Tues, 21 Jan 2014 (13 Tir 2006) Bahir Dar

Tues, 21 Jan 2014 (13 Tir 2006) Bahir Dar We have just gotten off the bus in Bahir Dar, a city of about 65,000 situated on the south shore of Lake Tana, the headwaters of the Blue Nile. We need to orient to where we are in Bahir Dar. Several people offer opinions, but we trust the occupant of a nearby internet-and-coffee cafe more. There we find a Brit who started his around-the-world journey biking from London through Turkey. He is now bicycling through Africa, from Cairo to South Africa (see www.thirstycyclist.com). His trip is being sponsored by individuals in aid of two causes: (Wateraid, which helps the poorest countries to have access to clean water and sanitation, and Streetchild of Sierra Leone). He tells us that he is staying at the Bahir Dar, a backpackers' level place just around the corner. The Bahir Dar had also been recommended by an Ethiopian acquaintance now in Atlanta. So we went there and registered for one night at 130 birr ($7 US). The room itself was ugly and rather basic, but it was a roof over our heads. We then went to the the Ethio Star, about 3 blocks away, to scope out a room for the following night. Their rooms were 400 birr ($21 US), and spectacularly better. Well, we are on vacation, not doing penance. The upshot: we booked a room at Ethio Star for tonight. We then returned the room key to the Bahir Dar, asking for a partial refund, but getting none. Carol says: Marry in haste, repent at leisure. Because the town of Bahir Dar is lower than most of the Ethiopian highland, and is on a large lake, it has mosquitoes. Mosquitoes carry malaria, so hotel beds come with treated bed nets. Both rooms we paid for had bed nets. After settling into our new room, we started making inquiries as to a boat ride on Lake Tana for the next morning. We talked to a guide associated with Ethio Star, and another who was at another hotel a half block away. We did not make a final decision until next morning. We hit the internet. Afterward, we ate dinner at the busy traditional restaurant associated with the hotel, which attracted many folks from the community. Back in our room, we watched a bit of CNN and BBC (ah, the pleasures of in-room television!), Mike did 4 days of wash, and we went to bed.