Addis Ababa, ‘new flower’ is the largest city and a great metropolis of Ethiopia. The city is speckled with a wide agglomeration of notable landmarks like Holy Trinity Cathedral, Meskel Square, the Ethiopian National Library, and St George’s Cathedral and much more that makes it one of the most appealing and eye-catchy tourist’s destinations of the world. The capital is situated on the foothill of Mount Entoto that is elevated at the height of about 7,546 feet that highly tempts thousands of travelers and forces them to take flights to Addis Ababa to explore the magnificence and elegance of the place.
Its major allurement is the shopping market of Adis Marketo meaning ‘New market’ which is declared to be the largest open-air market of Africa. This gleaming market is situated in the district of Addis Ketema and it covers the land area of hundreds of square miles, offering employment opportunities to approximately 13,000 people in 7,100 distinctive shopping areas. The most significant and exclusive product of this local region is coffee and John Bolton the CO of the famous Salt Lake Roasting Company loves to stroll through a market in search of pure and finest coffee beans.
Once during his survey, he stated, ‘I woke at 5:00 am and went to the Saturday market in Addis Ababa. This is a huge setting where they sell everything imaginable. Because we were early, the hordes of people hadn’t arrived yet though it was still busy. Since the streets were crowded, everything was carried in to sell, and often times it had to be carried for several blocks. I witnessed many ten-year-olds carrying baskets on their heads, laden with melons or tomatoes. These baskets easily weighed twice as much as their porters. I think the spices I saw were probably the most interesting items on the market. Also, the flavoured butter and cheeses revealed the diverse tastes and unique heritage that is northeast Africa’.
Besides, serving as an important inland port in Ethiopia; the market acts as the focal point for the trade of pulse, oilseeds, grains, animals and vegetables. During the peak season and most bustling time, ‘coffee auction’ is daily held, where approximately 100 different growers display almost 150 distinctive kinds of coffee beans. Apart from it the visitors just love to shop a variety of many other attractive and fascinating items such as jewellery, costumes aromas, electronic items and many other captivating products.
The market also serves as the home of an elephantine shopping mall which owns more than 75 glistening shopping stores. The market is undoubtedly a vibrant and lively shopping settlement where the arrays of sparkling and wonderful stores will truly mesmerize you.
The nearby areas of this huge market are occupied with a variety of allurements and charming sites so once you get free from shopping, just hit the adorable spots of the city. So whenever you plan a trip for Addis Ababa, do spare some days as its temptations are many that can’t be explored in a single day, so pack up your belongings and get ready for an enthralling experience.
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