Ethiopia: A Journey Through the Colorful Alleys of Harar

With the Star Alliance Round The World Ticket, Anne and Clemens are flying around the world. After exploring the Kafa region in southwestern Ethiopia, they visited the colorful city of Harar in the eastern part of the country with Paradise Ethiopia Travel.

The pungent smell of fresh chili powder fills our noses and makes us involuntarily sneeze. The market-goers laugh. Of course, this probably only happens to the untrained noses of tourists. Yet, slowly but surely, buyers and sellers alike join in a communal 'Achoo'. Everyone laughs, and the wild hustle and bustle continues.

We find ourselves at the spice market in Harar, a city in eastern Ethiopia known especially for its UNESCO-protected old town. The reason for this becomes clear after a stroll through the 'Harar Old Town', which is surrounded by ancient city walls. For every alley you wander into, there is a mosque every 80 meters. Some are painted red, some turquoise, some pink. There seem to be no limits to the wild color combinations. This makes Harar possibly the most colorful city in all of Ethiopia. Even more interesting is the fact that the city is considered the fourth most important in Islam - thanks to the many mosques. In fact, the picturesque old town houses over 100 mosques, making it home to the highest concentration of Islamic houses of worship in the world.

We leave the hustle and bustle of the market behind and enter the old town through one of the heavy city gates. Arabic inscriptions are visible on them, naturally beautifully highlighted in color. Now, we walk on simple cobblestones down through the winding alleys. We notice small mosques that are so tiny that only a dozen people might fit inside. In fact, inhabitants simply visit the nearest mosque, we are told, depending on where they are when the muezzin calls to prayer. One can only hope there is still room there.

On the way, we get a small insight into the houses of the Harari people. Often, these are part of a communal residence. While several families do not share the living spaces, they share the courtyard, which makes communal life very convivial and fits well with the cozy ambiance of the old town.

Suddenly, a house stands out prominently: the Arthur Rimbaud House, which pays tribute to the great French poet and writer. In contrast to the simple stone buildings, this one is primarily made of heavy wood and mostly in Victorian style. The house hosts a respectable collection of documents and photographs that trace the life of young Rimbaud in Ethiopia. Additionally, the upper floor offers a wonderful panoramic view of Harar and the surrounding area.

We continue to stroll and soon lose ourselves in the hundreds of winding alleys of Harar. The exact layout of these alleys is hardly comprehensible to the observer, as there are only two intersections in the entire old town. Yet, one doesn't truly feel lost. At every intersection, you are greeted by the laughter of children playing tag or soccer in the street - often with a homemade round ball made of straw and tape. They curiously size us up, and we them. Stealthy glances are exchanged, usually ending in a shared, heartfelt laugh.

An authentic spectacle takes place in the evening when the sun sets. Then, when the hyenas come, which quite charmingly belong to the city and its history. Since the founding of Harar, hyenas have entered the city to feed on the food scraps of the day. While this might seem rather off-putting at first, in reality, it harmonizes with the people of Harar. They have not only accepted the intrusion of these animals into their environment; rather, they endorse it and even give the hyenas a kind of breathing space. Even better: they pay them homage. For decades, it has been the tradition of the city for a selected family to feed the carnivores with meat every evening just outside the city. What would send chills down the spines of zoologists and wildlife rangers worldwide has been put into practice here: a hyena feeding with a touch guarantee. Admittedly, the procedure has become a tourist attraction over time, but it is still based on an age-old tradition.

Back in the city, the howling of the hyenas can still be heard from afar. It gradually blends with the calls to prayer from the muezzin. The metallic crescent moons atop the minarets are soon joined by another crescent, bathing the scene in an almost surreal light. Good night, Harar!