Inside the "The City of Saints":Harar

Entering the modern part of Harar Fruit & veggies for sale
    One of the five main gates into the old walled city of Harar Jugol, which was included in the World Heritage List in 2006 by UNESCO in recognition of its cultural heritage. Driving along the outside of the wall Small Mosque Little boy & heart etched graffiti Another of the five gates...the Western gate Inside the walled city ~ with over 360 twisting and winding alleys squeezed into 1 square kilometer The colours of the houses & walls were so amazing especially on this misty day     "Narrow Lane" My eldest, Owen & a beautiful blue wall The women, be them maidens, mothers or crone, amaze me... Kai, my second son has a huge heart that often has questions about what he is experiencing thus is never too far from me as we travel in Ethiopia...     Me & my boys...  

Harar is the Islam capital of Ethiopia and it is sometimes known in Arabic as "the City of Saints" ("Madinat al-Awilya"). This tiny ancient city is crammed with 82 mosques, colourful markets, coffee shops and crumbling walls. 

Since being founded in the 7th century by Arab immigrants, it has been a major trading center, linked by the trade routes with the rest of Ethiopia, the entire Horn of Africa, the ports of the Arabian Peninsula  to the outside world. 

Even though I've never been to Morocco, but it reminds me of it and makes me dream of traveling to Morocco even more!