Christmas in Addis
Christmas is just about over but it all happens again tomorrow....Ethiopian Christmas is tomorrow, January 7th. While there have been Christmas trees and tinsel on sale and on display in shops and shopping centres in Addis for the last few weeks, it's the flocks of sheep waiting to be sold on the corner near my house that show the real Christmas is coming up!
It so happened that my teaching term ended the week before ferenji Christmas so I was able to take the day off. On the eve, we were in what's become our local, Le Bateau Ivre, French-owned bar in Kazanchis, with Louise, a friend who works for Goal and a couple of her Irish colleagues from Sudan. With our Santa hats on, we were glad that some people decided to set up a Christmas party in the bar that night - decorations (some of which ended up on us - see the photo here!) and a DJ making it complete.
For the day, D had hidden away some presents I'd got by post and personal delivery so I had the Christmas experience of opening pressies in the morning. My family at home had sent me some lovely things:)
D had to go to work for a while (to see a man about a donkey :)) during which time I treated myself to a bacon and eggs breakfast. Bacon isn't common here - both Muslims and Orthodox Christians don't eat pig meat - I believe there are a few farms around but most of the bacon available in supermarkets is imported from Kenya. Hence it's a bit of a treat. Which I greatly enjoyed.
That evening, we went for dinner in Serenade restaurant, a really nice place. We were with the 3 Irish from the night before again and an Ethiopian friend of Louise's. Good company, good food, nice wine, stuffed by dessert - much the same as at home really!
Followed by a few beers in The Mask bar (cool place, on Bole Rd - the walls are adorned with lots of different types of mask), D & I went home tired and happy - leaving a much more energetic Louise & co at it.
It so happened that my teaching term ended the week before ferenji Christmas so I was able to take the day off. On the eve, we were in what's become our local, Le Bateau Ivre, French-owned bar in Kazanchis, with Louise, a friend who works for Goal and a couple of her Irish colleagues from Sudan. With our Santa hats on, we were glad that some people decided to set up a Christmas party in the bar that night - decorations (some of which ended up on us - see the photo here!) and a DJ making it complete.
For the day, D had hidden away some presents I'd got by post and personal delivery so I had the Christmas experience of opening pressies in the morning. My family at home had sent me some lovely things:)
D had to go to work for a while (to see a man about a donkey :)) during which time I treated myself to a bacon and eggs breakfast. Bacon isn't common here - both Muslims and Orthodox Christians don't eat pig meat - I believe there are a few farms around but most of the bacon available in supermarkets is imported from Kenya. Hence it's a bit of a treat. Which I greatly enjoyed.
That evening, we went for dinner in Serenade restaurant, a really nice place. We were with the 3 Irish from the night before again and an Ethiopian friend of Louise's. Good company, good food, nice wine, stuffed by dessert - much the same as at home really!
Followed by a few beers in The Mask bar (cool place, on Bole Rd - the walls are adorned with lots of different types of mask), D & I went home tired and happy - leaving a much more energetic Louise & co at it.
posted by Terri at
1:37 PM
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