The Ethiopia Chronicles

My first night in Addis after the 24 hour trip and on a 10 hour difference from home.. I woke up at 3:30 in the morning and couldn’t go back to sleep. Went online, read a little and at 5:30 went to the hotel swimming pool (it opens at 5). Did laps for 30 min. Beautiful swimming in the dark, At about 6 you could here in the distance the orthodox christian churches calls for services. 

At 6:15 after taking a shower and changing I was walking along Menelik Avenue, to the south. SO early on a Sunday there was almost not traffic at all. Lots or runners along the avenue. People walking in droves to attend church services, almost all wearing a beautiful white out-vestment of some kind and piously walking in the direction of the melodic prayers and chant coming out of the church speakers.

Before Meskel Square on Menelik Ave I stopped in a church, called Kidus Istifanus. The church looked full with lots of people praying around the church building and its gardens, mostly wearing white garments. A priest was outside the church blessing the faithful also.

After it I went back along Menelik Av. Passing the Hilton I followed more people going to another church, which speakers could be heard from afar. This led me to another church atop a hill (later identified as Kidus Gabriel). As with the previous one lots of faithful very devoutly praying on the church grounds. Many beggars were in this one, as well as lots of small stores and vendors along the street downhill.

We confirmed that one of the team members could not travel at the last minute so we’ll need to make some rearrangements to the planned classes. We are still waiting for Beth to arrive.

After breakfast at the hotel we went to the National Museum. We had a very knowledgeable guide. The Museum is great, with an unique exhibit opened last month on the fossil records of hominids, starting from the Chororaphitecus pre-hominids to the homo sapiens (those weird beings we use to live with).

Here is one picture of us with Lucy:

After it we went to the Museum of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies, in Addis Ababa  University, which has great ethnographic exhibits plus a beautiful art gallery on the second floor, with mostly religious iconography and paintings, plus a musical instruments section really well presented.