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I acquired a taste for cognac in the Ukraine in the Spring of 2007.  At home in Canada it has become an expensive habit to maintain.

After alcohol abstinence during travels to Sudan I was delighted to find so many bars, beers and so much alcohol in Ethiopia. I enjoyed the beers,but was also was intrigued by the bar menu which listed hard alcohol at 2 bir per serving (20 cents).  Gin, Ouzo, and whiskey being the popular drinks. I saw cognac on the menu and for 2 bir I ordered it to taste. I was surprised that it was quite good. I was directed to a liquor vendor and purchased a 750 millilitre bottle for 30 bir (3 dollars)/  I found out that if I took the bottle back I would get 10 bir back.

I gave samples to my travelling companies who were also impressed with the smoothness for the price.

Finding cognac and other local alcohol requires some perseverance as it is not in the supermarkets which carry the expensive international brands  of alcohol. Generally the best way to find it is to go shop to shop and when bottles of liquor are spotted to ask for the brand and type ..and be directed to the place where the locals buy their local booze!

The good news is I can take a litre of alcohol to Yemen.I am going shopping on Saturday to insure I have my supply for when I leave for Yemen on December 2.

I caught the bus at 5am to Arba Minch and was lucky to score a seat near the front as the 11 hour trip is very bumpy.  In fact a couple of times people were jostled out of the back seats on to the floor when the driver when over a large bump.

We arrived around 6pm and I went to the Arba Minch Hotel in Shecha (50 Bir) for a tidy room with cold shower.  I enjoyed machiato and beers every day in the Bekele Mola Hotel overlooling the lake.

I also went to the hill town of Dorza and Chencha.  I was fortunate that it was market day in Chencha.

With four other people I did a tour of the Nechisar National Park where we saw Zebras, antelope, monkeys, baboons, kudo and dik diks during the drive through the park.  We then took a boat to the crocodile market (400 Bir) where we saw huge crocodiles, and hippos.  A full day.

The next morning I caught a bus to Awasa which was only a 6 hour bus ride.  It was a good thing as I had a seat at the back of the bus and every bump resulted in a bruise.

After 6 weeks of basic amenities te offering fo Addis were too tempting.  Addis is a very mellow, easy going, city with many services to support the large NGO and UN community.

First class restaurants at McDonald’s prices serve mediterannean, Italian, India and Middle Eastern Food in attractive surrounds.

The city is easy to nafigate with main buses which carge based on teh distacne–usually less than 1 bir.  Coffee and pastry shops are mroe numerous that Starbucks in central Vancouver.  For less than 50 cents you can enjoy a machiata and cake.

I noticed some black round spots on a couple of toes on my right foot.  But with th dust and cold showers I thought it was permanent dirt until it started to develop into a lump.  I thought it was a blister as I had been walkignso much so I went to the Bethzatha Hospital in Addis to have it looked at.  For 40 Bir (4 dollars) I had a consultation with a doctor who with a glance assed me as having Jigger Fleas afrer he scorned my sandal clad feet while asking me where I had been traveling.

 As it was late in the day I was invited back for 9am the following morning for removal of the uninvited guests.

I arrived at the hospital emergency at 9am and after paying 250bir (25 dollars) and 90 minutes of waiting room entertaining I was invited into the inner sanctum where a doctor asked if I wanted a local anasthetic. I declined and he put on sterile gloves and used 2 different types of disinfectect/alchohal to clean the area.  He then opened sterile package of a blade and proceeded to cut starting with the big toe.  With tweezers he extracted the parasite and then put in more disinfectent to kill any eggs which may not have come out.   He offered to show me the invader but I declined as my stomach was doing loops.  He then did the same process for the second toe.  After carefully cleaning and killing any offending eggs He put on a couple of bandages and I was free to go.. after only 30 minutes.

The long bus rides over the bumpy so called roads can play havoc on ones kidneys. The bus rarely stops for distances of less than 5 hours and may only make one stop for longer 8 – 12 hour trips. I have yet to find a bathroom at any place where the bus stops. On travel days I drink no coffee and imit my water in take to a few sips. The odd time I have had to pee I have gone behind a vehicle or a building and within 30 seconds have exposed my bum to a crowd watching the ferengi peeing!

Lalibella is famous for its rock hewn churches which are touted as Ethiopia’s main attraction.  From Mekele it is a two day bus trip with an overnightin Waldia which is the junction town.  The road between Mekele and Waldia and paved and our bus made the trip in 4 1/2 hours.  The road from Waldia to Lalibella is one of the worst in Ethipia.  We were at the bus station at 5:30am and on our bus at 5;45am.  Although the bus was full we waited until 7:30 to leave.  The bus arrived in Lalibella at 2pm and were immediately checked into to the Alief Paradise (65/85).  Dinner at the Roha Snack and Pastry has been the highlight of eating in Lalibella.

Given the tourist popularity of Lalibella room and food options seem to be limited.  Although the 11 rock-hewn churches are a top Ethiopian attraction my favorites are the Tigray Churches and Monasteries which are far flung and require private transport and a bit of a trek to get to.