We wake up early - real early - like 5am early. It must be the time difference or the fact that Addis is LOUDDDDDDDDDDDDD really LOUD - at all times. Either way, we have a lot of time to kill before the smog lifts enough to go outside. So, we clean and shower and eat and relax for like 5 HOURS every day.
Today we went to the National Museum of Ethiopia. We were so excited to go - being the evolutionalists that we are, it was so exciting to see Lucy et.al.
We spent hours in the museum. It was so nice. Then we walked around the yard of the museum.
We had a great lunch out. Walked the streets. We are feeling much more confident and feel better about pushing our way through the crowds. WE even got brave enough to hail a cab. The people here go out of their way to help you. We ALWAYS have a trail of beggers following us and sometimes the military catches them and tells them to leave us at which point we have about 5 minutes of reprieve. Today we gave a woman with a very malnutritioned baby on her back a lot of money and she still wouldn't leave us and followed us and the baby cried the whole way down the road. I cried too - couldn't stop. She was breaking my heart but we couldn't give her anymore.
WE have found some great bakeries and restaurants and a STARBUCKS. Machiatos are amazing. The fruit is delish. Everything is so non-processed, it's great. Our apartment is fantastic. The staff here is amazingly helpful. Things are not as cheap as we anticipated. This trip is expensive!! Today, as we walked down the road, my father had a cup of ice cream in his hands and a 3 year old street kid jumped and grabbed it from his hands. So sad.
WE have a guy that walks up and down outside our window with like 20 brooms on his shoulder screaming every 10 seconds what we can only assume means "broom" in Amharic. He starts at 5am and never stops.
I have some thoughts on Ethiopia, some more detailed observations. I just wanted to get this down while I had a chance.
We spent hours in the museum. It was so nice. Then we walked around the yard of the museum.
We had a great lunch out. Walked the streets. We are feeling much more confident and feel better about pushing our way through the crowds. WE even got brave enough to hail a cab. The people here go out of their way to help you. We ALWAYS have a trail of beggers following us and sometimes the military catches them and tells them to leave us at which point we have about 5 minutes of reprieve. Today we gave a woman with a very malnutritioned baby on her back a lot of money and she still wouldn't leave us and followed us and the baby cried the whole way down the road. I cried too - couldn't stop. She was breaking my heart but we couldn't give her anymore.
WE have found some great bakeries and restaurants and a STARBUCKS. Machiatos are amazing. The fruit is delish. Everything is so non-processed, it's great. Our apartment is fantastic. The staff here is amazingly helpful. Things are not as cheap as we anticipated. This trip is expensive!! Today, as we walked down the road, my father had a cup of ice cream in his hands and a 3 year old street kid jumped and grabbed it from his hands. So sad.
WE have a guy that walks up and down outside our window with like 20 brooms on his shoulder screaming every 10 seconds what we can only assume means "broom" in Amharic. He starts at 5am and never stops. 
I have some thoughts on Ethiopia, some more detailed observations. I just wanted to get this down while I had a chance.
Great to read your thoughts! Love seeing pictures of familiar places. After traveling around Northern Ethiopia, we found GT's neighborhood quiet! Lol. I remember the broom guy... Just yesterday when trying to explain to a child what a "peddler" was, I used him as an example! Haha
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed you hailed a cab! Very brave! And yes, I agree it is expensive... We averaged $230/day... Over 63 days... Yikes!!!
Hi love,
ReplyDeleteI am religiously following your blog and your words feel so real like you are telling us face to face. Please let us know how the court proceedings go.....thinking of you!
love,
Shaila
Looking forward to hearing about the court date. Ethiopia sounds like Guatamala when out on the streets. Lots of beggars. Don't be upset about the baby. Once he gets used to you, he's going to be your boy all the way. Right now he's at the perfect age to make strange. He'll be fine. Say hi to Linda for me.
ReplyDeleteHello, I am one of those strangers reading your blog :) My name is Jill. We brought home our daughter Mya in March 2012 when she was 13 months old. Would love to send you a private message because your son sounds a lot like our daughter when we first picked her up. My email is jmundle@live.com.
ReplyDelete