After 25 hours in transit through Toronto, Frankfurt, Khartoum (Sudan) we arrived in Addis to find my guitar and several of Jim, the camara man's bags remained in Frankfurt and won't join us again now until the end of the trip. So today was partially spent getting some camera gear, a guitar and clothes for Jim.
Addis is a city of about 3 million and we are staying in an older hotel in the center of the city that is built in the former palace grounds. The hotel is not much to write home about but the grounds are gorgeous. Outside the compound is a rambling city that at first glance seems to be a large field of rubble with buildings growing haphazardly out of it. - Lots of goats! It turns out that today is Ethiopian Christmas and folks buy and skin goats on the spot for this evening's festivities. One can see high piles of freshly removed skins in the middle of the sidewalks.
We didn't do much in terms of site seeing, we slept in of course - went for lunch at Sam and Cathy VanderEnde's. Sam is the regional rep for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank and will be our guide and companion for the whole week. We'll now take a walk about the neighbourhood and get back for a traditional supper and some Ethiopian music and dance.
Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries of the world and that is evidenced by the sprawling slums and crumbing roads and sidewalks - but the people are very colourful, obviously affectionate and quite shy but very smiley. I am looking forward to the coming days.
I seems like I won't have much access to the internet so I don't know when I can post again. I'll journal everyday and post a lot at a time whenever I can.
I wish I was more reflective and descriptive now but the brain is a little fuzzy and jetlagged. I'll try to be more eloqent in coming posts.
Tomorrow is a travel day to a lowland area on the way to Afar. Apparently the vistas will be spectacular and the temperature will get quite warm as we decend from the mountains.
I'll sign out - others want on this computer.
Peace.
About Me
- Steve Bell
- Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- I am a Canadian singer/songwriter heavily influenced by the likes of Bruce Cockburn, Leo Kotke, James Taylor, Joni Mitchel, Allison Kraus and John Michael Talbot. I am married 24 years to Nanci and together we have three children, Sarah, Jesse and Micah. We also have a wonderful foster daughter Kendara (now grown up and moved on). I am a Christian currently worshiping in an Anglican community in Winnipeg called St. Benedict's Table. My certainty that God is Love is a constant source of energy and hope. When left to my own, I am most likely to read something. My work as a performer takes me all over the world and my life has been profoundly enriched by the good folks I've met and the wonderful stories I've witnessed. Our dog's name is Daisy. (Jack Russel)
6 comments:
I hope it's not your favourite guitar and that it eventually finds you...
For any other concerned guitar fans out there, Steve was not travelling with THE guitar, in anticipation of just such an occurance. So hassles not-with-standing, the loss of the guitar is not the trauma it might have been.
And who knows-maybe it will show up with a note from a repentant baggage handler tucked inside!
Hey Steve,
I hope you and your wife have a rewarding time (even if it's difficult and painful at times). I've enjoyed the approach you take at your concerts, balancing your music with storytelling, and I look forward to hearing tales from this trip at your next concert. Come back to Lethbridge soon, eh?
Steve have a great time in Ethiopia I love your music and wish I could play and or sing along with you sometimes.
Go see my brother he lives in Ethiopia!!!!
Steve, in spite of the frustration and exhaustion you must be feeling, I'm envious of you! Exactly one year ago today, my wife and I and our two daughters left Canada for a six-month adventure to Africa. We wanted to experience the AIDS crisis first-hand and do what little we could to make a difference. It was truly a life-changing experience. We've fallen in love with Africa, and hope that you do too! If you ever hit a dry spell in song-writing, I encourage you to go live there for a few months!
hey uncle steve and aunt nanci!
its steph... boo about the guitar . lets hope you get it back on the way home. hope u are having good weather. its -45 here at night with the wind this week... yeah i know.
Anyways safe trip.
Thinkin of you
Love,
Steph
Post a Comment