4G 2023 02 23

 Today I took the bus to Shiro Meda again, tomorrow (February 24^th) is the feast day for Kidane Mehret (Covenant of Mercy) celebrating the amazing Mary.

The streets were mostly full of church dressed ladies along with a few children and men. The churches were filling and houses were feasting.

I walked down a back track from the main road, behind the American Embassy, and into a public woods area and gardens. A long time ago Emperor Haile Selassie (Haile is pronounced like your 'highly') and his wife, Menen Asfaw, had a retreat there.

Now it is looked after as a gardens and public area. Four hundred metres from a nose to tail jam and I find a fresh, natural smell in my nose. Along with the foliage (leaves and stuff growing on branches!) generally and the eucalyptus specifically there was the magic of roasting coffee beans.

Two cups, one for each hand you might say! One with sugar, one without. Here, most people have a couple of heaped spoons of sugar in a coffee cup that you would know as an espresso cup.

The coffee is so good it seems a shame to lose the freshness and taste.

Looking around reminds me of the gardens at the Purlieu. Emperor

Haile Selassie and Menen Asfaw had a little more hillside than nanny and grandpa (not me, the original) so there are more terraces.

By the way, another Emperor's wife gave this city its name, Empress Taitu. If you look it up you can find the Emperor's name if you want. I have ignored him, everywhere you will see his name first, before Taitu.

He is famous but in our story she is much more important. He was a ruler, she named the city where I am. I wonder what it would have been called without her. Or, would there have been a city at all?

Hmm . . . said Pooh.

Back down the hill on the bus, a yellow and red one. Anbessa. On a normal day I would stand with no room to move. Today, no room to breathe!

A glass of water and a quiet write, all calm here now. Churches will ring out and chant through the night while most people sleep for their day tomorrow. Me too, good night.

4G 2023 02 22

Two more days until we can take a break.

I was very much hoping to come and see you and Teddy.

I checked the times and the details and could not,

Find a sensible way.

I will wait another few weeks,

Then I can come for a week,

Not just a couple of days.

Coffee is excellent, and sometimes the view matches it.

This area stretches from Entoto, across Shiro Meda to Ferensay and down towards Siddis Kilo and the main city.

Recently my friend has been trying to use up some of his food.

He likes things that he can not buy here.

So, he brings them from outside.

We have been eating sausage, chips, and beans.

A great meal for feeling good I find.

He is leaving us soon and hoping for another job in somewhere even sunnier than here. Near the sea too.

It is being the school show this week.

I saw it this afternoon.

Very musical!

Do you have any shows at your school?

Tomorrow we make a lesson for the people who work.

Those in charge will teach us how to

Do their job.

To be in charge.

First step I think is to have the respect of the people who work for you.

Next week there is a celebration of a famous victory.

This month is called Yekatit and that means 'victory'.

Do you remember I told you about the people from Italy?

In a place called Adwa the people from Italy were told to go away and not come back.

The end . . . for today.