Happy Ethiopian Good Friday!
We hiked today 2 1/2 to 3 hours, maybe 7-8 miles, up from the University Guest House, circling around by the massive Gondar University, above town on roads we hadn't seen, surprising gorups of excited kids who followed us for various amounts of time saying, "you! you!" or "hello, meesta!" or, "how ahd you?!" and, if old enough (6?), egging each other on to try out their English or clap or ask for moneys.
We walked past King Facilides' bath enclosure (not too hoppin' in the dry season) and the beautiful, 1/4-mile red-clay track off of which Sonal and I got kicked after a too-goo-to-be-true 2 laps on Tuesday after work, up into the dusty hill neighborhoods North of town, through a pre-Easter-slaughter lamb market (bluuuhhhh! bluhhh! heelllp!), through a hilly side-street veggie market (selling the same veggies found everywhere: small red onions, cabbage, tomatoes, garlic in bundles, hot green peppers, potatoes), and up through dusty woods to the hotel, a respite away from dust and the constant onslaught of ferengi (soft "g") fans/gawkers.
Here, the internet works quickly, there is an outdoor outlet to plug in, and we can have lunch and beer and work on our R3 talks while marveling at the population density of the town below. Over 200,000 people fit in THAT little town?! and chatting with our fun wait staff.
And, finally, our dinner from two nights ago (and lunch from yesterday) chock full of aforementioned veggies and berbere: yum.
So Sonal and I had a short but quite good week at work. We FINALLY gave our DIC presentation and it was appreciated, I think. We taught some useful and basic stuff at diabetic clinic -- LDL goal, get them on an ACE-inhibitor, blood pressure control is super important, etc. -- and both went on the rampage trying to get the interns to speak up on rounds. They only round twice a week (and this week, the women's ward crew only rounded once) and we managed to get both groups to be nearly audible! We both managed to get our respective residents to enforce our volume encouragement.
OK, I have more to say, but food arrived and I'm going to eat it. Smooches all around. I love being here and am overwhelmingly grateful to have both Sonal and Elliott here to share and interpret this month.
3 comments:
Is this the "berbere" you refer to? Just curious.
Recipe for Berbere Spice Rub
10 dried red chillies
8 white or green cardamoms
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
8 cloves
1 tsp allspice berries
2 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp ajowan seeds
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbsp salt
Love you tons,
Belovéd Papà
Ooh, I like that recipe. I am going to show the girls these photos this weekend, so get ready for some messages. love to you and big Uncle E. (and Sonal, who I can't wait to meet).
Looks about right! We ate fresh peppercorns off the tree at the Royal Enclosure yesterday and chilies are spread in front of houses and shops to dry in the sun around town.
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