Here, you get your best china out, bake some biscuits and welcome your guests. Guests are welcomed in Ethiopia but with popcorn and fresh buna (coffee). Almost every cafe we went to, rather than bringing a coffee pot around, brought a tray of cups with a Jebena (coffee pot) to offer us fresh coffee.

It was even more special when performed as the traditional Coffee Ceremony. We sat as the coffee was first roasted. A frankincense-like fragrance wafted about. Popcorn was served. Once the coffee hit a good rolling second crack, it was taken off the heat, smelt by the visitors, cooled and then put in a pestle for pounding/grinding. Meanwhile the water was being brought to a boil in the Jebena. The ground coffee was placed into the Jebena and after the appropriate time poured into small cups to be offered to the guests.

It tasted wonderful, especially with the backdrop of buzzards and local monkeys. Our friends tried to get the hyenas involved but fortunately they did not oblige.

The sense of coffee birthplace mingled with hospitality and friends was very evident.

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