Ah, that sweet smell of diesel in the morning…city living in a large city with lots of vehicles and not a street sign or traffic light to be found. We have learned to not pay attention to the road- have I mentioned our driver’s mad skills….we are in good hands. Car insurance in Addis must be higher than New York City. There are only a few roads that lead into and out of the city – on our trip south the road we took would have led us directly to Kenya. There is public and private transportation. All the taxis are blue and they range from three wheeled smart car replicas to small BMW replicas, to small vans. I take in the sights thru the car windows and there are a few things I am very clear on….. Ethiopians are proud …it is evident in the women sweeping the streets, the daily shining of shoes, washing cars, and the general greetings they give each other and guests. It is not uncommon to see boys and men walking hand in hand, two-handed handshakes and hugs. I have seen many pickup soccer games played in the streets and overgrown courtyards…gives this coach’s heart a squeeze each time I witness it. The begging is present but I applaud the little ones who are hustling for the money, whether they are selling gum or candy it is not just a handout for them.
Today was filled with everything a girl could love…..shopping, food and babies….
We left this morning for a shopping trip in a public market…. It was relatively quick and I should have had a better frame of reference for the outing. It was a little crazy and I am not skilled at the bartering game, it was no wonder the store owners looked so happy- We did manage to purchase some neat mementos but you know where your heart is when you are willing to bypass the shopping to spend time with your little guy…. Off to traditional lunch and then a very long visit with the children…. Gemechu was a sweetie as I expected but he also gave me a special gift… he cried and fussed, although it only lasted about 5 seconds it was music to my ears. I have seen nothing but a sweet pleasant baby boy and I was glad to see him let loose some personality… He is a tiny guy but he has a belly and chubby legs, of course he is always bundled up so I steal a peek when the nannies change him. It was 50-60 degrees in Addis today and for the first time we all agreed with Alemu that it was cold….
Tonight we went to a traditional dinner and Ethiopian Dance show. I think I definitely need to find a place for Gemechu to learn the traditional dances they were beautiful, energetic and dramatic… each told a story and we all enjoyed it. I even saw Alemu smiling thru out the show. I did not take my camera tonight so pictures will come later.
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