About fifty Embassies and international missions to Addis Abeba had stands at this year’s Bazaar, held Saturday the 28th of November at the Africa Union compound. All “cravings” were accommodated, be it cultural or for the palate; the Cuban Embassy offered “Che”Guevara t-shirts and salsa-lessons, the Belgians sold traditional Belgian fries, the Angolans sold art and handicrafts, and Norway had its smoked-salmon success, in packages or on sandwiches together with scrambled eggs. This could be washed down with miniature bottles of “Linie Aquavit”, or a quick shot on the spot.
“Do you sell hot-dogs?” asked a group of Norwegian-speaking Ethiopians, looking longingly after boiled frankfurters wrapped in bread, and garnished with ketchup and mustard. That could be taken care of next door, where the Swedish Embassy sold hot dogs together with liquorish confectionary, all accompanied by the NO 1 Swedish cultural export item, ABBA.
The Bazaar is a yearly event, organized by the Diplomatic Spouses in Addis Abeba. Read more about it on: http://www.capitalethiopia.com/archive/2009/November/week4/interview.htm
Read more about Norwegian Seafood on: www.seafoodfromnorway.com
Read more about Aquavit on: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akvavit
and: http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/11/18/travel/tmagazine/14talk-aquavit-t.html