Addis Night Life

In addition to questions about food, I am sure that many are also wondering what the night life is like in Addis. I can't claim to be able to give a full overview at this point, but I can share my experiences thus far. First, I'm too old to go out to clubs. If I am not in bed by 10:30pm, then it is highly unlikely that I am going to be able to get up when 6:30am rolls around. This I learned from experience. 

Last Friday night, I met up with a girl from work who is a couple of years younger than me and her friends at a bar called Black Rose. It was very dark inside and had more of a lounge feel. It was a nice atmosphere, but I was quickly reminded how much I enjoy smokeless bars (sorry to those of you who smoke :)). It was a mixed crowd of expats and locals, and was packed full. We then made our way to a couple of other lounges, one which was more casual and a couple of others that were clearly more VIP (I'm not sure how else to describe them). People clearly dress up to go out, which could explain why most stores seem to sell "going out" clothes as opposed to work or normal clothes. In my jeans and black shirt I felt incredibly underdressed and undermakeuped. They weren't exactly my cup of tea, but I don't think that there are more casual lounges.

On Friday I didn't make it to a club, as they start to fill up with people around 1am, and I was home and in bed by that time. Last night (take note that this was Thursday), I found myself at the club in the early hours of the morning. The evening started at the Italian Club, where I was invited by a friend of a friend, Nibret, to watch the European Championship semi-final match between Italy and Germany. Apparently there are similar clubs/hang out spots for most of the European communities in Addis. The crowd was mostly expats, but there were quite a few Ethiopians as well (including the three guys that I was with). The bar got pretty rowdy at times, but it was quite enjoyable to watch a game (when I could actually see the screen) in a room with so much energy. 

After Italy's win, I was convinced to join for the post-game celebration and that is when I found myself at club H20. It's quite a big place, and it took about an hour for the dance floor to fill with people. The crowd seemed to be mostly Ethiopians, with a few expats mixed in, including three awkward white men who were clearly looking for a hook-up. We danced there for a couple of hours (at the side of the dance floor), before one of the guys decided he was hungry. We made a stop for some late nite shiro (delicious at 3am), and they dropped me at home. I had fun, but the struggle to get out of bed this morning was quite unbearable. I was told that most Ethiopians call in sick to work if they have such a night, but of course I made my way to the office, where I quickly ordered some eggs and a cup of tea. So for those of you who say that I need to live a little and have more fun, last night was for you. I can't guarantee that it will be repeated. :)