Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Jim went on another business trip in February to Addis Ababa. He left on Feb 15th and returned on Feb 20th. A very quick trip. Addis Ababa is in Eastern Africa. In order to get there he flew from Tucson to Denver to Frankfurt to Khartoum, Sudan to Addis Ababa. Luckily he flies Business Class. Addis Ababa is at an elevation of 7500 ft. Its not desert like I thought it would be. (However, he did say that Khartoum, Sudan was worst than the worst part of the Arizona desert. Addis Ababa has a population of about 4 million people. Since Jim was only there a few days, he did not get out and experience Ethiopia and do any sightseeing. He did spend an evening with a co-worker and his Ethipian wife. They did a coffee ceremony for him. That consists of roasting the beans, grinding them and making the coffee. Here is more info about that http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee_ceremony The problem witht that was that it was in the evening before bed. He said the smell of pollution was horrible as the homeless fires really stick things up. He didn't like the chanting on intercoms throughout the city three times a day either. Jim flew home on Wednesday night, Feb 20. His flight got delayed in Denver. When I spoke to him in Denver I explained that we were in the middle of a blizzard in Tucson. He thought I was joking, but really I wasn't. The airport was closed for a little while because of blizzard conditions. Pretty amazing. He was delayed 2 hours in Denver. He got home at 7pm but since we have a Wed night bible study at our house he had to wait at the airport until I could come and pick him up. He was exhausted. I am so grateful that Jim has such a great job that enables him to travel and see amazing places such as this. Jim maybe doesn't think they are wonderful places.

Hilton Hotel

pollution



View from hotel room

The wall is the barrier for the Hilton compound.

The cars are inside the compound - the middle class outside.

The middle class - They have sattellite

part of the city.

The hills around town.

The Hilton Hotel courtyard.