This was the first day we got to sleep in the entire trip! It was great, except that we were up and going by 7. I was thankfully feeling back to normal about this point! We got ready and headed down for breakfast. It was yummy once again! We were able to sit and relax. We met the family that had shown up the previous night. It was nice to sit and visit, but we were all anxious to go spend some time with our little ones. They are adopting an adorable baby boy! We spent time playing with the boys and after a while, Woudenah showed up. We loaded up and headed to this sports club place where we had the most wonderful Italian meal.
Streets of Addis
After lunch, we loaded up and headed to a historic church on Entoto mountain. It was beautiful to see and fascinating to hear the history. The paintings were absolutely beautiful.
On the way up Entoto Mountain
The church
The paintings on the inside. Beautiful!
After our time up on the mountain we headed back into town and went to the National Museum of Ethiopia. It was interesting to see all the history and all the information. It's not like museum's here. There was so much stuff just sitting out for you to look at. Not as much behind glass and what not. Some things were, but not much!
Museum
After we were done there we loaded up and drove around. Wodenah showed us a lot of development and told us about the 'plans' for the city and things that were in process to help develop the city.
City Construction
Another lady on the street roasting corn.
We headed to Kaldi's and had some yummy coffee before heading to a traditional meal. The traditional meal we went to was at a beautiful compound. The place was a home that a man had started building for his children and their families. It was gorgeous. Unfortunately the man passed away before it was completed, so, his kids turned it into a traditional restaurant. The food was fabulous and the music and dancing was great as well. We really enjoyed ourselves. It was also neat because Woudenah was pointing out which dances were from the regions our kids were from. It was pretty late when we finished up, so we headed back to the guest house and headed to bed. We were to head out Ambo the next day!
Grounds at the restaurant.
Musicians getting ready to play
Dancers
Part of our group getting involved in a dance/ceremony.
Our dinner. So yummy!
The next day started out beautiful. The two of us families loaded up in the van with Woudenah and headed out of town again. We stopped at a grocery store, picked up some water and snacks on the way. We headed towards Ambo, which was about 2 1/2 hours or so away.
On the way to Ambo
We got to Ambo, and then headed up this rocky mountain road. About an hour or so on the way up, our van overheated. We stopped and got out so the driver could do his thing. There were two little ones who came out of a house not too far away. They were adorable. The children were in complete rags, their clothes were dirty and torn and ragged. Woudenah was talking to the little girl as best he could (they spoke a different dialect) and he went and got them some cookie/cracker things he had picked up at the grocery store. He handed a pack to the little girl, and opened the pack for the little boy and pulled out one for him and gave him the rest of the pack. The little boy timidly started nibbling at it. The little girl had a beautiful smile, the little boy was so shy. All I could see looking at him, was that could have been my little boy. My two year old at home had some similar features to this boy and all I could think is, this could have been him, hungry and in rags on the side of the road. I lost it and started crying, so I headed to the other side of the van. Their mother came out and got water for our driver to cool off the engine. While doing so, she was talking to Woudenah, asking him to take her children. It was heart breaking. By the time we left, those kids had a good portion of the snacks and water we had. So, we loaded up, and headed to rest of the way up the mountain.
Headed up the mountain out of Ambo to Wenchi
The brother and sister who came out to visit us when our van was overheated.
Being from a farming community, we loved the scarecrows.
We get to the top to a place that led us into Wenchi Crater Lake. We get out of the van, and are quickly loaded onto the smallest, skinniest horses I had ever seen. We head down this road into this crater lake area. The village of Wenchi is down there as well. It was a 5k trek each way (down and back). We got to the end of the horse ride, where we then hiked down to the lake and then onto a boat that would take us across to the island. The history goes (as far as I can recall correctly) that back in the 16th century there was a war in Ethiopia and the guy was thinking he could wipe out Christianity by destroying the Ark of the Covenant. -side note- all the Orthodox Christian church is Ethiopia are build with the center area, the Holy of Holies that holds a replica of the Ark. It is believed that the true and original Ark is in another area of Ethiopia. They did not know it at that time. But, what they did to be sure was, they took all the replicas and had them brought to this church at the island in Wenchi Crater Lake to protect them. Legend is that at one time this guy and his army came up one side of the ride and overlooked the lake. All they saw was water, not the island. It is unknown if that is because of the reflection of the sun on the water or what. It is also said that a while later, the man and his army came back up the other side of the ridge and all they saw was fire. A lake of burning fire. It is said that the man leading the charge then died a few days later. Anyway, it was completely fascinating to have this opportunity. Unfortunately, this is the point in the story where Dan got the stomach bug I was sharing. Mind you, we were literally in the middle of nowhere, still had a boat ride across a lake and a 5k horse ride up a mountain. He was not in good shape. We finally all made it out and to the van with plenty of stories for another day.
Wenchi Crater Lake
Even out here, Woudenah had signal. That man works more than anyone I know. he was on his phone constantly!
The church on the island in the center of the lake.
We headed back down the mountain and back into Ambo. The whole reason to go to Ambo was because the other family we were with; their little boy is from an orphanage there in Ambo. We headed to the orphanage and were able to look around and see the facility. As well, we were able to sit in and be a part of them finding out information about their son. What a neat thing that was to share with them. We will never forget being a part of that and feel a little attachment to him and his family after having been able to share in this day with them.
Orphanage in Ambo
By this point, it was starting to get later int he afternoon, so we headed out one more time to head back to Addis. It was a quiet trip thankfully. We got back to Addis and ate dinner at this little cafe. We had yummy hamburgers and french fries. So good! It was a late night, so we then just headed back to the guest house. The next day, the other three families were to show up! Thus starting the next round of adventures!
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