Back to Ethiopia:
The Merkado is the shopping place that all the guide books tell you about and tell you to be wary in. Personally, I don’t like pickpockets, and I had my arms and hands full with two little girls. So in Ethiopia we steered pretty clear of the huge Addis market.
That said, there are dozens of places to shop across the city. There are the malls, of course… the malls on Bole Road are great for getting kids/baby stuff, but be prepared to pay almost western prices. They are also good for buying silver jewelry, which is really high quality. Don’t bother going to the silver shops Kidslink takes you to as their selection is poor; but the stuff in the malls runs the gamit and is very reasonable. Other than that, I don’t recommend malls.Â
Some of my favorite places to go were the “Shiro” (sp?) market, which is also known as the Entoto market at the base of Entoto Mountain. It’s the textiles/clothing market but there’s a random assortment of gifts as well. We got a collection of musical instruments for the kids there, horns and drums and the like.
There are several pottery places, with cheap! pottery. But be aware that most sun-fire their stuff so you shouldn’t use put any fluids in them and drink them, or serve food in the bowls. Only if it’s kilm-fired.
A place the Kidslink people take you to is the “Former Firewood Carrier’s Weaving Cooperative”… it’s actually really easy to find yourself. Just get dropped at the base of the Entoto market, walk 5 minutes up and you will see a sign pointing you left to a side street. Voila. This place is great because it provides skilled employment for people that would otherwise be doing back-breaking labour. Plus the scarves they sell there are CHEAP! and really lovely.Â
Another fun place is the kids toy store. It’s another co-op employing mentally-disabled adults. They make all these lovely wooden toys, hand-sewn stuffies… it’s wonderful. I forget what it’s called but it’s in the Lonely Planet guidebook, I think. There’s a great coffee shop that caters to foreigners in the postal district. Then there are the leather (jackets etc.) shops around the stadium… etc.
And never dismiss where the locals shop - the small scale markets (although not the shipping container clothing ones!) near the university and other places. And there are spice stores and supermarkets… even art galleries. We came home with a lovely painting by the reknowned Ethiopian artist Soloman and we got it in the Makush gallery on Bole just steps from the guesthouse. And it’s really lovely.
And if you have ANY shopping guilt at all, remember 1. you are supporting local industry! and 2. your home SHOULD have a bizillion souvenirs of Ethiopia… it’s a tangible way for your kids (if you are an adoptive parents) to experience their home country culture.
Should I even tell you what we bought home? Here’s my best remembered list: drums, horns, twine toys, wood puzzles, traditional outfits, Ethio lego, shoes, Tshirts, a huge injera basket, injera basket toys, music CDs, spices, shiro powder, pottery bowls and sculptures, scarves, coffee beans, leather belts, stone carvings, baskets, silver jewelry, snack food, books for kids and for us, christmas ornaments, a big painting… etc.
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- The Firewood Carrier's Co-op - there were both men and women weaving. They choosetheir colours and get 100% of the proceeds of their sales, so they can feed their families and buy more thread.
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- Mom going a little nuts with the scarves... I admit I got one for all my girlfriends too!
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- At a coffee store. Spice is picking out a toy injera table - now used in the dollhouse in Canada.
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- The girls' first time shopping for themselves, when they needed new shoes. They were frightened by the attention but knew what they wanted! Blue gellies with butterflies. Sugar/Spice.
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- Spice and our friend S patiently escorting us ladies all over the textiles market. We got traditional outfitsfor our whole fam, and bigger ones for the girls too.
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- Sugar and I with our friend L out picking up some souvenirs. Except market days, you don't really have to be too careful for pickpockets. Except at the Merkado!!
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- Sugar and Spice with their new traditional twine-tied lion and donkey toys, waiting on the taxi to take us back to the guest house.
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- (Spice/Sugar.) I seriously went to TOWN in the spice shop. I spent $60 CAN on berbere, butter spices,7 spice, tea spice... hmmmmm
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- Spice helping Daddy to pick out some souvenirs for her little cousin back home. You can see some drums in his bag.
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- This is actually at my Rotary Club in Kelowna, but you can see some of the cool stuff I brought for show-and-tell.
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:41 am
Ok, this is probably an ‘I should know this’ question, but what is shiro powder and what is it used for?
November 23rd, 2009 at 11:05 am
Totally not a dumb question at all!
Shiro is a hot ground chickpea paste - it’s one of the “stews” you would have served at a traditional Ethiopian meal in a restaurant here, but more importntly, it’s a common dish served in homes to the whole family, and a favorite amoung children.
I kid you not when I say we ate shiro and injera almost every day in Ethiopia.
And my kind friend M who runs Faya orphanage showed me how to make it and gave me a big bag (of the ground spiced chickpea powder) for the kids when we went home.
Cheers
Nicky
November 23rd, 2009 at 1:54 pm
Love this post Nicky! You got so much shopping done - awesome! I would’ve loved a mesob table but it is on the list for our next trip. Did you have to have it wrapped and checked for the flights home?
And the scarves brought back many memories - that was such a crazy day, so rainy and busy. All of us in the little room pulling scarves off the shelves like they were Tickle Me Elmos! It seems like both yesterday and like a lifetime ago!
Hi to S and S from E and B,
Michelle
November 23rd, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Hiya Michelle -
I didn’t know the name of the table, thanks!
We got it home in a hockeybag. We actually were planning on puttig it in one of the rubbermaids we brought, but I bought too big of a one. The rubbermaids were invaluable for bringing home pottery ad other breakabkes, though.
Hi to your kids too!
Cheers
Nicky
November 23rd, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Nicky, I have to tell you I am jealous of the hair-doing ability you display. Not sure how you picked it all up so quick but your girls never seem to have the flat-head syndrome we experience here so often. I saw your post awhile ago on hair but I’d love to hear more about how you do all that you do. I am braiding well but not corn row type braids yet.
Barb
November 23rd, 2009 at 10:49 pm
Heya Barb - I just do by trying… and I watch videos on-line too. I did have a friend in Ethiopia (a Ghanian lady) show me how to do the basic 6-piece braiding / cornrowing but the rest is just trial and error! So have fun with it
And search Youtube 
Oh, and sharuba.com has some great vids.
Cheers
Nicky
November 25th, 2009 at 7:07 am
HI
I love love the photo with the girls and the spices in the back. You have some amazing photo’s but this one I love the girls in front of the colours. Thanks for all the details on shopping this is a post I will have to dig up when it is my turn to shop ( cant wait ! )
I have made pottery for years and am so excited to get a chance to explore more. Did most of the shops have a workshop or could you see the kilns, or I would guess that for the most part they where not in the same area?
Ok I am also so curious about the Ethiopian Lego ??????? My favourite toy from growing up , well ok I could still play for hours.
I never end up posting but love reading and am so grateful you find the time ( not sure how when I can’t even comment )
Take Care
Shannon ( who is hoping time passes so fast till the 30th so we can say Imagine is back up and I can get even more excited about my turn to travel . Well I am excited any way )