I don’t know about Paris, but Harar is a city of love

It is easy to think of the city of Harar as an old city of ruin, but easier to depart from it with a lasting taste of a city of harmony and love

Henok Wondyirad (PhD)

When I first planned to go to Harar a few weeks ago, I never thought to experience anything new. All that I had imagined was an old city (probably half in ruin) surrounded by its inhabitants deeply addicted with khat (a mild narcotic) and Shisha (Hookah). On top of that my previous information about the people of Harar, a city in the eastern part of Ethiopia some 336 kms from Addis Ababa, was not a pleasant one. I heard that socially they were careless, less trustworthy and that they curse each other as if they are blessing one another.

But, there was also another legend I knew: Harar is a city of love.