Kevin and Anne's Travel Blog

Hotel Review: Intercontinental Hotel, Addis Ababa

Kevin — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 23:43:32 +0000

Kevin’s take:

This is one of the “bigger” hotels in Addis Ababa, and is located next to a major road in an area where there is a lot of development. It is promoted as a five star hotel, and for this country it very well may be.

What I liked

Excellent service.

The staff was very courteous and showed a high degree of professionalism. A large staff keeps the place very clean, and they are very willing to give you advice on the local area, help you out if you need services such as a doctor or prescription medication, as well as point out where the local attractions are. Everyone from the security to the reception, waiters, and cleaning staff are always smiling and greet you when you walk by.

Great amenities

There is a heated pool on the roof, live music downstairs at night, a gym, complimentary WIFI access and newspapers, and complimentary breakfast which is far superior to your traditional Continental Breakfast. The freshly squeezed juice in particular is great!

What was not as great.

Internet access

There is WIFI available in the lobby, but it would be nice if it extended into the actual rooms for cell phones. There is, however, an Ethernet jack in each room. The speed of the Internet is pretty bad, but this is not the hotel’s fault.

Electricity

Again, this is not the hotel’s fault, but the electricity goes out quite often. The hotel has backup generators so this is usually not more than a minor inconvenience.

Made for businesspeople, not tourists

They don’t even have a map on site, something which the nearby Jupiter hotel was willing to provide. The hotel doesn’t expect people to walk outside but rather take a taxi. Taxi rates directly in front of the hotel are a little overpriced compared to what you can find nearby, but if you’re willing to brave the streets then you must also be ready to deal with the traffic, dirty and broken sidewalks, the beggars and poverty, the people who will try and be your “guide” or, denying that, simply want to “learn English” but 90% of the time really just want your money, and finally the occasional pickpocket.

It is not the people’s fault; if you were in that situation you would seize the opportunity to convince someone to help you out, too. Unfortunately a few people try to engage in scams and tricks, and some will try to pickpocket. Addis Ababa is not a physically dangerous city though, and most people are only in it for some food, clothes, and money to buy them new shoes or a pair of glasses. This is Africa, and this is something you need to adjust to.

Anne’s take (also available on Trip Advisor):

I have read a lot of negative reviews about this place, but I don’t see how they could write such things. I stayed here for 3 weeks for a business trip, and the service was wonderful. Anything you needed, they would bring it for you. I was very sick for almost a week, and they called a doctor for me, brought me fresh juice, and they even brought up breakfast free of charge. The room service was good; I ate in most of time, especially after I got sick from eating something outside the hotel. The cleaning maids were friendly and smiled at you everytime you passed by them. They would start making up the room very early in the morning, but I would already be gone to work by the time they got to my room. If you didn’t want to be disturbed, then all you had to do was leave the sign on your door.

The gym was very clean and big enough with a variety of machines. The view was very nice from the 8th floor (I requested a room on the upper level which was not a problem to get). The pool was nice on the top floor. I never did get a chance to go in, but I did touch the water and it was very warm even on a very cold night.

The breakfast in the morning was very good and plentiful. It was included in the price so I took advantage of it every morning. Fresh juices, hot and cold meals were available.

The open concept design of the hotel with its glass elevator doors is very interesting and clever. The bad thing about it is the echoing sounds that elevate all the way to the top, but that takes getting used to and eventually, you don’t even notice anymore.

The only thing I can say that was a bit hassling was the security at the front doors, as they would ask to search your bags everyday, even if they knew you. But I suppose it’s better to have that than not to.

All in all, for the price of $140 US a night, it’s comfortable, friendly and has all you need, especially in a place like Addis Ababa, where just outside the doors, your comfort zone vanishes completely.

I haven’t stayed at the Sheraton or the Hilton, but the Intercontinental is a good value for the price you pay.

Amsterdam: Passing Through…

Kevin — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 20:18:39 +0000

On the way back from Ethiopia we happened to land in Amsterdam long enough to be able to take a train to the city and explore the tourist core for a little bit. The city is close to the airport and is also geographically quite small in size, which is probably why so many people commute by bicycle. It only took about 15-20 minutes for the regular train to get to the tourist core.

It was still quite early in the morning when we got there, and we were exhausted like heck from the lack of sleep and recovery from traveller’s sickness in Ethiopia. We walked around the tourist core for a bit and watched the trams and the few people that were up and about on a Sunday morning.

We had a delicious apple studel (apfelstrudel) and then had a breakfast that cost us an incredible $40 for a basic breakfast (in fairness, it was filling and delicious). Everything in Amsterdam is EXPENSIVE. Maybe it’s just because of the tourist-trap nature of the area, or maybe Europeans just make a lot more money, but I couldn’t believe just how expensive everything was. Things are not that expensive even in the downtown of a Canadian city.

We had made it indoors just in time, as it started to rain and the weather is not that warm in Amsterdam, even in August.

Amsterdam – August 7th, 2011

The city was full of garbage, but there were workers and giant mechanical vacuum cleaners cleaning it up. There had probably been a party the night before.

After breakfast, we booked an expensive bus tour that had an obligatory stop at Gassan Diamonds. We didn’t buy any diamonds but it was an interesting sidestop. It stopped raining and the sun came back out to play.

At this point the city was starting to fill up with tourists. We had just a bit more time, so we took a few more pictures before taking the train back to the airport.

On the way to the airport I was able to see some of the office buildings and factories where the people work, as well as giant three-spoked wind-powered generators, the same type that you see on environmental commercials and pamphlets. There are a few of those around the city, and there’s also a big off-shore farm in the ocean that our plane flew over on the way back to Canada.

This is a charming, beautiful city that we were too tired and time-pressed to really enjoy while on the way back home, but I would like to return one day and see more of what Amsterdam is really about. Perhaps when I have more money to travel again, as it’s not cheap in Amsterdam!

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Ethiopia: The Merkato and Goodbye

Kevin — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 19:27:36 +0000

Before leaving, we spent some time at the Merkato, Africa’s largest outdoor open market. We were lucky to have a guide (Anne’s coworker), as the Merkato is a chaotic place with people and goods everywhere. It is also a place where pretty much every Ethiopian has told me to not keep money in your pockets and to watch out for thiefs.

Historically, Ethiopia is perhaps unique amongst African countries at having never been colonized, but they were nonetheless invaded and occupied by the Italians for a brief time before and during World War 2. The Piazza is the marketplace where the Italians shopped, whereas the Merkato was the market for the native Ethiopians.

Some places of the Merkato are great bargains for tourists, where you can buy good souvenirs that would cost ten times more back at home and the shopkeepers are willing to bargain in a friendly way.

Our guide and friend also showed us around the city a bit, and we got to see a side of Addis Ababa that we hadn’t seen before. There is a lot of development going on outside the city, and we also saw the rich areas where people live in nice homes behind fences and gates.

I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to visit Ethiopia. It shows me how much I have and that I can be grateful for the good things in my life, and my horizons broadened just a little bit more. I also learned how differences in institutions can lead to vastly different results. Imagine where the people could be now if not for the abuse they have suffered from at the hands of the elite, whether under the flag of Marxism-Leninism or something else. The most important battleground in the world is the battleground of ideas, and the battleground of ideas within my own mind has been enriched just a little bit more by my visit here.

Thank you, Ethiopia. You are a beautiful country with a beautiful people, and you have much to show the world. I wish the best for you.

Ethiopia: The Last Days of the Trip

Kevin — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 18:26:48 +0000

Due to travel sickness, most of the last days were spent at the hotel, simply reading or resting. Even if I hadn’t been sick, the opportunities to travel outside the city were limited since she had to work during the day. Otherwise I would have loved to go visit Gondar and Lalibela, as well as the Great Rift Valley.

I did go to Tomoca one last time, and along the way yet another guide accompanied me. I told him that I wasn’t interested in a guide, but he wanted to accompany me to learn English, Ok, fine. Along the way I told him that I’d like to help out a bit more before leaving, and he showed me a place where they were selling meal tickets for 1 Birr apiece in packs of 8. After buying the last of the coffee, I used what I had left and bought a bunch of these packs, and then we split it to distribute to different people.

There were a lot of people in an alley just outside. I tried to focus on the kids and older people, and most people were grateful but some, especially the younger males, were a little aggressive and expectant. I started to walk back to my hotel and I gave out tickets especially to people who were blind, old, or crippled. For these people, I feel that no amount is enough and I hope that one day the technology will be there and will be affordable enough to help these people out.

Of course, my “friend who wanted to learn English” Efram did expect something by the end as he accompanied me back to the hotel. He had been a good guide (even though I told him I didn’t want a guide), and he told me what he wanted (new glasses, new shoes, and new clothing). I gave him a pair of pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and 100 Birr to help him out. He actually looked disappointed when he saw there was ‘only’ 100 Birr, which was a reaction I really didn’t like. He tried to persuade me to go buy him glasses, but to me there’s a difference between helping out and being taken advantage of. I said no, and then he wised up and did thank me for what I gave him, and we parted ways.

Overall I have mixed feelings. It feels good to help some people out especially when they appreciate it, but it’s really heart-breaking to see so much misery and poverty. At the same time, some people, and it seems this is more true of the people who are healthy than otherwise, grow expectant and look upon foreigners as nothing more than walking dollar signs, which is an attitude I really don’t like; sometimes when I walk outside I just want to be left alone and not hassled because I’m seen as someone that can be taken advantage of.

To be fair, my guide was helpful and I enjoyed talking with him. I appreciate that he showed me how I can help people out by purchasing meal tickets. If I have a lesson to people like him, it would be: be honest about your intentions, and don’t bite the hand that feeds. Being a guide for foreigners is a perfectly legitimate and honest activity, and I do appreciate the service that I’ve received and I’m fine with paying for that. At the same time, if someone says no, you need to respect that and not pretend you just want to practice your English and expect money afterwards.

I also visited the Merkato before leaving, which I will talk about in a post to come.

Ethiopia, Days Nine and Ten: Feeling Under the Weather

Kevin — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 18:16:57 +0000

We’ve both been feeling under the weather, but her more than me. Lots of trips to the bathroom; probably traveller’s sickness. Apparently it happens to everyone who comes to Ethiopia; it’s all part of the acclimatization process. The Intercontinental Hotel staff has stellar customer service and they are very willing to help with anything you need, including trips to the pharmacy. I have not noticed anyone even near to being rude… it’s amazing. The army of workers also keeps the place very clean, including all of the hallways, the floors, the walls, and the bathrooms.

I ended up calling in a doctor for a house visit, which cost only about $23 Canadian dollars converted to the local currency, the Ethiopian Birr. This is quite cheap; I don’t think such a service even exists in our socialized medical system, and the private alternative is undoubtedly far more expensive. The doctor prescribed antibiotics and rehydration salts; since we already had the antibiotics we didn’t need to buy them, but he also said that another medicine that she had should absolutely not be used.

Many travellers make the mistake of bringing medicine for diarrhea and nausea, but this medicine should not be taken when you get sick from eating the local food since it inhibits the body’s natural healing process. In that situation, rehydration salts are better as well as the anti-biotics if the situation is not getting better on its own.

In the end we stuck to the rehydration salts, but I tell you, I’ve had enough Lem Lem to last me a long time.

Bishangari, Lake Langano: A Review by Anne

Jpop — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 21:09:41 +0000

Here is Anne’s review of Bishangari, also available on Trip Advisor:

Peaceful, serene – beware of village children!

After being in Addis Ababa for 2 weeks, we decided to go out of the city for a weekend to explore the rest of Ethiopia. We had heard of a resort type of place called Bishangari Lodge next to Lake Langano, so we decided to book with GETTS tour services (which is a very good company – albeit expensive, but comfortable transportation, English speaking guides/drivers and ability to whip up a customized tour last minute). The 4-hour drive to Lake Langano in a 4×4 (absolutely needed to trek through the muddy, uneven terrain up to the lodges) was mostly comfortable in a very clean and new Toyota Land Cruiser (quite a difference from the old Lada Taxis in Addis!).

The lodge was very eco-friendly, relying solely on solar power for the little electricity that light up the cabins (called Godjos) at night. The bathroom and shower were well equipped with basic amenities and the beds were comfortable and had enough blankets for the cold nights (July-August is the coldest and rainiest time to be here – but it’s still a good time to go).

Activities were available for an extra fee, such as mountain biking (but beware if you are small, they only have mountain bikes suitable for taller people!), trekking through the jungle with a guide (it’s more fun without one, but probably much safer with one!), hippo spotting (didn’t see any this time, but there is a marsh where they usually reside just outside the fences of the lodges), and swimming (the lake is supposedly clean enough, but it was too cold for that when we went).

Just outside the fences of the lodge, there is a magnificent terrain filled with exotic birds, shepherds with their herds of cows and goats, and a lot of village children. If you decide to leave the premises of the lodge, you will be surrounded by village kids either by curiosity or by them asking for things and money from you. The first day we went out there, we were persistently followed by 2 girls who were just very curious and kept smiling at us. This was very cute and innocent; they didn’t speak a word of English, but nonetheless seemed very intrigued by our presence. We snapped a couple of pictures of them and they were very happy about it.

We had nothing on us, except for a big plastic water bottle, so before heading back, we gave this to them (apparently they cherish these water bottles, because they can sell them or find other uses for them). We felt bad that we couldn’t give them more so we decided to head back to our lodge and take most of our belongings to give to them.

By the time we got back, they were already gone, but soon enough, four other girls ran up to us and were not as happy to see us, but were just as curious. We decided to give them all the stuff we brought since that was our intention with the other girls. They were quite happy to receive all of this stuff but one girl seemed expectant and greedy (so not sure if it was a good idea to give them things or not since it encourages negative behavior towards tourists). It was nonetheless an interesting experience.

The next day, we went to the gate, but did not cross it; instead, we stayed on the lodge’s premises and sat in a watch tower made out of sticks (as unstable as it seemed, it was still solid enough to climb up and sit down for a while on). After a few minutes, 20 village children came out of the forest and came right up to the gate – most of the kids just looked up at us in curiosity but a few started demanding birrs (the currency used in Ethiopia). We barely had anything on us this time and even if we did, 20 kids was just too many to handle.

When we kept shaking our heads and saying no, they became aggressive and a bit violent, picking up sticks and stones and throwing them at us! At this point, I was so glad I was on the right side of the fence – I actually got frightened and had to run back to our lodge! As sad as I am for these poor kids, they behaved like savages and felt like they had a right to receive things from foreigners. This attitude should not be tolerable, but maybe tourists giving handouts are to blame for their bad behavior?

All in all, this lodge was wonderful, the surroundings were beautiful, the air was fresh, the animals were fun to watch, but just be careful if you want to cross the fence, not only of the village kids but also of all the cow dung spread out over every 2 inches of the terrain! Bring good shoes!

If you want to see how most Ethiopians live and if you are tired of the big city of Addis, I highly recommend a few days at Bishangari Lodge – the service is friendly and polite, the serenity is very relaxing, however, the food is extremely pricy by Ethiopian standards and you won’t have a choice but to eat there (about $25 US for a full course meal for one person) Lawn chairs are available to sit on by the lake, and massages are also available for an extra fee.

The trip back was good, our driver from GETTS was waiting at the parking for us. There was however a misunderstanding, because we told him to pick us up at check out time which is noon, but for Ethiopians, they have a different time system, this meant 5-6 am for him, so he was there waiting for us since the early day! However, no harm was done and he was very understanding, but we felt so bad for the guy!

The “tour”, including the 8 hours of transportation in a nice SUV, with as many stops as you require to take pictures or have things explained, plus one night’s stay at the Bishangari lodge cost a total of $390 US for 2 people. The food is not included so be sure to bring extra cash. At the end, we tipped our driver $20 US as he had to wait for us for more than 5 hours in the morning! Expensive trip, but well worth it.

Ethiopia, Days Seven and Eight: Bishangari, Lake Langano

Kevin — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 17:50:15 +0000

This weekend we travelled to Bishangari. This is a nice eco-resort that is next to Lake Langano and surrounded by many villagers. These villagers are poor in terms of material consumption but they otherwise appear to be healthy, and they have plenty of animals. I prefer their style of housing to the tin shanties in the city.

The air is much cleaner out here due to a lack of dirty exhaust traffic, especially once you get past the heavy traffic going to Djibouti. When you drive in the villages, there are a lot of kids that like to say hi. Much of the traffic, even on the main asphalt road, consists of donkey-pulled carts. This could be because it was the weekend, and many families were travelling to the markets in order to trade goods. This heavy traffic, as well as herds of animals crossing the road from time to time means that the driver often has to brake. The main road is in pretty good shape, comparable to any modern two-lane road in North America. The Chinese take care of a lot of construction in this country.

Near Bishangari the area is densely populated with huts and villagers. The area is apparently a Muslim one where the men have three or four wives and upwards of 20 children. Indeed, most of the people we saw were children. The area is mostly agricultural, but densely populated with lots of villagers and lots of livestock. At the same time there are also a lot of wild animals like baboons and wild boars. The area is lush and green; a stark contrast from the worst drought of 60 years a few hundred miles to the south.

We explored the area in Bishangari and we also crossed to the other side of the fence, we saw some large black boars from a distance, we saw baboons, monkeys, birds, goats, and lots of cattle. Lake Langano was a bit reddish/brownish, probably from all of the mud. We met a shephard on the other side, and two cute girls. They kept following us, and whispering, and were a bit shy and didn’t ask for anything. They were amused to see their photograph on the digital camera. We unfortunately didn’t have anything on hand to give them except a water bottle.

We went back later to try to find them with some more stuff, like some clothes, a towel, a bracelet and other things. We didn’t find them but we found 4 other girls instead. They were a bit more expectant but they were still happy to get the goodies. We tried to spot hippos but it started raining and they never showed up.

We eventually went back, had a very expensive meal, and then it got dark. Once it gets dark it gets extremely dark. I woke up in the middle of the night and there was basically no difference between having my eyes open and closed. There were absolutely no sources of electric light in the hut or anywhere for miles around. Only because the curtains were open could I barely make my way to the front doors which were full-length windows.

I used my hands and feet to feel my way forward, since I couldn’t see where anything was except for a very faint light coming from the sky outside. Even outside you could barely see anything; everything looked “noisy” because of how dark it was. It was a moonless overcast night from what I could tell, and only a very faint amount of light was coming from the sky; enough to see where the sky ended and the ground began, but not really more than that.

We had breakfast in the morning and then spotted a bunch of Pumbas. They weren’t the big black ones we saw from a distance the day before, but they were there. We went to get a camera, then came back and had to track them down, and luckily we did. We were able to get a few shots before more tourists arrived and scared them off.

Lots of tourists here are connected with Ethiopia in some way, such as through an Ethiopian wife or an Ethiopian adopted kid. They also seem to be mostly Europeans — I haven’t spotted any other North Americans.

In the morning we didn’t explore the other side but went to the lookout tower instead. We saw two other ferenjis with a guide come out of the forest, and a bit later 20 kids (literally) came storming out. They didn’t chase after them because they had a guide, but they spotted us in the tower and said hi. We said hi back, took a photo, and the kids continued to stay around and looked impatient. These were the most expectant kids of all.

In the forest we heard strange sounds as the wild boars fought with each other, or with the baboons; we weren’t sure. Some of the kids started to throw rocks and sticks at us, so we left, but before leaving I held up a wad of money and asked them if that’s what they wanted. They were excited, but then I then stuck out my tongue, told them they were bad for throwing stuff at us, and left.

Shortly after this we left. Driver seemed annoyed at the kids asking us for stuff as they ran to us from the side of the road; unlike when we had come when they simply smiled and said hi, these kids were more of the begging style. The driver said that the kids don’t go to school and instead beg for a few birr, and they get hurt when they run in front of the cars.

I believe there’s a gulf between the villagers and people from the city where those in the city tend to look upon the villagers as more primitive and inferior. The driver never said so himself but it’s apparent in the way people drive around villagers and cattle. Still, he was always careful to brake and avoid hitting anyone or any animals, even if at the same time he drove in a way to show that he expected to have the right of way.

The driver took us to a crater lake where there was a hotel and cafe called Dreamland near Addis Ababa at a town called Debre Zeit; it was a nice scenic area and it was beautiful as the sun was out. I understand why you need a guide to drive here; you would never find these places and we would probably never have found Bishangari otherwise.

Even with a guide the price wasn’t horrible. With Getts tour it was $390 for everything, which was a better price with a better vehicle (Toyota Land Cruiser 4×4) than the tour agencies located at the Hilton and Intercontinental offered. Toyota is a popular brand of vehicle in this country.

We took a different way back into the city and passed by an enormous uncontrolled intersection that I wouldn’t want to cross as a pedestrian.

View Larger Map

We finally made it back to the hotel and slept…

Ethiopia, Day Six: Edna Mall and Poverty

Kevin — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 17:44:57 +0000

Today was a quiet day.

I did some tour hunting in the morning and then some reading, and then in afternoon Anne came back early and we went to the Edna mall for a movie. This is one of the spots where the middle class of Addis Ababa goes to see a movie. There is a lot of poverty around that area and especially around the mosque/churches along the way. It’s heartbreaking to see.

Ethiopia, Day Five: Another Trip to Tomoca and Traditional Coffee

Kevin — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 17:28:31 +0000

I went back to Tomoca today, and I brought some food with me to distribute to people in need.

First, I walked to the Hilton to reserve a trip to Bishangari on Lake Langano. Just before I entered the Hitlon, I had a guide approach me and he was wondering if I spoke Ahmaric, but I didn’t. I left after getting some information (in the end, we went with Getts Tours which had the best prices and the best service) and I met up with a kid outside the hotel. I accepted him as a guide, and we walked to Tomoca together. I gave out some food along the way and told the guide straight up that there wouldn’t be money for him.

After Tomoca, I gave him some of the nuts that I had with me (many of the containers still sealed and fresh) and I think he still wanted some money because he said something about going to eat lunch at the hilton and using my card, but I ended up giving him the nuts and 11 Birr (all that I had left after the coffee). I gave away the rest (Sunkist raisins which were delicious, lentils, bread and raisin bread). He seemed afraid to go too close to the Hilton probably due to the guards chasing away these guides. My guide was very helpful, because he also prevented a pickpocket. The pickpocket seemed like a bit of a crazy or a drunk man and first he asked me to help me with a bag, and then he touched me on the arm. Whenever someone touches you you know they’re up to no good.

When I left the Hilton the rain started coming down very hard. When the sun shines in Addis, it’s hot due to its near equatorial location, even though the altitude is high. The sun’s UV rays are also stronger and can burn you even through the clouds. However, when the rain comes it can come quickly, and hard. My pants and shoes got soaked even though I had an umbrella, and when the rain hit me on the arm it hit hard enough to sting. The streets became flooded with mud in no time at all and it took days for my shoes to dry.

We went to eat at the traditional resto in the hotel and observed a coffee ceremony and I cooled off from all of the caffeine in the pool, but I still had trouble sleeping!

Ethiopia, Day Three: A Trip to Tomoca

Kevin — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 00:02:24 +0000

I walked to Tomoca from the hotel today. It was a nice day, warm, and I’ve been getting adjusted to the altitude. The air pollution is a problem, but it’s not as bad as Hanoi. The people are friendly; they call out to say hello. At the same time, there are a lot of homeless people, and the beggars are sad to see.

The streets are rough to walk on, but are surprisingly clean of garbage and raw sewage for the most part. What the local government has done is covered some of that stuff up behind walls, so you can’t see it from the streets.

There are not as many touts here as in Vietnam or Thailand, because there are a lot less tourists. Most of the westerners that come here are here on business, or they have connections via family or adopted kids, and for the most part they don’t walk in the streets. I did give a bit of money to one beggar outside Tomoca whom approached me. I think the next time I go out I’ll stockpile some food in my bag to give out, as I prefer to help people that way instead of giving money, although I guess either way it does foster a bit of dependence and encourages the begging, which isn’t good.

On the way back I met a guy called Haile, who was dressed in white and accompanied me for a bit. He had a brother in Toronto and we talked a bit about Canada and Ethiopia. He seemed sincere and he didn’t ask me for anything at the end (most people who talk to you will want something, since you’re a foreigner with money). We parted ways after a couple of intersections and I walked back toward the hotel.

Along the way, while dodging cars at intersections, I met a second guy near the hotel. He also had a brother in Canada, but he didn’t seem as sincere. I think he wanted to be a guide. I was on my way back to the hotel so wasn’t interested, but he did tell a drunk to get lost after the drunk touched me on the arm. He had a store nearby and said he could be my guide to the museums whenever I would be interested.

It was a nice day to walk outside and I got to see a bit of Addis Ababa, though I think I was the only foreigner that did so. I was able to get a map from the Jupiter hotel earlier, and they helped me out with directions to Tomoca and other places.