Is any other country's name more fun to say than Djibouti?
The currency, oversized and colorful, could win top prize for beauty.
Unfortunately the same can't be said for the countryside which looks
like a deserted quarry of volcanic rock. Geological oddities set it
apart: Lac Assal is Africa's lowest point, Lac Goubet is called the
'pit of demons,' and Lac Abbe is remarkable for steam vents that have
formed fantastic natural chimneys.
Djibouti is a country built around a sea port. Ethiopia
depends on it for access to the Red Sea. Eritrea and Somalia envy
commerce that runs through it. Djibouti probably owes its independence
to the fact that it's too strategic to be annexed by bigger neighbors;
no one would allow that to happen without a fight. However, it's internal
strife may be inflamed by neighbors who want to attract trade to their
own countries.
Djibouti imports everything because nothing grows in its
barren land. Commodities are more expensive here. Even though this
is a Muslim country, a few nightclubs exist where you can "shake
your Djibouti."
Highlight: Ride the smuggler's train. This should
be on any adventurer's top ten list for train journeys.
