Ethiopia Week 2

January 11-17, 2010

Well, we are still in Ethiopia and we are still talking to one another!!! The highlights of this past week have been

• Taxi rides from purgatory (not quite hell)
• Roaming the streets of Addis
• Laundry
• And Jessica Biels

TAXI's

Anne:

We have ventured out for dinner a few nights over the past 2 weeks. Anytime we took a cab (other than to the Sheraton) the drivers didn't know how to get there. They are good enough to call the office before leaving the Hilton but that doesn't always seem to help. I have learned that I don't have a lot of patience for taxi drivers that don't know how to drive a taxi. It doesn't matter what city or country I'm in.

Well after travelling down some wrong streets, bumping over sidewalks and drainage ditches, continually stopping to ask passersby, turning around in the middle of traffic...we usually do arrive at our destination. People in Addis don't know street names...they use a landmark!

Judy:
AND, the streets most of the time don't have signs....so if you have a map you can't compare where you are. AND, the map seems to confuse people here, so the map is useless!!

Anne:

I guess my only consolation is that the rides are fairly inexpensive compared to home. And when do I have the opportunity to drive around in a ratty Lada, which may have been "hotwired" to start...doors barely closing....diesel fumes pouring in...and springs sticking where springs shouldn't stick!

Yes...all part of the adventure!! AND Thank GOD...they have a no cell phone and driving law.

Judy:
Not to mention that the driver can't see with the black smoke coming from the car ahead.

You know, when we are walking, we try to use the crosswalks BUT, the drivers here don't care that you are in the crosswalk! Oh well, that's life....or not....

Anne:
They probably get extra points for hitting people on crosswalks!!! It's like being in a video game. Seriously, play "Road Warrior" then come to Ethiopia!!!

Roaming the Streets of Addis Ababa
Anne:
So yes, we have been out on a walkabout. We went shopping, scoped out other hotels/restaurants, and just roamed willy nilly. We have been told on numerous occasions that it is safe. Maybe some pickpockets, so keep your money protected.

People can tell that we aren't from here...must be the accent! J

The one thing that we learned first-hand is that you might pick up a "hanger-on"...for hours!

Judy
We are marked as soon as we leave the Hilton gates. I'm getting pretty good with this though...but Anne sucks. "The Look" doesn't even work!!!

She had some guy named Job follow her and chat constantly, spewing facts and bible and shopping tips...all the while telling him "I know, I've been here before". I kept telling him that we don't need a guide but he wouldn't leave........until after the sad story about his grandmother and Anne caving and giving him some money.

We aren't being mean....this is his job!!!

Anne
Soooo....I now use some Amharic that Les taught me before I left Halifax...anI have taught Judy as well
"Becca"......enough!
We were both sooo pissed off at Job (I've never seen Judy be rude before) that it almost ruined our afternoon but we found the best cheeseburger in Addis and all was forgotten.

Island Breeze is a cute little restaurant run by Americans. We had a great meal, cold beer, and a fun chat with the owner. His take on being a boss in this society was enlightening. Of course he is an extremely hyper Type A personality trying to cope in a different culture. Not really working for him!

But it was fun to hear about the rules of employment and listen to music from the 70/80's.

Judy:
Yeah, it was a culture shock for us.....my brother is a server in a restaurant. But, this restaurant is different from his employer. I'm sure that the pay is very little, but the employer feeds his employees....breakfast, lunch and dinner AND, coffee time is around 1 hour, then 1.5 for lunch....And, the employees get paid whether they work a day or not.

Hmmm....maybe I could work here when I'm ready!!!!

Laundry

Anne:
Well...what can I say other than Judy hasn't had any underwear for the past 5 days!!! As my executive assistant I expected her to do a few little chores throughout the day. Every day I come home from work to find her sitting outside reading...sipping a fruit smoothie. And people are always waving at her or hugging her or saying "Hi". I have no idea what goes on during the day!!

Judy:

I can't help it if I'm hot!!!

Anne:
Maybe, hot-flashes!
Finally on Thursday she decided to go to the laundry. I had Tesfu (my taxi driver) take her and the 2 big bags of laundry off to the Laundromat. (I was not feeling well...so was allowed to stay behind).

Two hours later she came into the room and I said "Hey how was that adventure"! That's when I heard "Well Anne...I don't have our clothes". After blinking several times and about to ask if they were stolen, I then got a little lecture on life in Addis. It's funny how she can talk really well when she needs to justify something!

There are no automatic washers/dryers....the people at the laundry do it...probably by hand? So they all had to count every piece of underwear, socks, pants....then count again...then barter over a price. The first laundry service said it would take 20 days. I think they must send it to Italy!!!

So they went to another laundry...which only takes 5 days. I'm wondering if at any time during this process did she think to just bring it back to the hotel for us to wash in the tub!!! But noooo.....let's leave it. And, even though Tesfu had to count our underwear...at least he was there to help her out.

Which then leads us to the term "commando". Laundry girl has learned a lesson...pack more underwear or take back 1 or 2 pairs to wash. I, at least have one pair.......which I constantly talk about. "Oh my underwear is so comfortable"......."No, that's my underwear drying"

Hmmmm....maybe that's why so many guys are waving at Judy the past few days???

Judy:
Ha!
I decided to change my "do" :0

That reminds me....there are so many butcher's shop here...one side of beef pinned on a wall in a stall. It is fresh every morning then at night it is taken down....I don't know where it goes....but.... maybe its best not to know.
You buy a slab (1 kilo) and eat just like that....Ethiopians love their raw meat! WE preferred to cook it!

Anne:
I don't know what that has to do with the laundry???
Anyhooo...the last highlight of the week was rubbing elbows with Hollywood. I rarely go down to breakfast but I was in need of coffee. And lo and behold right in front of me was Jessica Biel. And probably Jacques Cousteau's granddaughter...and Robert Kenndey's granddaughter and who knows who else. Yup....the skinny little wenches just climbed Mt. Kiliminjaro and were now here touring UN camps.
Their climb was Summit on the Summit...bringing awareness to clean water. So that was kinda cool.

Well that's been our week. Tomorrow (Monday) we get our laundry back...hopefully ....and it's the start of week 3!!! Wow....time flies. What kind of trouble can we get into this week...

Stay tuned to Square and Circle Adventures!!
A & J

P.S. This is new....I saw a wedding reception in the hotel tonight that had a side of beef hanging up to serve to the quests...raw slab of beef....we didn't have that at our wedding reception at home! See the photo.....