Anne and Steve are on assignment in Ethiopia this month. We'll be back with regular episodes of the show once they're back, but here's a brief dispatch from their first day there—the day that local residents celebrate Christmas, according to the old Julian calendar.
Hello Booklings!
It’s Christmas Day in Addis Ababa and we are jet lagged and wildly happy to be here. The entire city smells of wood smoke and berbere spice. The 43 day fasting period ended at midnight and we were told everyone cooks doro wot to celebrate, so the air won’t always smell so delicious.
Last night there were church services that went all night. The hills around the hotel echoed with singing and chanting — we woke up 2 a.m. and went out on our balcony to record what we heard, so you’ll hear it too eventually.
This morning I ate dark bread wrapped in a banana leaf, cooked over a wood fire. The Hilton breakfast buffet includes every American, British and Ethiopian breakfast food — so there’s eggs and sausage, porridge, and beef tibs.
More later!
—Anne