13 Months of Sunshine

Advantages: Travel on the cheap!
Disadvantages: Sometimes things just don't work.

...Ethiopia is one of Africa's most fascinating countries to visit. The tourist posters for Ethiopia often use the slogan, "Ethiopia: Thirteen Months of Sunshine". How does Ethiopia get that extra month of sunshine each year? It's easy! They still use an ancient calendar in Ethiopia which requires an extra "short month" each year to synchronize with the actual solar cycle. So, the western (foreigner's) calendar is ahead of the Ethiopian calendar by 8 years. (If you want to avoid any residual Y2K problems go to Ethiopia. According to the Ethiopian calendar we are just beginning the year 1997). Ethiopia has more than just an interesting calendar; in the north of Ethiopia-between the towns of Axum and Mekele are 20 very ancient Christian churches (about 120 in the entire region) carved out of solid mountains of granite. Axum is said to the be...

grape_nehi 27.10.2005 · Read review
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Review of General: Ethiopia

Some Fantastic, Some A Bit Drastic

Advantages: Tracks 1,4 & 8 are great.
Disadvantages: The rest soon get boring.

...Ok, my second Sizzla review, but each album is so different, it might as well be the first. Released in 1999 this album ?Royal Son Of Ethiopia? sits between ?Freedom Cry? released the previous year and ?Be I Strong? released a couple months after. If you are not familiar with Sizzla, he is one of the most prolific reggae artists and been caught up in his fair share of controversy. He?s released over 30 albums now and has both a good and bad track record. He?s released some of my favourite albums of all time, yet he?s also come out with a couple that don?t deserve a second listen. The reason why he produces the odd poor attempt at an album is probably down to it being rushed or simply experimenting with other genres and sounds. There is a general rule you can always follow though with Sizzla ? his early albums in his career are...

jjqburch 08.05.2007 · Read review
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Review of Royal Son Of Ethiopia - Sizzla

Addis Ababa as a travel destination

Advantages: Not touristy, inexpensive, interesting history, safe
Disadvantages: Poverty

...If you are interested in a totally different experience, why not Ethiopia? We went to Ethiopia because it is an unusual destination, not many tourists, and has some unique history. When we arrived in Addis Ababa I got the shakes from the altitude (over 2,000 metres) but soon acclimatised. The altitude gives the capital city a very mild climate. The hotel we stayed in was called the Gedera and was surprisingly comfortable for the $15US a night we paid. The room was tidy with hot water and cable tv, and breakfast was included. Staff were friendly and helpful. There are a number of other hotels in the same price range, but if you want to spend more then you could stay at the lushous Sheraton Hotel. But the hotel looks like an oasis of luxury surrounded by the poverty of shanty towns. Its easy to get around Addis Abeba. We had a taxi...

floss 18.02.2001 · Read review
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Review of Addis Abeba (Ethiopia)

An old road to new revelations

Advantages: lovely images and minimal text
Disadvantages: none

...the original quest, decided to retrace his steps this time armed with a mature head and a lifetime of study. This sumptuous book is the result of his second journey. The cover of this large format book is inviting in its own right, the front showing Pakenham and a local guide sat atop a mountain with and almost Martian landscape trailing off behind them. The back cover shows an expedition scene that could have graced Rider Haggard's, King Solomon's Mines and contains a rather teasing text blurb. "Behind us would be the Ethiopia of the motor road: the progressive, unromantic, secure Ethiopia of Haile Selassie; ahead the unchanging, exotic, perhaps even perilous Ethiopia of Prestor John?" Standing on the dividing line of the modern and the medieval world he was about to plunge himself into a journey that would take him forward in distance...

steerpyke 19.03.2006 · Read review
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Review of The Mountains of Rasselas - Thomas Pakenham

Band Aid

Advantages: helped feed the world
Disadvantages: none

...Bob Geldof, lead singer of the Boomtown Rats, was, deeply moved by Michael Buerk's BBC TV report on the famine in Ethiopia broadcasted on 23 October 1984. Unlike most, Bob Geldof did something about it. Along with Midge Ure from Ultravox, he wrote Do They Know It's Christmas? and the set about raising as much money from the song as possible. After persuading the SARM studio in London to give him free recording time, Geldof brought together more than 30 of UK pop's biggest stars on Sunday 25 November 1984 to record the song as a single, to be released under the collective name Band Aid. Displaying a remarkable talent for cajling people into giving their services free, Geldof got the record pressed and distributed at no cost - every penny raised had to go to Ethiopia. The only exception was the British Government, who steadfastly...

fabrik1 04.07.2006 · Read review
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Review of Everything that starts with B ...

Mocha is the best!

Advantages: The smell, taste, and even price
Disadvantages: None

...for the taste, this coffee has an amazing deep flavor. The fruitiness in it makes you feel that you are trying something different, yet it is simply 100% Arabica coffee from Ethiopia with nothing else. Is it recommended? Definitely, since I discovered this coffee I bought it many times and I would buy it again. I enjoyed it very much myself; in addition to the great mocha flavor, the strength of this coffee is 4 medium/ strong and this is just the thing for me. And, some of my friends even asked me to make "that mocha coffee" for them after they tried it. Other variations to choose from in Waitrose: the price is between £1.99 and £3.95: 1. Mocha Blend Cafetiere Coffee 227g 2. Ground French Cafetiere Coffee 227g 3. Mountain Blend Filter Coffee 227g 4. Colombian Decaffeinated Coffee 227g 5. Rich Italian Blend Filter Coffee 227g 6. Kenya...

sottovoce82 11.12.2008 · Read review
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Review of Waitrose Mocha Blend Filter Coffee

Take a Trip Round the World

Advantages: Great pictures
Disadvantages: None

...this section, including climate, what they eat and their day to day activities. There are also detailed stories of six children, including Ari from Finland, Olia from Russia and Rachel from France. AFRICA This is a fascinating section, as everything in Africa is so vastly different from our own country, from the weather to clothing. We meet six children including Mohammed from Eygpt, Esta from Tanzania and Tadesse from Ethiopia. ASIA There is a fascinating insight into various different countries in this interesting continent. We meet eight children, including Meena from India, Michael from Israel and Sabah from Jordan. Finding out about the lives of these children makes you want to visit the countries. SOUTHEAST ASIA AND AUSTRALASIA Edgar from the Phillipines, Rosita from Australia and four other children tell us about their...

BecksterMas 15.07.2008 · Read review
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Review of Children Just Like Me - Anabel Kindersley

Mmm, coffee!!

Advantages: Tastes better than regular Nescafe.
Disadvantages: Costs more than I would like to pay!

...is very refreshing, much in contrast with ordinary Nescafe coffee. Now this coffee is made from the finest quality Arabica beans, which is a species of coffee indigenous to Ethiopia. It is not the most caffeinated coffee that I have ever had, as I can usually sleep pretty well even if I have had this just before bedtime, but it is still a very nice cup of coffee, none-the-less. This make of coffee is also available in the "decaffeinated" form, which I've never understood why anyone would want to drink!...

iateamonkey 26.01.2007 · Read review
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Review of Nescafe Alta Rica Instant Coffee

A millionaire's paradise

Advantages: Heavenly taste, huge range of coffee (incl. soya milk varieties) and an atmosphere that oozes cool and sophistication
Disadvantages: Can get packed in there, the foreign staff sometimes have a hard time conversing, and you need to be a millionaire to go regularly

..., which teaches environmentally sound farming practices in Ethiopia. If the prices came down then I would be an extremely satisfied customer, but until then, my frappachino addiction looks set to make me bankrupt....

Lara_King 09.02.2001 · Read review
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Review of Starbucks (London)

An unforgettable story

Advantages: Compelling, good story
Disadvantages: Very sad, a bit heavy

..."Refugee Boy" is the story of Alem, a 14-year-old boy who comes from Ethiopia and Etritrea. His two countries are at war, and he can't fit in to either place. When Alem's father takes him on a holiday to London, Alem doesn't think there is anything strange about it. But it is in fact much more than a holiday - for his father leaves without taking Alem back to Africa with him. Throughout the book, Alem has to put up with a lot. First he has to fit into a children's home, then into life with foster parents. He has to adjust to school, which is much different than it was in Africa, and cope with court cases determining whether or not he can stay in England. Then, back in Africa, something terrible happens, and his father comes to London. But the court are still not convinced that they deserve to stay in England. So Alem’s...

sophie5914 16.10.2001 · Read review
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Review of Refugee Boy - Benjamin Zephaniah