My People

Yesterday was a relaxed one.  After breakfast, I walked to a nearby mall.  The concept of malls is quite different here.  You don't walk into a building with the stores opening up as you walk along the corridors.  Instead, most of the stores at this mall, open from the outside, along walkways.

Friendship Mall

Friendship Mall 2

It has been a wonderful trip.  The people have been exceptionally warm and gracious.  They made it easy to feel at home here.  I wonder if I'm feeling this way because of the way they have embraced me, sort of like a long lost relative, or if in fact, everyone leaves here with this impression.

Below are some random pictures.

Local coffee shop that looks remarkably similar to Starbucks,
down to the logo and uniform.

It's pretty close to being a Starbuck's, right?

Mini stove, about two feet high, seen for sale in the grocery store.

This gadget cleans your shoes.  Although hard to see,
there are rollers that turn around when you put your foot under them
and brushes your shoes clean.
I saw this for the first time in Moscow.

I was fascinated by this scaffolding that is made of tree branches.

This is what the scaffolding looks like up close,
but these limbs are tied where they meet.
That doesn't appear to be the case on with the
ones around the large building.

This is the street my hotel is on.
Not much to look at, lots of construction,
but the hotel is nice.

I'm headed back home this afternoon.  I cut the trip short, so that I would have a couple of days off before going back to work.

I will leave here with smiles and fond memories.

Side note - I regularly read travel sites, and came across one that recommended the Scottevest.  Made for men and women, it is a vest that has 22 pockets, to store things you need while traveling.  I used it for the first time on this trip, and I was able to eliminate the large purse I usually use.  There are little tabs on most of the pockets, for suggested use.  Somehow the weight is evenly distributed and so it doesn't weigh you down.  I absolutely love this vest and highly recommend it.  I purchased mine from Amazon.

Side note 2 - In 2008, I had some raised moles removed from my neck by laser. That was so successful, I asked to have some minuscule ones removed from my face.  I was warned the laser might just aggravate the issue, but decided to do it anyway.  Well, the dark spots the laser created were much larger than the ones I was trying to get rid of.  So, the doctor was right.  I tried every medicine and remedy known to man to get rid of them, to no avail.  Medicine was even compounded for me specifically, but still no luck.  On a whim, I ordered Ambi Fade Cream from Amazon, and the results have been remarkable.  It has lightened the spots, and after about two months of use, they are almost gone, without the Michael Jackson bleached look.  What's funny is that, for those of you familiar with Ebony magazine, you might remember seeing the ads for Ambi.  I remember them from as early as about 40 years ago.  Anyway, I highly recommend this product, too.

Until next time, farewell from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.