WOW! I look terrible!
(Trip Day 7) Addis Ababa Day 3 Today began like the last with a morning and afternoon of activities. We travelled with another family and it was a great time to see more of the city. First we went to visit the National Museum of Ethiopia. It was nothing like the Louve in Paris! The Museum has four sections:
- Lucy (and Lucy's friends)
- Artifacts
- Art
- Tribal artifacts
Those who know me well know I am not so much into museums but I did enjoy it. The tour was quick enough to keep my interest. Plus Elliott was fussy so I got to hold her alot!
Here are some pictures from the museum.
Lucy is the nearly 40% complete skeleton discovered in 1974 at Hadar in the Awash Valley of Ethiopia's Afar Depression. Lucy is estimated to have lived 3.2 million years ago. She was on tour in the US so we only got to see the replica!
Those of you who are still reading the blog deserve a true Ethiopia "war story" or two at this point. While at the musuem, our travel companion learned a couple of things about the "real" Addis Ababa we had not learned yet.
Be really careful about what you eat and drink, and sometimes that is still not good enough.
There are no restrooms in the musuem. In fact, I don't think many places have US like restrooms other than restaurants.
There are some outside the building on the street, but they are not like what you are thinking.
There is no door.
They are used co-ed.
There is no poreclain toliet and forget a sink. Think hole.
They cannot flush paper products through the sewers- the lines are inadequate. Therefore, they are not stocked in the "rest room."
Well - what happens in Addis- stays in Addis- so it was a valuable lesson for us all!
After the visit, we had some extra time so we got to go to the Lion zoo. Interesting thing is in the US they would NEVER let you get that close to the lions. I loved it! They were literally 6 inches away.
There is one thing about that day that I feel compelled to write. When we drove in and there were hundreds of Ethiopian children on "field trips" to the lion cage. They were all lined up at the outside of the cages. I think "Americans" as they call to us were more interesting to them than the lions. They kept calling to us and waving.
There is one thing broke my heart that day- something that I cannot let go of. Someone there told us- you have to put it on paper to get it out of your system. I think I understand what she is saying now.
I looked down ground at one point to see the holes in their shoes. In the sides- in the top- their toes sticking out...
Shoes are considered to be a sign of status in Ethiopia. They have shoe shine stands everywhere to keep them clean. In the city most kids have shoes. Not cool shoes, not shoes that fit, not clean shoes- just shoes. In the country side of Ethiopia, it is not the case. Many chidlren had no shoes- running, walking, biking- no shoes.
Those cute little feet with nothing to protect them from the rocks, dirt, parasites....
I have found a company that is doing a lot for Ethiopian feet.
If you are compelled to watch the video, I have to say that right now- in this moment- my heart and head is exactly where Blake's (of Tom's shoes) is-
Once you have seen the happiest group of people you have ever seen in your entire life- and you see that those people have NOTHING of material worth- you really start to rethink what you believe you need to be happy.
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