Harar

Harar is a walled city in eastern Ethiopia (well, at least the old town is). It is considered the 4th holiest city in Islam after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. The old city is a UNESCO world heritage site. Harar did not become part of Ethiopia until the late 19th century when emperor Menelik II defeated the last emir.
The pictures, in no particular order, begin with a typical house interior. It seems every house in the old town has the same basic design. This isn't a shop. Every home was expected to have enough sets of serving ware to accommodate the largest crowd without asking for help.
The 2nd picture is the tomb of ar-Rida, the leader credited with making Harar a major Islamic center.
The 3rd picture is the home of the father of the last emperor, Haile Selassie and is where he grew up.
The 4th picture is one of the 82 mosques in the old city. The 5th picture is one of the original city gates. The city wall has been opened along side to allow vehicular traffic. The 6th picture is a section of the original city wall, unrestored.
The 7th picture is inside the home of French poet, Arthur Rembaud, who spent 10 years here. I was taken with the architecture.
The 8th picture is a section of the local spice market. That is an aisle between stalls. I have been in many such markets, and this is easily the most tightly organized.
Speaking of tight, Harar is known for Reconciliation Streets that are so narrow that 2 people cannot pass each other. The 9th picture is one such street where one must interact with the person coming the other way, even if they would rather not.
Harar has an interesting relationship with hyenas. Their howl is said to chase away djinns or less than friendly spirits. There are openings in the city wall for them to enter and eat anything on the street (which helps with sanitation). Too bad they don't eat plastic. They also feed the hyenas. The last picture is me participating in the tradition. And, yes, those are wild hyenas.Read more