Another year, another Christmas away from home…Last year I spent Christmas on the beach with Tash, but Ethiopia is land locked and we gave the driver the day off so we didn’t go far. We ended up going back to the restaurant we were at the previous night, as Tim and Richard liked the meat, I liked the sound of the desserts and Janke, well Janke is super chill so didn’t mind where we went.
We had breakfast at the guesthouse – the people here are so nice – they prepared something special for us and the previous day they also showed up at our room with flowers and Christmas biscuits. But it didn’t really feel like Christmas this year. Ethiopians don’t celebrate Christmas day when we do, they celebrate Ledet in January 6-7, but it’s not considered as big of a deal as Christmas is to us. They have Timkat and Meskel, which are bigger, more significant holidays/celebrations. Some cafes and restaurants – mainly the ones frequented by ferangis – had some tinsel and Christmas trees on display but there weren’t many Christmas carols and no pre-Christmas sales either. At lunch we ended up eating something like seven main courses between us, as well as dessert, cocktails, a bottle of local champagne and lots of beers, all for under $25 a person. Food here is so cheap! Chus gave us some Spanish chocolate so we devoured that when we got home…other than the feasting, it wasn’t really Christmas. A bit sad with the family being so far away, but also nice to just cruise and enjoy the day with Tim. It’s the first day he hasn’t spent hours doing work!
Christmas day, and Tim got pick pocketed! As Tim says, it’s a tiring country. Every time you let your guard down or turn your back, someone tries to fuck you over. Today Tim was pick-pocketed in the “nice” area of Addis. Beggars, street gangs and kids hang out in this area, the shops and restaurants are expensive and nice and the people who go to them have money (NGO workers, ferangis…) Go to Piazza or Girjee and there’s not a beggar in sight. However, if you don’t turn your back and you keep your guard up, it’s actually a really pleasant place to live. The minute Tim realised it had happened he spun around and some friendly local guy was holding up his wallet – cash, credit cards and all other cards still inside. He must’ve seen the pickpocketer, ripped it off him and given it back to Tim.
Since we’re so far from home and it’s just the two of us, Tim and I decided that we’re going to start our own Christmas traditions. We didn’t actually decide what these would be, but I did mention that we should eat the awesome Spanish chocolate. I hope the pick pocketing thing wont turn into a tradition…
Champagne: we asked the restaurant what they had, and they produced a local sparkling wine…which tasted like vinegar! A bit different from the usual Moet we get at Christmas back at home. Mostly if you’re at a restaurant and ask for something, even if it’s not on the menu they’ll get it for you. Tim got a pizza with ham on it once and while wondering why it was taking so long to make, saw a taxi come flying towards the place, screech to a halt, watched an outstretched arm holding a bag appear from the window and a waiter grab it and hand over some cash. It was the ham for his pizza! It wouldn’t surprise me if the people at the restaurant had nipped down the road to get the bottle of wine.
Awash Sparkling Wine…one sip and my head started to throb…
No pork in Ethiopia, so no Christmas ham…but my meal came with heaps of gravy…
Richard and Janke, Me and Tim
Shared our Christmas dinner with these cuties who were playing under the BBQ
Janke, before she got food poisoning…
Merry Christmas everyone! It’s 7am on Boxing day back home in NZ (you’re all probably already queuing for the Boxing Day sales!) but I still have three glorious hours of Christmas left! xxx
adventuresinthehorn 