Introduction
Bahir Dar is the relaxed tonic to the frenzied spirit of the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. Located near Lake Tana and the Blue Nile, the city of Bahir Dar is one of Ethiopia's most picturesque cities and a breath of fresh air to many travellers. Most days here are spent walking along the city's wide, palm-fringed boulevards, enjoying the relaxed lakeside ambiance and dipping in and out of the local market from time to time. Be sure to sit back and gaze over the waters of Lake Tana, watching great white pelicans, African darters and solo fishermen paddling tankwa canoes - and be grateful that Haile Selassie never made this his capital, an idea he toyed with in the 1960s, which might have diminished its charms.
