An Ethiopian Walk

Yesterday I went deep into the city centre – a place I’d never dare to venture on my own – to join an Ethiopian Cultural Walk that I’d registered for on facebook. Just getting there through mad traffic was an adrenaline rush, and the adventure continued as I found my tour group and we wended our way through traders, shoppers and pavement hairdressers to a nondescript dark doorway amongst hundreds of other doorways.

Inside were at least four storeys of Ethiopian traders selling all sorts of produce from cheap tack to beautifully crafted traditional wares, spices, incense and of course, coffee. I didn’t realise it, but an American blogger, 2summers was in our party, read her excellent account of the day here. I was determined to sketch, it was hard to decide what. While some of the group were straining to watch a traditional coffee ceremony, I found a seat in a shop entrance and started sketching the shop across the way, with Ethiopian angels gazing down and a glimpse of a restaurant through the doorway on the right. I missed out on what sounded like a delicious lunch upstairs, but was very happy to have expanded my sketching horizons to this fascinating part of the inner city. Hope I get back there sometime!