Monday, October 24, 2011

First trip to see Gezaghen in Addis

 The wall above and below are very typical of any large structure, be it house, business, embassy...it doesn't matter.

Probably the only wall we saw without razor wire on top of it was that of the US Embassy -- it is the cleanest, newest, and undoubtedly most heavily protected building in the country.  We're not allowed to take a picture of it, so I can't show it to you.  It also has small patches of grass in front of the wall much like you'd see in any business park.  It looks like "American" grass -- nice and smooth, well manicured -- unlike any of the grass in Addis (including the soccer stadium).  The local school kids like the grass so much that when school lets out, dozens walk across the street to the embassy and lay down and roll around in the grass.


I thought it was funny that the word "stop" in Ethiopian sort of looked like a Greek letter followed by "Go" 

When we walked into the courtyard he looked at us and screamed "Ababa!" which the house mothers told us means "My father" -- but it was quickly apparent they don't see many men, because he was wary of me. 

Mom is in tears already....and Gezaghen looks pretty comfortable.




"Wait....who are you again?"



One of the four "bash brothers"; he was the oldest and the rowdiest as well.  They kept wanting to take my sunglasses.

This concrete courtyard is the play area for the toddlers

Down to business at lunch time.  3 of the 4 bash brothers



They loved faking being terrified of a little windup toy that I would put on the table.  They scramble away from it hooting "Ooh!  Ooh!"







This stew with the injera (bread) is spicy and even the toddlers are used to it

BIG eater....Sammy is in trouble, I think.


These are from the top of Entoto mountain -- about 10,000 feet above sea level


On the drive up and down, there are these old women (some are in their 60s) hauling these enormous bunbles of sticks down the mountain.  They must weigh about 150# and they hump them down about 2500 vertical feet and sometimes 4 or 5 miles each way


They hike up, load up, hike it down, and do it all over again a couple times a day.  Yikes!

 View of Addis from the top of Entoto




The entire mountain was deforested long ago so they brought in eucalyptus trees from Australia to prevent erosion and give them a continual source of wood






One of the nicer shopping areas -- most buildings rely heavily on corrugated tin panels....for everything



1 comment:

  1. Congratulations on your new son, and we are happy for your whole family! It has been a long struggle, but you will know it was worth it when you are safely home!
    Love,
    Toni & Dan Halloran

    ReplyDelete