Robert's field trip & our new House in Kasanches

This week was a busy week. Robert went to Nekempt and Nedjo, to the west of Addis Abeba.  A whole day's drive actually. 






It is a mountainous area, good soils, and humid. The field trip was to check on the status of the project. And yes they were carrying out erosion control measures. 

On friday I has a nice outing with two very good friends here, Anne and Petra, to the Ethiopian Ethnological museum / institute of Ethiopian studies. 

It is housed in the former palace of Haile Selassie on the - now-  Addis Abeba University compound, a beautiful place, really! It was just the time that people graduated so it was very festive, students throwing their ceremonial hats in the air. 

Below,  the palace and graduates in their attire. 

Up:  the Addis Abeba University compound. 

To my amazement there was a room that you cannot even call a library, just a room with soke old grey office chetsts. An old man sitting there, obviously a guard, opened one of the chest to show me some old bibles and other important writings, from the 14th century. 

He took out one of the books, with beautiful coloured illustrations, and showed me how the pages were not of paper but made of animal skin, though very thin. Amazing! 

 On Saturday I had invited  the (young) manager of my gym, Cheru, and a nice woman whom I met there during the work-outs adn who became my friend, Lette, for a good bye lunch/ coffee, as I wouldn't see them after we move house next week. In the picture you see why Ethiopians always depict faces with very big white and black eyes! 

I had also invited Beletech and Zedewnesh (Beletech had made fresh injera on my request) who brought their young housemaid to prepare Ethiopian buna after lunch. It was very lively as Zed appeared to know Cheru from the gym where he used to be a trainer when Zeleka and Zed went there, near to their home. to the right you see B'tech and Zed in our kitchen.

And here you see their lovely housemaid in the clothes I gave her last week, and with which she is very happy. 

Saturday 12 and Sunday 13th we already brought some plants and other stuff to our new house. Insn't it lovely? With a big garden and even a  vegetable plot in it. We will move in definitely on Saturday.