Addicted

I have recently come to the realization that I am addicted to macchiato. I just cannot get enough! Every morning I get a double macchiato and an amazing pastry for about 30 birr, or just under $2. My regular waitress doesn’t even have to ask me what I want anymore. Somehow I won the parking attendant over as well and he rushes out to great me each time he sees me, even if I am not going to the café. So while much of what the Italians did to Ethiopian citizens is horrific, the legacy of good strong coffee, macchiato, cappuccino, etc… is something positive that remains. Be honest, you surely did not picture people sitting in nice little cafés sipping on their macchiato when you thought about Ethiopia did you?

Me at the local bakery

Answering the call of nature is always an item that people pretend to be grossed out by, but deep down we are all curious. I have seen a wide range of options here. The most interesting one is the acceptability of just stopping wherever you are to take a leak. The side of a crowded pedestrian walkway with only minor thought to who can see you is always popular. Women usually step off the walkway to squat in the grass if they choose to partake in the fun, but this option remains male dominated. When it comes to actual facilities the   most basic is a hole in the ground. You do your business and then take a small pail of water and rinse anything you happened to have bad aim with down the hole. The next step up is a toilet bowl but no seat. It seems quite odd at first, but you figure out how to make it work. Finally, if you are in a classy operation then you will find a toilet bowl with a toilet seat and even toilet paper.

One option...

The Chinese built African Union!

Artwork that lines the gates surrounding the AU compound