Yesterday I was lucky enough to bump into a big group of Ethiopian priests in their full gear while they were getting off their coach. I wanted to wish them all a very happy new year but at that very moment my brain’s long term memory of the Amharic department was closed, so I greeted them in English instead. So here goes to all of you once more: melkam addis amet!

“Enkutatash (Ethiopian New Year) falls on September 1 Ethiopian calendar (September 11 Gregorian Calendar) at the end of the Ethiopian rain season and is called Enkutatash. September 1 is also celebrated to mark the commemoration of Saint John the Baptist. Enkutatash (Ethiopian New Year) is not only a religious holiday but it also a day for young boys and girls to sing and dance and for exchanging New Year greetings among urban and rural inhabitants.”

Source: Ethiopian Treasures

I am soon to discover some of the specialities such as saltah of the Yemeni cuisine, and the numerous varieties of their bread. I’m only wondering whether there is any kind of quark, or curd cheese available in Yemen? And if that is the case, how is it called? Being much less carnivorous than the average person, I have developed a long lasting relationship with quark that is usually very rich in protein. Soon an entire (and holy) month without it might be avoided if I managed to get hold of some of this white stuff!