Addis Ababa

I had a pretty good day planned today. Unfortunately my Ethiopian Airlines flight from Gondar to Addis Ababa was delayed for nearly six hours, seriously limiting my sightseeing time. Besides that, once I finally got to Addis I had an ugly encounter with a hostile cab driver (I'll save that story for another time). The net result of the delayed flight and the cabbie who had different plans for my itinerary was that I didn't even get started until 4:30 in the afternoon.

If there was one must-see sight for me in Addis Ababa, it was the Ethnological Museum. Of course I was interested in learning more about the culture and history of Ethiopia, but the real draw for me was that the museum is housed on the grounds of Addis Ababa University in Emperor Hailie Selassie's former palace. During the early 1960's my Calder grandparents were professors at Addis Ababa University and taught classes in that very same building.I had planned to make the Ethnological Museum my first visit today and to stop by for an hour or two just after arriving this morning. Unfortunately I didn't even get to the place until 4:40 in the afternoon - twenty minutes before closing time. I might have set a new speed-walking record crossing the grounds of the university on my way to the museum. When I finally got to the entrance the Ethiopian guard at the door was just getting ready to lock up and told me that the museum was closed for the day. After a few minutes of persuasion on my part and even a little bit of pleading, he finally agreed to let me inside until 5:00.

The best way to describe the museum is that it reminded me of my grandma's basement. Several well-presented exhibits featured colorful beaded handicraft, straw baskets used for teff cultivation, wooden Ethiopian pillows, and other distinctly Ethiopian items that until today I had only seen at my grandma Calder's house.

A little background information would probably be helpful here for those unfamiliar with Hailie Selassie. Selassie's original name was Ras Tafari. During the 1920's Tafari gained infulence in Ethiopia and was instrumental in helping the country receive entry into the League of Nations. When he assumed the crown in 1930 many people of African descent recognized his ascension as a fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. This was the impetus for the creation of an entire new religion held primarily by Africans in the Caribbean: Rastafarianism.

Besides the part of the museum that resembled my grandma's basement, I really enjoyed walking through Hailie Selassie's old bedroom and bathroom. The master suite of the palace was spacious and I'm sure it was very luxurious for it's time, but times change. Besides Hailie's velvet bedspread, I think I'd prefer the accommodations at the Super 8 Motel in downtown Salt Lake to those at Selassie's old place.

I took a quick look at the nearby Yekatit 12 monument, which is a memorial to Ethiopians slain unfairly during the Italian occupation, then I headed for the Holy Trinity Cathedral. Earlier this week I talked with an American guy I met in Lalibela and he mentioned that the interior of the cathedral is one of the most impressive sights in Addis. Unfortunately for me Ethiopians do things a little bit differently than I'm used to - the cathedral is closed on Sundays. I'll leave Ethiopia without knowing what the interior of the place looks like, but I was happy that I at least got to see the architecture on the outside. I've never thought of Africa as a place with world-class cathedrals, but I enjoyed this one as much as many of those that I've seen in Europe. As I circled the cathedral the grey clouds overhead finally cleared away and the late afternoon light cast a yellow glow on the building. A few hundred local Christians had gathered for an outdoor afternoon worship service, many of them dressed in long white robes. I watched as they prayed near the entrances to the building and sat in rows in the small courtyard in front.My last stop during my lightning-fast sightseeing tour of Addis was at Africa Hall, a structure built in 1960 by Hailie Selassie that now is used for meetings by the UN. Besides the fact that Africa Hall is within walking distance of the cathedral and was an easy stop for me to make, I remember my grandma telling me that I should be sure to see it while I'm in Addis Ababa. Unfortunately I don't remember why she wanted me to see it. I guess I'll find out when I get home five weeks from now.After all the hassle and weirdness that I went through this morning, I really wanted to get a good meal in my belly and just relax for an hour or two. I (cautiously) took a cab to a restaurant that got rave reviews in my Lonely Planet book, but found out the hard way that it closes early on Sundays. I really looked hard for a place with good Ethiopian food, but finally settled for one of the many cafes in Addis Ababa's Piazza district that specializes in the awkward combination of burgers, fries, and gourmet pastries.

The burger place was tasty and it was also relaxing, so I guess I can't complain. I'd probably prefer the fast food at Addis Ababa's Akihome Cafe to Hires on a good day - and I got a sugary, wet tiramisu to go with it. Tomorrow I join up with a three-week guided safari in Nairobi. I absolutely cannot wait to just go brain-dead and let the tour guide do all the thinking and stressing for me for twenty-one days. In my opinion the benefits of traveling independently nearly always outweigh the drawbacks, but someone else will be running the show during the safari, so I figure I might as well enjoy it.