Good Ol' Days

Speaking with one of my colleagues here, S, who has been coming to Ethiopia since the mid-70's, he said that the reason everyone orders cola along with Ambo mineral water these days is that, back then cola was so hard to come by that people would add a touch of it to mineral water to sweeten it up, sometimes at a mixture of 3-to-1 so you could pretty much see through the drink. There is plenty of cola around these days, but the tradition carries on. Having gotten used to ordering soft drinks with mineral water myself, I have to say that it is pretty good. It cuts the cola in a way that makes it much more refreshing, especially with a meal. Next time you crack open a Coke, why not give it a try? Oh, also, as a side note, I am endlessly amused that they always refer to Coca-cola here not as "Coke" but as "Coca". So next time you go to an Ethiopian restaurant with a friend, try ordering "huleutt ambo ena and coca efeullegallo" and see what happens.