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Days
of Wine
and Roses
by
Jerry W. Bird
  My
inner child loves surprises, and to discover a
freshly cut sweetheart rose nestled on one's pillow
is a touch that transcends time and space. This was
the first surprise the
Sheraton Addis
reserved for our group, and much more awaited us as
we checked the nooks and crannies of this elegant
hotel and its spacious, luxuriant, terraced
grounds. Later, we discovered ornate vases of roses
literally everywhere; in the restaurants, around
the lobby and corridors, at the pool-side -- and at
a festive wedding we attended.
When
asked about our extensive stay in Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia's Capital, during February and again
during the ATA Jubilee Congress in May of 2000, I
state emphatically that the whole period was like
one extended celebration. Very few times in my life
and career in the media world have I felt so much
at home, so laid back and yet so very special. The
hospitality began with the staff at the pleasant
hotels we stayed at, and extended to so many of the
people we met, from local tour operators to embassy
staff, merchants, tour guides, doormen, you name
it.
Freshly
cut roses perfumed the air at other locations
throughout the city. After asking around, we
discovered that these fragrant blooms were all home
grown &emdash; a budding new industry that's
capturing hearts and markets in Europe and the USA.
Since Addis Ababa means "new flower " in Amharic it
is significant that this 8-year old cut flower
business is flourishing nearby. Water for
continuous irrigation of the flower beds is pumped
and gravity-fed from Lake Zama. Already exporting
over 100,000 roses weekly and employing over 200
workers, Meskel Flowers, is expected to more than
double in the next few years.
The other side of the equation came that same night
on the Sheraton's broad balcony, as we watched the
"dancing waters" pulsate to a classic symphony. It
was the discovery that Ethiopia has become a wine
producing center. Prior to dinner we were treated
to a domestic dry red wine produced by the Gouder
company. Our host was quick with a local quip --
"Champagne is good, but Gouder is gooder."
Ethiopian vintners also make a palate pleasing dry
white wine.
Sheraton Addis
Taitu Street, P.O. Box 6002 Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Phone (251)(11) 5171717 Fax (251)(11)
5172727
Sheraton Addis, the first hotel in Africa to
join The Luxury Collection.
Set in mountainous countryside, 7,800 feet above
sea level, the Sheraton Addis in Ethiopia is the
first African hotel to join The Luxury Collection.
Our hotel stands opposite the National Palace and
only seven kilometers from Bole International
Airport of Ethiopia. Our ideal location provides
easy access to the city's commercial districts, the
UNECA Headquarters, the United Nations Conference
Center, the AU Headquarters, as well as to most
business establishments and Non-Governmental
Organizations. We are also only a short distance
from many of Ethiopia's most renowned
attractions.
Our hotel provides one of the largest and most
prestigious banquet and conference facilities in
Ethiopia, providing over 1,500 square meters of
meeting space.
More
about Addis Ababa- African
and World Convention
Site
More about Addis Ababa -
A Royal Legacy
Photo Credits: ATA Archives / Muguette
Goufrani
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