The Aging Adventurers

This blog is being submitted from home. I and trouble with internet access over the final week in Addis, and so did not manage to load the blog. Most of what you see below was written before leaving for home. I have added some final homecoming notes at the end

This will likely be the last instalment of my blog from Ethiopia. We will be leaving for home on Friday. I am not looking forward to the flight. We leave at about 10.30 pm, stop in Rome about 6 hours later for about 2 hours, and then leave for Toronto, arriving at about 7.30 pm. Since we are travelling in economy I will not be able to sleep. I should be totally wiped by the time I arrive home.

Since the last instalment of the blog we have continued to do our daily work, lecturing, and seeing patients in consultation. I was able to take a break. I had a meeting in Frankfurt on Friday last week, so I flew out on Wednesday evening, arriving early in the am. The meeting was in the Airport Hilton, so I did not see anything of the city. Nonetheless, it was a good break. Arrived back early on Saturday morning, and after a catch-up nap we sent sight seeing in Addis. There is not much to see. We had previously seen the Ethnographic Museum (a good display of various hominid remains found in Ethiopia, including Lucy, who is thought to be the first human ancestor ever identified) and the national Museum ( pretty poor exhibition), so we visited the St George Cathedral, not very old nor very impressive, but important in the life of Christians in Addis. Thereafter we went to the Markatto, the local market. We had a guide, who shepherded us around. The Markatto is awful. It very crowded, people, cars, donkeys, goats, all sharing the road, There is garbage everywhere. The stores have goods displayed in piles, You can't really see anything unless you have the owner show you, by which time you are subject to high pressure sales pitch. Crowded markets are not my thing. However, we are able to get some souvenirs, so I was able to cross some people off my list.

Yesterday we treated ourselves, and had lunch at the Sheraton, which is within walking distance. However, to get there we pass through a rather decrepit area, and wouldn't you know it, we were swarmed by a group of young men. They did not hurt us, but grabbed us in an attempt to pick our pockets. They were likely also after my camera. However, we crossed the road and they left us alone. No harm done, but not pleasant.

One last chore to do - finish shopping for souvenirs. Will try to get that done today or tomorrow.

A few random thoughts: Toyota must have made a killing here. Four out of 5 vehicle smaller than a bus or truck were made by Toyota. All the minibuses (and there are thousands) are Toyota's. Most of the 4-wheel drive vehicles are Toyotas. Most small cars are Toyotas. American cars are rarities. Even european cars are not common. There is a Chinese brand that we see now and again, called Lifan, but apart from Toyota most other cars are also Japanese, Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Nissan, etc.

Most cars truck and buses run on diesel. Consequently, given the poor state of maintenance, a large number of vehicles spew black exhaust smoke. Pollution is bad, mostly due to vehicle traffic. There is little heavy industry to contribute to pollution.

The taxi industry runs on ancient vehicles - Old Lada's old Toyotas of the vintage that I used to drive more than 30 years ago. The blue and white cars in the photo's are all taxis. They all have dents. The worn seats are covered by loose foam cushions. In one car the only working dashboard instrument was the radio. The suspension probably gave up the ghost years ago. There are impromptu car repair shops at the side of the road, cars up on blocks with the wheels missing, that are gone the next day. Since there is no municipal program to remove these traffic obstructions I can only presume that the owner took the wheel off, had what needed repairing fixed, and put the wheel back and drove off.

Private buses are classified as first line, second line and the rest. These correspond to first and second class, but essentially this means that first class is only slightly less uncomfortable than second. I hate to think what the rest are like. People travel long distances in these buses. This is how most people get around. Our hospital receives patients from around the country, and some people travel days to get here, by these buses.

One more pick-pocket attempt on Tuesday last week. I was on my own, walking to look for souvenirs. Someone walked immediately in front of me and stopped, so that I would bump into him. I was then bumped from behind. My immediate thought was that this was a pickpocket attempt, and I whipped my hand over my back pocket, which was empty. It and however, been empty all along. I did not feel a hand in the pocket, but I think they did feel my pocket to see whether there was anything in it. I have been carrying money in a pouch around my neck, tucked behind my shirt. I studiously avoided carrying anything of value in my pockets, and if I did have something that I had to keep in my pocket I had my hand also in that pocket. Not pleasant to have to be on guard like that all the time. They don 't hassle locals, only whitey's.

I have picked up a nasty cold on the last day or so in Addis. now that I am home I am struggling with a blocked nose, worse than I have and in a long time. Not exactly the homecoming I was wanting, but it will get better with time

That's all for now, until the next adventure.

Morris

PS, somehow the original pictures I and included disappeared. Here they are again, with some more. They are not in order.

A general view of the landscape in Lalibela

The local coffee shop outside our hotel. The blue kiosk was constantly busy

A street view outside the hotel in Addis

Taxis lined up outside the hotel. gthe one on front was non-function. It sat there unattended the whole month.

The Markatto

A spice shop in the Markatto

Street scene near the hotel in Addis

View down one of the street flanking the hospital. Traffic was usually horrendous. There are only about a dozen traffic lights in the whole city. Fortunately, the access to the hospital was controlled by two of these.

More Markatto

Markatto

A bus stop in the Markatto

View from our hotel when we went birding

Lalibela market - firewood section

Small hitch on the way back from seeing yet another church, this one built inside a cave.

Our guide in Lalibela invited us to his home for a "coffee ceremony". This is common. This is the dining room and living room. Note the poinsettias strewn around the little stool. Traditionally they put down some vegetation . It's symbolic of something or other, not sure what. THis is the kitchen, cum dining room cum living room. Note the stove (that little stand with the kettle). This is a container with hot ashes to heat the water. Note the kitchen sink (the wet spot in the corner).