Tuesday October 30th: Addis Abeba - Amsterdam

Souvenirs

We start the day very easily. Iede shows us around in Addis. We visit a souvenir-shop. The most of us buy some souvenirs for family and friends in Holland. We shop until we drop…

Entoto

After the shopping, Iede drives us to the mountain Entoto. The mountain is full with eucalyptus-trees. The scent of the threes is very, very nice. From the mountain, you have a beautiful view of Addis Abeba. It is a very nice location to find some rest.
Women, donkeys and some trucks, fully loaded with Eucalyptus-leaves, go down to the city.

After this nice drive, we go for a beer/soda at the Ghion hotel. A nice place to enjoy the sun. We eat some club-sandwiches again.

The Vatican of Addis

We pick up father Philippe and go to 'The Vatican of Addis'. We visit an exhibition about the Orthodox religion in Ethiopia and the history of Ethiopia. The guide is talking a lot and sometimes hard to understand. It is a very nice and interesting exhibition.
After drinking a soda, it is time to go to the father’s house in Addis.

Poor and rich

On our way to the father’s house, Philippe show us the Sheraton hotel of Addis. The hotel is situated in the middle of the slums of Addis. A whole area with houses had to vanish for building the hotel. At this location you see the biggest contrast between poor and rich. From the garden of the hotel you can see the slums. Spending the night in the hotel will cost you about 1000,- euros. That is just as much as a teacher earns (in a year) in Ethiopia...
Back in the father's house we look at some pictures we have taken the past days and enjoy a good diner.
After packing our bags, we leave at 8.30 pm to the airport. We say goodbye to father Philippe, father Paddy and father Brandon.

Our flight

After arriving at the airport we say goodbye to Iede and Vince. We thank them for taking care of us the past week. At the airport we check in, pass the custom office and security. About 11 pm we leave Ethiopia, we’re on our way to Amsterdam.