacific Air (HK) Limited (Cargo Only) Tel: 852 2759 4578, Fax: 852 2759 4316 Email: cargoeth@pacificair.com.hk HUNGARY AVIAREPS MO. KFT. Borbély utca 5-7. 1132. Budapest, Hungary Tel: 36 1 411 3880, Fax: 36 1 411 3881 Email: Jvaradi@aviareps.com INDIA Ahmedabad Benzy Holidays Pvt Ltd, (Passenger GSA) Toll Free No: 1800 103 9933. www.ethiopianairlines.com Cargo GSA, Sharaf Cargo Pvt Ltd Toll Free No: 1800 103 9933. www.ethiopianairlines.com Pune Leonard Travels Pvt Ltd Toll Free No: 1800 103 9933. www.ethiopianairlines.com STIC Travels Pvt Ltd Bangalore Toll Free No: 1800 103 9933. www.ethiopianairlines.com Bodhgaya Toll Free No: 1800 103 9933. www.ethiopianairlines.com Cochin Toll Free No: 1800 103 9933. www.ethiopianairlines.com Jaipur Toll Free No: 1800 103 9933. www.ethiopianairlines.com Chandigarh Toll Free No: 1800 103 9933. www.ethiopianairlines.com Kolkata Toll Free No: 1800 103 9933. www.ethiopianairlines.com Hyderabad Toll Free No: 1800 103 9933. www.ethiopianairlines.com

Jallandhar Toll Free No: 1800 103 9933. www.ethiopianairlines.com Chennai Toll Free No: 1800 103 9933. www.ethiopianairlines.com Trivandrum Toll Free No: 1800 103 9933. www.ethiopianairlines.com INDONESIA PT Ayuberga Tel: 62 21 8356214/15/16/17 Fax: 62 21 8353937 Email: tkt_rsvnoal@ayuberga.co.id aybjkt@ayuberga.co.id IRAN Iran National Airlines Corp. Tel: 9821 6002010, Fax: 9821 6012941 IRELAND PremAir Marketing Services (P Only). Tel: 353 1 663 3938, Fax: 353 1 661 0752 Email: ethiopian@premair.ie Heavyweight Air Express Ltd (Cargo Only) Tel: 353 1 811 8693, Fax: 353 1 811 8901 Email: hae.ie@heavy-weight.ie Israel-Tel Aviv Opensky Cargo Ltd Tel: 972 3 972 4338 CTO Tel: 972 3 7971405 Central Reservation Office Tel: 972 3 7971400/1403/1404 Reservation Agent Tel: 972 3 7971407 ShebaMiles & Group desk Email: david@opensky-cargo.co.il ITALY ATC (Cargo Only) Tel: 39 02 506791, Fax: 39 02 55400116 Email: INFO@ATCMIL.IT SITA: MILGSET/CRT/CMIZZET Tel: 39 06 65010715, Fax: 39 06 65010242 Email: INFO@ATCFCO.IT SITA: ROMGSET JAPAN Air System Inc. Tel: 81 3 3593 6730 Fax: 81 3 3593 6534 Email: asipaxtyo@airsystem.jp www.airsystem.jp U-Transport Global Inc (Cargo Only) Tel: 81 3 3522 2286 Fax: 81 3 3522 2280 Email: minako-aso@utijapan.co.jp JORDAN Al Karmel Travel Tel: 9626 5688301, Fax: 9626 5688302 KENYA Cargo GSA,Freight In Time P O Box 41852-00100, Nairobi, Kenya Email: etmanager@ethiopiancargo-kenya.com Tel: 254 020-827044/827248/9 /827480 Ext: 132, Fax: 254 020-822709 Cell: 254 721 217141 Wireless: 254 020-3560579 KUWAIT Al-Sawan Co. W.L.L. Tel: 965 2433141 (6 Lines) Fax: 965 2453130/2462358 Email: newton@alsawan.com SITA: KWIRRET,KWITOET LIBERIA Pan African International Inc. (P Only) Tel: 23106511522/23106119988 LIBYA (Passenger & Cargo) Herodotus Travel & Tourism Services Tel: 218 21 3408306/07 Fax: 218 21 3408305 Email: info@herodotus.com.ly MALAYSIA Plancongan Abadi SDN BHD Tel: 603 21424311, Fax: 603 21412322 Email: etkul@abadi.com.my MADAGASCAR Air Madagascar Tel: 222-22, SITA TNRBGMD MALTA Bajada Enterprises Ltd Tel: 356 21237939 Fax: 356 21237939 MAURITANIA Agence Megrebine de Voyages Tel: 222 254852/250584

MEXICO Aviareps Tel: 5255-5212-1193 Toll free: 01800-510-8212 (MEX) Fax: 5255-5553-5867 MOROCCO Skyline International Tel: 212 2 368322/23, Fax: 212 2 369775 SITA: CASDSUS, Email: nase@ii.net.et MOZAMBIQUE Globo Tours LDA Tel: 27 11 308067 Fax: 27 11 303596 NEPAL Gurans Travel & Tours Pvt. Ltd. Tel: 977 1 5524232 Fax: 977 1 5521880 Email: info@guranstravel.com imel@wlink.com.wp NETHERLANDS Kales Airline Services B.V Tel: 31 020 655 3680 Fax: 31 020 655 3686 Email: Danny.van.der.harst@kales.com Air Support B.V (Cargo Only) Tel: 31 020 316 4210 Fax: 31 020 316 4213 Email: cargo@airsupport.ni NEW ZEALAND World Aviation systems (PAX) Tel: 64 9-3004514 , Fax: 64-9-3083386 Email: team5@worldaviation.co.nz. NIGERIA Diplomat Travels and Tourism Agency Tel: 09-5233770/08037006676 Fax: 09-5241147 www.diplomattravel.com OMAN National Travel & Tourism Tel: 968 24660300, Fax: 968 24566125 Email: nttoman@omantel.net.om SITA: MCTTOET PAKISTAN Trade Winds Associates Pvt. Ltd. Islamabad Tel: 92 51 2823040/2823350 Fax: 92 51 2824030 Karachi Tel: 9221 3566 1712-13-14 & 16 Fax: 9221 3566 1715 Lahore Tel: 9242-3630-5229, 9242-3636-5165 Fax: 9242-3631-4051 Tel: 2823040/2823350, Fax: 2824030 Tel: 6305229/6365165, Fax: 6314051 PERU Aviareps Tel: 511-2418289/2416767, Fax: 511-8278 PHILIPPINES Travel Wide Assoc. Sales Phils., Inc. Tel: 63 2 5196070, Fax: 63 2 5198789 Email: kdr@twasp.com, et@twasp.com Travel Wide Assoc. Sales Phils., Inc. (Cargo) Tel: 63 2 8524855, Fax: 63 2 5117456 Email: cargo@twasp.com POLAND Tal Aviation Poland Ltd. Tel: 48 22 627 2259, Fax: 48 22 625 3146 Email: ethiopian@tal.pl PORTUGAL Across/Air Mat Tel: 351 217 817470, Fax: 351 217 817979 QATAR Fahd Travels Tel: 974 4432233, Fax: 974 4432266 RUSSIA Aviareps Tel: 7 495 937 59 50, Fax: 7 495 937 59 51 Email: ethiopianairlines_ru@aviareps.com Rwanda Kigali, Satguru International Tel: 250-573079 Email: a_chandirani@satgurutravel.com SAUDI ARABIA Jeddah Tel: 966 2 6531222, Fax: 966 2 6534258 Email: aviation@aizouman.com.sa Alkhobar Tel: 966 3 8649000, Fax: 966 3 8941205 SEYCHELLES Mason’s Travel Pty. Ltd. (P & C Only) Tel: 248 324173, Fax: 248 288888 Email: info@masonstravel.com

SIERRA LEONE TURKEY IPC Travel (Passengers Only) Panorama Tel: 221481/2/3/226244, Fax: 227470 Tel: 90 212 2300990/2310790 SINGAPORE Fax: 90 212 2309171/2309601 CitiAir & Holidays Pte. Ltd. Email: continental@arartur.com.tr Tel: 65 65917160/67 UK Fax: 65 62975707/62971884 Globe Air Ltd (Cargo Only) Email: et@serangoonair.net Tel: 44 208 757 4747 sasi@serangoonair.net Fax: 44 208 831 9309 hussain@serangoonair.net Email: marketing@uk.euro-cargo.com SOUTH AFRICA USA Holiday Aviation CARGO GSA Heavy Weight Air Express (HW) Tel: 27 0 11 289 8077/78, 27 0 11 289 8136 Tel: 630 595 2323 Fax: 27 0 11 289 8072 Fax: 630 595 3232 Email: b.combrink@holidayaviation.co.za Email: hae.us@heavy-weight.com Airline Cargo Resources (Pty) Ltd. VENEZUELA Tel: 2711 2979 4944, Fax: 2711 979 4949 Aviareps Email: stonkin@acr.co.za Tel: 58 212 2866951, Fax: 58 212 2866951 SITA: JNBGSET/JNBTDET YEMEN SOUTH KOREA Marib Travel & Tourist Agency Wooree Agency Corp. (PAX) PO Box 7298, Hadda, Sana’a Tel: 82 2 7221567, Fax: 82 2 7342813 Tel: 9671 426 837, Sales 9671 426 833 (5 lines) Email: worsel@chollian.net Fax: 9671 426 836 Sharp Inc (Cargo Only) Email: manager@marib-tours.com (G Manager) Tel: 82 2 7221567, Fax: 82 2 7342813 maribtours@y.net.ye (Travel Manager) Email: sspaik@sharp.co.kr YUGOSLAVIA SUDAN Jugoslovenski Aerotransport Tel: 683164, SITA-BEGCZJU Satguru Investments ZANZIBAR Tel: 249 128106365 (P & C) MARHABA HOTELS TRAVELS Email: anilc@satgurutravel.com & TOURS LTD juba@satgurutravel.com Tel: 255 24 2231527-28 SPAIN Email: marhaba@zanzinet.com Air Travel Management (Passenger Only) Tel: 34 91 4022718, Fax: 34 91 3092203 Email: airmat@airmat.jazztel.es SITA: MADZZET CRS Airline’s Representatives Conchita Supervia, 15–Local 08028 BARCELONA (SPAIN) (Cargo) Tel: 34 931888690, Fax: 34 93409251 SRI LANKA & MALDIVES VMS Air Services Pvt. Ltd Tel: 941 347624/347625 Fax: 941 348165, SITA-CMBRRET Email: vmstrv@eureka.ik SWEDEN Khyber International Tel: 46-8 4111826 Fax: 46-8 4111826 Email: ethiopianairlies@khyberise Kales Airline Services (Cargo Only) Tel: 46 40 36 38 10, Fax 46 40 36 38 19 Kales Airline Services (Cargo Only) Tel: 46 8 594 411 90, Fax: 46 8 594 42244 SWITZERLAND Airline Center 15, Ch 8004, Zurich Swirtzerland Tel: 41 44 286 9968, Fax: 41 44 28 69978 Email: EthiopianAirlines@zrh.airlinecenter.ch AIRNAUTIC AG, Peter Merian Str.2 CH-4002, Basel Switzerland (Cargo only) Basel Tel: 41 61 227 9797, Fax: 41 61 227 9780 Email: info@airnautic.ch SYRIA Al Tarek Travel & Tourism (P & C Only) Fardous St, P.O.Box 30185 Tel: 963 11 2216265 / 2211941 Fax: 963 11 2235225 Tanzania Arusha, Boma Road Tel: 255 2 72504231/6167 255 2 72509904-TSM Kilimanjaro Airport Tel: 255 2 72554159 Email: jrocto@ethiopianairlines.com arkapt@ethiopianairlines.com TAIWAN TAIWAN Apex Travel Services Ltd 6F-3 No. 57 Fu Shin N. Rd, Taipei, Taiwan Tel: 886 2 2718 3340 Fax: 886 2 2718 1057 Email: apex2@1b.hinet.net Global Aviation Service (Taiwan) Inc. (Cargo Only) Tel: 886 2 2658 0255, Fax: 886 2 2659 7610 Email: cgo@gastwn.com gastwn@ms12.hinet.et THAILAND Oriole Travel & Tour (Cargo Only) Tel: 662 2379201 9, Fax: 662 2379200 Email: ealbkket@loxinfo.co.th SITA: BKKRRET TUNIS Tel: 785100/288100, SITA: TUNRMTU

* For Physical Address please call or email the respective general sales offices

Ethiopian Airlines Offices ANGOLA Largo 4 De Fevereiro Hotel Meridien Presidente Luanda, Angola Tel: 2442 310328/310615 Fax: 2442 310328, APT Mobile: 914 526675 BAHRAIN Chamber of Commerce Building PO Box 1044 Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Tel: 973-17-215-022/29, Fax: 973-17-210-175 Email: meazaty@ethiopianairlines.com Toll Free No: 800 04434 BELGIUM Brussels...Brucargo Building 704 PO Box 31 B1931, Zaventem, Belgium APT Tel: 0032 2753 5228 APT Fax: 0032 2753 5226 Email: tekleg@ethiopianairlines.com bruapt@ethiopianairlines.com BURKINA FASO Avenue Kwame N`krumah mmb. Bàti 01 BP 4883 Ouaga 01 Tel Office: 22650301024/25 Email: OUAAPT@Ethiopianairlines.com LemmaY@Ethiopianairlines.com BURUNDI Avenue De La Victorie No. 09 PO Box 573, Bujumbura Tel: 257 226820/226038 Fax: 257 248089 APT: 257 229842 Mobile: 257 78 814844 Email: bjmam@ethiopianairlines.com CAMEROUN 30 Avenue General Charles De Gaulle B.P 1326 Douala, Cameroun CTO Tel: 237 33 430246 AM Direct Line: 237 33 430264 CTO Fax: 237 33 430167 AM Mobile: 237 77 937929 APT Tel: 237 33433730 APT Fax: 237 33430167 Email: dlaam@ethiopianairlines.com Sheba Miles Desk: DLASHEBA@ ethiopianairlines.com CHAD Avenue Charles De Gaule PO Box 989, N’djamena CTO Tel: 235 2523143/2523027 Tel: 235 523143/523027 ATO Tel: 235 2522599 APT: 235 522599 Mobile: 235 6 6896226 CHINA L203 China World Tower 2, China World Trade Centre No.1 Jianguomenwai Ave. Beijing (100004) Tel: 8610 65050314/5/65069692 Fax: 8610 65054120 APT Tel: 8610 64591156 APT Fax: 8610 64599445 Email: bjsam@ethiopianairlines.com Guangzhou World Trade Centre Complex 13th Floor, Room No. 1303-1305 Huan Shi Dong Road, China CTO Tel: 8620-87621101/0120/0836 Fax: 8620 87620837 APT Tel/Fax: 8620 36067405 Email: cansm@ethiopianairlines.com CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC Boulevard du 30 Juin No. 1525 Aforia Building-1st Floor Gombe, Kinshasa CTO Tel: 243 817 006 585/810 884 000 APT Mobile: 243 817 006 589 Email: fihres@ethiopianairlines.com fihapt@ethiopianairlines.com fiham@ethiopianairlines.com CONGO, REPUBLIC Avenue Foch, Brazzaville PO Box 14125 Tel: 242 810761/810766 Fax: 242 810766 Email: bzvam@ethiopianairlines.com COTE D’IVOIRE Avenue Chardy Immeuble Le Paris PO Box 01 BP 5897 ABJ 01,Abidjan CTO Tel: 225 20219332/20215538 Tel: 234 97807126, 234 92907927 Mobile: 234 8037006676 Fax: 225 20219025 CTO Mobile: 225 05061583 APT Tel: 225 21278819 APT Mobile: 225 05063294 CTO Email: abjam@ethiopianairlines.com Email: abjapt@ethiopianairlines.com DJIBOUTI Rue De Marseilles PO Box 90, Djibouti Tel: 253 351007/354235, Fax: 253 350599 APT: 253 341216 Email: jibam@ethiopianairlines.com

DUBAI Dubai Tel: 971 4 228 4338 EGYPT 3ARifat Saleh Tawfik off Farid Semeika Higaz-Al Nozha Helipolis PO Box 807, Ataba, Cairo Tel: 262 14934/935/936/937, Fax: 262 14934 APT: 202 2265 4398 Email: caiam@ethiopianairlines.com Cargo Office AVIATRANS Office 205 International Export Center Tel/Fax: 202 22671469 Email: etcargo@aviatrans-eg.com EQUITORIAL GUINEA Equatorial Guinea, Malabo Independence Avenue Tel: 240 333090588, Cell: 240 222671141 Fax: 240 333090593 Email: AlemuB@ethiopianairlines.com, ssgapt@ethiopianairlines.com ETHIOPIA Main City Ticket Office Churchill Road PO Box 1755, Addis Ababa Tel: 251 11 5517000 251 11 6656666 (Reservation) APT Tel: 251 11 5178320 Fax: 251 11 6611474 Yekatit 66 Avenue PO Box 176, Dire Dawa Tel: 251 25 1113069, 251 25 1112546 FRANCE 66 Avenue des Champs Elysees 75008 Paris CTO Tel: 0825 826 135 /331 53 892102 Fax: 331 5377 1303 APT: 331 4862 6632, APT Fax: 331 4862 6634 APT Mobile: 336-7081-9024 Email: ethiopian-airlines.paris@wanadoo.fr GABON Quartier London Rue Ogouarouwe Plaque No. 14 PO Box 12802, Libreville Tel: 241 760144/45 APT Tel: 241 443255, Fax: 241 760146 GERMANY Am Hauptbahnhof 6 60329 Frankfurt Am Main CTO Tel: 49-69-274-00727, 2740070/ 49 0 1711 472 569 CTO Fax: 49 69 274 00730 APT: Frankfurt Flughafen, PO Box 750254 Tel: 49 0 6969051921/ 49 0 1764 0251387 APT Tel: 4969 032 391/4969 690 5192 APT Fax: 4969 691 945 CTO Email: Eayasw@ethiopianairlines.com APT Email: fraapt@ethiopianairlines.com GHANA Kwame Nkrumah Avenue, Cocoa House, Ground Floor PO Box 3600, Accra CTO: Tel 233 302 664856/57/58 Fax: 233 302 673938 Mobile: 233 20 2011132 Email: accam@ethiopianairlines.com APT Tel: 233 302 775168/778993/ 233 302 776171 ext. 1322/1324 Mobile: 233 20 2013588 Email: accapt@ethiopianairlines.com SITA: ACCAMET, ACCAPET HONG KONG Rm 1102 Lippo Sun Plaza 28 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong Tel: 852 2117 0233, Fax: 852 2117 1811 APT: 852 31508122, APT Fax: 852 31508125 SITA: HKGKKET, HKGAPET Email: hkgam@ethiopianairlines.com INDIA 30-B World Trade Centre, Cuffe, Cuffe Parade, Mumbai 400005 (CTO) Toll free No: 1800 103 9933 CTO Fax: 22153725 CTO Email: bomres@ethiopianairlines.com ATO Fax: 66859412 CGP Fax: 26828417 Email: etsales@sticgroup.com etreservations@sticgroup.com www.ethiopianairlines.com New Delhi (APT) Toll Free No: 1800 103 9933 Tel: 91 11 2331202/0091 11 2331203 CTO: 91 11 2331204 ATO: 91 11 25654872 Fax: 91 11 25655710 Email: Delapt@ethiopianairlines.com www.ethiopianairlines.com ISRAEL 1 Ben Yehuda Street Room 2016, Tel Aviv CTO Tel: 972 3 797 1405, Fax: 972 3 5160574 APT: 972 3 9754096, APT Fax: 972 3 9754097 CGO: 972 3975 4096 Email: tlvam@ethiopianairlines.com ITALY Piazza Barberini 52 00187 Rome, Italy CTO Tel: 39 06 42011199

Tel: 3906 4200 9220, Fax: 3906 481 9377 APT: 3906 6595 4126 APT Fax: 3906 6501 0621 CGO: 3906 65954113 Email: ethiopian-rom@mclink.It Via Albricci 9-20122 Milan Tel: 3902 8056562, Fax: 3902 72010638 Email: ethiopian-mil@mclink.it KENYA Bruce House Muindi Mbingu Street PO Box 42901-00100, Nairobi Tel Adm: 254 20 2247508 CTO: 254 20 2217558/2211986 Fax: 254 20 2219007 Email: nboam@ethiopianairlines.com nboadm@ethiopianairlines.com APT: 254 20 822236/311 Cell: 254 722 518532, Fax: 254 20 2219007 Email: nboapt@ethiopianairlines.com Nkrumah Road TSS Tower PO Box 94600 – 80115 Mombasa, Kenya CTO Tel: 254 41 2319977/78/79 CTO Email: mbatsm@ethiopianairlines.com mbacto@ethiopianairlines.com APT Tel: 254 41 2011199 Cell: 254 714 618 989 Email: mbatsm@ethiopianairlines.com mbares@ethiopianairlines.com mbaapt@ethiopianairlines.com Cargo Services Freight-in-Time, JKIA Cargo Village Tel: 254 020-827480/827044/827248 Email: etmanager@ethiopiancargo-kenya.com LEBANON Beirut Gefinor Center Bloc-B, Clemenceau St. Tel: 961 1 752846/7, Fax: 961 1 752846/7 Email: beyam@ethiopianairlines.com APT Tel: 961 1 629814 Email: beyapt@ethiopianairlines.com MALAWI Kenyatta Drive, Bisnowaty Centre CTO Tel: 01 771 002/ 308 or 01 772 031 Fax: 01 772 013, ATO: 01 700 782 Email: llwres@ethiopianairlines.com llwsr@ethiopianairlines.com llwcgo@ethiopianairlines.com MALI Square Patrice Lumumba PO Box 1841, Bamako Tel: 223 2222088, Fax: 223 2226036 APT Mobile: 223 6795819 Email: bkoam@ethiopianairlines.com MOZAMBIQUE Av. 25 de Setembro No. 1211 Tel: 258 21 308067/9, 21 325736 Fax: 258 21 303 596 NIGERIA CVC Building 3, Idowu Taylor, Victoria Island,Lagos, Nigeria PO Box 1602 Tel: 234 1 7744711/2, Fax: 234 1 4616297 APT: 234 1 7744710/7751921/3 Email: lossm@ethaiopianairlines.com lossales@ethiopianairlines.com lossr@ethiopianairlines.com Airport Office, Aviation House Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos Tel: 234 1 7744710, Fax: 234 1 2711655 Email: losapt@ethiopianairlines.com City Ticket Office -ABV: Ethiopian Airlines, Omega Centre, Plot 527, Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja-Nigeria Tel: 234 92906844/234 92904941 Cell: 234 8039759711 Email: abvres@ethiopianairlines.com; abvadmn@ethiopianairlines.com; MulugetaZw@ethiopianairlines.com Airport Office -ABV: Ethiopian Airlines, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja-Nigeria Tel: 234 92903852, 234 92902761 Email: abvapt@ethiopianairlines.com; abvagt@ethiopianairlines.com; abvbag@ethiopianairlines.com http://www.ethiopianairlines.com/ Ethiopian Cargo LOS-office Nahco Cargo Complex MMIA Ikeja Lagos Tel Mobile: 234 7034065669 RWANDA Centenary House, Ground Floor PO Box 385, Kigali Tel: 250 575045/570440/42 Fax: 250 570441 APT: 250 514296 Email: kgletam@rwanda1.com SAUDI ARABIA Medina Road, Adham Center PO Box 8913, Jeddah 21492 Tel: 9662 6512365/6614/9609 Fax: 9662 6516670 APT: 9662 6853064/196

APT Fax: 9662-685316 CGO Tel/Fax: 9662 6851041 Email: Jedcto@ethiopianairlines.com Jeddah Airport Fax: 966 2 6853196 Mobile: 966 504301358 Email: jedapt@ethiopianairlines.com Jeddah Cargo Office Tel: 966 2 6850756 / 6851041 Fax: 966 2 6851041 Email: jedcgo@ethiopianairlines.com Riyadh Ticket or Town Office Email: ruhcto@ethiopianairlines.com Mobile: 966 505217168 SENEGAL Immeuble La Rotonde, Rue Dr. Theze PO Box 50800, CP 18524 DKR RP Tel: 221 823 5552/54 Fax: 221 823 5541 APT Tel: 221 820 9396/5077 Email: dkrres@ethiopianairliens.com dkrres@ethiopianairlines.com dkrapt@ethiopianairlines.com SOMALI LAND CI Maarat al Khayr Building Tel: 252 2 520681/528445 Mobile: 252 2 4427575 Email: hgaet@hotmail.com SOUTH AFRICA 156 BRAM FISCHER DRIVE 2nd Floor Holiday House - Randburg CTO Tel: 27 11 7815950 CTO Fax: 27 11 7816040 APT Tel: 27 11 3903819 APT Fax: 27 11 3943438 CTO Email: jnbam@ethiopianairlines.com ATO jnbapt@ethiopianairliness.com SWEDEN Kungsgatan 37, SE-11156 Stockholm Tel: 46 0 8 440 0060/ 46 0 8 440 2900 ATO: 46 8 59360170 CTO: 46 8 4402900/4400060 Fax: 46 0 8 206622 Cell: 0046 709556073 APT: 46 859360170 Email: res.ethiopian@telia.com info.ethiopian@telia.com SUDAN Gamhoria Street, El-Nazir Building No. 3/2G PO Box 944 Khartoum Tel: 2491 83762063/88 Fax: 2491 83788428 APT: 2491 8790991 Email: krtres@ethiopianairlines.com krtsm@ethiopanairlines.com Juba Tel: 249 811 823600/20 Fax: 249 811 823600 TANZANIA T.D.F.L Building Ohio Street PO Box 3187, Dar-es-Salaam Tel: 255 22 2117063 65/2125443 Fax: 255 22 2115875 Mobile: 255 754 285 899 786 110 066 Area Manager: 255 786 285 899 Email: daram@ethiopianairlines.com darres@ethiopianairlines.com Dar APT Tel: 255-22 2844243 Mobile: 255 786285898 Email: darapt@ethiopianairlines.com Boma Road PO Box 93 Arusha, Tanzania CTO: 255 27 2506167 - 2504231, 2509904 TSM Mobile: 255-782-450224 Email: jrocto@ethiopianairlines.com arkres@ethiopianairlines.com Kilimanjaro Airport: 255 27 2554159 Email: jroapt@ethiopianairlines.com THAILAND 140 One Pacific Bldg, Unit 1807 18th Floor, Sukhumvit Road Klongtoey, Bangkok CTO Tel: 66 0 26534366/7, Fax: 66 0 26534370, Email: bkkcto@ethiopianairlines.com bkkres@ethiopianairlines.com bkksm@ethiopianairlines.com Suvarnabhumi Airport 2nd Flr, Unit Z2-016, Airlines Operation Bldg (Airport Office) APT Tel: 66 0 21343062/3/4 APT Fax: 66 0 21343060 Email: bkkapt@ethiopianairlines.com General Sales Agent (Cargo Only) Tel: 66 0 22379207/8/9 Fax: 66 0 22379200 Email: bkkgsa@csloxinfo.com TOGO Hotel Palm Beach, 1 Rue Komore PO Box 12923 Tel: 228 2217074/2218738 Fax: 228 2221832

APT: 228 2263029/228 2261240 Ext. 4313/4517 Email: lfwam@ethiopianairlines.com UGanda Plot 1 Kimathi Avenue, PO Box 3591 Kampala Tel: 4254796, 4345577, 4345577/8, 4345118 Fax: 4231455 Entebbe Tel: 4320570, 4321130 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Flat 202, Pearl Bldg, Beniyas Street PO Box 7140, Dubai Tel: 9714 2237963/87 Fax: 9714 2273306 APT: 9714 2166833/1833/2161833 APT Fax: 9714 2244841/2822655 CGO: 9714 2822880/2163813 CGO Fax: 9714 2822655 CTO Email: dxbcto@ethiopianairlines.com APT Email: dxbapt@ethiopianairlines.com CGO Email: dxbcgo@ethiopianair-lines.com UNITED KINGDOM 1 Dukes Gate, Acton Lane London W4 5DX (CTO) Tel: 44 208 987 9086 (adm), 44 0800 635 0644 (res) Fax: 44 208 747 9339 Email: lonres@ethiopianairlines.com Airport Office Room 238, East Wing Terminal 3 London Heathrow, Airport Middlesex, TW6 1JT Tel: 44 208 745 4234/35, Fax: 44 208 745 7936 Email: lonapt@ethiopianairlines.com Cargo Services: Globe Air Ltd. (Cargo Only) Tel: 44 208 757 4747 Fax: 44 208 831 9309 Email: marketing@uk.euro-cargo.com UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Airport Office Dulles International Airport PO Box 16855 Washington, DC 20041 Toll Free No: 800 4452733 Tel: 703 572 6809, 703 572 8740, Fax: 703 572 8738 Email: wasapt@ethiopianairlines.com Reservation, Ticketing and Customer Relations 277 South Washington St. Suite 120 Alexandria, VA 22314 Tel: 1 800 445 2733, 703 682 0569 Fax: 703 682 0573 Email: etusa@ethiopianairlines.com YEMEN Beirut Street, Faj Attan Road PO Box 7298, Sana’a Republic of Yemen CTO Tel: 967 1 427 993, Fax: 967 1 427 992 Email: saham@ethiopianairlines.com APT Tel: 967 1 348 188 Email: sahapt@ethiopianairlines.com ZAMBIA Lusaka CTO Address Indo Zambia Bank Building Off Cairo Road, Plot No. 6907, PO Box 38392, Tel: 260 211 235761 Direct: 260 211 236401/02/03 Fax: 260 211 235644 Mobile: 260 955 235644 Email: LUNAM@ethiopianairlines.com LUNRES@ethiopianairlines.com LUNCTO@ethiopianairlines.com APT Address Lusaka International Airport PO Box 38392, Lusaka Zambia Tel: 260 211 271141 Mobile: 260 955 271141 Email: LUNAPT@ethiopianairlines.com ZANZIBAR Tel: 255 774417070, 777667665 Email: znzapt@ethiopianairlines.com znzstation@ethiopianairlines.com ZIMBABWE Cabs Center, 4th Floor CNR Jason Moyo Avenue 2nd St. PO Box 1332, Harare Tel: 263 4790705/6/700735 Fax: 263 4795216 APT: 263 4575191 Email: ethhre@mweb.co.zw hreres@ethiopianairlines.com hream@ethiopianairlines.com

Country Name

Toll-free Number

USA

1 800 445 2733

08006350644

FRANCE

0800901031

HONG KONG

800905629

INDIA

1800 103 9933

THAILAND

18001562069708

GERMANY

8001818982

CHINA

4001-589689

january - march 2011

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Entertainment Guide January - March 2011

The inflight Entertainment Guide offers an overview of a large movie and music selection, assembled for your enjoyment.

Seat Features for Boeing 777-200LR

How to use your Personal Entertainment System for Boeing 777-200 LR

Movies for Boeing 777

Movies & Short Programmes Outbound Addis Ababa to World

100

Movies & Short Programmes inbound from World to Addis Ababa Audio Entertainment

102

TV Short Programmes for Boeing 777

How to use your Personal Entertainment System

Movies & Short Programmes Outbound Addis Ababa to all Africa

Movies & Short Programmes Inbound from all Africa to Addis Ababa

97 entertainment guide | 81

Water Bottle Storage

82 | entertainment guide

Play/Pause

Stop

Flight Attendant Call On/Off Volume Up

Joystick

Screen On/Off

Volume Down

Navigation Buttons

Map

Select Button

Brightness Control

Game Controllers

Home

Reading Light Map

Home

Volume Up Volume Down

Navigation Buttons

Flight Attendant Call On/Off

Select Button

entertainment guide | 83

movies For Boeing777 ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES MOVIES JAN 2011 No

Title

Duration

Genre

Rating

Cast

Synopsis

NEVER LET ME GO

103 mins

Drama

Keria Knightley, Carey Mulligan

Kathy (Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan, AN EDUCATION), Tommy (Andrew Garfield, BOY A, RED RIDING) and Ruth (Oscar nominee Keria Knightley, PRIDE & PREJUDICE, ATONEMENT) live in a world and a time that feel familiar to us, but are not quite like anything we know. They spend their childhood at Hailsham, a seemingly idyllic English boarding school. When they leave the shelter of the school and the terrible truth of their fate is revealed to them, they must also confront the deep feelings of love, jealousy, and betrayal that threaten to pull them apart.

WALL STREET: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS

127 mins

Drama

PG 13

Michael Douglas, Shia LaBeouf, Carey Mulligan

Michael Douglas is back in his Oscar-winning role as one of the screen’s most notorious villains, Gordon Gekko. Emerging from a lengthy prison stint, Gekko finds himself on the outside of a world he once dominated. Looking to repair his damaged relationship with his daughter Winnie, Gekko forms an alliance with her fiance Jacob (Shia LaBeouf). But can Jacob and Winnie really trust the ex-financial titan, whose relentless efforts to redefine himself in a different era have unexpected consequences.

AVATAR SPECIAL EDITION

170 mins

Action/ Adventure/ Fantasy

PG 13

Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Michelle Rodriguez, Sigourney Weaver

Avatar, a fantasy-adventure from the director of Titanic, is set in a world never before experienced, depicted in ways you’ve never seen. Visionary filmmaker James Cameron takes us to a spectacular planet, where a reluctant hero embarks on a journey of redemption and discovery as he leads a heroic battle to save a civilisation from powerful, Earth-based corporate forces. Avatar breaks new ground in delivering a fully immersive, emotional story.

VAMPIRE’S SUCK

82 mins

Comedy

PG 13

Matt Lanter, Chris Riggi, Jenn Proske, Ken Jeong

LA Art Show is a spoof of recent teen angst and romance movies. Becca, an angsty non-vampire teen, is severly torn between two boys. She is drawn to the mysterious and moody Edward (a vampire), but she is also compelled by the strong and stable Jacob (a werewolf). Before she can choose between either, she must get around her controlling father who very embarrassingly treats her like a young child. Her friends are also contending with their own romantic issues. Their romantic entanglements come to a hilarious conclusion at the prom.

84 | entertainment guide

EAT PRAY LOVE

120 mins

Drama/ Romance

PG 13

Julia Roberts, James Franco, Richard Jenkins, Viola Davis, Billy Crudup, Javier Bardem

Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) is a modern woman on a quest to marvel at and travel the world while rediscovering and reconnecting with her true inner self in Eat Pray Love. At a crossroads after a divorce, Gilbert takes a year-long sabbatical from her job and steps uncharacteristically out of her comfort zone, risking everything to change her life. In her wondrous and exotic travels, she experiences the simple pleasure of nourishment by eating in Italy; the power of prayer in India, and, finally and unexpectedly, the inner peace and balance of love in Bali.

THE EXPENDABLES

103 mins

Action/ Adventure/ Drama

Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Mickey Rourke, Steve Austin, Terry Crews, Bruce Willis

This non-stop exciting epic features an all-star hero cast, with an Arnold Schwarzenegger cameo. A group of mercenaries is hired to infiltrate a South American country and overthrow a ruthless dictator. Once the mission begins, the men realise things arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite as they appear, finding themselves caught in a dangerous web of deceit and betrayal that threatens to destroy this band of brothers.

THE SWITCH

101 mins

Comedy/ Drama/ Romance

PG 13

Jennifer Aniston/ Jason Bateman

An unmarried 40-year-old woman turns to a turkey baster in order to become pregnant. Seven years later, she reunites with her best friend, who has been living with a secret: he replaced her preferred sperm sample with his own.

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

120 mins

Drama

PG 13

Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake, Armie Hammer

The film focuses on the evolution of Facebook, the online social network created in 2004 on the Harvard campus, and how overnight success and wealth changed the lives of the classmates who created it.

entertainment guide | 85

ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES MOVIES FEB 2011 No

Title

Duration

Genre

Rating

Cast

Synopsis

127 HOURS

96 mins

Drama

James Franco, Amber Tamblyn, Kate Mara, Clémence Poésy, Kate Burton, Lizzy Caplan

127 HOURS is the new film from Danny Boyle, the Academy Award® winning director of 2008’s Best Picture, Slumdog Millionaire. 127 HOURS is the true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston’s (James Franco) remarkable adventure to save himself after a fallen boulder crashes on his arm and traps him in an isolated canyon in Utah. Over the next five days Ralston examines his life and survives the elements to finally discover he has the courage and the wherewithal to extricate himself by any means necessary, scale a 65-foot wall and hike over eight miles before he is finally rescued.

UNSTOPPABLE

98 mins

Action/ Thriller

PG 13

Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Roasrio Dawson

Oscar-winner Denzel Washington and Star Trek’s Chris Pine team with action maestro Tony Scott in this non-stop thriller. A massive unmanned locomotive, nicknamed ‘The Beast’ and loaded with toxic cargo, roars through the countryside, vaporising anything put in front of it. A veteran engineer (Washington) and a young conductor (Pine), aboard another train in the runaway’s path, devise an incredible plan to try and stop it — and prevent certain disaster in a heavily populated area.

NEVER LET ME GO

103 mins

Drama

Keria Knightley, Carey Mulligan

WALL STREET: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS

127 mins

Drama

PG 13

Michael Douglas, Shia LaBeouf, Carey Mulligan

Michael Douglas is back in his Oscar-winning role as one of the screen’s most notorious villains, Gordon Gekko. Emerging from a lengthy prison stint, Gekko finds himself on the outside of a world he once dominated. Looking to repair his damaged relationship with his daughter Winnie, Gekko forms an alliance with her fiance Jacob (Shia LaBeouf). But can Jacob and Winnie really trust the exfinancial titan, whose relentless efforts to redefine himself in a different era have unexpected consequences.

86 | entertainment guide

RED

111 mins

Action/ Comedy

PG 13

Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, Mary Louise Parker

When his idyllic life is threatened by a high-tech assassin, former black-ops agent Frank Moses reassembles his old team in a last ditch effort to survive.

MEGAMIND

96 mins

Animation/ Comedy/ Family

Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill, Brad Pitt

Megamind is the most brilliant supervillain the world has ever known. And the least successful. Over the years, he has tried to conquer Metro City in every imaginable way. Each attempt, a colossal failure thanks to the caped superhero known as ‘Metro Man’, an invincible hero until the day Megamind actually kills him in the throes of one of his botched evil plans. Suddenly, Megamind has no purpose. A supervillain without a superhero. He realises that achieving his life’s ambition is the worst thing that ever happened to him.

MORNING GLORY

103 mins

Comedy

PG 13

Rachel Mcadams, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton, Patrick Wilson

When hard-working TV producer Becky Fuller is fired from a local news programme, her career begins to look as bleak as her hapless love life. Stumbling into a job at ‘Daybreak’, Becky decides to revitalise the show by bringing on legendary TV anchor Mike Pomeroy. Unfortunately, Pomeroy refuses to cover morning show staples like celebrity gossip, weather, fashion and crafts let alone work with his new co-host, Colleen Peck, a former beauty queen and longtime morning show personality who is more than happy covering morning ‘news’. As Mike and Colleen clash, first behind the scenes and then on the air, Becky’s blossoming love affair with fellow producer, Adam Bennett begins to unravel.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2

91 mins

Thriller

Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat

After experiencing what they think are a series of ‘breakins’, a family sets up security cameras around their home, only to realise that the events unfolding before them are more sinister than they seem.

entertainment guide | 87

ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES MOVIES MAR 2011 No

Title

Duration

Genre

Rating

Cast

Synopsis

CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER

TBC

Fantasy

Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, Ben Barnes, Will Poulter, Tilda Swinton

Return to the magic and wonder of C.S. Lewis’ beloved world — via the fantastic Narnian ship, the Dawn Treader. In this new installment of the blockbuster The Chronicles of Narnia motion picture franchise, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, along with their cousin Eustace, their royal friend King Caspian, and a warrior mouse named Reepicheep, find themselves swallowed into a painting and on to the Dawn Treader. Their mission — on which rests the fate of Narnia itself — takes the courageous voyagers to mysterious islands and a river that turns to gold, to fateful confrontations with magical creatures and sinister enemies, and to a reunion with their friend and protector, the ‘Great Lion’ Aslan.

BLACK SWAN

TBC

Drama/Thriller

Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder

BLACK SWAN follows the story of Nina (Natalie Portman), a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her retired ballerina mother Erica (Barbara Hershey) who zealously supports her daughter’s professional ambition. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Mila Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality.

LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS

112 mins

Comedy/ Drama/ Romance

JJake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, Oliver Platt, Hank Azaria

Anne Hathaway portrays Maggie, an alluring free spirit who won’t let anyone — or anything — tie her down. She meets her match in Jamie (Jake Gyllenhaal), whose relentless and nearly infallible charm serve him well with the ladies and in the cutthroat world of pharmaceutical sales. Maggie and Jamie’s evolving relationship takes them both by surprise, as they find themselves under the influence of the ultimate drug: love.

UNSTOPPABLE

98 mins

Action/Thriller

PG 13

Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Roasrio Dawson

HEREAFTER

129 mins

Drama/ Fantasy

Matt Damon, Ceclie De France, Thierry Neuvic

A drama centered on three people who are haunted by mortality in different ways. George (Damon) is a blue-collar American who has a special connection to the afterlife. On the other side of the world, Marie (de France), a French journalist, has a near-death experience that shakes her reality. And when Marcus (Frankie/George McLaren), a London schoolboy, loses the person closest to him, he desperately needs answers. Each on a path in search of the truth, their lives will intersect, forever changed by what they believe mightor must-exist in the hereafter.

3 1

88 | entertainment guide

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS (PART ONE)

146 mins

Adventure/ Fantasy/ Drama

PG 13

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Bill Nighy, Julie Walters

Voldemort’s power is growing stronger. He now has control over the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts. Harry, Ron, and Hermione decide to finish Dumbledore’s work and find the rest of the Horcruxes to defeat the Dark Lord. But little hope remains for the Trio, and the rest of the Wizarding World, so everything they do must go as planned

BURLESQUE

110 mins

Musical

PG 13

Cher, Christina Aguilera, Eric Dane, Cam Gigandet, Julianne Hough

Ali (Christina Aguilera) is a small-town girl with a big voice who escapes hardship and an uncertain future to follow her dreams to LA. After stumbling upon The Burlesque Lounge, a majestic but ailing theatre that is home to an inspired musical revue, Ali lands a job as a cocktail waitress from Tess (Cher), the club’s proprietor and headliner. Burlesque’s outrageous costumes and bold choreography enrapture the young ingenue, who vows to perform there one day. Soon enough, Ali builds a friendship with a featured dancer (Julianne Hough), finds an enemy in a troubled, jealous performer (Kristen Bell), and garners the affection of Jack (Cam Gigandet), a bartender and fellow musician. With the help of a sharp-witted stage manager (Stanley Tucci) and gender-bending host (Alan Cumming), Ali makes her way from the bar to the stage.

AFRICA UNITED

88 mins

Adventure/ Comedy/ Drama

Sherrie Silver, Roger Nsengiyumva, Eriya Ndayambaje

Fabrice, Dudu and Beatrice, three Rwandan kids, dream of taking part in the opening ceremony of the 2010 Football World Cup in Johannesburg. On the way to the selection trial, they board the wrong bus and, instead of going to South Africa, they cross into the Congo. Without papers, money or a believable story, they end up in a children’s refugee camp. A World Cup wall chart became very handy as a map, they manage to escape the camp and set off to make their dream come true, picking along the way a ‘dream team’ of displaced kids, who help them to negotiate a series of thrilling and hilarious adventures.

entertainment guide | 89

TV PROGRAMmeS For Boeing777 ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES TV SELECTION NOV 2010-MAR 2011 Genre

No.

Title

Episode

Running Time

Rating

Synoposis

Kids

ALADDIN

N/A