After morning visit to the National Park Shalla-Abiata ( I was watching there ostriches, big gazelles, warthogs and flamingoes I went to the university town of Awassa (called also Hauassa – Ethiopian alphabet is completely different and hardly transferabke to latin).
Awassa lies on the lake of the same name and it is a blue lake! ( here in Ethiopia’ lakes has coffee & milk color) 🙂 The best view is from the airport road (see picture). On the city-side along the lake goes nice, shaddy alley where the local lovers can whisper and kiss each other. But there are also little restaurants serving fish. Around them you will see many marabout birds waiting for the food. Strange: I did not see them in the national park in the morning. The provision must be better here! 🙂
Main avenue, dotted by high palms goes from the lake up to the big church of St Gabriel. Sorry, but Ethopian churches are closed during the day, so I did not see the interior. Awassa has also something I can recommend: Lake View Hotel – just steps from the coast. So far this is my favourite accommodation in Ethiopia. The young staff smiles, they provide all info, included breakfast is delicious with big bowl of freshly made mango juice. For the huge room with balcony I paid 1250 birr – like 30 dollars.
Such a traveller is qualified for the discount – they said! They probably saw less of Ethiopia than me… Thank you, dear friends!
