A blog title so clever (if I say so myself) that I had to use it twice. This Saturday was the 30th edition of one of the most popular events on the local diplomatic calendar, the Diplomatic Bazaar, held this year at the Sheraton Addis. Organized by the Diplomatic Spouses Group Ethiopia, the event is a chance to buy some seasonal gifts and sample foods from different countries, all in the name of raising money for charities in Ethiopia. My normally hikikomori 引きこもり wife was eager to go, and led the way into the venue:
The Egyptian table was of some interest as the three of us will be going there at the end of this year:
Of course, I was drawn to the Japanese table, though most of their offerings had been sold by the time we showed up at the bazaar:
The food tents were naturally popular:
I enjoyed a plate of seswaa, a traditional beef and goat meat dish from Botswana, similar in consistency to pulled pork. The girls chowed down on some goodies purchased from the Indonesian booth:
No complaints about the weather:
Musical entertainment was provided:
Browsing resumed following lunch:
Shu-E came close to causing an international incident when some jewellery at the Iranian table caught her eye. My significant other isn't the most politically astute of spouses, but awkwardness was fortunately avoided when she decided not to purchase anything:
Damn, those Persian carpets looked nice. Why can't we be friends?:
The Chinese surprisingly weren't represented in the food tent, but they were out in force when it came to selling arts and crafts:
The Cubans outdid the others when it came to music:
Unity Park አንድነት ፓርክ overlooks the bazaar site:
Our takeaways included Belgian chocolate and Japanese sake 日本酒 (Yamada Nishiki 山田錦 from Kyōto 京都, as if I really knew the significance of that). We should aim to arrive earlier at next year's bazaar, in order to sample and purchase more goodies. It's conspicuous consumption for a good cause, after all:
Saturday's visit to the Diplomatic Bazaar was made possible by the fact that we're now driving in Addis Ababa አዲስ አበባ...or at least I am, as my wife has only driven a couple of times since she returned from Taiwan and is on edge in the front passenger seat when I'm behind the wheel. Driving in Ethiopia's capital isn't what I would call "fun", but it isn't as intimidating as I was led to believe, though I will say I will never criticize Taiwanese drivers ever again. The secrets are to never hesitate to use your horn, and when approaching clogged traffic circles, to be both aggressive about pushing your way in, but at the same time passive in letting cars cross in front of you so as to avoid a collision.
Having replaced the battery and changed the oil, being able to get around in our trusty 2013 Honda Accord is altering the dynamics of our life here. Take today (Sunday), for example. After dropping off Amber at a classmate's house (she and her friends went to see Frozen II; in true Ethiopian fashion, the power went out halfway through the movie), the wife and I drove over to the "China market" ቻይና ገበያ to do some shopping. En route Shu-E took some photos from the passenger seat, like this one of the Mekanissa Abo Church as we drove by on Lesotho Street:
Approaching Meskel Square መስቀል አደባባይ while paralleling the Addis Ababa Light Rail tracks:
At the China market, where my wife immediately plunged into shopping for vegetables at several outlets:
A Chinese couple shielding themselves from the sun or my camera. Or both:
An American wearing a Japanese baseball team cap and a Lithuanian soccer team jersey, standing in front of a Chinese restaurant in Ethiopia's capital city. I am globalization incarnate!:
If only I didn't have to drive...:
Some people have no cares in the world. Lunch wasn't bad, but Shu-E complained that the food in the China market (in both restaurants and shops) is overpriced. But where else can she go? There was only so much she could bring back with her from Taiwan:
On the way home from the market. Traffic was relatively light early on this Sunday afternoon, but rush hour in Addis can be a nightmare:
The freedom of not having to rely on taxis in order to venture out of our immediate neighborhood. Now let's see what this city has to offer...
Wattled ibises are a common site at work
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