2) One day city tour of Addis Ababa
AM., we exploring Addis Ababa beginning with a visit to the National Museum, one of the most important sub- Saharan museums in all of Africa. The museum is home to the fossilized humanoid Lucy, as well as an amazing collection of artifacts, royal items and art. Drive to Entoto to visit the palace of Emperor Menelik II and saint marry church with small Museum and on the way back stop for Panoramic view of Addis Ababa.
PM, we then visit the Ethnological Museum, which was the former palace of Haile Selassie Trinity Cathedral is the largest Orthodox Church in Ethiopia and has survived through many historical periods, as its interesting architecture can attest to. The Cathedral contains the thrones and the tombs of the emperor and some of the royal family. Visit Merkato, the largest open-air market in Africa.
3) Tour to Merkato
The Lovely, vibrant and largest open-air market in Africa is called Merkato. Merkato is located in western part of the city (Addis Ababa). The market so far it is the center for buying and selling all locally produced and imported materials and from this market again distributed to different parts of the country as there is No trade relation among different regions in the country. In Merkato one can be surprised seeing from the latest vehicles to the primitive way of transportation using donkey caring staff and men carrying a huge staff on their shoulder which is quite scary and at the same time shows their hard work.
In Merkato there are several vending sections for different items, this is called “Tera”. One of these sections is “Min Alesh Tera”. “Min Alesh Tera”, the literal or close meaning is “what do you have to sale or want to buy” so it’s we have got everything for you.” Min Alesh Tera” is the best and most interesting sections which you will enjoy is how people make several items and presents them for sale at the same place. For instance, Basketry, coffee table, traditional clothes, horse saddles and horse decoration like caparison and stamped brasses are some of the least to mention. In “Min Alesh Tera” there are also recycling centers where different cans, plastic oil jerry cans are sorted and packed to sell for reusing purposes, different secondhand home utensils, recycling electrical instruments, wood and metalwork shop’s reusing or recycling. This is a place where you witness people working very hard to earn their daily bread.
Therefore, visiting Merkato in general and “Min Alesh Tera” in particularly is where one learns and understands different way of life.
