The Ethiopian Christmas Santa brought my long desired silver lining!

It seemed you did cross your fingers. The interview went well and I noticed they were interested so afterwards I went to the HRC and told them I really wanted this job and that the GYA- situation may be in the way of getting it. Mahlet was not there ( hence I know nothing about the investigation) but I crossed the big boss in the corridor. He invited me in his office and asked how I was doing. After explaining he gave me his personal mobile phone number and told me he’d help me to be allowed to be hired and that I could give his number to the school. So I did and then after a wonderful dinner with Mohammed ( Holgers flatmate who went from a house that was too full to an almost empty one ‘cause Holger spent his holidays in Belgium) I took off on my trip seeing as I had asked Aaron’s dad for a week holiday.

Thanks to Mohammed, who was born in Bahir Dar, we got the number of a minibus service that picks you up at home and brings you there. Sadly enough arrangements had already been made for me to sleep at Mika’s grandmother, where he lives, seeing as that place was better connected to the main bus station than my new nest. We slept in his hut in a central neighbourhood of Addis on a mattress that you would almost mistake for a blanket. ( The bathroom is a hole in the ground much like the French ones near the highway and shower = bucket). I’m not frowning, it’s actually part of the experience of being here: seeing how real people live. Shortly after falling asleep, we watched a movie on his laptop so we would go to bed late and be able to sleep in the bus, we were awoken by the call that told us they’d pick us up in 30 minutes.

29/12

Exhausted and comfortable in the best seats of the bus ( we were the 2^nd they picked up) I slept for most of the 12-hour-way. Upon arrival we were bombarded with enthusiasts to relieve us from some money but Jordi, Mika’s best friend and a couch surfer ( CS-er) like us, sent her friend to haggle with a tuk tuk for us that took us to her place. Tuk tuk or badjadge are these hilarious mini taxis with 3 rather small wheels. We were welcomed by her family with a coffee ceremony ( I actually tried some to be polite) in Jordi’s wine bar. She makes mango- and date-wine and so. Really nice simple people.

After talking for a while some French girls in need of a place to sleep contacted her so we went to pick them up and then enjoyed delicious pasta in a no-nonsense bar near lake Tana. Jordi seems to host loads of people (all voluntarily), she’s undoubtedly the most charming guide of Bahir Dar and clearly knows where to take her guests.

30/12

After a rather cold night ( we had only brought one blanket and the French were using Jordi’s) and the purchase of a 120 birr camera+ film we set out to see the famous Blue Nile falls that are depicted on the one birr note in all their splendour. The ‘Bradt’ travel guide already mentioned there weren’t all that anymore after the constructing of a hydraulic power plant nearby. What was left is rather insignificant, especially after enjoying the falls in Yosemite this summer, but still it’s set in a nice environment and makes for a relaxing walk. When we were there a bunch of people arrived and it turned out to be the Egyptian prime minister and company including loads of press and security soldiers. It seems Egypt had been getting less water since the infamous construction and came to check out the situation. Later we were told that the falls were bigger that afternoon due to the visit and that they are normally reduced to dribble. All busses that went back to town were stuffed, the soldiers didn’t let some through somehow and my attempt to hitchhike wasn’t appreciated so we waited in the burning sun for ages to squeeze in the 3^rd bus that arrived and then still had to stand on this 45-minutes dirt-road-trip. I started feeling nauseous after 20 minutes and lost consciousness which conveniently got me a seat until the tire exploded shortly after. My 2^nd hitchhike attempt got us to the city centre 10 minutes later.

We wanted to cook for Jordi and her family ( all 8 of them excl. us 2) to thank them for their hospitality so set out to make a vegan meal. They are Ethiopian Orthodox so they fast ( no animal products whatsoever) up to Ethiopian Christmas. Cooking for 11 people ( a new Russian CS-er arrived) on a small charcoal fire is definitely another of those ‘real people’ experiences. It took us forever.

31/12

The early bird catches the worm and we caught a little boat with some other tourists to see some of the breathtaking monasteries built on the islands of lake Tana and the source of the Blue Nile. What was supposed to be finished at 13:00 the latest lasted to 16:00 because all people in the boat insisted seeing everything we were promised upon booking the trip.

Really amazing: seeing as people are often illiterate the Bible is depicted on the walls of these hut-like monasteries in a very colourful manner. One of the islands didn’t allow women whilst another one was run by them. We passed people from the islands travelling in actual papyrus boats which still resemble the ones used in ancient Egypt and saw real pelicans. I couldn’t have wished for a better day to end my year. We went out for dinner: the Russian guy, Jordi, Mika and me where I experienced the Ethiopian version of potato croquettes ( not recommendable) and then went to a traditional improvisation on music bar. Obviously we were sung about in a language we didn’t understand and picked out to dance. I was getting in to it and was actually pasted a birr on my forehead by one of the customers ( this is how you show the dancers you like what they’re doing) which was pretty funny. Countdown took place in a faranji bar ( for Ethiopians new year is in September) which had even provided tiny fireworks for the occasion. It was really nice.

1/1

After breakfast we said our goodbyes and set course for our short pit stop in the village of Auwramba before heading to Gondor. Auwramba is said to be extraordinary for it atheism and equality of sexes besides they produce textile according to ‘Bradt’. Sounds like my cup of tea, doesn’t it? Sadly enough Auwramba was none of the above only an exhausting and time consuming detour which involved me carrying my suitcase for over 40 minutes on a rocky path… There was not even a single textile shop! Annoyed and disappointed we made it to Gondor just in time to enjoy the castles there for 1 hour before they closed. The castles were really pretty and the ‘Bradt’ guide provided a interesting inside in the history of the Amhara Kings. The evening was spent with a delicious dinner ( we actually ordered 3 portions between the 2 of us which won’t come as a surprise to some of you) including a spice minced meat sauce and goat yoghurt. We spent a short night in an inexpensive and also pretty disgusting hotel.

2/1

Yes short night because at 5 am we were at the bus station to catch a bus up to Axum. A bumpy and dusty 15 hours ride with hardly any entertaining breaks ( only breaks to pick up people or put new air in the tires…) but luckily with breathtaking views of the Semin mountains and along an Italian constructed red dusty road where a friend of Mika found his death in a traffic accident. Exhausted and proud that when 6 people around me started puking I was able to not do so I arrived in the Tigray capital at 21:00. It’s amazing how the people who live along this road or should I say path, live following the sun’s rhythm and change hairdo’s and behaviour according to their inheritance.

The last part of the ride, in a 2^nd bus, was plagued by drunk people in uniform but I was warned by the people of the previous bus and Mika told me to duck on time when they more or less started fighting before being thrown out… ( another one of those ‘real people’ experiences?) We took a nice hotel this time where I was immediately charged more for my food because of my skin coloured but I did enjoy the nice clean on suite bathroom with hot shower!

3/1

After a really tasty breakfast_ some strange kind of porridge that was firm with beriberi ( a spice), scrambled eggs with veggies, fresh yoghurt and as the cherry on the cake fresh ‘ sprice’ juice obviously_ we set out to see the archaeological sites dotted around the town.

My heart almost stopped beating when we realised it was Sunday and saw the tourist office where we were supposed to buy our entrance tickets was closed: we came all this way and wouldn’t see the sites? Luckily the small office leading to the stelae field was open and even allowed me ‘habisha’( opposite of Faranji = native) price when I old her I worked in Addis: 8 birr in stead of 50. Pretty impressive, some of the highlights included: a stele dated from the 3^rd century that weighs 500 ton and measures 33m still lying where it fell on top of the underground tomb with incredible masonry that you can actually access for a certain king Remhai. Furthermore a trilingual inscribed tablet ( Sabaean (pre-Amharic), Geez ( religious language using Sabaean alphabet but differently) and Greek) still lying where it was placed in the 4^th century -unmoved seeing as it says anyone who moves it will meet an untimely death! And the unexcavated leftovers of what they presume was a palace where they made a cosy outside bar with pool table. Next to the thing that looks like a bench but was actually a table used to clean corpses. All this within walking distance of the rock hewn tomb for a 6^th century king. Oh and before I forget there’s also the church (that doesn’t allow women) where the original arc of the covenant is said to be kept- I saw from afar the outside building with the curtains that cover it- but lost much of my frustration when I heard nobody is allowed to see it anyways! We forgot about lunch and then really binged for dinner. I’m actually starting to appreciate injeera more especially he meals which include a little bit of everything with meat, a bit of everything with veggies, etc. There’s also a chickpea sauce called ‘shiro’ which is pretty tasty. Our trip to the bus station ( I had to start making my way back the next day to restart work with Aaron) taught us we only had to be there at 7.

4/1

At 7:20 I wake up surprised. Ten minutes later and without brushing my teeth I was outside with all my luggage and in a tuk tuk. No need for the hurry ‘cause the bus we took to Addis only arrived at 10:20 and then still had to change tires… This when the people kept telling us it would be there any minute now and seeing as there are no numbered space you don’t leave ‘cause a bad place on the bus is hell. So without breakfast we got on but most of the places were already taken by previous stop customers and so we were stuck in the back row with 4 other people various suitcases and a puking and peeing but still rather cute baby. There was no space even to have your arms beside you and we kept slaloming on mountains without there being a decent road… We saw various deadly looking car accidents on the side of the road and thus gratefully accepted the priests gift of holy Debre Damos soil. We were under the impression we’d arrive at Dessie ( more then halfway to Addis) and then sleep there to arrive at Addis before noon the next day so you can imagine our surprise when at 16 the bus pulled over in Mekale and didn’t leave again! From there it would be hard to even make it to Addis the next day =(

Anyway Mekale is quite charming and has a nice market know for the arrivals of caravans of camels with salt where I bought a traditional ‘Ntela’ after being better at haggling then Mika.

5/1

All day on the bus, past Dessie into ‘muslim ville’ around 17:30. One street big but fortunately with a clean hotel and a place with wonderful samosas (here called sambusas), you know those Indian fried triangle shaped pastries. The vomiting ceremony repeated itself various times and I had a hard time trying not to join them. Why didn’t I take a flight from Axum to Addis? Because I’m silly and thought it would be another one of those ‘real’ experiences.

6/1

We made it to Addis and my new home at 14 after the bus driver stopped by his home in the middle of nowhere to unload his personal stuff. I had to start working at 15 but fortunately Asefow ( Aaron’s dad) cancelled the appointment because there was too much traffic on the road. It was their Christmas eve and everybody is buying and killing oxen, goats etc. Completely normal to see them struggling on the main roads these days. So a late Merry Ethiopian Christmas to you al!