ADDIS ABABA xxxxTThe only thing you need to know before arriving in Ethiopia was the right travel agent. Tsegaye Hailu, from Abyssinian Travel was all of that for me. He spent the bulk of the day with me. We drove through the city, purchased air line tickets, exchanged money, and ate at an Ethiopian restaurant.

The restaurant was a highlight of the day. At one time the building had been a fancy home. It had great architecture and traditional furniture. The tables were low woven stands. Ethiopian food, eaten from a communal plate, was pinched by rubbery bread called injera. Very good! We had more food than we could finish, a variety of meat mostly, and it was less than $4.00 for the both of us. Simply amazing!

Tsegaye also rushed me off to the National Museum of Ethiopia to see the archeological remains of Lucy. Actually, it was a really good reproduction of the archeological remains. The real Lucy was locked away in some secure area and a permit was needed to see her. No amount of begging could change that. I know; I tried.

Prior to my visit to Addis Ababa, I heard someone talk about the contrast between the Sheridan Hotel and the poverty outside its gates. I'd seen nice hotels before but nothing prepared me for the excess of this Sheridan. It was so completely massive. Tsegaye told me that the private villas at the Sheridan cost $5000 a night - more than most Ethiopians made in ten years.