Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Thurs 23 Jan 2014 (15 Tir 2006) Bahir Dar Merkato
Thurs 23 Jan 2014 (15 Tir 2006) Bahir Dar Merkato
We were in no particular rush to get going. The electricity did not fail us this morning.
In the middle of the night, Mike had awakened choking, and decided that he had some kind of allergic reaction to the chemicals in the bed net. He spent the rest of the night sleeping outside the bed net.
This time at breakfast there is a grain dish to go along with the eggs. There is also a green juice, which turned out to be avocado. Very thick, very tasty.
A little after 9:45 AM, we wander off toward the market. We pass concrete houses sided with mud and wattle. We also pass a substantial chair making business right on the sidewalk. We pass shoppers selecting flat, mostly metal plates used in cooking injera over a fire. We enter into the market proper. We pass large bags of spices and grains.
About this time, we started talking with a young man named Zeleke (late teens?) who said he wanted to practice his English. We said we didn't need a guide. He said he didn't want money. He turned out to be a wealth of information. He told us the names and uses of all kinds of food items.
With Zeleke's help, we got to sniff lots of spices. One of the spices was "temer" in Amharic. Spread on a tarp were the barley and hops used in making beer. We got to try the fresh chunky raw? honey used at breakfast. Yellow split peas for sale came from the US. We photograph a bag with "USAID" on it.
We turn a corner, and see a large, enclosed, outdoor area where woven plastic mattresses were being assembled and stuffed with dried grasses. Zeleke said that these these are the kind of mattresses sold to rural people. A store next door had the more substantial foam mattresses sold to city people.
As we turned the next corner, there was a small restaurant. This place turned out to be a juice cafe. We saw lots of fruit, and patrons enjoying glasses containing layers of three different colors. We both wanted to try this type of juice treat. We wanted to buy one for Zeleke, but he was firm that he wanted nothing more than a Coke.
While we waited for our drinks to be prepared, we talked about the different fruits used in advertising posters. He didn't know peaches, starfruit, kiwis. It was hard to explain even what a peach was. In Ethiopia, peaches, which require a good freeze to blossom, seem to be totally unknown.
Our drinks finally arrived: layers of avocado and mango for Carol, just avocado for Mike. You get lime slices to squeeze into the juice, which you then stir (or not). The mixed juice drink is called "spress." It takes many fruit to prepare a single glass. Thus the going price is 13-14 birr (75 - 80 cents).
We then passed a vendor selling clay utensils for coffee making. Zeleke insists that we go to an aisle where old truck tires and auto tires were being converted into useful items: an ingenious double sided water canteen to drape over your donkey's back, serving pots, shoes, etc. These tires would be a real recycling problem in the US.
An area with jewelry. Mike buys a tiny, abstract silver Gonder cross pendant for 30 birr. No Jewish stuff here at all. (Should the jewelry we purchased in Addis fall more into this price range?)
Also for sale are bags of salt mined from the Danakil Depression, with small flaky crystals.
As we go by the clothing making area with men and women working old sewing machines, Carol wonders aloud whether she could get her umbrella repaired. Zeleke directs us to a further part in the market. Lo and behold, two guys are busy disassembling and re-assembling umbrellas. The main umbrella "surgeon" scrutinizes the problem, and says it can be fixed for 50 birr ($2.60). Carol wonders if he would take this umbrella as a partial trade-in for another. By this time several jocular boys have come around, including one wearing an Israeli IDF shirt. Carol asks him if he knows what that shirt means. He responds, if we want it, we can take his photo for 1000 birr.
In the meantime, the various spokes of the umbrella are being sewn together, good as new. Zeleke begins to open up about himself. He comes from the village of Tis Abay, which we passed on the way to the Blue Nile Falls. He had wanted to study agricultural science, but it hadn't worked out, and here he was in Bahir Dar. We began to think that this was an introduction to a sob story, but it wasn't.
We had seen enough of the Merkato, and mentioned that we wanted to see a nearby mosque and Bahir Dar University. We had been together for about an hour and three quarters. We exchanged contact info and departed. We wished Zeleke luck. We would have loved to given him something.
At the mosque, men were sent in one direction and women in another. Carol was sent for ablutions, which gave her access to two toilet facilities. They allowed Mike to walk in and take pictures, and disappointed when we didn't stay for the noon prayer in about 45 minutes. The mosque was a very modern structure, and rather plain.
Down the street was a nice looking cafe that had a lot of patrons. We ordered spaghetti with vegetables and spaghetti with tomato sauce. The spaghetti with vegetables was colorful with carrots, cabbage, onions, and lots of garlic. The spaghetti with tomato sauce was a bit spicy. There was a nice juice bar next door, but we had eaten enough for now.
After lunch, we talked to a TopTop (also known as a bajaj or Tuktuk) driver, and determined that most of these vehicles were battery powered by car-size batteries (no gas). They have 3 wheels, one in front, and two in back. The driver is in front, with room for 2 to 3 in back, and space for a little baggage. The driver has a single seat. AT any rate, there did not seem to be much air pollution in Bahir Dar. We were told several days later that these small electric vehicles cost $5000 US each.
We spent the rest of a frustrating afternoon trying to post our blog.
At 4 PM we gave up. As we walked back to the hotel, we stopped at the church at the main traffic circle. The church itself was locked, but there were still many people at the gate, praying and genuflecting. Some were prostrating themselves at the doorways. We peeked in through the windows to try to view the murals.
We still need to inquire at the bus station about buses to Gonder the next day. Walking toward the bus station, we saw numerous pharmacies. The pharmacy symbol is the caduceus. However, the pharmacy symbol here includes a single snake entwined around the stem of a cup, instead of a staff. Each symbol is a little different, but they all follow a pattern.
We get to the bus terminal, and were told that the only bus to Gonder leaves at 6 AM, but that minibuses left throughout the day. The price was 70 birr.
We decided to try the internet again, with the same disappointing results.
Walking back, we passed a Starbacks Coffee and Restaurant (no relation, of course).
We had thought of going to a wine bar, but found out that the locally produced varieties were not as varied as we wanted. So to dinner at Wawi Pizzeria, recommended by the people at the hotel and mentioned in Bradt. We each had a peanut tuna, sort of bland, about the thickness of hot coffee. Add sugar, and what you get tastes rather like peanuts, and is a change from caffeinated beverages.
The pizza was just plain different from what we expected. It was called Al Tuna. It contained small chunks of tuna in addition to cheese, chopped tomato, and other usual vegetables. It was less oily than a typical US pizza, but the crust was not baked as crisp as we expect in the States. Verdict: OK, but not quite right.
Here we also saw the waiters delivering HUGE sandwiches to other tables.
Though we were stuffed, there a juice bar acress the street, and it was time for our next two avocado juices. We feared that we would never see juices like these once we left Bahir Dar. These kind of juices are a great substitute for conventional desserts. It was great to do a little people watching and see couples of different ages and friends having a good time.
We have really enjoyed the easy vibe of Behir Dar. Lee Samuel, you are correct.
Back to the hotel and to bed.
Wed, 22 Jan 2014 (14 Tir 2006) Lake Tana and the Blue Nile Falls
Wed, 22 Jan 2014 (14 Tir 2006) Lake Tana and the Blue Nile Falls
Got up at 6:00 AM. Still had not firmed up the lake trip. The hotel electricity went out about 6:45 AM. It was light, so when we dressed and went down to breakfast, we had a normal breakfast, minus coffee (which could not be brewed). We also did not see any juice that morning. We had scrambled eggs with pepper and tomato, and shiro, along with bread, butter, and marmalade, and injera, if you wished.
Lake Tana is the headwaters of the Blue Nile. It is a large freshwater lake. In the 13th and 14th centuries, monasteries began to be built on islands on the lake.
At 8:00 AM the guide came to our breakfast table and we firmed up a boat trip to two churches on Lake Tana, and the outlet of the Blue Nile. This will include some walking. We will have to pay all entrance fees and guide charges. 200 birr ($10.50 US) for each passenger for a half day.
At 9:00 AM we are picked up in a TopTop, taken a few hundred bumpy meters on a dirt road to a boat, where we wait for the other two passengers. We don't mind the wait because we watch the pelican. Finally, our boatmates arrive. They are male and female Ethio-Americans, two young adults who have lived in the US for approximately 10 years, and are American citizens.
The trip across the lake is very relaxing: blue skies,comfortable weather. We pass two small islands, one of which we will visit later. We dock on the Zege Peninsula. We split a guide (225 birr, split 2 ways) and the five of us are off. We walk with our guide on the main cross-peninsula path. Almost immediately we pass coffee plants, with lots of coffee berries. We can hear the sounds of birds and monkeys. In addition to the monasteries and churches, the Zege Peninsula has a resident population.
We pay an admission fee of 100 birr per person, and walk about 15 minutes to Ura Kidane Mihret, a church /monastery compound. The monastery was founded in the 14th century. The circular church (the most common shape of an Orthodox church) was built in the 16th century.
We take off our shoes before entering the church. Carol has brought her Ethiopian shawl (netele). Our guide compliments Carol on the quality of the netele, and helps her arrange it. Our Ethio-American friends are dressed like casual tourists, without any covering. But it is open to all.
In the main sanctuary of the church (maqdas) there seems to be unending artwork - big murals, small murals, all kinds of biblical stories, saints, angels, lots of sinners and devils, old testament stories, new testament stories, all jumbled together. The artwork is generally in vivid color. Flash photography is not allowed. Some tourists have come with tripods and elaborate equipment. We take a long time viewing. Some of the stories are not Biblical at all, but are related to Ethiopian folklore. One of the stories involves two leopards (?) approaching a saint.
On our walk back to the boat, we spend a good bit of time looking at the trailside vendors' goods. Everything is supposed to have been grown or produced here. Our guide more and more urgently encourages us to buy something here. Our Ethio-Americans buy a bag of frankincense which they will give to their American Ethiopian churches. We stop for freshly roasted coffee. Mike and Carol decide to buy a bag each of frankincense and myrrh (not sold yet at Wal-Mart). We need an active negotiation to get the same price given by the other vendor.
We have spent a long leisurely time on the Zege Peninsula. We then land on Entos Eyesu, one of the two islands we passed. We skipped Kibran Gabriel, on an island open only to men. At Entos we climg some rock stairs, pay an entrance fee, and view some old pictures and books. The priest telling us about the books says that they are written in the liturgical language of Ge'ez and are very old.
What Lonely Planet describes as a "frankly uninteresting" site became very interesting when the Kerala based Bishop of the Indian Orthodox Church and two other clergy accompanying him also showed up. They were in Ethiopia for Timket. His English was, of course, excellent, and he was genuinely interested in answering questions. He told us that evidence of the Indian Orthodox Church appears in travellers' journals in the 2nd century: when the worshippers were said to sit instead of stand, the common way Orthodox Christians worship.
Carol asked him about an icon depicting 3 elder bearded figures. With her limited knowledge, she wondered whether these were the patriarchs or the authors of gospels. He launched into a long discussion - the gist of which was that these were the representation of the Trinity. Only Indian and Ethiopian churches will so represent the Trinity. Because he was a Bishop, they opened the inner sanctum. We discretely sat on the inner wall behind him. We saw an icon of Mary and Baby Jesus that either had jewels on it or was covered by a bejeweled spun curtain.
Back to the boat. By this time, it is close to 2 PM. Not enough time to see the Blue Nile outlet. OK with all of us. On the boat ride back, the Ethio-Americans told us more about themselves. The young man lives in the near Virginia suburbs and (big surprise!) works to maintain the Washington Dulles Airport. The young woman lives in the St. Paul, Minnesota, suburbs. She told us that the main Ethiopian community is on West 7th Street, near Highland Park. They were in the country to visit family, and they took the chance to see Lake Tana. They were spending more on their hotel and boat ride than we were, and they were a little surprised at how we were travelling.
Back to the hotel at 2:30 PM, we are greeted by an associate of our tour organizer, who offers us an afternoon trip to Blue Nile Falls for only 225 birr each. It leaves at 3 PM. Based on our great experience in the morning and our desire to check off the two attractions of this area, we say "Why not."
About 30 km after it exits Lake Tana, the Blue Nile plunges over a 45 m high rock face to form the waterfall known locally as Tis Abay (Smoke of the Nile). The Nile is 400 m wide above the waterfall. Below it follows a much narrower course.
So we hurry up to the room for a quick pit stop and a water bottle refill. Mike goes out to find a slaty smack like potato chips, and comes back with something even better - freshly made french fries, topped with an Ethiopian tomato ketchup, and served up in a taped paper cone. 5 birr (25 cents US) for each of 2.
We are picked up in the minibus finally at 3:20, and we wander around Bahir Dar picking up passengers from here and there. This is slower than you can imagine, and we finally make the last pickup at 3:45. As we pick up an Indian tourist, we see the Indian Orthodox Bishop at the same hotel, getting into a separate vehicle for his own tour of the falls. This Indian tourist has made a deal for an all-inclusive ride, with the tour guide paying the entrance fee. He gets the tour rep, who is leaving the bus, to agree publicly. Off we go.
At the edge of town, we see an animal market with lots of sheep and goats. No way to know if they are being sold for dinner or as livestock.
Very quickly, the paved road becomes rough and unimproved. The Indian passenger is dismayed. He said that no road in India would be of this quality today. This was like an Indian road of 40 years ago. The community here seems to be more of subsistence level than what we saw on the boat. At one point, we see people picking through a refuse dump.
After nearly an hour, we reach the park gates. Surprise, surprise! We are asked to pay the entrance fee, which for foreign tourists is 50 birr ($2.60 US). We are truly indignant, none more so than our Indian traveler who was promised an all-inclusive trip. The other local passengers say the driver was also ripped off and cannot afford to pay these entrance fees.
The Indian tourist pays and comes back with a DVD. Mike and Carol pull out their university IDs and get the student rate (20 birr). When we ask for our DVD, the woman at the fare booth says "one per group." Carol. tired of being ferenjified, demands a copy for us, and gets one.
A local, who ran an upstream passenger ferry, was explaining that because it was now so late in the day, we would all be better off being driven to the ferry, paying 20 birr each to cross upstream and seeing the falls that way. This was rejected by at least part of the bus. So the bus and its passengers went to the traditional point below the falls, where the bus parks.
It was now 5 PM. We were given one hour to get back to the bus. Some of us walked slowly and some quickly. We descend down the rocky trail and soon reach the picturesque 17th century Portuguese Bridge, the first bridge to span the Blue Nile. By this time, a number of locals have attached themselves to us. This is not a bad thing: two spry older men take Carol by the arms and help her as the trail climbs up through a small village toward the viewpoints of the falls. Mike is also accompanied.
At the viewpoints, which we reach in 20-25 minutes, we see 4 different branches of the falls. At high water season (in July and August) this is a single falls. Of course, the trail then is nearly impassible mud.
These falls are nowhere close to Iguasu Falls and they rank lower than Niagara Falls. Bradt guide says: The falls are dying because of a hydro-electric plant that diverts up to 95% of the water when it is working. There are plans in the works to put in the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam which will supply more than 5 megawatts of electricity for Ethiopia and the surrounding countries, some of whom have concerns over what such a huge dam will do to their water resources. There are also conservation impacts and population displacements that will be part of such a dam.
Dam or no dam, right now the Bradt guide refers to the current Blue Nile falls, as the "cliff formerly known as the Blue Nile falls."
Thinking about the difficulty to reach the falls, Carol speculates that a pricey helicopter tour swooping over the falls, with the opportunity to take the ferry, could charge whatever price its operators would demand.
After visiting the viewpoint, the trail crossed a suspension bridge, went down almost to the base of the falls, and then climbed back up behind the falls to the aforementioned ferry. Carol goes as far as halfway across the suspension bridge for a photo opportunity.
Mike and Carol walk back to the bus with our local "guides." The Indian guy is already there, having turned back at the first viewpoints. The others are not at the bus.
Eventually the driver gets a call from Bahir Dar. It turns out the stronger, younger folks on the tour had made it to the ferry and crossed. Days' end was quickly approaching. The driver, having lost control of what should have been a routine trip, found the rest of the tour back along the road.
As the sun set, we drove back. Small fires were being lit in front of many of the houses to prepare the evening meal. Nearly everyone hereabouts has trunks and branches of eucalyptus which they burn to cook injera, stews, etc.
On the way back, Carol and Thomas, the Indian man, who turns out to be a scientist, had a conversation about Monsanto's hybridized seed, which have caused great problems for Indian farmers who expect the seed to breed true and retain its hybrid vigor in successive plantings. He said that the Ethiopian government was being more cautious about the seed's introduction, demanding trials lasting several years.
As we got into town there was a traffic stop for the small Bajaj vehicles. As we get closer to town our bus was stopped and the driver claimed he was carrying ferenjis and was allowed to proceed. We made in back to the hotel about 7:45 PM, and were met by the tour operator who asked us how it went. Since Thomas was no longer complaining, neither were we.
Off to dinner the hotel restaurant. We had a fasting (vegetarian) plate. (Abyssinian Orthodox abstain from meat on Wednesdays and Fridays.) We also ordered the fish goulash. The fish goulash was not as good as the one in Addis, but still very tasty.
We decide to spend another day in Bahir Dar. Mike's in-room wash was still drying, and we hadn't had a chance to visit the Merkato and to see more of the town.
In the room, we have our choice of both CNN and BBC, and have our choice to catch up on national news. We especially admire Christianne Amanpour for her tenacity in questioning Dmitri Medvedev (sp?). She won't stop until she gets answers from him.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Tuesday, 21 Jan 2014 (13 Tir 2006)
The alarm was set for 3:30 AM. We were up at 3:20 AM. We showered, finished packing and dropped off the key at 4:00 AM. The office is staffed 24/7. A Lado taxi for 150 birr gets us to Meskel Square at 4:15 AM.
There are already some 30 others waiting. They are overwhelmingly Ethiopian. We talk with some Polish girls who flew in on Turkish Airlines.
At least 5 buses are leaving at 5:30 AM. A man wearing a Selam Bus uniform starts herding the crowd into various areas. We are getting on the Gonder bus, and so we wait where we are told. A fellow from Bermuda is going to the Simien Mountains. He talks of his many travels all overs the world. Our tickets are checked. Our packs are weighed, and then checked in the baggage space under the bus. Many people in the crowd carry their belongings in burlap bags tied with scarves. We get on the bus and grab the front seats, until someone points out that all tickets are for numbered seats. Out seats are 45 and 46, way in the back. This suggests that we were lucky to even get on the Gonder bus. Our Bermuda guy insinuates himself into seat 1 (next to a very attractive woman), even though his ticket is for seat 44. Thus he got great photos as we crossed the Blue Nile later that morning.
It is dark when we leave, and the sun rises about 6:50 AM. It takes a while to drive out of Addis. North of Addis is a high plateau, so we climb, then level off in rolling fields and countryside.
Three hours in we pass a small town, and then look down into a huge canyon. It is time for a "necessary stop" for the passengers. 10 minutes by the side of the road.
What can you say about a 10+ hour bus ride? We saw many things that we expected to see: people tending fields with scythes in hand; sheep, cows, and goats being herded by young boys wielding sticks; kids in uniform going to school. Everyone and everything that uses the road would like to travel or walk in the center of the road - something which is not possible. Our driver uses his horn loudly and often. Lighter, faster vehicles jockey to pass slower, older transport.
There are almost no private cars on the road. We pass many small communities along the road where there are no private cars at all to be seen. There are big scheduled buses like ours, smaller 18-22 passenger buses, minibuses, a few tour buses, and trucks. It appears that people walk fairly long distances on a daily basis. Cattle, goats, horses, etc., are commonly on or near the road. The driver routinely swerves and sometimes slows to avoid them. We understand that Ethiopia law puts the burden on the driver to avoid injuring people and striking animals, even if it is clearly not the driver's fault.
There are also trees that look exactly like the symbol for "Nature" on PBS - acacia trees, with broad flat tops.
We begin a long drive downhill with many switchbacks. At the bottom are two bridges over the Blue Nile - the old one and the new one. As we climb out to the north, Carol spots some baboons.
About 6 hours in, we have a 30 minute lunch break in the town of Debra Markos. We ate shiro wot (chickpea and spices) and a scrambled egg dish. On our bus was an Italian passenger. It turns out that he had never tasted injera, so he sampled some of ours.
As we drove along, we noticed a great number of signs for sponsored programs and initiatives, some from the Ethiopian government, many from international organizations, such as Save the Children, US World Relief, USAID.
Toward mid-afternoon, the roads are more crowded and slower, and we don't get to Bahir Dar until just before 4 PM. The bus slows, we hop out, grab our bags from the underbus baggage area, and the bus continues on to Gonder, presumably getting in after 7 PM.
Monday 20 Jan 2014 (12 Tir 2006)
Monday 20 Jan 2014 (12 Tir 2006)
[Timket is still on, inasmuch as it is a three-day holiday.]
We get going about 8 AM. Off to the same pastry shop as yesterday, where we order 2 tasty pastries and 2 cappuccinos. We invite another 'farenji' to our table. This Frenchman, who yesterday had a pastry and tea for 26 birr elsewhere, today orders the same pastry and tea here for 8 birr. He was of the opinion that this is the best choice in the area.
Back to the hotel, where we finally receive our long-awaited telephone call from Dr. Jon Pollock, the Emory surgeon we are trying to contact. We arrange to meet him at the Korean Hospital in Gerji, a suburb to the southeast, at 5:00 PM. That phone call freed up hours we were going to spend trying to track him down online. We drop off the books we plan to deliver in our room.
So it is off to Arat Kilo, a neighborhood we wanted to visit. Arat Kilo means '4 kilometers'. Perhaps this traffic roundabout is 4 km north of the Selam Bus company offices we visited yesterday. {If you walk north, you get to Amist Kilo (5 km) and then to Sidist Kilo (6 km), where we were on the first day of Timket celebrations.)
Finding the right spot to catch a bus is impossible. Too many opinions, all of them differing. Finally, we walk to a more-promising spot shown on the Bradt guidebook, and get into a minibus going to Arat Kilo.
Arat Kilo is rather more upscale than where we have been previously. After negotiating an elevated crossing bridge, we walk into a "supermarket." Not Wal-mart style, but rather more like the size of a "7 - 11". Here we find a bag of potato chips for 14 birr (not a name brand: just something someone cooked, and sealed in plastic). Peanut butter is 'only' 133 birr ($7 US) for a 12 ounce jar: more than the customary price of an evening meal for 2 in a reasonable restaurant! Raisins are also out of sight. Someone could make a killing bringing these items in the luggage. We settle for some peanuts.
We visit a couple of bookstores on Entoto Avenue - nothing much there to tempt us. Walking north, we pass Abuna's Residence,the seat of the Armenian patriarchate. Spectacular gate in front, with huge matching concrete doves. Just like something you would find at South of the Border
A few hundred meters north is the National Museum, in Amist Kilo. Lucy, the 3.1 million year old hominid, is the primo exhibit here. Unfortunately, her bones are out on loan, and we get to see a temporary exhibit with copies of her bones. With long fingers, she could have been a formidable pianist (but would have had trouble reaching the pedals due to her legs, as capable of standing upright as she is assumed to have been). The current floor plan may be an improvement to the usual layout, since the temporary exhibit is on the Ground Floor, whereas the original was in the dank basement, way off in a corner.
Most of the items on display are unlabeled. The gift shop is in a hard-to-find corner on the Second Floor. We buy 5 postcards for 2 birr each. No guidebook whatsoever for sale.
Carol is captivated by a small sculpted figure with pudgy ties: this is HER true ancestor.
The guide book terms this site "one of the best museums of its type" in all of Africa. Oh, what a modern marketer could do with this unrealized gem of a museum. Carol envisions Lucy t-shirts in multiple colors and sizes, for starters.
We head to the west and walk into an old Armenian neighborhood. Emperor Menelik II invited some Armenians to Ethiopia during and just after the First World War, when Armenians were being killed by the Turks.
We first visit an Orthodox Church religious store on Sahle Selassie. There are vestments, audio tapes, books, and all sorts of religious paraphernalia and other required objects.
Down the hill is a fish and kitfo (raw beef) restaurant, where we see a lot of customers. After viewing the neighboring table, we order a whole fish (fried to a crisp) and a beer. The bill of 114 seemed a little high (foreigner price?), but the fish was plenty tasty. The resident cat, patrolling for nibbles, travelled between tables.
We walk into the neighborhood, a real mix of more-historic residences and new construction. Finally, we arrive at the intersection we crossed on Saturday, walking toward Jan Meda.
We head back to Amist Kilo for two pastries and coffee.
It is now after 2:30 PM. We have to get back to the hotel in Piassa to recover the books, then double back to Arat Kilo, in time to catch a 46 bus to the suburbs. From here to Piassa, we can take a 17 bus, a 38 bus, a 41 bus, and possibly others. We can't find the bus stop. We see buses driving by, but where to catch them?
We stand near a corner across the street from the pastry shop. Finally, a well-dressed elderly woman in a full-length lavender two-piece suit motions to us, screaming in Amharic to follow her. We walk and we walk and we walk some more. Finally, we see a bus stop sign, with about 11 routes stopping there, including the 17 and 41.
As we waited, a Tata bus passed, headed northward. Two goats - that's two LIVE GOATS - stood atop the bus in the luggage rack. Wow.
Still, there are folks telling us that this is wrong (including our lavender leader): we should do something else. Well, we wait for the 17 bus to come along, which takes us fairly directly back to Piassa.
It is now 3:45 pm. To the hotel, then back to Piassa where we will take the same minibuses. This time there is a different problem. It is the beginning of rush hour, and the Arat Kilo minibuses are few and far between and all filled by faster commuters. 20 - 30 minutes pass and finally a minibus stops for us. We get off in Arat Kilo exactly at the 46 bus stop. Glory be!
However, 46 buses are few and far between - 5 pm is quickly approaching. We guess that the 39 bus is close enough. We take it to the end of the line, and there is a taxi waiting there to take us the last 3 km.
Dr. Jon Pollock is waiting for us at the hospital. He gives us a complete tour of the hospital. In many ways it is like Grady Hospital, the public hospital in Atlanta, where Emory doctors train. Throughout Ethiopia, the emphasis is returning people to a productive life. Surgery for treatable conditions is essential.
Jon Pollock introduces us to one of his trainees. His pride is evident. He shows us a map of current and future placements for those he is training.
We drive to his residence. He has a chauffeur: the trip takes 45 minutes on a good day, potential productive internet time. Now, in the late afternoon, the traffic is horrendous. We pass several chaotic traffic circles. He points out the African Union building, and we drive by many many embassies. We go to dinner with his wife to an Ethio-Korean restaurant. (Probably one of the few places to get pork.)
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Sunday 19 Jan 2014 (11 Tir 2006) to Meskel Square
Sunday 19 Jan 2014 (11 Tir 2006) to Meskel Square
It was around 12:30 PM, and time for a quick bite and maybe a toilet stop. We were across the street from Ledet Pastry, housed in a 1930's Italian Moderne building. Inside the ceilings were very high and airy. There were short tables and benches for sitting and tall wooden tables for standing and sipping. We selected a chocolate-nut-orange peel bun and a cappucino.
One of the counter girls was in a very playful mood: she was singing and trying to engage the other girls in a clapping game - no takers. Carol tried to teach her "Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes." Lots of laughter.
Our first Turkish toilets (porcelain floor - no seat, just squat) of the trip.
The cappucino came - a large glass of steamed milk, and a small shot of coffee.
On the street, there was a sign for Colgate Herbal, with eucalyptus, myrrh, chamomile and sage among the ingredients.
Our goal: catch a bus to the Selam Bus office in a different part of town. We needed to verify our bus tickets to Bahir Dar, departing Tuesday AM. We had reserved the tickets on the computer before we left Atlanta. The computer website had not asked for a credit card number at that time, so we had registered but not formally paid.
Our Bradt and Lonely Planet guide books showed different spots for the Selam Bus office. The Bradt showed it at Legeher (the old railway station neighborhood: Le Gare); the Lonely Planet showed it at Meskel Square, not quite a kilometer away.
Large numbers of buses were going everywhere at Merkato, but were there any going to Legeher, or Meskel, or even Mexico Square? [From west to east: Mexico, Legeher, Meskel - close to a km between each.] After about 12 different answers, we found a small billboard with a table listing all buses leaving from Merkato. Translating the Amharic letters, we couldn't find any to anything that sounded like Mexico, Legeher, or Meskel.
Time to recalibrate. We got on a bus for Piazza, going back to our familiar homebase where we knew that there would be buses to our destination. So 30 or 40 minutes after we started our search for the bus we needed, we were on our way.
We paid the fares of 2 birr each and got what we thought were transfers. The digital clock on the bus read 7:08 (the real "European time" was just after 1PM [never forget that time bump]). Not a chance that our 'transfers' would work: what we had received when we boarded were just receipts of payment. A short ride later we got off near Piazza, and waited for a bus going to any of our possible destinations.
Finally, a 6 bus came along, going to Mexico Square. After a several km ride, we got off. There across the street was a small fair, with music. It cost 2 birr each to enter. There were lots of micro businesses displaying their products: ie, a development expo.
What caught our attention was a mushroom business, Ethio Mushroom and Spawn. Mushrooms - the perfect fasting food for the Ethiopian Abyssinian Orthodox, who modify their diets on every Wednesday and Friday. Cooks were cutting up lots of mushrooms, adding veggies and onions, and making a spiced stew.
We ordered a 'mushroom burger' for 25 birr, sat and watched. Finally our Sloppy Joe-style sandwich was in line for completion. As the cooks assembled the mushroom on a bun, we called out No Lettuce, No Tomato - uncooked veggies can equal tummy trouble. We shared the burger. It was really delicious.
At the end of the aisle of businesses was Mulu Tej. Tej is a honey wine: you want to get pure 100% honey wine that has not been cut with sugar. We wanted to taste it directly from the producer, so we ordered one for 15 birr (80 cents). The woman owner poured a portion into a long-necked bulbous vessel, and we drank away. Very light and pleasant. Thus lightly buzzed, we walked down to Mexico Square proper.
Now about 200 meters away, in the square (which was totally under construction), we found a Timket parade. We joined the fun for a few minutes. There was an enthusaistic group of white-clad men and women surrounding a drummer. People were singing along, jumping, and ululating. A group of youths ran by, waving their walking sticks, much to the delight of everyone.
The entire roadway, from Meskel to Mexico (with Legeher in between), is torn up. Addis is constructing a long east-west urban elevated train line. In order to do so, they have closed the rights-of-way completely, the whole length. This is sort of like closing Peachtree Street in Atlanta from downtown to Buckhead, without providing a detour.
So we walked on a rocky dirt path towards Legeher, next to the hole in the ground and the elevated line being constructed pylon by pylon.
Finally, we got to Legeher, looked around, and realized that Bradt was WRONG about the Selam offices. Nothing to do but continue on. We were tired, out of water, and really beat. But we needed to get to Meskel. We passed a stadium with a football (soccer to you) game in process. We got picked up by a guy trying to sell us "Amharic for Foreigners," and with his help finally made it to the Selam Bus offices (Carol thinks that we were so befuddled by this point that might never have made it to our destination alone; Mike demurs).
At Selam, the first thing we determined was that we had not really made a reservation. The second thing we learned was that the Tuesday bus to Bahir Dar was sold out - "finished". A ticket for that bus would have cost 334 birr (apx $18). We could either (1) stay in Addis an extra day and travel onward on Wednesday or (2) buy a Gonder ticket for Tuesday for 435 birr ($23 US). Gonder is 178 km past Bahir Dar, we would have to abandon the bus early as it passes through Bahir Dar, thus forfeiting the rest of the ticket. So that is what we did. It was time to leave AA, and time trumps money.
The bus to Gonder was scheduled to leave at 5:30 am from Meskel Square; passengers need to be there by 5:00 AM (the 11:00 Ethiopian time on the ticket).
Thus finally ticketed, we needed to find a bus back to Piassa in order to collapse. Across the street from the Selam offices, all the buses were going in the wrong direction for us. However, up a broad leafy stairway, there was a church (Kidus Istafanos [St. Stephen]), and some sort of Timket celebration.
Quote from Bradt: "...Built during the Haile Selassie era, this church is notable for the mosaic above the main entrance, depicting the martyrdom of its namesake... On Festival days and Sundays, white robed worshipers congregate . . . a scene characteristic of rural Ethiopia, but transplanted to the big city."
Lots of well-dressed people were carrying umbrellas: both to protect themselves from the sun, and as part of Orthodox worship. There were many many many speakers, many many prayers (was it in Amharic or in the liturgical language of Ge'ez?). We lasted for 15 minutes. It was now around 4:30 PM.
Back across the street there was a OiLibia gas station. Gas station = BATHROOMS. Yaaaay.
Mike watched people pumping gas. Note: gas in Addis sells for 19.96 birr per liter. That works out to just less than $4 US per gallon. He also read some of the attendant's notes, with a heading that read "11/05/06." What could that heading possibly mean? Perhaps the 11th day of the 5th month (Tir) of the year 2006.
We later confirmed that the date was correct. SO, our first post showing Saturday as 9 Tir was wrong; it was really 10 Tir. As we started paying attention to dates, it turns that all sorts of receipts show the date as 11 Tir 2006, and the time in Ethiopian time.
We caught a minibus back to Piassa, walked to our hotel, took showers, and relaxed.
Toward 7 PM we went back to KG Corner for dinner, This time we ordered shiro (a spiced chickpea puree) and fish goulash (a stew made with fried fish), And, of course, two macchiatos. Delicious!
On to an Internet cafe, then back to Taitu.
And so to bed...
It was around 12:30 PM, and time for a quick bite and maybe a toilet stop. We were across the street from Ledet Pastry, housed in a 1930's Italian Moderne building. Inside the ceilings were very high and airy. There were short tables and benches for sitting and tall wooden tables for standing and sipping. We selected a chocolate-nut-orange peel bun and a cappucino.
One of the counter girls was in a very playful mood: she was singing and trying to engage the other girls in a clapping game - no takers. Carol tried to teach her "Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes." Lots of laughter.
Our first Turkish toilets (porcelain floor - no seat, just squat) of the trip.
The cappucino came - a large glass of steamed milk, and a small shot of coffee.
On the street, there was a sign for Colgate Herbal, with eucalyptus, myrrh, chamomile and sage among the ingredients.
Our goal: catch a bus to the Selam Bus office in a different part of town. We needed to verify our bus tickets to Bahir Dar, departing Tuesday AM. We had reserved the tickets on the computer before we left Atlanta. The computer website had not asked for a credit card number at that time, so we had registered but not formally paid.
Our Bradt and Lonely Planet guide books showed different spots for the Selam Bus office. The Bradt showed it at Legeher (the old railway station neighborhood: Le Gare); the Lonely Planet showed it at Meskel Square, not quite a kilometer away.
Large numbers of buses were going everywhere at Merkato, but were there any going to Legeher, or Meskel, or even Mexico Square? [From west to east: Mexico, Legeher, Meskel - close to a km between each.] After about 12 different answers, we found a small billboard with a table listing all buses leaving from Merkato. Translating the Amharic letters, we couldn't find any to anything that sounded like Mexico, Legeher, or Meskel.
Time to recalibrate. We got on a bus for Piazza, going back to our familiar homebase where we knew that there would be buses to our destination. So 30 or 40 minutes after we started our search for the bus we needed, we were on our way.
We paid the fares of 2 birr each and got what we thought were transfers. The digital clock on the bus read 7:08 (the real "European time" was just after 1PM [never forget that time bump]). Not a chance that our 'transfers' would work: what we had received when we boarded were just receipts of payment. A short ride later we got off near Piazza, and waited for a bus going to any of our possible destinations.
Finally, a 6 bus came along, going to Mexico Square. After a several km ride, we got off. There across the street was a small fair, with music. It cost 2 birr each to enter. There were lots of micro businesses displaying their products: ie, a development expo.
What caught our attention was a mushroom business, Ethio Mushroom and Spawn. Mushrooms - the perfect fasting food for the Ethiopian Abyssinian Orthodox, who modify their diets on every Wednesday and Friday. Cooks were cutting up lots of mushrooms, adding veggies and onions, and making a spiced stew.
We ordered a 'mushroom burger' for 25 birr, sat and watched. Finally our Sloppy Joe-style sandwich was in line for completion. As the cooks assembled the mushroom on a bun, we called out No Lettuce, No Tomato - uncooked veggies can equal tummy trouble. We shared the burger. It was really delicious.
At the end of the aisle of businesses was Mulu Tej. Tej is a honey wine: you want to get pure 100% honey wine that has not been cut with sugar. We wanted to taste it directly from the producer, so we ordered one for 15 birr (80 cents). The woman owner poured a portion into a long-necked bulbous vessel, and we drank away. Very light and pleasant. Thus lightly buzzed, we walked down to Mexico Square proper.
Now about 200 meters away, in the square (which was totally under construction), we found a Timket parade. We joined the fun for a few minutes. There was an enthusaistic group of white-clad men and women surrounding a drummer. People were singing along, jumping, and ululating. A group of youths ran by, waving their walking sticks, much to the delight of everyone.
The entire roadway, from Meskel to Mexico (with Legeher in between), is torn up. Addis is constructing a long east-west urban elevated train line. In order to do so, they have closed the rights-of-way completely, the whole length. This is sort of like closing Peachtree Street in Atlanta from downtown to Buckhead, without providing a detour.
So we walked on a rocky dirt path towards Legeher, next to the hole in the ground and the elevated line being constructed pylon by pylon.
Finally, we got to Legeher, looked around, and realized that Bradt was WRONG about the Selam offices. Nothing to do but continue on. We were tired, out of water, and really beat. But we needed to get to Meskel. We passed a stadium with a football (soccer to you) game in process. We got picked up by a guy trying to sell us "Amharic for Foreigners," and with his help finally made it to the Selam Bus offices (Carol thinks that we were so befuddled by this point that might never have made it to our destination alone; Mike demurs).
At Selam, the first thing we determined was that we had not really made a reservation. The second thing we learned was that the Tuesday bus to Bahir Dar was sold out - "finished". A ticket for that bus would have cost 334 birr (apx $18). We could either (1) stay in Addis an extra day and travel onward on Wednesday or (2) buy a Gonder ticket for Tuesday for 435 birr ($23 US). Gonder is 178 km past Bahir Dar, we would have to abandon the bus early as it passes through Bahir Dar, thus forfeiting the rest of the ticket. So that is what we did. It was time to leave AA, and time trumps money.
The bus to Gonder was scheduled to leave at 5:30 am from Meskel Square; passengers need to be there by 5:00 AM (the 11:00 Ethiopian time on the ticket).
Thus finally ticketed, we needed to find a bus back to Piassa in order to collapse. Across the street from the Selam offices, all the buses were going in the wrong direction for us. However, up a broad leafy stairway, there was a church (Kidus Istafanos [St. Stephen]), and some sort of Timket celebration.
Quote from Bradt: "...Built during the Haile Selassie era, this church is notable for the mosaic above the main entrance, depicting the martyrdom of its namesake... On Festival days and Sundays, white robed worshipers congregate . . . a scene characteristic of rural Ethiopia, but transplanted to the big city."
Lots of well-dressed people were carrying umbrellas: both to protect themselves from the sun, and as part of Orthodox worship. There were many many many speakers, many many prayers (was it in Amharic or in the liturgical language of Ge'ez?). We lasted for 15 minutes. It was now around 4:30 PM.
Back across the street there was a OiLibia gas station. Gas station = BATHROOMS. Yaaaay.
Mike watched people pumping gas. Note: gas in Addis sells for 19.96 birr per liter. That works out to just less than $4 US per gallon. He also read some of the attendant's notes, with a heading that read "11/05/06." What could that heading possibly mean? Perhaps the 11th day of the 5th month (Tir) of the year 2006.
We later confirmed that the date was correct. SO, our first post showing Saturday as 9 Tir was wrong; it was really 10 Tir. As we started paying attention to dates, it turns that all sorts of receipts show the date as 11 Tir 2006, and the time in Ethiopian time.
We caught a minibus back to Piassa, walked to our hotel, took showers, and relaxed.
Toward 7 PM we went back to KG Corner for dinner, This time we ordered shiro (a spiced chickpea puree) and fish goulash (a stew made with fried fish), And, of course, two macchiatos. Delicious!
On to an Internet cafe, then back to Taitu.
And so to bed...
Sunday, 19 Jan 2014 (11 Tir 2006) Addis Merkato
Sunday, 19 Jan 2014 (11 Tir 2006)
Got up late, after 10 very necessary hours of sleep. Just outside the hotel, we noticed a well-patronized pastry shop (Kyriazis) with flashy waiters in brown embroidered uniforms. Paper-wrapped packets of fresh filled cookies were flying out the door (Timkat treats?). We bought three different pastries and two macchiatos: 24 birr ($1.25).
We set off on foot toward the Merkato (the largest market in Africa), not far from our hotel neighborhood. As we walked, more and more street vendors filled the sidewalks, spilling into the road. And more and more fruit and vegetable bits and pieces covered the cobblestone street. Some items for sale came from lorries, others were carried atop heads or in baskets carried by bent backs. There were produce aggregators who supplied some of the individual vendors. By Tashkent standards, a rather dirty market.
What was for sale? Really ripe mangoes held in your hand, with the skin peeled away by the vendor (throw the skin and pit down when finished). Papayas, pineapples (we bought a slice to nibble). Tomatoes, peppers, lettuce (not on a tourist diet, thank you), potatoes, onion, carrots, garlic...many more. Occasional items we could not identify.
A man carried several live chicken by their feet. Mike offered him some change after snapping his photo, much to his amazement and that of the other passers-by.
At a construction site across the street, we noted a Chinese foreman directing local laborers. China seems to be the principal funder of the destruction-construction boom here. Hope they build to better standards in Ethiopia than at home (fat chance).
As we pushed onward, a gent with reasonable English engaged us in conversation. He told us was from Los Angeles, was a cab driver there, and was getting ready to go 400 km north to his family. He picked up on our interests, and away we plunged into paths we might not have covered on our own.
It was Sunday and the holiday of Timket: most of the market was closed, but there was still enough open. A few turns took us into the spice section. He had a merchant show us bagged 'saffron' (nothing like the saffron in Iran, and certainly not real for the asking price). We went past the live chickens in circular cages, and the guys sorting out the teff grain by winnowing it with reed baskets. He brought us over to a netele merchant. The netele is the large, sheer, white wrap shawl used by Ethiopian Orthodox women as a part of daily wear; Carol really wasn't interested.
Shoes, clothes, house wear, hardware. Hundreds of sellers, hundreds of buyers. Because of the Timket holiday, lots of kids and spontaneous soccer games in the midst of the tumult. He kept promising the donkey market, but we never found it.
Our guide told us that we were in luck, because the 'falasha' market was going to be open for only a short time. He led us first to a woman selling crafts (clay pots,etc). Was this representative of anything from Jewish community - probably not. Charming as he was, our interests and his were diverging minute by minute.
Mike's search for an old watch led us to a jewelry shop. Here the full-court press began in earnest. We were ushered into a back room, served cups of coffee, and shown all kinds of silver. We weren't looking for any traditional cross, curio, artwork. Tough to extricate ourselves. We finally picked out a silver 6 pointed star, and settled on $50 US. (We are still trying to figure out if we got a fair deal.)
Then back through much of the market, past the chickens and the teff, to the general bus depot in Merkato. By this time we had learned that his name was different, he had been deported, and he wasn't visiting family. Still we gave him $7 US for his services, and said good by. To be continued.
Got up late, after 10 very necessary hours of sleep. Just outside the hotel, we noticed a well-patronized pastry shop (Kyriazis) with flashy waiters in brown embroidered uniforms. Paper-wrapped packets of fresh filled cookies were flying out the door (Timkat treats?). We bought three different pastries and two macchiatos: 24 birr ($1.25).
We set off on foot toward the Merkato (the largest market in Africa), not far from our hotel neighborhood. As we walked, more and more street vendors filled the sidewalks, spilling into the road. And more and more fruit and vegetable bits and pieces covered the cobblestone street. Some items for sale came from lorries, others were carried atop heads or in baskets carried by bent backs. There were produce aggregators who supplied some of the individual vendors. By Tashkent standards, a rather dirty market.
What was for sale? Really ripe mangoes held in your hand, with the skin peeled away by the vendor (throw the skin and pit down when finished). Papayas, pineapples (we bought a slice to nibble). Tomatoes, peppers, lettuce (not on a tourist diet, thank you), potatoes, onion, carrots, garlic...many more. Occasional items we could not identify.
A man carried several live chicken by their feet. Mike offered him some change after snapping his photo, much to his amazement and that of the other passers-by.
At a construction site across the street, we noted a Chinese foreman directing local laborers. China seems to be the principal funder of the destruction-construction boom here. Hope they build to better standards in Ethiopia than at home (fat chance).
As we pushed onward, a gent with reasonable English engaged us in conversation. He told us was from Los Angeles, was a cab driver there, and was getting ready to go 400 km north to his family. He picked up on our interests, and away we plunged into paths we might not have covered on our own.
It was Sunday and the holiday of Timket: most of the market was closed, but there was still enough open. A few turns took us into the spice section. He had a merchant show us bagged 'saffron' (nothing like the saffron in Iran, and certainly not real for the asking price). We went past the live chickens in circular cages, and the guys sorting out the teff grain by winnowing it with reed baskets. He brought us over to a netele merchant. The netele is the large, sheer, white wrap shawl used by Ethiopian Orthodox women as a part of daily wear; Carol really wasn't interested.
Shoes, clothes, house wear, hardware. Hundreds of sellers, hundreds of buyers. Because of the Timket holiday, lots of kids and spontaneous soccer games in the midst of the tumult. He kept promising the donkey market, but we never found it.
Our guide told us that we were in luck, because the 'falasha' market was going to be open for only a short time. He led us first to a woman selling crafts (clay pots,etc). Was this representative of anything from Jewish community - probably not. Charming as he was, our interests and his were diverging minute by minute.
Mike's search for an old watch led us to a jewelry shop. Here the full-court press began in earnest. We were ushered into a back room, served cups of coffee, and shown all kinds of silver. We weren't looking for any traditional cross, curio, artwork. Tough to extricate ourselves. We finally picked out a silver 6 pointed star, and settled on $50 US. (We are still trying to figure out if we got a fair deal.)
Then back through much of the market, past the chickens and the teff, to the general bus depot in Merkato. By this time we had learned that his name was different, he had been deported, and he wasn't visiting family. Still we gave him $7 US for his services, and said good by. To be continued.
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Saturday afternoon 18 Jan 2014 (9 Tir 2006) Timket
Saturday afternoon 18 Jan 2014 (9 Tir 2006) Timket
From lunch we walked a few meters into Piassa, found an internet cafe, where we spent a short time. It was now about 2:45 PM. We wanted to be at Jan Meda park by 4 PM to see the start of the Timket celebration.
Timket is Epiphany. It is one of the most prominent events in the Ethiopian calendar. Timket celebrates Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River. The holiday comprises three days of celebration, the highlight of which is the procession of the tabot -- a representation of the Ark of the Covenant housed in every Ethiopian Orthodox church. For an elaborate daytime celebration in the capital, thousands of faithful churchgoers accompany clergy carrying the tabots to Jan Meda, a large, open park within the city.
We were 2-3 km from Jan Meda, and were told that there was no bus there from Piassa, which was probably wrong. We were also told that it was too far to walk in only one hour, also wrong. However, it took a while to get our bearings and figure out where we actually were on the map. Then (3:15) we were on our way.
Down to cross a small creek running through Addis (which is now rather like a public sewer), then up some long steps through an old neighborhood to Sidist Kolo (one of the major squares of Addis). While there are major asphalt roads most of the walkways are cobblestone, and rather rough cobblestone at that. Along the way people selling all sorts of food stuff: a kind of chocolate donut, small plums, sugar cane.
At Sidist Kolo, the square was emptied of traffic, and there were lineups of gowned church groups in preparation for a parade. At 4 folks were just starting to arrive, and the processions did not start until closer to 5. In the meantime there was some priestly chanting on the microphone, the police preserving a large space in front for the processions, and thousands sitting and standing on the grassy fields. Everyone was in a really good mood, except for Mike who couldn't hunker down like Carol. At a few important times, the crowd ululated.
After a while we wanted to see what else was happening. There were tents with chairs, presumably for some sort of presentation (music? religious service?). The British Consulate had put together an exhibit of historic pictures of Timkets past. People were selling food and drink at other places. There were some impromptu football games. We saw a boy riding a horse with fancy trappings - didn't find the equestrian exhibit, but saw signs of other horses.
Eventually, close to 6, we started to leave. The crowds were still coming in, and we estimate that there were at one time 50,000 people there. On the way out, the crowds coming and leaving were squeezed in a narrow roadway, and it started to feel dangerous. Luckily no one fell or stampeded.
For such a huge gathering there seemed to be zero restroom facilities (we're such Americans). Eventually we were back to Sidist Kolo, where thankfully there was a gas station. Enough said.
We saw signs that there would be buses. We walked back down the road (thankfully downhill this time) to the creek, where we found a bus to Piassa. Dinner in the Taitu Restuarant in our hotel, where we shared the meal with other guests. A man from Ireland had become a mentor figure years before for two orphaned high schoolers who spoke reasonable English. Later we invited a solitary female diner to join us. She was from the Netherlands. Interesting conversation: immigration, education, etc.
By this point dinner was over, and we were near total collapse. Carol had not slept well for 2 days. In bed by 9:15 PM. We slept solidly until 7:30 the next morning.
From lunch we walked a few meters into Piassa, found an internet cafe, where we spent a short time. It was now about 2:45 PM. We wanted to be at Jan Meda park by 4 PM to see the start of the Timket celebration.
Timket is Epiphany. It is one of the most prominent events in the Ethiopian calendar. Timket celebrates Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River. The holiday comprises three days of celebration, the highlight of which is the procession of the tabot -- a representation of the Ark of the Covenant housed in every Ethiopian Orthodox church. For an elaborate daytime celebration in the capital, thousands of faithful churchgoers accompany clergy carrying the tabots to Jan Meda, a large, open park within the city.
We were 2-3 km from Jan Meda, and were told that there was no bus there from Piassa, which was probably wrong. We were also told that it was too far to walk in only one hour, also wrong. However, it took a while to get our bearings and figure out where we actually were on the map. Then (3:15) we were on our way.
Down to cross a small creek running through Addis (which is now rather like a public sewer), then up some long steps through an old neighborhood to Sidist Kolo (one of the major squares of Addis). While there are major asphalt roads most of the walkways are cobblestone, and rather rough cobblestone at that. Along the way people selling all sorts of food stuff: a kind of chocolate donut, small plums, sugar cane.
At Sidist Kolo, the square was emptied of traffic, and there were lineups of gowned church groups in preparation for a parade. At 4 folks were just starting to arrive, and the processions did not start until closer to 5. In the meantime there was some priestly chanting on the microphone, the police preserving a large space in front for the processions, and thousands sitting and standing on the grassy fields. Everyone was in a really good mood, except for Mike who couldn't hunker down like Carol. At a few important times, the crowd ululated.
After a while we wanted to see what else was happening. There were tents with chairs, presumably for some sort of presentation (music? religious service?). The British Consulate had put together an exhibit of historic pictures of Timkets past. People were selling food and drink at other places. There were some impromptu football games. We saw a boy riding a horse with fancy trappings - didn't find the equestrian exhibit, but saw signs of other horses.
Eventually, close to 6, we started to leave. The crowds were still coming in, and we estimate that there were at one time 50,000 people there. On the way out, the crowds coming and leaving were squeezed in a narrow roadway, and it started to feel dangerous. Luckily no one fell or stampeded.
For such a huge gathering there seemed to be zero restroom facilities (we're such Americans). Eventually we were back to Sidist Kolo, where thankfully there was a gas station. Enough said.
We saw signs that there would be buses. We walked back down the road (thankfully downhill this time) to the creek, where we found a bus to Piassa. Dinner in the Taitu Restuarant in our hotel, where we shared the meal with other guests. A man from Ireland had become a mentor figure years before for two orphaned high schoolers who spoke reasonable English. Later we invited a solitary female diner to join us. She was from the Netherlands. Interesting conversation: immigration, education, etc.
By this point dinner was over, and we were near total collapse. Carol had not slept well for 2 days. In bed by 9:15 PM. We slept solidly until 7:30 the next morning.
Saturday morning in Addis 18 Jan 2014 (9 Tir 2006*)
Saturday morning in Addis 18 Jan 2014 (9 Tir 2006*)
We arrive at the airport, get off the plane, wait in a long line for our Ethiopian visa ($20). We then wait in another long line to get our visa stamped to be admitted to the country. On to claim the luggage and wait in another long line to get our luggage X-rayed.
In one line, we start talking with a Kenyan human rights professional who is in Addis Abebe for a week. Question: which city is the major transport hub for Africa, Addis or Nairobi. Well, Addis has the headquarters for the Organization for African Union, which means lots of travel to and through Addis. Nairobi has the headquarters for a very large UN African contingent, which means lots of travel to and through Nairobi. Ethiopian Airlines has a very large route network throughout central and southern Africa, as well as flights from Washington, Toronto, 5 or 6 European cities, Saudi, Beruit, Tel Aviv, Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Beijing, Hangzhou, and Seoul. It will take many years to determine the winner in this fight. Much rides on it.
One reason the airport is so busy is that large contingents of recently expelled Ethiopians from Saudi have arrived. Most come back with nothing.
Finally, 2 1/2 hours later, we are in the country, and walking out of the airport. As we walk out, we are accosted by all sorts of taxi drivers, and lots of folks driving what look like minibuses but who want to charge us taxi prices. We keep walking away from the airport. Perhaps a kilometer away, we cross the Ring Road, and are in the true minibus area. Here the price is 2-5 birr, not 10-25 DOLLARS. (19 birr to the dollar). We finally find a minibus going downtown to the Piassa, and we are on. It is now about 10 AM.
The Piassa is an old neighborhood and the Itege Taitu is a famous old hotel, perhaps the oldest in all of Addis. Addis was founded in 1887 and the Taitu dates from 1907. It has held up reasonably well, partly through the addition of a back annex, which some have warned about in the blogs. We have reserved a room at the Taitu Hotel (in the $20 to $30 range for one night). The staff will determine which room you get and which price when the vacated rooms are serviced and open up. The first room we are shown is spacious and lots of windows, but it is under the Jazz Cafe. So we pass. Mike goes out to change money, and then to buy a SIM card for the phone. By the time he gets back over an hour later, Carol has chosen a nice available room in the back of the annex - quiet, and with two windows overlooking a section of the Piassa. It turns out that the beds are quite comfortable. The television? Only an inoperative piece of decor. Our en suite bathroom includes a shower with no curtain and hand held nozzle, and we don't get breakfast for the price of $22 US, but still a great buy, and visitors from all over the world concur.
By this time it is close to noon, and we are really frazzled, sleep deprived, dehydrated. (the atmosphere is very dry.) We get a 2 L bottle of water (while the locals can drink tap water, tourists don't want to drink anything or brush your teeth with anything but bottled water). Finally, about 1:30 or so, we are out.
Next door is the KG Corner, with no other tourists. We order a bowl of minestrone soup and an Ethio-Italian classic, a plate of spaghetti with meatballs, slightly spicy and very satisfying. Two macchiatos are spectacular, real whipped cream, with a dash of chocolate syrup (9 birr, or 48 cents apiece). Total bill, 113 birr or apx $6 US.
*9 Tir 2006 is the Ethiopian date. Tir is the 5th month, with the new year beginning on 8 or 9 September.
We arrive at the airport, get off the plane, wait in a long line for our Ethiopian visa ($20). We then wait in another long line to get our visa stamped to be admitted to the country. On to claim the luggage and wait in another long line to get our luggage X-rayed.
In one line, we start talking with a Kenyan human rights professional who is in Addis Abebe for a week. Question: which city is the major transport hub for Africa, Addis or Nairobi. Well, Addis has the headquarters for the Organization for African Union, which means lots of travel to and through Addis. Nairobi has the headquarters for a very large UN African contingent, which means lots of travel to and through Nairobi. Ethiopian Airlines has a very large route network throughout central and southern Africa, as well as flights from Washington, Toronto, 5 or 6 European cities, Saudi, Beruit, Tel Aviv, Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Beijing, Hangzhou, and Seoul. It will take many years to determine the winner in this fight. Much rides on it.
One reason the airport is so busy is that large contingents of recently expelled Ethiopians from Saudi have arrived. Most come back with nothing.
Finally, 2 1/2 hours later, we are in the country, and walking out of the airport. As we walk out, we are accosted by all sorts of taxi drivers, and lots of folks driving what look like minibuses but who want to charge us taxi prices. We keep walking away from the airport. Perhaps a kilometer away, we cross the Ring Road, and are in the true minibus area. Here the price is 2-5 birr, not 10-25 DOLLARS. (19 birr to the dollar). We finally find a minibus going downtown to the Piassa, and we are on. It is now about 10 AM.
The Piassa is an old neighborhood and the Itege Taitu is a famous old hotel, perhaps the oldest in all of Addis. Addis was founded in 1887 and the Taitu dates from 1907. It has held up reasonably well, partly through the addition of a back annex, which some have warned about in the blogs. We have reserved a room at the Taitu Hotel (in the $20 to $30 range for one night). The staff will determine which room you get and which price when the vacated rooms are serviced and open up. The first room we are shown is spacious and lots of windows, but it is under the Jazz Cafe. So we pass. Mike goes out to change money, and then to buy a SIM card for the phone. By the time he gets back over an hour later, Carol has chosen a nice available room in the back of the annex - quiet, and with two windows overlooking a section of the Piassa. It turns out that the beds are quite comfortable. The television? Only an inoperative piece of decor. Our en suite bathroom includes a shower with no curtain and hand held nozzle, and we don't get breakfast for the price of $22 US, but still a great buy, and visitors from all over the world concur.
By this time it is close to noon, and we are really frazzled, sleep deprived, dehydrated. (the atmosphere is very dry.) We get a 2 L bottle of water (while the locals can drink tap water, tourists don't want to drink anything or brush your teeth with anything but bottled water). Finally, about 1:30 or so, we are out.
Next door is the KG Corner, with no other tourists. We order a bowl of minestrone soup and an Ethio-Italian classic, a plate of spaghetti with meatballs, slightly spicy and very satisfying. Two macchiatos are spectacular, real whipped cream, with a dash of chocolate syrup (9 birr, or 48 cents apiece). Total bill, 113 birr or apx $6 US.
*9 Tir 2006 is the Ethiopian date. Tir is the 5th month, with the new year beginning on 8 or 9 September.
From Thursday (16 Jan 2014) to Friday (17 Jan 2014)
From Thursday (16 Jan 2014) to Friday (17 Jan 2014)
Thursday night, Friday morning - when to get to Hartsfield Airport?
We have a 5:45 AM flight on Friday. Thursday is a blur of preparation: eat the last food in the fridge (except for a forgotten cup of milk), spray the clothes with Permethrin, shopped for a luggage lock and chain, etc.
It is agreed - take the 11:30PM 30 bus to the MARTA station, then the train to the airport (a bird in the hand....). Sleep in the airport atrium (under the watchful eyes of a large Fernbank Museum dinosaur - is it roaring? No, there is airport construction). Wait until the airline personnel and TSA manned security gates reopen at 4:00 AM. Fly to Washington DC Dulles to meet our Ethiopian Airlines plane.
Surprise, at the DC arport, we are already in Ethiopia!
Why does Ethiopian fly from Dulles, rather than New York or some other city. Because Washington DC metro area has 150000 to 250000 Ethiopians, more than any other non-Ethiopian city in the world (except possibly Nairobi). The airport workers, from high to low, contain a high proportion of Ethiopians.
We <heart> Ethiopian Airlines! Excellent servce, lovely shelf beds for tiny babies and little kids (such well-mannered kids, too). OK airline food. Carol stays awake during the flight to watch "The Butler" (too much histrionics) and "Jobs". Then a wide selection of music. The plane was about 2/3 full. Mike does some real sleeping. Amazingly, if you ask the flight personnel for "macciatos," a small coffee with cream on the top, they will make one on the spot.
We arrive in Addis at 6:30 AM local (22:30 Eastern time), one hour early.
Thursday night, Friday morning - when to get to Hartsfield Airport?
We have a 5:45 AM flight on Friday. Thursday is a blur of preparation: eat the last food in the fridge (except for a forgotten cup of milk), spray the clothes with Permethrin, shopped for a luggage lock and chain, etc.
It is agreed - take the 11:30PM 30 bus to the MARTA station, then the train to the airport (a bird in the hand....). Sleep in the airport atrium (under the watchful eyes of a large Fernbank Museum dinosaur - is it roaring? No, there is airport construction). Wait until the airline personnel and TSA manned security gates reopen at 4:00 AM. Fly to Washington DC Dulles to meet our Ethiopian Airlines plane.
Surprise, at the DC arport, we are already in Ethiopia!
Why does Ethiopian fly from Dulles, rather than New York or some other city. Because Washington DC metro area has 150000 to 250000 Ethiopians, more than any other non-Ethiopian city in the world (except possibly Nairobi). The airport workers, from high to low, contain a high proportion of Ethiopians.
We <heart> Ethiopian Airlines! Excellent servce, lovely shelf beds for tiny babies and little kids (such well-mannered kids, too). OK airline food. Carol stays awake during the flight to watch "The Butler" (too much histrionics) and "Jobs". Then a wide selection of music. The plane was about 2/3 full. Mike does some real sleeping. Amazingly, if you ask the flight personnel for "macciatos," a small coffee with cream on the top, they will make one on the spot.
We arrive in Addis at 6:30 AM local (22:30 Eastern time), one hour early.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Ethiop words: Notes from a Sixth Continent
Ethiop words, blacker in their effect/ Than in their countenance.
Shakespeare: As you like it Act 4 Scene 3
“We’re going to Ethiopia.”
This simple statement elicits a pause from most of our friends, usually followed by a shake of the head and a jocular “Why?” Sometimes it is followed by, “are you going to wear a burka?” Nooooooooo! Clearly, there's much to learn about our destination.We’re known among our friends and family as adventurous travelers. We’ve followed the Silk Road from China to Turkey. Mike went as a tourist to Iraq. We’ve ended up in a train barn in Germany, slept in a yurt in Kyrgyzstan, been attacked by a feisty kea parrot in New Zealand, and flown “Aerolineas Ojalá” (our less-than-affectionate nickname for Aerolíneas Argentinas and its strike-prone scheduling).
Africa will be our sixth continent (Antarctica conjures up frozen dinners and frozen boats). Years ago, standing on the shores of Eilat, Israel, we fancied that Africa was just over the horizon. Now is our time.
We are drawn to places with complex histories – cultural, religious, and geopolitical. There are many Biblical references to Abyssinia. What a cast of players: Makeda, the ancient Queen of Sheba. Her son Menelik (first Solomonic Emperor of Ethiopia [circa 950 BCE]; tradition credits him with bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Ethiopia, following a visit to Jerusalem to meet his father King Solomon upon reaching adulthood).
Many Ethiopians will tell you their country is not part of Africa. It’s different. It’s never been colonized, only briefly occupied by Italy when Mussolini invaded in 1936. There are 80-some different ethnic groups in the country, all of whom have their own language, dance styles, traditional dress, and customs.
When we think of our forthcoming trip, our “Ethiop words” are all positive [notwithstanding Cliff Notes (!), which offers a different interpretation of Shakespeare]:
…In Western culture, the color black has long been a symbol for evil, mystery, fear, and death, and that's the symbol Shakespeare uses here. "Ethiop words" are "black words," words of cruelty. Is this phrase racist? Most likely, by today's standards. Shakespeare's audiences, though, would not have given the underlying ethics of the phrase a second thought.
POSSIBLE ITINERARY (hours = duration of bus trip)
Day 0 Lv home
Day 1 Ar Addis Ababa
Day 2 visit AA
Day 3 visit AA
Day 4 to Bahir Dar 11-12 hrs
Day 5 Bahir Dar
Day 6 to Gonder 3 hrs; explore Gonder
Day 7 day trip into Simien Mtns
Day 8 Gonder to Shire to Aksum 13 hrs
Day 9 explore Aksum
Day 10 Aksum to Wukro 6 hrs
Day 11 Tigray churches
Day 12 Tigray; to Mekele 1 hr (add possible side trip to Dollol/Danakil Depression here)
Day 13 to Woldia and Lalibela 6 hr + 4 hrs
Day 14 Lalibela
Day 15 Lalibela
Day 16 fly to AA
Day 17 AA
Day 18 to Awash, then to Harar
Day 19 Harar
Day 20 fly to AA
We're pretty flexible here, because we fly back on day 27. So maybe we do that side trip to Dollol/Danakil Depression. Maybe with the extra time, we'll be able to go south of AA...
CURIOSITIES: Time
The Ethiopian calendar is at least seven years behind the West. This calendar has 12 months of equal days, and one extra month with all the extra days (5 or 6, depending on the year). Some people use the Ethiopian calendar and others use Gregorian.
Even the clock is different. The sun rises around 6am western time. That’s 12 Ethiopian time. 7am is one hour after sunrise, so that’s 1 o’clock Ethiopian time. 8am is 2 hours after sunrise, so that’s 2 o’clock. An easy way to work it out is to simply look at the opposite side of an analogue clock. So if your western clock says ‘9’, look at the number opposite (3) and you know what an Ethiopian would call the time. Moreover, 12 is on the bottom, 6 on the top, 3 on the right, and the hands go COUNTER CLOCKWISE.
That’s 7 years, 6 hours, and a mirror to read your clock.
Shakespeare: As you like it Act 4 Scene 3
“We’re going to Ethiopia.”
This simple statement elicits a pause from most of our friends, usually followed by a shake of the head and a jocular “Why?” Sometimes it is followed by, “are you going to wear a burka?” Nooooooooo! Clearly, there's much to learn about our destination.We’re known among our friends and family as adventurous travelers. We’ve followed the Silk Road from China to Turkey. Mike went as a tourist to Iraq. We’ve ended up in a train barn in Germany, slept in a yurt in Kyrgyzstan, been attacked by a feisty kea parrot in New Zealand, and flown “Aerolineas Ojalá” (our less-than-affectionate nickname for Aerolíneas Argentinas and its strike-prone scheduling).
Africa will be our sixth continent (Antarctica conjures up frozen dinners and frozen boats). Years ago, standing on the shores of Eilat, Israel, we fancied that Africa was just over the horizon. Now is our time.
We are drawn to places with complex histories – cultural, religious, and geopolitical. There are many Biblical references to Abyssinia. What a cast of players: Makeda, the ancient Queen of Sheba. Her son Menelik (first Solomonic Emperor of Ethiopia [circa 950 BCE]; tradition credits him with bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Ethiopia, following a visit to Jerusalem to meet his father King Solomon upon reaching adulthood).
Many Ethiopians will tell you their country is not part of Africa. It’s different. It’s never been colonized, only briefly occupied by Italy when Mussolini invaded in 1936. There are 80-some different ethnic groups in the country, all of whom have their own language, dance styles, traditional dress, and customs.
When we think of our forthcoming trip, our “Ethiop words” are all positive [notwithstanding Cliff Notes (!), which offers a different interpretation of Shakespeare]:
…In Western culture, the color black has long been a symbol for evil, mystery, fear, and death, and that's the symbol Shakespeare uses here. "Ethiop words" are "black words," words of cruelty. Is this phrase racist? Most likely, by today's standards. Shakespeare's audiences, though, would not have given the underlying ethics of the phrase a second thought.
POSSIBLE ITINERARY (hours = duration of bus trip)
Day 0 Lv home
Day 1 Ar Addis Ababa
Day 2 visit AA
Day 3 visit AA
Day 4 to Bahir Dar 11-12 hrs
Day 5 Bahir Dar
Day 6 to Gonder 3 hrs; explore Gonder
Day 7 day trip into Simien Mtns
Day 8 Gonder to Shire to Aksum 13 hrs
Day 9 explore Aksum
Day 10 Aksum to Wukro 6 hrs
Day 11 Tigray churches
Day 12 Tigray; to Mekele 1 hr (add possible side trip to Dollol/Danakil Depression here)
Day 13 to Woldia and Lalibela 6 hr + 4 hrs
Day 14 Lalibela
Day 15 Lalibela
Day 16 fly to AA
Day 17 AA
Day 18 to Awash, then to Harar
Day 19 Harar
Day 20 fly to AA
We're pretty flexible here, because we fly back on day 27. So maybe we do that side trip to Dollol/Danakil Depression. Maybe with the extra time, we'll be able to go south of AA...
CURIOSITIES: Time
The Ethiopian calendar is at least seven years behind the West. This calendar has 12 months of equal days, and one extra month with all the extra days (5 or 6, depending on the year). Some people use the Ethiopian calendar and others use Gregorian.
Even the clock is different. The sun rises around 6am western time. That’s 12 Ethiopian time. 7am is one hour after sunrise, so that’s 1 o’clock Ethiopian time. 8am is 2 hours after sunrise, so that’s 2 o’clock. An easy way to work it out is to simply look at the opposite side of an analogue clock. So if your western clock says ‘9’, look at the number opposite (3) and you know what an Ethiopian would call the time. Moreover, 12 is on the bottom, 6 on the top, 3 on the right, and the hands go COUNTER CLOCKWISE.
That’s 7 years, 6 hours, and a mirror to read your clock.
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