Boots on the ground

Please see AddisAbaby.blogspot.com for the latest on the adoption and meeting our girl.

Took a few walks in Addis Ababa today . . . to the Care Center and back and also to the pizza joint a few blocks away. We are in one of the swanky parts of the city . . . mind you it is Ethiopia, use your judgment on swanky. Embassys are all around us. In close vacinity is the Norwegeian, Danish, Malawi and Togo compounds. Every thing is a compound here . . . I'd love to have the concrete concession.

The poverty is a lot to take in . . . the care center is very nice . . . but again a lot to take in . . . each of those close to thirty children has a story that would tear at your heart . . . .but they are placed with a family or soon will . . . and there are thousand's of orphans in Ethiopia . . . Africa as a whole . . . a lot to take in . . . how can you say it otherwise.

I have to say . . . I feel safe here . . . not a problem with the locals . . . looks, but no looks of displeasure . . . and we even walked on the street at night . . . the most dangerous thing is the drivers . . . I don't know if it safer to be in or out of the vehicle.

Addis has its own wonderful smell . . . you'll like I'm crazy . . . but spicy dirt with a hint of urine on occasion, not over powering or really unpleasent, but there . . . I like it.

Anyway . . . hope you are enjoying the vicariousness . . .