Pioneer Daze - pioneerdaze

Ethiopian Epiphany
aka Timket

Collecting money
in that colorful bumbershoot

some priestly figures
waiting to strut their stuff

Townsfolk
at Quiha Elementary, where my town's celebration was held

Religious People
Priest, Deacons, etc...

Where can I find a hat like those??
perhaps they're custom made...

Sea of white
Here comes the holy water...

holy water!
you can see it being sprayed on people...

Sabela, my gorgeous little neighbor
she is so sweet!

only colorful holiday in this country!
for realz.

Fit for a Priest
sweet hat.

velvety umbrellas
although I don't think they'd be all that protective against the rain...

Parade of Priests!
so colorful!

reminds me of a Jazz Parade
minus the instruments. minus the Jazz...so really, just people walking...

so pretty
truly, a beautiful thing to witness

I just can
usually people just wear things that are white.

walking to their respective churches
the priests and their posses left the site and headed to their churches in town...crowds followed

he means business
no joke.

quite a gathering!
lots of people came for Timket

one of my neighbors, Habel
she's in white...her little cousin Hosana, is the girl in pink

gettin sin-free
it's the way to be

a few of my girlfriends
Jember, Habel, Hosana, Mahelet

why am I 10 times the size of most Ethiopians?!
seriously.

baby Habesha Libs
so cute....

Mariam Quiha
the big church in my town...people are waiting for the arrival of the Priests

here they come!
they took a few laps around the building...

Old Man w/ a Fly Swatter
made of horse hair!

Gold Plated Bible
actually, I have no idea what's underneath.

Hey Fly Guy!
I snapped ya pic!

Church Party!
woo woo, Epiphany!

Street Party!
woo woo walking home...

Hambasha
The large, round loaf of bread that is so common on holidays and special events...aka the dream of every child for their birthday. This one says: Jember 11 years 2003...why would you even want a delicious cake?!

The Chef and her son & nephew
Alula, Frewoyni, Metkel

Birthday Tree!!
Aren't my balloons a lovely edition?!

Jember, the birthday girl
turning the big 1-1...doesn't she look like Michael Jackson in her new outfit?! MmmmHmmm

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Party on!
Love kid parties...

blow out those candles!
hope she made a wish!

Mother & Daughter
Frewoyni & Jember

Betasab
aka Family...Metkel, Jember, Terhas

Jember and a few of her friends
Hidat, Jember, Sabela, Mahelet, Tomasgin

Me & Jember
she is one of my favorite people in this country!

Wooooo, new health books!
Thanks, Hesperian!!

I act as a linkage to resources
these books came from California. And they're great.

Jingle Bells!
I taught them the song and gave everyone a jingle bell. classic

Girmaye & Tekle
donning my awesome Christmas hats

Metkel!
posing with his new soccer ball

red hot chili peppers and garlic
will become part of the shiro powder mixture

garlic!
aka WHITE ONION...come on people, be original.

shiro powder ingredients
minus the cat. he stays at home

all the ingredients that go into making my favorite Ethio dish
chick peas, red chilis, garlic, some green spices, salt, and some other stuff...

beating of the SHINBERRA!
aka chick peas...my landlord grows them in a field somewhere far, far away...and apparently this is how you get them out of their shell...simply beat em w/ a stick! cure all for many things in this life...

Terhas, inspecting the peas
skillz

Well look what we
some small hands and a few chick peas

Christmas Tree!
that is a GATORS stocking on the left hand side...the gator nation is EVERYWHERE.

Jonesina
such a champ!

Terhas turns 20!
Melkam Lidet

culture sharing
I made Valentine's Day cards for my students

Jack!
flea and tick-ridden old guy. but really cute/sweet.

the health center guard and his granddaughter
Zafu, she's one of my favorite little kids

a health extension worker and some volunteers
gearing up for a polio/measles campaign

Zafu
she'll be a beauty queen one day

Mickey turns 1!
so many birthdays

butt breaking bread
how's that for alliteration...apparently this is a tradition at a 1 year old's birthday party...for good luck

Tomasgin, Mickey, Ababa, Hidat
family shot

Le Tigre PCVs
minus Bryan, plus a baby

Fresh Cheeps....my town has it all
they were going for CHIPS...

Break Fast
with some JOUSTED BREAD...it's the best...at least better than the PLATS FEASTED BREAD...WTF?!

I just don't know
what they were going for with some ingredients...

Let the Good Time Rolls
always.

You have no idea how good the internet tastes
so next time you're here you'll just have to order the TOMATO CRAME SOUP and see for yourself...it comes with ONLINE. So tasty.

Nothing is spelled correctly
except the word Orange. And Profit. But what the hell is a profit role?

these desserts sound so enticing
HI/BI cakes...

love me some SAWN DISHes
although I actually prefer sandwiches...a close second

read #3
then laugh.

mmmmmmm
ICE CRAME SNACK

Chicken Hip-Hop
love it.

Let the good time rolls
Again!!!

Pizza Huts!
They do in fact serve pizza...though it tastes absolutely nothing like Pizza Hut pizza...guess that's why they added the extra S on the end...

SUPER FAIL
they were going for FILE, but it is, indeed, a SUPER FAIL on their behalf. Typical.

sours
sounds kind of like SAUCE, right? No, not really...

watch out for that paper stick
wouldn't want a paper cut while eating!

nothing beats a cold, refreshing bear
mmmmm

same picture, better lighting
there's nothing right on here. Hilarious!

entering the city
of Arusha, that is

sugar cane for sale!
get it while it's fresh! ...or does it ever go bad??

Nyama Choma!
roasted meat...in the form of goat.

Mom & Dad!
enjoying authentic Tanzanian cuisine

"I
pole, bwana. (Sorry, Mr.)

Heidi & Ugali
the Tanzanian staple food, made of corn flour...kind of like a stiff pile of flavorless grits. YUMMMMMM

cutting logzzzzzzz
hmmm, chainsaws.

Read it and weep.
or just laugh.

and laugh at this as well
Guess Americans are charged more cause we're larger than most Asians?!

Samaki!
aka FISH. minnows. delicious.

don
no, not really.

fish piles!
kutoka Lake Victoria and Zanzibar

more minnows
just keep a handful in your pocket in case you get hungry.

Ndizi!
aka BANANAS.

Toof brushes
aka STICKS.

Traditional Medicine
mom was very curious

Kuku karamu
aka CHICKEN PARTY

more kuku
more chickens...

Samaki...
actually means FISH, but what we have here are eggs...misnomer

walking through a part of the market
SOKONI (at the market)

lentils!
yummmmm, and healthy

buckets o goods
for all your health needs

love the Prez
he watches over you while you shop for beans

vegetables!
So fresh and colorful

packaged goods
mmmhmmm that's right.

different view of the market area
the place was HUGE

large coffee cup of deliciousness
the opposite of ethio coffee...

KIA Lodge
the bar area

"I don't wanna go back home!" - Steve
wahhhhhhh

lodge grounds
quite a lovely place!

Mt. Kili is sort of visible
if you look real hard

relaxing by the pool
swimming in January...what a treat!

the lodge dog
such a sweet thang.

last Tanzanian hurrah!
so sad to say goodbye, but it was an AMAZING trip. Love you guys!

Cows.
road blockers

mud huts
wouldn't want to live in one of those.

ass outting
aka walking w/ the donks

lost balance
i think he's about to face plant into the grass.

the "road" from hell
not exactly a road...but we enjoyed multiple hours of bumpy adventure.

approaching Lake Natron
getting hot.

a little willage!
so much better with a w

Flamingos!
Lake Natron is the breeding grounds for the mingos in Tanzania

such graceful looking birds
quite beautiful

Jesus Birds
or relatives thereof...they both have the ability to walk on water...

spread those wings!
so pretty, their coloring

taking flight?
perhaps.

desert life
drab. boring.

another little willage!
so fun to say.

goats in the shade
gotta rest.

TOGA!
...party in the desert...

a larger willage
not a place i'd like to call home.

these women saw my mom a-comin!
so they set up shop

sayyyyyyy what??
she looks a little confused

cool hat award
goes to this lovely lady!

beads for sale!
who doesn't love shopping in the middle of nowhere?!

start of our hike to the lake
led by Moses, our great guide

goats and a tree
times three

Moses
check out his stretched lobes. Ouch.

walking
it was hotter than heck

shopping stop #2
for all your beaded bracelet needs...

mingos on the lake
flamingos, in case you were wondering.

sunset
quite a lovely time of day

me & Moses
we had a nice conversation in Swahili

Steve & Moses
I think dad should carry a stick as well.

Where
kind of like Where's Waldo...except she doesn't wear those silly thick glasses...

there she is!
she's the white lady.

"I just love me some porcupine quills!" - Heidi
no joke.

gosh they
bad lighting though

Hi mom, the camera
over here. not there.

Champions!
Steve, Heidi, Moses

our driver set this up for us!
wine, popcorn, sodas, sunset...perfection!

snack break
slash sunset viewing

Moses, Petro, Steve, Heidi
sunset over Lake Natron

Moses, Petro, Steve, Me
ahhhhhh my legs are so white!

wanting a "lifti"
aka ride.

Hi there!
one of the girls from the previous photo took this photo of my pretty mom!

Moses!
and she took this one as well.

Clown Car
how many people can you stuff into a car? There's always room for at least one more...

My my, what stretched ears you have!
and so many beadssssssss

where the F are we??!!
oh yeah...in the middle of nowhere....

a little willage en route to the falls
imagine if you lived there.

re-thatching the roof
and notice the small naked child in the foreground...hahaha

start of our hike to the falls
quite gorgeous

Walkers, not Texas Rangers
Tanzanian rangers...

"YIPPEE!" - Steve
hahaha. Good thing you can get schisto in flowing water.

baby trickle falls
boring.

it
when you have to ford the river...although we went on foot.

waterfall!
with a lovely little palm tree scene above it

palm tree paradise!
so pretty.

rushing water
don't wanna get swept away.

we made it!!
holllllllla.

Steve & Moses
jolly old fellows!

rock slides!
weeeeeeeeeee!

ballers!
...I played the role of photographer...there's something I don't enjoy about water and slippery surfaces.

more pretty palms
loving the scenery

hiking through the canyon
go Heidi, go!

this was taken after I took a tumble
slipped on a rock, fell on my back, and was kind of like a chubby bug that couldn't find her footing. Sad times. But I survived...

Treachery!
but fun

Petro, Moses, Laura, Heidi
taken by Steve...and good thing he had the camera, because I fell in the water 2x!

old Ghost legs
...they call us...

Petro found his flips!
He lost them the first time we had to walk in the water...but on our return trip, they hadn't gone too far downstream.

Goodbye, canyon!
it was indeed a fun hike.

is your car dirty?
Please, do stop here!

entrance to the camp
nice gate. yep.

reception
they even had internet, although we didn't use it. literally - in the middle of nowhere.

our humble abode/tent!
hotter than heck, this place.

the view just beyond our tent
hopeful sellers

Lake Natron Tented Camp!
nice shot, Moms!

only active volcano in TZ
word.

what nice beadwork you wear!
for realz.

driving in the water for a bit
reminded me of Fried Green Tomatoes.

dry season
I believe this sometimes is filled with water

just put a rock on that thing
and call it a gate.

Ngorongoro District Counil
signage.

Zeebs!
our last wildlife spotting.

how do they survive?
it was sooooooo freaking hot here.

Lengai Volcano
pretty sure I'm missing part of the name...

Ol Doinyo Lengai
i googled it.

dark dirt
so descriptive.

random lunch spot
beauty!

cratery thing
interesting...

ear stretching
the process of. terrible picture.

digging for gold
or just boogers.

Hazy
with a view of mountains.

termite castle!
what hard-working bugs!

Bee hive
my parents really were fascinated by all the bee hives...

bees!
ahhhhhhh!

Baobab
one of the coolest trees known to man.

back on the pavement
my butt has never been happier.

nearing Arusha
marketplace.

leaving the Conservation Area
about the enter the Serengeti Plains!

wildebeest migration
so many of them.

a lovely bird!
a starling or sorts, I do believe.

thr ground tastes so good!
according to this little guy.

heads up!
this is where animals go to die, apparently.

elephant skull
goodness gracious, you're HUGE

Steve & Heidi
voted Serengeti's cutest couple

Hey! What is that??
a whale wearing plaid shorts! Oh wait, that's just me...

Striped bottoms
sides, heads, everything.

a hyena!
they nasty

"Oh, I fell over." - Z
Zs rolling/playing in the dirt.

trying to cover their stripes
rolling in the dirt will do that.

my old friend, the Eland
big guy.

Pride Rock
this is actually where the Lion King was filmed.

Hip hop anonymous
many.

Hippos!
just taking a morning bath.

ZZZZZZZs
putting me to sleep...

a Kopje
rock formation of sorts...

what nice roots you have
thanks.

Sausages!
although not for human consumption

Leopard + Sausages
a winning combination

sausage tree
makes my mouth water.

Mom!
and a few Gs in the background

"Can you please repeat that?" - leaning G
get a hearing aid.

"My neck is so long." - G
...and I'm awkward...

"I love toys!" - Geoffrey the Giraffe
and kids!

"Hello & welcome to my home!" - Giraffe
thanks, yo!

more hippos!
so many of them...

Leopard!
he was right next to the road and didn't seem to notice the 20 cars next to him...he had his eyes on the prize...

literally, coulda been road kill
but he didn't once turn his head.

random stickers
Ron Jon & NASA...import from FL

"My spots are so pretty." - Leopard
I like animals that talk...

"I'm hungry."
but suck at chasing gazelles...they're so quick.

moving closer...
eyes still on the prize.

safari lunch!
including a strange meat-filled muffin

a small mongoose
snakes, look out!

a hyrax!
looks like a marmot...

NATURE!
baboons, sexing it up, roadside...how tacky.

"Think I broke a nail..." - Babs on the right
shucks!

Good afternoon!
just poking his head through the trees...

Never smile @ a crocodile
according to the song from Peter Pan

Where's the cape?
why are they named cape buffalo?

another long neck
getting bored of these creatures yet?!

Monitor Lizard
what does it monitor?

Faraway elephants
There were probably close to 40 in this herd...pretty awesome

a telephoto lenzzzzz would have been nice
maybe next time

so many ephelants!
and so little time

more of the same
fascinating, right?

lone ranger
going the opposite direction of his friends.

"Ohhhhh, I'm dead!"
wah wah.

Cheetah babies
one of the cutest sights, ever.

fuzzy hair
4 of em.

just wanna snuggle
except for the fact they'd probably kill me...

hello again!
must be weird to be an elephant.

a mom and her cubs
cheetah fam

vicious
or just hungry. or simply standing?

elephant parade!
love these things.

lion party!
6 in total

cheetah babies!
want.to.take.one.home.

another elephant
yet they don't get old...

Cheetah crossing
please stay on the path.

baby animals are the best
hands down.

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there are so many!
tree tramplers.

no butts about it
except for the elephant's...

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see the tiny one???!!!
wish i could be the owner. and feed it circus peanuts.

Get out the way
"I'm commmmmmmmmmmmmming!"

"I got some junk in my trunk."
insert elephant noise here.

"Sorry, I seem to be in the way."
Indeed bro. Move it.

bottom's up!
yeahhhh

leopard tortoise
where is the dang thang??!!

Lobo Wildlife Lodge
strange situation - this place was large, yet we were the only occupants

Award winners
Coolest Hats.

Daddy's Little Girl!
so grown up though.

Mango
it's what was for breakfast! so sweet. so tasty.

monkey friend
hangin in the tree, you know how that goes.

Award winners
Lobo Lodge's cutest couple

delicious grilled veggies
yummmm

Zanzibarian Lobster
Whaaaaat! One step closer to heaven...

the chair was made for a Queen
or my mom...they're one and the same

the award winners
actually, we were the only people staying at this place...kind of strange...

karma karma karma karma karma chameleon
or lizard. whatever.

view of a KOPJE
google it for more info.

peaceful poolside
swimming in January...somewhat glorious!

view from the hotel deck
overlooking the Serengeti Plains

Baboon!
they're like squirrels

Snores McGee
kind of sounds like an animal...

Beauty Queen
sweet robe yo

morning sunrise
love my parents!

I should probably apply for a job at Nat Geo
right???? right.

and it's up.
beautiful!

check out the baby
it looks kind of like you as a small child.

monkey on a rock
word.

monkey wanting our breakfast
one was in the dining room...it stole 2 pieces of bread. cheeky little thing.

disgustingly large stork
yuck. not a fan.

dead heads
grab em by the horns.

Serengeti Rules!!
and regulations!!

Ndutu Lodge
a very cool place to stay.

our room
the one on the left!

founder of the lodge
he has an awesome stache

nighttime dining room visitor
a Genet cat!

Genets
aren't they adorable?!

lunch break!
Heidi, beautiful as always!

buzzards & a storck
follow the leader

nasty birds
they're so big

early morning G sighting
again, G is short for Giraffe

sunrise over the conservation area
mostly blocked by the clouds

Wasafiri
travelers.

G in the far distance
kind of a lone wolf.

crazy tree
that's the way I like em.

Good morning, world!
we had an early start.

Tusker Lager
a trusted name in beer

Safari, Tusker, Serengeti
we're missing Kilimanjaro Lager

artsy tree/sky/whispy cloud shot
kind of nice.

Zebras & Wildebeests
hanging out

Cheetas!
2 brothers.

they look cute enough to pet!
if you want missing fingers...

now that's the kind of lens I need
HAHA extreme wildlife photographer.

brotherly love
so spotted!

2 female lions
a little R&R in the shade

bird on a tree
I would break it if I tried sitting there.

a heron!
big blue.

trees and animals
so African

love me some baby Z
so adorable

many zebras
just living.

a dikdik!
so small, so cute.

croc on a rock!
in the middle of a lake.

Lake something...
storm's a brewing

hippos!
finally in good view

they are so large
and just sit there...

hungry hungry hippo!
nomnomnom

a baby hippo!
precious

Leopard tortoise
watch out.

Snake Sighting!
a puff adder...very poisonous

a pretty little bird
tweet tweet

bird party
3 different types all gathered around the snake

Flamingoes on the lake
pretty pretty.

more cheetahs!
on the prowl

follow the leader
count their spots

box breakfast!
so fresh, so tasty!

"I have a lot of spots." - Cheetah
if you're bored, tell me how many.

a lion!
waiting for his girlfriend

the girlfriend
just wait for what comes next

lion sex!
NATURE!

it was quick
no cuddling.

round 2
apparently they'll do this multiple times

done and done.
rararar.

"I'm going to find a tree to sit under." - Lion
and indeed he did

here's that tree
shady.

Cheetah family
resting/yawning!

not your typical house cat
although I would take him home.

Cheetah bros
so pretty

Ostriches!
awkward!

turd pusher
aka dung beetle

push it real good
they lay their egg(s), roll it in poo, and push it into a hole, where it will hatch and feed off of the dung...

industrious little fellow
quite impressive.

close up of a dung beetle
quite lovely, actually

horns
of something that once was.

and an Eland
the largest of the antelope-esque animals...

sunset!
beautiful!

Park Entrance
tourist info/entrance fees, the like

It's Kili Time!
Ni saa ya Kili...make the most of it!

Ngorongoro Conservation Area
...a World Heritage site!

Steve
Safari Extremist.

Serengeti!
A pretty legit beer

Black Rhino!
first spotting of one.

View from above
lookout point before making the descent into the crater

tacky sweater contest
the boy on the right wins!

starting the drive down
treacherous yet beautiful! and overcast.

acacia tree with a ton of weaver nests
pretty ornamental

we stopped for a bathroom break
...and of course mom found something to buy!

birds of prey
vultures?

wild dog
amongst the birds

Flamingoes
on the lake...kind of hard to see...

Zeebs
the baby is my favorite

Ostriches!
faraway, need a bigger zoom lens!

a dead wildebeest
crikey!

the lion who's dinner is a just meters away
resting after a beestly snack

roar
meat treat

lion + wildebeest + many safarigoers
hot spot

Rhinos!
pretty awesome

"Ock, my eye!" - Wildebeest
kind of cruel to tear off a leg and put it on the dead guy's body...

old hornbill
pretty crappy picture

another rhino!
like a rock. with a horn. and legs.

check out the sticker in the window!
quite random, but I <3 Florida too!

"Chase me to the middle." - Black Ostrich
that would be the male...

swala/gazelle/maybe?
there are so many varieties of these things, I can't keep with all of them.

Wildebeests
rarararar we make weird grunting noises.

African Beauty
hahahaha

Heidi, the ultimate explorer
she's such a badass

Steve!
my favorite dad, ever.

Hi, we're boring
we mainly just sit all day...and walk...and eat grass.

and there are a TON of us...
this doesn't even compare to the Serengeti

grab that guy by the horns
don't know what will happen...

cool birds. I think they're called Secretary Birds??
mom, back me up.

an ephelant!
Elephant! my fave.

5 legged elephant
Yikes!

the old gimp leg
or "organ"...hahahaha...NATURE!

warthogs!
if only these things could fit in a suitcase...

Spotted Hyena
in a mud puddle...good camo, eh?

birds in flight
afternoon delight! ... for your eyes.

Hippo pond
but where are they??

post-lunch deliciousness
a couple hyenas had the audacity to eat the lion's meal...

savory. meaty.
I'm jealous.

Uh oh!
The lion woke up and chased the hyenas away!

"This be mine." - Lion
roar.

fresh and intestiny!
well, a few hours old.

the hyenas that were chased away
wah wah suckas!

"Don't you come near my meat treat!" - Lion
OK, I won't...

flip it over...
the other side is tastier

"I grew new legs." - Lion
just kidding, i'm just sitting on my snack!

Steve, Lion Viewer
his new Safari name.

Mom, really interested in the scenery
that lady loves her some books!

Like father, like daughter!
Epic adventurers.

Male lion!
nice mane, man.

a large bipedal bird.
aren't they all? yes.

Hippo pool
kind of very far away, my B...In the Crater you must stay on the roads, so sometimes photographing things is difficult.

Cape buffalos
or is it buffaloes??

More faraway hippos
you can kind of see them...

leaving the crater
so pretty!

Some giraffes
can you see them down thurr??

tea break!
So, after leaving the Crater, we were driving in the middle of nowhere to our next destination, when all of a sudden our driver pulls off the road and drives to some remote location on top of a hill...Time for tea! Hahaha

what a perfect spot!
Dad & Petro

who doesn't love tea
In the middle of nowhere?! Thanks, Petro!

tea break!
too funny.

view of the lands
from our tea spot

a rock quarry
they were filling that truck bed up, one shovel-full at a time...

6 Gs
G = giraffe. How did this animal become the representative for TOYS R US??? strange.

love em!
such neat animals

Pumba!
a very strange looking creature. yet adorable

a bird wearing black tights
or so it looks...

Elephants!
in the Ngorongoro Conservation area

so many!
beautiful creatures.

"You can hear us push through the underbrush." - Jungle Book song
popped into my head whenever we saw elephants.

they're so interesting
and large.

a baby!!
too big for my bag :(

family gathering!
Tree tramplers

a cape buffalo
one of the big 5....

This is Africa
T.I.A.!

roadside fun
en route to destination 2

colorful textiles!
love it already

Bananas and avocados for sale
tamu sana (very sweet)

bananas on the head!
looks difficult

I would drop that load
they got skillz, yo.

fabrics that aren't all white!
something I don't often see in Ethiopia

waiting
for someone or something...

Steve's just a clicking away!
give that man a camera!

market day
get your goods!

drive by market shot
he's good!

the steady pedaler
I'd probably fall over with a load like that

charcoal for sale
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Mom & Dad
enjoying coffee, poolside

a metal bird!
he can't fly.

pretty greenery
so serene

me & a pomegranate tree!
not yet ripe.

perhaps a meeting room
....

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the lodge
little cottages

friendly pup!
HUGE german sheppard

these flowers smell so good
they had them in the rooms as well

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pretty flowers
don't know their name...

gin & tonic
very strong and legit

Steve & I
waiting for dinner

the dining room
just so aesthetically pleasing

Heidi!
isn't she lovely

delightful artwork
tapestry, if you will

delicious salad
with a nice presentation

Copeland
party of 3

Dessert!
some sort of cherry ice cream cake thing

breakfast
Brie Cheese AND goat cheese...where am I?!

the dining area
posh

dining room decor
spears on the wall!!!!

brake fast
oh wait, we're not in Ethiopia anymore.

so nicely decorated!
something I don't often see

candle holders
made of horn

breakfast buffet
cheeses, meats, yogurt, fresh fruit

patio seating
quite nice.

the bar
so modern

the bar area
I'll drink to that.

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nice decor
what my house might look like one day...

the patio outside of the dining area
nice place.

faces
art.

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nice little sitting area
feels like home.

the grounds
so lovely!

reception/dining building
and a random old red phone booth

Lodge grounds
very well manicured

My mother and I and a patch of lavender
love her!

Airport arrival
circa 4am...waiting to be picked up!

Inside the tent
pretty fancy, if you ask me

a shower
the camp staff heats up 25 liters of hot water per person for a "safari shower"

flush terlet
I'm sold!...wooden floors in a bathroom in a tent. haven't seen real wood floors in ages.

bathroom counter
a sink - again, I'm sold! simple luxuries I don't have in Ethiopia!

waking up from our morning nap
ready for coffee!

legit coffee mugs
you can cup your hands around the mugs...again, it's the simple things in life...

not to mention delicious food
haven't had a meal like this since leaving the States!

The start of our walking tour
Mom & Dad, looking at something wild

Our guard
armed, of course...

bushbucks...or maybe gazelles?
again, don't ever ask me to be your guide...

a nice little mountain
feel like you're in the Lion King yet?!

went all the way to Tanzania just to look at a caterpillar!
boring.

I am one with the wildlife
grasshopper? cricket? I need my book...

something wild
a gazelle?

walking into the wild
they feared a zebra would pounce

greetings from the bush!
if animals could talk...

a few baboons
the young ride on their father's back. kind of adorable.

our first ephelant!
elephant...so cute.

Zebras!
their stripes confuse predators...in case you were wondering.

badasses
taking a walk on the wild side...

Ndarakwai treehouse
great for drinks @ sunset!

luxury camping
a great way to end the day

also a place where animals go to die
not really.

sunset from the tree house
lovely!

picture perfect setting
nice view of the mountains

a treeeeeeee!
haha

another menu!
such variety/deliciousness

start of our nighttime game drive
getting cozy in Maasai blankets

Heidi & Steve
love em to bit!

Spotted!
most of the pictures from the night drive did not turn out because of the harsh spotlight. Therefore I did not post any others.

en route to the neighboring Maasai boma
when in Tanzania...do as the locals

camp's thatta way...
to the right, that is.

view from outside of the boma
boma = little willage

Mt. Kili
that's Kilimanjaro in the far distance

in Tanzania people carry things on their heads
mad skillz

cow party
the head of this Maasai clan had sooooooo many cows. A rich man indeed.

going to milk the cows
they're milked directly into the calabash (gourd) the lady is holding...

nursing while getting milked
what a patient mother cow.

new born calf!
only a day old...so tiny/adorable

so many cows
imagine the pleasant smell.

calabash/milk container
Dad bought one so he can carry his milk to work.

"So I can use this for storing milk, eh?" - Steve
hahaha

udderly amazing!
get it??!!

cows like toys too!
this little fellow was having a field day. literally.

same one kept licking my dad.
perhaps he had honey on his fingers.

A traditional Maasai home
made of mud/poo/straw

inside
cool hat, Dad!

Heidi's gone tribal!
isn't she lovely

talk about claustrophobia
i could not live in a place so dark and cramped!...but I'll smile for a picture in one.

Happy!
the name of the little baby girl

Happy w/ her mom & brother
hii familia ni tamu sana (this family is very sweet!)

children of the boma
cute cute cute

a rich man indeed
cows and a truck!

one of his 9 wives
and a baby!

more family members
there are many....

acacia tree + vehicle
rugged.

kids are kids
playing duck duck goose or something equally as fun...

Mt. Meru
one of the tallest mountains in Africa

one of the Maasai girls
carrying a bucket...

Mom loves her some handicrafts
anywhere and everywhere.

just chillin
another day in the life...

they wear so much jewelry
and have very stretched earlobes.

men of the compound
they don't dabble in jewelry sales

soooooooo cute!
but too big for a suitcase

"I just bought some authentic earrings!" - Heidi
I'm just making crap up...

The rents w/ Swala (impala) and one of his daughters
Swala means impala in Kiswahili...he's the head of this Maasai family and has 9 wives, hence the nickname swala...apparently impalas also have multiple wives.

leaving the boma
Ciao!

going to the water source
jerry cans in tow

delicious fresh fruit
The mangoes were amazing!

warthogs
kind of a faraway shot, please accept my apologies

baboons!
cute.

rugged woman
that Heidi...

Zeebs
we're friends, so I can call them that.

wildebeests
such a variety of wildlife to be seen here!

TWIGA!
aka giraffe

Acacia tree + Giraffe
so African.

cool hats, guys
sweet tan line, LC

Tanzania: Get In.
if giraffes could talk, that's what it would say...

guinea head!
with a pretty blue head.

quite a process for a giraffe to drink water
they're skiddish and it takes time for them to bend over!

Steve & Heidi
enjoying another sunset @ the tree house

a pretty amazing sight - 20 or so giraffes
gathered near the water hole one evening

Zeebs drankin
gotta stay hydrated

friends at the water hole
Zs & Gs

breakfast!
such a nice setting.

the dining area @ Ndarakwai
set over a babbling brook

comfort seating
in a nice setting

a fireplace
for rest and relaxation

nice fabrics
relaxing space

comfortable couches
+ a hammock

sweet ride
pimp it, please.

more baboons
taking a ride

survey the scene
scene is safe...and beautiful!

Bao!
aka mancala...carved into a rock on the ground...that Heidi has a keen eye for things.

yellow flowers
aka weeds...

family shot!
Hillary is missing :(

cape buffalo
a rare sighting for the area!

3 Gs
such awkward animals

dinner!
Me & my momma

dinner!
Me & my dad!

Heidi in a hammock
again, isn't she lovely

bush baby!
muchin on a banana

my parents, WARRIORS
don't mess with them. unless you want to get stabbed.

breakfast!
always a pleasure

beehives in the tree
they look like hanging logs

a large stork
they migrate from France

Kaldi's
Extremely similar to Starbucks...

Mom & Dad enjoying a cup of Joe
@ Kaldi's

strikingly similar to Starbucks...
but I'm not complaining...

The story behind coffee
you know it originated here...

Decorated for Ferenji Christmas
again, looks almost identical to Starbucks...

a few hilarious mannequins
lil chubs

Steve ridin
all smiles!

Silk worms @ Sabahar
these little guys make beautiful silk that is later made into scarves and the like

Sabahar
the only place in Ethiopia to buy authentic silk products...beautiful!

the worm coccoons
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spinning silk
seems like a pretty complex process

silk spinners!
fun job!

fruits & veggies
such variety in the big city!

bucket sales
the plastic buckets are pretty much the most colorful things to be found here.

Ravioli Rose
at a quaint Italian restaurant

Steve & Heidi @ lunch
Italian!

mini buses
the most common form of transportation in Addis

shoe shine
another very common form of work for many people here

shoe shine take 2
it's real cheap

some type of Cuban memorial
in Addis

primping for the big safari!
Heidi & Steve @ Boston Day Spa

Addis Ababas
new flowers

a large church in Addis
pretty

siga bet
aka butcher

me & a cute dog
they're extremely rare, country-wide

Steve on the skreet
near the Ethio Statue of Liberty

creepy Santa
ATM & a Christmas tree...so modern

Heidi in a nicely carved chair
@ the Nat'l Musuem

nice painting
@ the National Musuem

traditional game
we all know it as Mancala

traditional woven basketry
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Lucy
I'm home!

Lucy
she's missing a few bones

Lucy
mmmhmmm

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Mom, pretending to pour coffee!
@ a cultural restaurant

a fake donkey!
who knew!

Steve w/ his mega calzone
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Mom trying Tej
Ethiopia's Honey Wine

Shiro
my favorite Ethio dish

Mark & Veronica!
We ran into them @ the museum

storage for liquids
such as tej

Mom & Dad
ciao.

Heidi
enjoying afternoon tea with a nice view

Steve!
also enjoying afternoon tea

me!
tea break

some type of plant
not exactly sure what it is

Shiro
before it's been taken to the grinding mill

hot chilis
for berbere, shiro, etc...before the mill

sewa prep
sewa (or tella) is the local beer

more shiro, pre mill
must be out in the sun for awhile

coffin sales
quite colorful!

Ethio Kebab
chickens on a stick!

2 story structures scare me
would not want to live on the top floor...

camo chicken
rooster...whatever, they're one in the same...to me at least.

Injera
a lady making injera outside of her home

it's quite an art
pour in a clockwise manner

Mom & her new friends
as always, the children are adorable

Lodge du Chateau
a quaint little place to stay if you're ever in Gondar

bird bath!
the courtyard had a bird bath...first time I've seen such a luxury for birds.

a splash of color
to a rather drab building

greens for sale
freshhhhhhh

atakilti
aka vegetables

for your health!
buy em right off the pavement!

this sh*t is bananas
B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

deacon school
people (soon to be deacons) live in these little huts for 3 years while in school...

a lady and her child
carrying something, walking somewhere...typical

Mom, enjoying a meal of shiro
she fancied Ethio migibi (food)

macchiato
delicious, as always

pants on the line
hanging out to dry

a goat...in the street???
so normal.

charcoal for sale
used for cooking, great to breathe in the fumes

bags o' charcoal
for your health!

chickens for sale!
eeeeek

Heidi, with her recent purchase of shinburra
aka freshhhhhhhhhh chickpeas

how many chickens can you fit into a shoddy wooden pen??
a lot.

inside view of a typical suk (shop)
one stop shopping

red lentils, etc...
in bulk

public shower
don't think you could pay me to use that...

Cultural restaurant
oh what fun!

veggie sampler platter
bayayinatu...or something like that

Mom danced to their tunes
it was cute

enter the Royal Enclosure/Fasil Ghebbi
from the time of Emperor Fasilades

many castles/building here
~17th century

buy the book
I'm not good with historical information

the Royal Enclosure
google it for more info

a window
and a building...

another castle
wooo!

an archway
so artistic, this shot.

Alem Seghed Fasil's Castle
But please, no smoking...

tops of these structures
intricate.

Heidi the peasant...view of the dining hall
like that red scarf on yo head!

a view of the round jutted out portion of the castle
surely there's a name for such a thing...

brokedown palace
could use a few repairs...

what a jagged edge you have!
no touching.

read it.
but don't weep.

"You mean he really lived here all those years?" - Steve
yes.

raise the roof
or just take it off completely!

"I'm so old." - castle walls
if the walls could talk...

"I'm large and in charge." - castle
yes you are.

"I'm beautiful." - castle
and well preserved!

"I'm lonely." - spa
been out of use for quite a number of years.

"I have a neat top." - castle
I'll stop with the talking walls.

Cage for lions
apparently the lions of Ityop'ya have black manes...

window and door
do you need a further explanation?!

reptile!
yuck. not a fan

Messih-Seghed Bekafa's Castle
and who the heck is he??

a long courtyard near the stables
yeah.

oh! another castle!
imagine that

the stables are on the left
for to store your horse(s)

Dining hall
so long and lean

My goodness you're short!
Or maybe the doorway is just really tall

place for spies
on the lookout...

bee hives!
the thing with the blue rag on it

Greetings
from our home to yours.

Debre Berhan Selassie
just wait till you see the inside!

ostrich eggs
they represent the 7 sacrements

hidden imagery
do you see a lion??

wheat for communion bread
getting some VitD

a nun w/ the wheat
you can look but don't touch...mom found out the hard way.

back of the church
rear end.

The lion's tail
do you see it?!

religious artwork
lining every square inch of wall/ceiling space inside

jingle stick
that's not its actual name, but it's an instrument used for religious purposes...you shake it and its makes a noise...

the ceiling
Gondarian angels

close up of the angel faces
what big eyes you have!

different Biblical scenes are depicted on the walls
figure it out for yourself...

fun little guessing game!
I'm no Bible expert...

the priest/key holder
every church has one

more religious scenery
and some doors

Hark!
the herald..angels sing...............

Prayer Sticks!
notice how they're leaning on them differently...men hold it under the arm, while women rest w/ it under their chin

Prayer Sticks!
so relaxing

the priest again
he's the one wearing white...

Fasilades' Pool
care to take a dip?

gotta go across town for a swim
Timket, or Epiphany is widely celebrated at this location

It's filled w/ water for Timket (Jan 19)
we were there a few weeks early of said occasion

part of the building
for announcements?!

the river runs through it
or into the pool/bath/whatever....

the water will be blessed once the pool is full
and people will go swimming on Timket

funky roots!
they've taken over

pool hall
or perhaps the 2nd residence of the Emperor

pretty nice picture
if I do say so...

we look superimposed here
but we were really there...

"Argh, I can't keep my eyes open." - Heidi
wah wah.

Stadium Seating
for the big Timket celebration. Safety first, always.

dried injera
YUM

Empress Mentewab's Castle
not in the Royal Enclosure...

"I'm falling apart." - castle walls
yes you are.

cute little boy
just adorable!

lookout
maybe?

an elephant and a lion
made out of the darker material

a view into the city
from the window...

Queen for a day
my mom :)

Kuskuam Church/Mentewab's Palace Grounds
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Ploughshare Women's Co-op
they make beautiful glazed pottery here

handicrafts
made of clay!

potting wheels
for pottery

before going into the kiln
the kiln was donated by some Japanese folks

they women also make weavings!
watching cotton being spun on a spool

one of the weavers
with traditional facial tats

a weaving loom
pretty cool

Solomon!
our driver

Felasha Village
where the Ethio Jews lived

colorful baskets!
and other knick-knacks

Ethio lunchbox
so very cultural

food storage containers/carriers
so you can take your lunch to work!

Dad + Lion
grrrrrrrrrr

Mom, being bombarded by the locals
everyone just wants to make a sale

7 flies on the face
and a cute lil patch of hair!

ahhhhhhhhh!
where's Heidi???!!!

Gondar reservoir!
view from the Goha hotel, which overlooks the city

My Dad & I
@ the Goha

closer up
still at the Goha

my parents!
@ the Goha, you guessed it.

closer view
Gohaaaaaaa or Go home.

Goha
such nice grass!

Gondar
city scape

view of part of the town
it's the 4th largest city in Ethiopia

shint bet pose
this is how a lot of people sit...

Merry Christmas
"Melkam yaGinna Ba'al"

children of Lalibela
walking to school

a willage in the distance
i prefer willage to village...perhaps it's the German in me coming out...

sweet ride
pimp my donkey/horse hybrid

sticks and turbans
a winning combination

rural Amhara women
check out their asses!

a school yard
through the trees...action photo!

road construction
manual labor

Bajaj!
little taxis from India...they're in Tanzania as well...and 3 people can fit in the back seat.

woven lids
or something...the median is a good place to makes sales of this sort.

a man walking
got himself a stick.

greetings!
from the side of the road.

weavings on stick
just sling it over your shoulder!

solid as a rock
because it is one

fraggle rock
just kidding, i don't even know what that means. I think it was a TV show back in the day, yes?

blurry rocks, large tree
overall, great photo

get out the way!
again, people have not yet figured out that it's somewhat dangerous to walk in the middle of the road with your herd of animals...

HAY!
that's quite a load you guys are carrying...

Ethio scaffolding
safety first, in all aspects of life, always.

just a shot of the road
taken through the windshield. enjoy the glare!

an elementary school
gotta learn somewhere!

an old tank
good thing it's in the shade.

a few ladies
trying to stay out of the sun. I don't blame them.

there are gas stations here!
OiLibya is a common one.

leftovers
from the war

people walking
as per usual...

cupped hand rock
wouldn't you agree?

a faraway castle!
I could look up the name, but alas I am lazy.

people walking, carrying sticks
imagine that.

i do like her head basket
and it probably contains injera. even better

colorful head basket
don't see those in my region

turban. stick. basket. walking
common

where are you go??
although incorrect, it's the one token English phrase most Ethiopians seem to know.

kids in the street
again, probably not the safest place to hang out

more people walking!
so many photos of this variety

a little boy on his dad's shoulders
spicin' it up a bit.

a lady carrying something on her head
not common in Tigray...but we're in Amhara now

baby on board!!
or on back..

wearing white, walking
we must be in Ethiopia.

more war leftovers
nice roadside decoration, eh??

morning salutations!
these kids should be in school

as should they
or perhaps they're walking to school...

taking a breather
what a relief!

see that willage
or the roofs and tree tops...

hay balls
bails. mounds. as you wish, as you like

a mountain!
Amhara is much less mountainous than Tigray

housing complex
diggin the thatch

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church
a round one.

coming through
with a large load on our heads!

some type of crop
don't know what it is...are you surprised?!

waiting for something
maybe a ride to work

Wheetabix
just add milk

pilgrims
en route to Lalibela

pile of fun
jump on it.

life.
people, animals, houses

one tree hill
is that show still around?!

"we got our sticks"
that's right.

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heavy loads
people in Amhara use large baskets for carrying things on their backs...good idea!

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early morning view from our hotel balcony
lovely surrounding scenery of Lalibela

a church window
from the first cluster...I'm not good with names...

a man deep in prayer
or maybe he's just reading the latest work of John Grisham...something we'll never know.

another church
I have a feeling that will be my tagline for many of these photos!

a church window and door
so descript, I know

a drum
as if you couldn't tell...

key keeper
a priest sits in every church, and is the keeper of the key

wangs
the doorways...modeled after the Axum stellae...aka a phallic symbol

a praying lady
she's not wearing any shoes

another church!
imagine that!

sleeping rooms/tombs
a bit uncomfortable, if you ask me...1 person per hole

a group of European tourist putting noise white hefty bags around their feet/calves
to keep the fleas out...according to my dad, "In my country, we call them clydesdales..." HAHA. A classic Steve quote.

a view from the top
of one of the churches, from the first cluster we visited. Name? Not sure...

another church
please don't ever let me be your tour guide...i'd do a horrible job

looks like I forgot to crop this one
sorry about that thing in the corner...

a treacherous little bridge
goes to the roof of one of the churches

my parents are just intrigued by our guide!
His name is Teddy - use him if you go to Lalibela - he's great!

an old priest in yellow
don't really know what he's doing

welcome to Ethiopia!
forgot what style of cross this is...perhaps the Lalibela style, that would make sense

Fertility Pool
people actually submerge themselves in this water, something you could not pay me to do...

religious artwork
common.

another priest
or key keeper, if you will...

Hi!
says Heidi & Steve!

more artwork
it's everywhere...and Jesus is always white

our shoes
before entering any church, you must first take off your shoes

a different view of the shoes
artsy, eh?!

doo doo doo
lookin out my back door...

a nun
keeping busy

a man, a plan, a canal
PANAMA! although not really...just a man sitting on top of a building.

my parents and Teddy, our guide
back angle w/ the sun, but otherwise a good picture

another nun
spinning cotton

another church!!!!
whoa!

more sleeping quarters
there's not really much room to move around

women not allowed
Steve took the camera for this one

some cool carving
again, I'd never make it as a guide

In the man church
women weren't allowed inside

family shot
Heidi, Steve, Me (Laura)

unique Gondarian houses
2 story stone with thatch roofs

From our home to yours!
Happy Holidays from the Copelands

Deacon school
little boys becoming church deacons

Bet Georgis
the most well-known church @ Lalibela

Steve, Heidi & Georgis
classic photo

Me, Heidi, Georgis
get in!

Teddy, Steve, Maregu, Heidi
and don't forget old Georgis back there!

solid as a rock!
hahaha

creepy human remains
an open tomb at the bottom

could use a nice pressure washing
or does the green add character?

wheaty offering
most likely for communion bread

Teddy, leaning on a prayer stick
they're different for men & women

women doing the hard work...always
men usually sit back and watch as women carry heavy loads...

Mancala!
or Gibeta in Tigrigna

a few nuns
descending upon Georgis

a view of the top
it's a cross...

Keeping out of the sun
it's pretty harsh/bright

another priest wearing yellow
not sure of the significance of the color yellow

the dividing line between heaven and hell
I think hell is on the right.

St. Gabriel Eve
celebration inside the church of St. Gabriel

no flash, a little blurry
colorful umbrella

an elderly gentleman with a fly whisk
kind of hard to see...

Maregu, hard at work
Steve loved having his shoes put on for him...hahahhaha

Maregu, hard at work
and Heidi enjoyed the treatment as well.

simply walking
where to? Don't know.

a man on a horse
descript, I know.

get out of town!
nice sign.

Oh Christmas Tree!
how lovely are your branches...

Fly eating Jam.
or jim, as I have often seen it misspelled on menus.

konjo ababa
pretty flowers

close up of a lovely flower
not sure what kind

avocado salad
my lunch...delicious!

Pretty Birds!
as seen at lunch

buckets of Lalibela!
one of the only colorful things here

a couple store fronts
colorful

weavings! basketry!
made by prisoners...mom bought 3

shoe shine stop/resting place
they're in every town

our driver, Solomon
Salamta!

sweet saddle
I'll take it, sans horse

women sifting through wheat
most likely for bread

more grains
they love them some sun!

peas!
mmmmm

chili peppers and something green
not sure about the green one.

post-lunch stroll back into town
love those back shots!

Hops
for Tella/Sewa[ge]...the local beer...yummm, not.

another unique Lalibelian house
I am wary of 2 story structures in this country...

2 nuns
simply sitting.

pilgrims' campsite
The pilgrims start their trek to Lalibela sometimes weeks before Ethiopian Christmas. We were there 2 weeks before said event, and they had just started arriving

a pilgrim
wonder where he walked from...some people literally walk for weeks to attend the Christmas celebration

another church, with a little help from its UNESCO friends
support

Steve/Dad!
coming down the stairs!

Heidi/Mom!
coming up the stairs!

Maregu, hard at work
Heidi, getting special shoe treatment

Teddy, beating to the tune of his own drum
he was a deacon in this one in his younger years

the priest/key holder
of Teddy's church

another church!
well I'll be!

a bell
hanging on a metal pole

this one's for the tourist books
Steve, Rock Climber Extraordinaire!

church with a glimpse of the priest inside
see if you can find him

how was such a grandiose structure carved??
rhetorical question.

pretty fascinating...
how it's carved out of 1 piece of stone

spot the priest
again, he's the one in white

how hard is it to put on your on shoe?!
Steve is patiently waiting...Maregu wouldn't let them do their own work...hahaha

St. Gabriel feast
for the church attendees

the 11th and final church we visited!
name? Not sure...

some traditional houses
kind of camo'ed back up in thurr

hotel lobby
some nice decorative pottery

Mountainview Lodge
great place to stay if you're in Lalibela...modern, comfortable, clean!

Tej
Ethiopian Honey Wine...pretty tasty

Cheers!
Solomon, Teddy, Dad...enjoying Tej for the first time

cultural musician
just delightful for your ears....

and let the singing begin
Dad refused to dance.

so long silly braids
my stache used to be on top of my head...

once a year is enough
to have braids/extensions....haha.

Tigray
a little willage

loading up the donkeys
with hay or something

heavy load
coming through...

cows
they're everywhere

cows
they make driving DANGEROUS

cows
play fighting.

there's a church up there on the left
konjo.

crop circles
wonder what symbolism this has...just kidding

a few houses
made of stone

maybe one day you could live here
but it's unlikely this building will ever be finished...common theme

another willage
glad I live some place with a couple streets

donkeys!
the brown are among my favorite kind

a bit o green
rare outside of the rainy season!

women walking
who knows where they're going...

Tigray
lovely landscape

your future home
if you're lucky

some type of structure
....

Le Tigre mountains
and terraced landscaping

Betachristian
aka church

cows
they need a break too

Tigray countryside
it's quite lovely

greenery!
wow.

gari (horse cart) & a road sign...
road signs are pretty rare!

public transport
gotta love it...or hate it.

cows and hay
word.

party in the road
there really needs to be a 3rd lane for animals and people...they haven't quite yet figured out that it's not safe to walk in the middle of the only road...

gimmel! aka camel
also among my favorite

who wants a PAPER STACK???!!!
yumm, not to mention great for your GI Tract

Shiro Feses
always a good choice

PAN CACK
always my favorite DISSERT

coffee set up
they're everywhere!!!!!! ahhhh

safety first!
always.

play at your own risk!
can't say I've seen too many playgrounds here!

simply walking
maybe to a funeral or something

greenery!
ahhh!

2 story structure
yikes.

countryside
very beauty

countryside
like a patchwork quilt

cloudy
with a chance of meatballs. maybe

housing
or maybe storage

walking
seemingly the most common mode of transportation...feet.

more countryside
many pics of this

going by foot
again

my new home!
in the middle of absolutely nowhere...not really though

a rock formation!
yep.

good thing it's the dry season
i think the roof might leak

cows and boys
a winning combo

carrying water
jerry cans. gotta love em. I know Ethiopians do.

structurally sound
as are all buildings/homes. HA

round house
kick to the face? no.

this house is a little too close to the road
don't you think?!

small willage
not off the beaten path

trying to make it home before dark
gotta get that water home!

what is life like in a round house?
Don't think I'll ever know.

boy with a stick
a common sighting.

square hut
next to a round one. think these people like geometry

simply walking
in a field...

greetings!
says another child with a stick.

a little roof repair
maybe?

road block
get your damn goats out of the middle of the road...

party preparations
a kilo of coffee, hand-roasted for my dad, with love!...and 3 hours of my life I'll never get back...

gotta get beautiful.
errrr...yikes. getting my hair did. another 3 hours of my life I'll never get back.

Ethio Steve!
first time having Ethio food!

there she is!!
Heidi, enjoying Ethio food for the first time.

Mom & Dad
Sign made by my compound folks

Dad & Terhas
again, cute

Mom & Terhas
cute pic

Home Ground
Heidi grinding some freshly roasted coffee beans

Welcome to LOURA
My compound family decorated my room for my parents' arrival/Christmas

The Spread
Coffee Ceremony treats

Gift of Gebis
traditional Ethio wear

Bunna Ceremony
in honor of my parents

Mom learning how to put on a Gebi
...it will come in very handy in the US...

Traditional Ethiopians
Heidi & Steve!

Terhas, master chef
so sweet

Dad eating injera
not his favorite

first serving of home-cooked Ethio migib
yummmm

Gursha!
it's a sign of love/respect to be hand-fed

Dad with his first cup of Ethio coffee
bunna ceremony #1

cutting the Hambasha
quite an honor

Coffee Ceremony!
2nd cup

Mom & Frewoyni
My 2 moms

Dad & Hailum Kiel
My 2 dads

The Whole Fam
my compound family + parents

Habesha parents, my parents, me, a neighbor
well come!

ladies only
some neighbors and compound fam

boys only
my dad w/ the guys on my compound + 2 neighbor kids

Family Photo
my compound family - they're so great!

compound fam + the rents
put this one in a frame!

Dad w/ Alula & Metkel
The Gator Nation is everywhere...

my fave pic
the whole lot!

Heidi, Habel, Steve
Christmas Day!

my parents & I
Christmas 2k10!

the main road
Mom & my fam

the main drag
city street of Quiha - riveting

Mom w/ a treasure
i think it's part of a cow jaw

Coffee Ceremony #2
Quiha Health Center

Zafu
my favorite little girl

Terhas, Jember, Habel, Mesfin
they came along for moral support

Gebre Yohannes
my counterpart, cutting the bread

the gift of a nice wood carving
from the health center staff to my parents

same pic + me
check out my sweet braids...yikes

the gift of a used laptop!
thanks Mr. Kip :)

G/Yo, Desta, Zafu
enjoying a nice time

Cactus
ouch

coffee!
so fresh

Mom observing the microscope
so advanced...

Mariam Quiha
the entrance to the church in my town

Mariam Quiha
it's a pretty one

relaxing @ Lily
R&R

Dad enjoying the cute kids
thumbs up!

the kids are cute
always.

the beginning of our trek
tigray is pretty, just not where I live :(

Faux corn plant
don't know what it's called

wheat!
aka sinday

up close & personal
...with a wheat plant...

top of the falls
so pretty

view looking out from the falls
again, so pretty

falls #1
just a beauty

kids
they're everywhere...even in the middle of nowhere!

followers
they accompanied us on our hike

Tigray!
it's a mountainous place

falls #2
descending through a hole in the rockscape

me!
such an athlete.

Tina!
the real athlete

water
fall.

view from the bottom
boulderiffic

thar she flows
pretty neat!

and again
falling water...water fall...

some of the little kids
always fun to follow the ferenji, right?!

saturday morning clothes washing
very normal

at the bus station
Tina!

leaving Korem
ciao!

The Disguise
Mesfin

The Disguise
Jonesina!

Coffee in my house
complete with popcorn and packing peanuts!

The Disguise
Jember

Sweet
who are these people?!

The Disguise
Terhas

The Disguise
Axumawit

My Halloween Cards!
Thanks friends.

Sweet Halloween Socks
they were a big hit.

The Disguise
Frewoyni

The Disguise
Tomasgin

The Disguise
Hidet

The Disguise
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The Disguise
DSCN1257.JPG 2010-10-31

The Disguise
Hailum Kiel

The Disguise
Genet

The Disguise
Haile

The Disguise
Ababa & Mickey

The Disguise
T'siga

The Disguise
Habel

The Disguise
Metkel

The Disguise
Alula

The Disguise
Baroke

Compound Gates


Compound Gates


Compound Gate


Compound Gates


Compound Gate


Compound Gate


Compound Gate


Compound Gates


Compound Gates


Compound Gate


Compound Gate


Compound Gate


Compound Gate

Kiros Gessese Elementary School
First Program of the Day

cute little girl
where's her uniform?

Students waiting to hear our message
As you can see, these students wear green and blue...every school in town is different.

More students
This elementary school is for grades 1-8

Glitter!!
Explaining about germs

Here, "germs" are being thrown at kids
they are everywhere...

and the crowd went wild
everyone wanted just a little germ

Sea of Green
with blue pants.

SO CUTE
a little boy w/ a handwashing poster!

The Vice Director of the School
Up on her SOAPBOX...hey! It's Global Handwashing Day!!

Students practicing on their own
we had them bring bottles of water to school...

practicing
gotta learn the proper techniques!

child on a rock
parents? who knows.

Quiha Elementary's faucets
too bad the water wasn't working...

poster children
@ Quiha Elementary

Presenting Important Info!
holding up posters for everyone to see

students w/ their water bottles
so prepared!

Health Education
My Supervisor, Alem, telling students about Global Handwashing Day

scrub with soap
for 20 seconds

handwashing!
practice makes perfect

rinse with running water
doesn't have to come from a faucet

me & my boyz
with the posters!

students practicing on their own
success!

more students practicing
who knew handwashing could be so fun?!

Entrance to Social Affairs
with a poster advertising the day

some of the Social Affairs staff
listening to me on my soapbox

Social Affairs Office
even adults need to know the proper techniques!

soap for 20 seconds
scrub all over

so much fun
everyone loves clean hands

everyone needs to wash their hands!
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Merciful Paradise Academy
The private school in town...can you tell by their uniforms?!

Merciful Paradise Academy Students
so fresh and so clean!

so clean cut.
fancy uniforms

Lining Up...
they mean business

GLITTER! (Germs)
They loved it.

Germs!
so much excitement.

handwashing!
a few students demonstrating.

and when you smile for the camera...
I'll take your picture.

Global Handwashing Day T Shirt
from last year...my town's Social Affairs office gave it to me out of appreciation for my efforts this year!

Bridal Photo Shoot
she already had her makeup on...this is just for show

Ethio Hairstyles
for women.

The Bridal Party
"Candid Photos"

some friends of the bride
+ beauty shop workers

Veiling
again, this is "candid"

the groom
he came to the beauty shop to retrieve his bride

the couples' car
decorated, of course.

procession to the car
before driving around town a bit...

a long train on her dress
pick it up!

a few of the bridesmaids
pretty in red.

More of the bridal party
heading to the cars

the 80s called
they want their dresses back.

the little kids
seeing the bride and groom get into the car...

a traditional instrument of Ethiopia
found it in the bushes!

the bride and groom
during the outdoor photo shoot

kids in suits
pretty fancy.

young males
relatives of the bride

again, the 80s called.
wanting their dresses back.

entrance to the reception tent
here, the bride and groom are sitting in the car, while people are singing and dancing in a circle around the car.

the reception tent
packed full of people, both inside and out.

ceiling decorations
Colored toilet paper and balloons

The Bridal Thrones
With Golden Lion Arms!

HAPPY WEDDING!
Wall Decor

Flaming Cake
Who doesn't love a little pyrotechnics on a wedding cake?!

Beets!
garden fresh

these guys helped me weed the garden
Bahailu and not sure of the little guy's name

Quiha
near the airport runway

Walking home
some ladies on their way home

Grazing cattle
gotta eat.

walking home
after a hard day's work.

sheep on a roof!
how'd that thing get up there?!

Sinkata
the town where my friend lives

Sinkata during the rainy season
it's green!

kids
as always

horse cart! (gari)
something you have to look out for on the streets!

belas
cactus fruit...so deliciously healthy

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me & my compound's New Year's meal
poor guy

start of the event
101_6998.JPG 2003-02-12

sheep slaughter
It's a family affair!

blood letting
remind me to never wash my clothes in that metal basin in the future

Tina!
who doesn't love posing with a dead sheep?!

Me!
again, who doesn't love posing with a dead sheep?!

first the neck

then the nuts!

hanging up to dry
or drip.

sheep.
that's what's for dinner.

baaaaaa
sorry if these are kind of graphic...it's just life for me.

"I love dead sheep!"

Jember, posing near the [soon to be] New Year's meal.

Hailum Kiel
doing a man's work!

I made banana bread
for New Year's gifts

dried meats
back there on the door

family time!
My compound family's grandparents...sweet, sweet people!

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My landlady's mother!

aka my Habesha grandma

coffeeeeeeeeeee

New Year's Day bunna

Lily!
one of my friends in town, she got her hair did for the Ethio New Year

the field between my house & the airport
it only looks like this for about 2 months out of the year

Axum & Mickey!
my compound mate & little neighbor

a neighborhood girl
cute lil thang

wise men
taking an afternoon rest near my house

Mesfin, Axumawit, Frewoyni, Terhas
the family I live with

how do you say delicious?!
my plate from a 6 year old's birthday party

Happy Birthday, Tomasgin!
my little neighbor turned 6

partyyyyyyy
Tomasgin, Jember, Mickey, Hidet

Birthday Bread Gursha
what a lucky little boy!

another cute little girl
she lives in my hood

as does this cute little boy
it's all in the hood

grazing on a sunny afternoon
mmmm

hungry ass
donkeys are everywhere here.

it's actually green
but not so much anymore :(

Jember
wearing her Ashenda award

a Jebena
the traditional Ethiopian coffee vessel

coffee ceremony
in my room. ah!

hada nishtay finjal
1 small cup...this is the standard coffee cup, size wise

Mickey & Jill
so adorable

silly hats
Me, Jill, Tina...at a souvenir shop in Mekele.

it's a lovely day for a donkey ride!
free of charge.

Ethiopian bendera
aka flag

cute cute cute
she greets me everyday en route to the health center

crazy carrot. with legs.
so obviously it warrants a picture, right?!

Jack
dirty (but sweet) dog from the health center

Misilal & Alem
Health Center, represent

yet another adorable little girl!
they're everywhere

flag day!
my door window...patriotism at its finest

healthy snack
roasted chick peas

gourmet breakfast
in the form of a chocolate chip pancake!!!

Axumawit
in the kitchen

those crazy Ethio knives
very multipurpose

me & Jonesina
my compound's cat

Macchiato
so delicious.

Mother & Child
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Meskel Eve
ain't no thang to jump over fires

Meskel Eve
coffee ceremony on my compound

Meskel Eve
Coffee party!

small fire
to jump over 3 times

boys singing with sticks
always makes for a good time

choreographed dancing
for my compound's enjoyment

Jember & Axumawit
dancing up a storm

Meskel
"The Finding of the True Cross"

big bonfire
@ the Orthodox church in my town

ash cross
from the town bonfire on MESKEL!

The pretty Ethiopian Orthodox church in my town
Mariam, or so she's called

ash crosses
i prefer ashes on my hand instead of the forehead

Meskel luncheon
huge pots o' wat

meat & taters
mmmmmm.....

INJERA!
flat, multi-purpose sour pancakes.

bani
aka bread

Sewa(ge)
The local beer

what sewa(ge) looks like
taste kind of like smoky car tires.

weave
belongs to my landlady, hanging out to dry

I got my hair did!
thought it would make for a nice photo-op

me w/ straight black hair
i think I prefer the fro

Zafu and Tsigay
on her first day of kindergarten

Zafu!
one of my favorite little girls

me & Zafu
going to school

Tsigay, Zafu, Alem
day 1 of KG!

Negash
the mosque

a man washing his feet
and a small child holding his cane

hanging out
by the mosque...

Negash
read it.

Negash
a very holy site for Muslims

grave yard
can't tell you what the headstones say...I don't speak/read/write Arabic!

the man who showed us around
I like his hat.

and I like his hat as well
(not for sale at the gift shop)

Twin day
missed out on this memo.

inside the mosque
people praying

a many praying
guess Mecca is that way

Binford
like the tools

scenery of Tigray
it's actually pretty during the rainy season!

something holy
a cross, perhaps

me
with greenery...imagine that!

crazy lock
it opens from behind the door...couldn't quite figure it out, although I didn't spend too long trying to...

Kate!
entering at her own risk through the midge door

the beauty of Le Tigre
doesn't last year round :(

2 windows
great explanation of what you're seeing.

Chris!
climbing a ladder

Me & Bryan
and Jaret in the background...

angry old priest
he was yelling at the kids who followed us

the outer world
view from inside

ceiling deco
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paintings
these were recently redone, hence they're quite bright

guess the scene
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instruments!
we weren't allowed to use them

the escape door
maybe.

nice weedy flower
love the rainy season!

Keith!
putting his shoes back on...you have to go barefoot into all the churches

or just not wear shoes in the first place
the priest from one of the churches

the last church we visited
quite a climb to get up to it!

Keith!
such a badass

the way to the church
rickety, sketch, check.

wall deco!
inside the 3rd church

Me & Kate!
visiting from Amhara...

2 of my very oldest friends
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green scenery...it's rare!!
compliments of the rainy season

a rock cross
can you see it?

Monkey bones!
aka MONK bones...yikes

Holiday Meal
All holidays here require many animal sacrifices...this little guy lived on my compound for a couple days

Kate & Chris
enjoying some TIBS

Kate!
and her cat bag...

Kate, yet again!
here's looking at you.

Ashenda, day 1
little girls in the street

Mobile Donkey Library
one of the cutest ideas ever

one hard working ass
he pulls a mobile library!

Loving Hearts
The donkey library

Grand opening of the Youth Library
in Mekele

just like a wavin
The Ethiopian flag, waving over a couple of Tigray stools. Patriotism, check.

Tigray hairstyle
many girls and women had their hair done like this for the festival

Grass skirts
made of the Ashenda river grass

Tirhas wears Ray Bans
import quality

sums up my morning
Ashenda + coffee

Ashenda girls
cute.

Fake tat
but many people have real ones in the middle of their forehead

Traditional hair & clothes
of Tigray

kids, waiting for the ribbon cutting ceremony
good turnout.

Gracias
or grassy ass...

a group of girls
they sing & dance for money

street party
in Mekele, for Ashenda

Mekele girls
celebrating Ashenda

house to house Ashenda girls
the tiny girl on the right is Jember. She lives on my compound

skin party!
a typical holiday occurrence...after mass animal massacres, who wouldn't want to buy a sheep skin??!!

Zafu, upon receiving her Ashenda book
cutest little girl with a beautiful smile

Ashenda!
it's written in English & Tigrigna

i want to take her home w/ me
but, I don't think that's very likely.

my special set-up
you're probably jealous of my regal chair

turning 24!
surprise party from my compound family

Terhas
making coffee for my birthday!

Stacy & Bryan
in town for my bday!

Nick & Jaret
birthday!

Party people
my compound family

birthday bread
I got to cut it - reserved for special occasions only

cutting of the large bread
Happy birthday to me!

start in the middle
and work your way to the edge...

sunny day
nice one for a birthday

food stuffs
yummmm

my coffee ceremony
made me feel special!

Jonesina
little hellraiser

Bryan!
trying to sit in the shade

pyrotechnics
during the day!

birthday cup o coffee
so good!

just like a wavin' flag...
jaret, bryan, nick...swaying to K'naan

24!
Jaret, Nick, me, Bryan, Stacy

More Party People!
Binyam, Mesfin, Axumawit, Jember, Me, Habel, Frewoyni, Terhas, Tomasgin

one of my many signs
homemade

don't be jealous
the flowers are fake!

cute baby
at a meeting I attended

some adolescent males
at a training I attended for deaf youth

coffee being ground
no machine necessary

coffee ceremony
part of everyday life!

two adorable deaf girls signing to me
i love you

grass!
only grows during the rainy season

Belas!
fruit of the cactus.

how to eat a belas
you peel the skin off and eat the whole inside

belas!
cactus fruit

Belas vendor
by the side of the road

front entrance to the Maychew Saturday market
it attracts so many people!

little kids that followed us around
with a tire in tow...

a few atakilti
aka vegetables

coffee roasting pans, used tin cans
never know when you'll need one or 10

bucket area
they're so useful

the bucket list
Why have a shower when you could use a bucket? Why have a sink when you could use a bucket?

tater row
fresh potatoes!

plastic pitchers
to use with the collection of other buckets, duh.

poo beads
among others...

string man
one could make a lot of friendship bracelets...

Bryan and his new friend!
the little boy latched on Bryan's hand the whole way home

traditional fabrics
this is what most people wear...it's a very versatile piece of material

close up
pretty embroidery

a view of the market
but this doesn't capture it all

shoe stall
for cheap plastic shoes. Again, very common.

another pile o' potatoes!
yummm

tomatoes & a donkey!
they're everywhere

walking down the street
passersby

heavy load
leaving the market

Maychew!
the little boy is still holding Bryan's hand!...almost home

Tagamino
one of my favorite foods here

lunch
that's what it looks like out of the hot pot. delish.

Bryan!
and his smurf gloves

Awet, Jaret, Gail
A-Framing.

Gail
+ an A-Frame

Bryan & Gebru
A-Framing, as usual

Nebiyu, Tadewos, Atakilti
getting their A-Frame on.

Atakilti & me
With our finished A-Frame!! holla.

my little friend Mulu
he's a modelist, I think.

Tadewos, teaching us how to use an A-Frame
...to measure the contour of the land...

bring it.
your A-Frame, that is.

PCVS, Counterparts, A-Frames
what else would you want?!

Stacy & Jaret
being goofy

PCV G2 trainer, Gail!
overlooking the middle east

Mapping the contour of the land
thanks to our new friend, The A-Frame.

ouch, rebar in the head!
danger zone.

our garden design
pretty fancy

Selam (peace), my new favorite little girl
she was at our site everyday, being cute.

Tadewos & Nebiyu
...with matching pants...

China made
quality...not an Ityop'yan product

rakes!
haven't used one of these in so long

starting to clear our plot
hard work - action shot!

Atakilti
his name = vegetables

clearing the plot
one of the garden beneficiaries

a decent sized plot of land
just need fertile soil

looking good
hard workers

Stacy!
working that shovel

Friendly little guy!
one of our supervisors

Moral support
so adorable

where our garden will grow
ready to be double dug!

surveying the land
after a lot of energy was spent clearing it!

starting to dig our retention pond
to catch the water!

another supervisor
watching us from afar

been a long day
still there for moral support!

digging the "pond"
my new swimming pool

our future garden
designing the beds

making our paths
we all marched in a circle

future vegetable garden!
looks delicious

post-gardening find
a wide variety of really odd soaps

afternoon snack
coconut biscuits (cookies) and chocolate milk...yummm

Quiha's "Green Area"
where we collected "greens" for our compost

the burbs of Quiha
near the green area...

trees exist!
who knew?!

Fisha!
one of our PC drivers

a treasure I found
while collecting "browns" for our compost

Bryan w/ TWO machetes
this is what I call dangerous.

poo chef
gotta get it freshly dropped and finely chopped. (not really with the freshly dropped - I just wanted to rhyme)

Composting
all you need: browns, greens, poop (not of the human variety)

supervisors
kids love empty water bottles here...

seeing how it's done
compost, that is

me & a baby sheep
they're adorable at this age, but then something awful happens and they become hideous :(

gail & a baby sheep
too cute

our garden design on paper
detailed with veggies

leveling the beds
all in a day's work!

watering the beds
before planting the seeds

side view of the garden
in the "mandela" design

hard workers
planting!

teamwork
plant it good.

laying mulch
for protection

Jaret & Awet
resting in our unfilled retention pond

nearly finished garden
pretty swell, eh?!

tea break
IMG_3859.JPG 2010-07-01

tea break
with some of our small helpers

finished garden
what a beauty!!

Selam
for the 20th time...she's just so cute, and not annoying!

finished product
i'm lovin' it!

staring contest w/ a fat cow
as usual, I think I won.

a different view of Quiha
kind of pretty...

somewhere over the rainbow
how nice.

another view of Quiha
could use a bit of green...

kid from the Afar region
wearing a man skirt

Celebratory Bread
Can't have a party without it! (although the dye is a rarity!)

Health Extension Graduation!
welcome graduates

hand washing
bucket, water, and soap is all you need

Coffee Ceremony
of course

the graduates
waiting for certificates of completion!

a lady drinking coffee
so sweet

award givers
official, eh?!

coffee
aka Bunna

small cute child
as usual

bit of tigrigna for you
i'm semi illiterate when it comes to reading this

hanging plants
@ the health center!

coffee with the ladies
some of the health center staff

my bathroom
shower behind the door on the left, "toilet" on the right...sink, and a chalkboard...all very necessary

the old squatter
daily dose of fun...for 2 years...could be a lot worse

11th Anniversary Celebration
for FreHiwot, a local NGO I do some work with...sponsored by DKT, a condom company

Signage
celebrating 11 years in Quiha!

Chairperson/Videographer
Atakilti! (his name means vegetables)

traditional dancing
in all white

dancing
good thing the grass isn't slippery

My neighbor, Axumawit
belting tunes

different dancers
still cultural...

My neighbor, Terhas
Modeling

Terhas again!
"Modelist" as many people say

a few club members
mighty men

more club members
hooray!

Group Shot
FreHiwot Social Service Organization

Group Shot + me
FSSO

Bonfire!
This was an alllllll day celebration!

Nick's Birthday
wooohooo

Camp Planning Meeting
in Mekele on a Sunny Afternoon

Home Visits
part of the health extension package

Coffee!
first ceremony on this particular day

2 of the Health Extension Workers
pretty ladies

not my town
this place has greenery!

my new house!
just kidding.

Sarah
we came upon this while walking in the woods

Beautiful hike!
in Adishu

ants on a log
what I wouldn't give for celery

Terhas
our first try @ making brownies!

Terhas, Jember, Axumawit
the sisters who live on my compound

me & Jonesina
my pseudo cat

the gator nation is EVERYWHERE
even in my kitchen...and the brownies were delicious

Ham, Cheese and Chocolate sandwich
you're probably drooling right about now

Jealous at what delicious foods are found here?!
hahaha...gross.

a donkey resting in the shade
this is what I came home to the other day! What an ass.

A pig-shaped potato noodle thing!
have to jazz up my dinner on occasion...

German Potato Noodles
thanks for the recipe, PC cookbook!

another coffee ceremony...
@ my friend Gennet's house

freshly roasted beans
smell/taste so good

standard mini bus
love the hairy head rests