More About Addis

We are finally leaving Addis Ababa. We have fallen deeper and deeper in love with this city, and Ethiopia. It was tough in the beginning. Nobody in the world can be as friendly as the Sudanese, so in our eyes, the poor Ethiopian's were in their shade. But more and more, we have been shown wonderful kindness and always we catch ourselves saying, "this would never happen at home". People often buy us coffees and bus fares. They turn around on the street to show us our way.

We had a wonderful walk through the backstreets of Addis a few days ago. It was a world away from the shiny buildings which line the quickly sprouting street-sides. Men washed themselves in rivers which wind below tall trees and past shabby houses, old women wove beautiful, tightly stitched, round grass baskets, a young man wove a blanket on a makeshift loom and showed us his craft. It was fantastic. We have seen images from our childhood stories coming to life, even here in this city which puts on such a very modern show.

I hope you are all enjoying the summer in Ireland and elsewhere. We have spent the last month wearing wooly jumpers and avoiding torrential showers. The south should see us shedding a few layers once more.

Thanks for all your wonderful emails and replies.
Keep in touch,

Malachy