Friday off #2

So the second of a number of Fridays off started with French toast at Parisienne. I took a fleece and a pair of jogging pants this time as it was very warm yesterday morning but chilled off big time as the day wore on. After breakfast, I decided to go see the big church that is so kind most mornings to broadcast as early as 5AM with readings from the bible and the prophets. I called Tagel to see if one was allowed to take pictures outside a church here and he told me to go for it. I took a lot of pictures then while leaving, I turned around for one last shot and the security guard scolded me.

They were out with their hands open around the church looking for money. There was even more of them per square inch than in other areas of Addis I have traveled. I walked down Cameroon almost as far as the airport, then cut over to Bole road. I grabbed a blue bus for 2 birr to Dembel mall. My mission at Dembel was to look for a gift for the Sweet Thing (yes I am writing this deliberately since she knows I am bringing treats next week to Nairobi and it is KILLING her trying to figure out what it may be :)) I had a look at a few things at Dembel but could not decide what to get, so got nothing. I then strolled down Bole towards Meskel square, uncertain where I would go from there. I ended up turning right out of the square, down the same street where we go to chow down at the China Bar. Just as I rounded the corner, I was "accosted" by the idiot who is the subject of the previous post. I heard the kids were going to Island Breeze in piazza for lunch. I was told to take a taxi and ask the driver to drop me at the old post office. I flagged a car about 12 noon and the driver asked for 50 birr, I offered him 40, and off we went.

Island Breeze is basically a burger joint, the most western-like I have run across. I had the jerk chicken burger and gave my french fries away. I have vowed to stop eating these (again). After lunch, I rode with Habtamu back to MoFED to drop off the kids, then went to Yordanos for ultrasound. The bag of red licorice I gave them at the hospital today was a big hit and it was close to finished when I left. Habtamu dropped me off at Friendship mall where I again looked for something for the Sweet Thing with no luck. I walked back to the guest house and played with the computer and chatted with another local who lives next door. I bought a tee shirt at Friendship and that was pretty much all I bought today outside of what I picked up for my love. I bought Metasabya, the woman that works days at the guest house, a pony tail holder with the 3 colours from the Ethiopian flag. Plans for tonight ... maybe music somewhere with Melaku but not definite.

Tomorrow night I am going to Dr. Paul's for movie night. We are going to watch "And the Band Played On" and Bladerunner or Yellow Submarine. We may go for tex-mex to the Family restaurant depending on how Dr. Paul feels. He came back from the US a week ago feeling punk (sore throat and then some) and started taking antibiotics yesterday after a hospital visit. I had dinner with the ferenge from DC and am now going to play my guit-box and try to finish memorizing the words to Amie by Pure Prairie League ...