Gheralta Lodge two years later

Gheralta Lodge  located north of Mekele in the Tigrei region of Ethiopia was our first adventure outside of Addis Ababa two years ago when we arrived Jan 1, 2012.  Ashlynn was still a newborn, and we were still trying to sort out what our life would look like in Ethiopia.  I remember being terrified to leave our safe and comfortable home to take the short flight to Mekele.  I remember being very nervous about packing.  I included all sorts of emergency types of items.  Then I remember arriving at the lodge and having a really wonderful few days exploring the area.  It was such a different world from Addis and I completely fell in love with Ethiopia over the course of those few days.

We've been discussing going back to Gheralta, literally for two years.  It's a fantastic place to visit and it worked out nicely that Justin made reservations for us and another family over Ethiopian Christmas (Jan 7th).

Our family has changed immensely in two years.  The lodge has not.  It's stayed completely the same.  Which is just how I had hoped to find it.  Gheralta lodge is my happy place in Ethiopia.  It's peaceful, quiet, clean, well cared for with good food and excellent accommodations.

This trip marked a new era for our family.  Ashlynn is now two and quite the independent and advanced little two year old, if I do say so.  She makes our life so much easier.  She's happy being entertained by her sisters and has no intention of every not being allowed to do what the big kids are doing.  In parenting terms, this trip was the first time that we felt like we had three kids.  Not two kids and a baby or two kids and a toddler, but three kids!  No special dietary needs, no picky eaters, no screaming evenings from no naps or over tiredness.  No waking up in the middle of the night to screaming children.  Everyone got a good night sleep in the family.  No whining for our hiking, everyone walked even for a bit.  Addie walked the entire 5 miles, Bella for most of it and Ashlynn rode on my back in the carrier but asked to walk a few times.  All the kids played peacefully together, they sat well for meal times.  There were no meltdowns.  Glorious!  Justin and I wanted to pinch ourselves from the whole experience.  It was just amazing to enjoy such a lovely family vacation.  We're mostly excited for every family trip here on out-it's amazing how much easier it gets.

Portuguese Bridge after rainy season

If you've ever lived in a country where there are distinct dry and rainy seasons you will appreciate the difference in these photos.   Our family took a day trip to the famous Portuguese Bridge on Meskel (which is officially the day rainy season ends).  Now compare these to the trip we took when it was extremely dry.

I'll admit that I am hugely relieved that rainy season is over.  I grew up in the Pacific Northwest where there are more rainy days in a year than sunny ones.  So I should be prepared for three months of heavy rain right?  In theory my hometown has helped me deal with the rainy seasons we've experienced not only here in Addis Ababa but also the three we weathered through in Manila.  Part of me thinks the moment I moved to Virginia was the end of my rain tolerance.  In Virginia I grew accustomed to long dry winters and long hot humid summers (spring and fall are fleeting in VA).  Rain is not the highlight of weather in the Washington DC metro area.  Living with all the sun of Manila and Addis have made me a little more sensitive to the rainy seasons.  So yeah, I'm glad it's over.

Last year I was immensely creative.  If you scroll through my blog posts during the months of June-August 2012 you will see endless crafts, cooking and fun kid activities.  I was so on top of rainy season last year.  This year we spent three and a half weeks in Cape Town, South Africa which blew through much of the summer.  But here we are, a month and a half AFTER school has started, and the rain is just ending.  Good riddance.

Anyhow, we drove the 2 hours north to Debre Libanos area and stopped and the Portuguese Bridge to have a picnic lunch and then hike down to the falls.  It is amazing how the rainy season enhances the landscape.  Flowers were blooming and everything was green.  The gorge was green and lush instead of brown and dry.  Both scenes are beautiful and it was really neat to see the bridge before and after the rain.

Melkem Meskel 2013

International School Addis Ababa does a spectacular job celebrating Ethiopian Meskel, the finding of the one true cross in the Ethiopian orthodox religion.  It's a big celebration around the city with large tee pee style bonfires lit on every corner.  For a family with small children, it's just too hard to get to Meskel square in Addis Ababa to see the official celebration.  The crowds are just too much.  Being able to attend with the children for a family friendly Meskel at ICS is wonderful.  I was even prepared this year with dresses made for the girls.  What a treat!

Last year, I was wowed by the entire tradition of Meskel, the dancing, the chanting and the burning of the demera.  I attended the celebration with Addie and my camera.  This year, with Ashlynn and Arabella in tow as well, I had less opportunities for amazing photos but many more precious memories.

My favorite moments were when Bella and Ash were able to sit with Addie and her class to watch the dancing and eat popcorn (a very traditional Ethiopian treat).  Addie amazes me with her compassion for her two younger sisters.

When everyone gathered to watch the burning of the demera, things got a little hairy for me.  Arabella especially hates loud music or speaking over speaker systems, so when speakers were moved to within 5 feet of us and the huge raging fire burned and the wine blew ashes on us; I had a sobbing 4 year old and very concerned 2 year old.  We all rushed up the hill away from the smoke and ashes which allowed us a moment to regroup and calm some fears.

All in all, the girls did really well.  Bella's still not a crowd lover but Addie and Ashlynn really enjoyed the entire thing.  As did I!

Melkam Meskel Ethiopia!

Addie and her best friend

St. Gabriel's choir

Trio Craft

Natural fiber carpets have recently become synonymous with contemporary interior design. Flip through any catalog from Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, even higher end boutiques.  They're all jumping on the jute, hemp, woven wool band wagon.  Rough spun carpets add a touch of a rustic edge, balancing out even the most modern of living spaces.  Never, am I more excited than when I find common, locally made products being marketed in the West as a high-end product.  There are lots of examples of this in Ethiopia.  Handwoven rugs are just one of these great finds. 

Trio Craft PLC. is a textile company in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia using natural organic fibers to create carpets and other various textiles. They pride themselves in maintaining an authentic handmade feel  while preserving their Ethiopian cultural heritage.

Their showroom is modest, but if you unroll any of their carpets you’ll see beauty in the rustic texture and traditional designs.  Even better;  style, color and size customization is encouraged.  Every rug is loom-woven by highly trained artisans on location.   Expect custom orders to take approximately one month to complete.  Colors are limited to the fibers local farmers supply.  

Feel good about being on trend but original with a contemporary carpet, made right here in Ethiopia. 

www.triocraftethio.com

Tsige  is an English speaking representative available M-F, call first 0911822875

Sishu: an oasis in Addis

Sishu is currently the one and only restaurant in Ethiopia where I truly feel like we could be in America when we are there.  It's comfortable, affordable, beautiful and delicious!  Truly a gem in Addis.

At Sishu you can enjoy American style hamburgers while surrounded by stylish 60's vintage decor.  The lovely co-owner, Sishu, has made design a priority and maybe that's why spending time at this restaurant is such a pleasure.  There's plenty of space to sit and grab a book to read. 

There are ottomans and side tables as well as perfectly upholstered chairs. Everything is up-cycled and the entire collection feels comfortable yet carefully curated  Another perk for families is the incredibly high ceilings in the warehouse, so kid noise gets completely lost.  This is a huge plus for our family.

Most definitely the delicious cheeseburgers and perfect french fries keep us, and all other, customers coming back time and time again.  It's a cheeseburger I'd seek out in the States to eat.  The buns are handmade and you can watch them rising in the big open air kitchen.  The staff is friendly and helpful and the eco friendly paper mache furniture is delightful to inspect and explore. 

We run into friends at Sishu every time we go.  Who wouldn't want to spend an afternoon eating delicious American comfort food in this hip spot?  It's like going home!

Sishu is now located across from the Abattoir behind GM furniture

livin' and livin' in Ethiopia

I don't have many opportunities to photograph the daily life of average Ethiopian people or families.  It's always something I wish I could do more of.  This would require walking in Addis and this city is simply the worst place for walking. Although it's the only mode of transportation for most Ethiopians.  OK, so I could walk if I were more adventurous.  

While we were in Gonder we took horse drawn carts through the villages to get from one historical site to another and during these rides I snapped a few photos of what we saw.  Using a term coined by my wise 3 year old Addie during our time in Manila- "Everyone's just livin' and livin'".  Indeed

Homes

Making injera

 Market Day in Gonder

women selling onions

spices

the mattress and bed shop