This morning we said goodbye – after a not very convincing night – from the hardest bed in Africa.
Then we drive to Harar, the ancient Muslim city in eastern Ethiopia. The Harar region has a long and varied history, which admittedly is a bit confusing. Important: Harar is the fourth-holiest city of Islam after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem!
However, you do not notice much of it. From Dire Dawa it goes to the southeast steeply up into the mountains, one truck after another is working along the serpentine route. Daring overtaking maneuvers are completely normal. And unfortunately, the consequences. We see some maltreated trucks, the smaller ones are particularly vulnerable.
One just got stuck in the embankment and a whole troop tried to pull him back onto the road with a rope.
Our driver is – thank goodness – very prudent, sometimes refrains from overtaking and so we arrive safely after 90-minute ride in Harar.
After a short break we meet Biniyam, our guide, for a tour of the old town of Harar. The settlement is more than a thousand years old and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In front of the gate to the old town and in front of the actual market there are masses of shop assistants, yes, especially women, who offer their goods on the street.
Even the spice market is impressive. Annette buys two interesting spices for the Injera. The impressions from the market are really great.
The old town of Harar is surrounded by a 3.3 km long city wall, five gates provide access to the maze of streets and squares. The houses of the Harari (the people are the core of the population) are made of rough stones with clay – but most walls are now covered with cement and often painted colorful. At one point men are using the old materials – Biniyam explains that the authorities allow building only with traditional materials.
Also in Harar, men hang around everywhere, chewing khat, which they call chat here. The drug is offered on every corner and everything around Harar is filled with fields where the plants grow.
Cooking is often still done with firewood. And this drag the many donkeys into the city, which one sees on the streets.
We have a coffee break at the central square in the old town, we sit on the terrace on the first floor and can watch the bustle undisturbed below.
In the Museum Sharif, the „only private museum in Africa“, as the guide assures us, we see an extensive collection of utensils, including the bed of the last Ras of Harar, swords of Haile Selassie, Menelik II and Mengistu also got one – for ceremonial occasions, as we get explained.
On the way, we buy a kilo of Harar coffee in the tiny roasting house.
The day ends with a second Injera, this time we are so smart and only order a portion for two, which we still can not eat completely.
The next night will hopefully be more pleasant. Both of us still have the hardest bed in Africa in the bones. And here it is:
