Just a good ol' Saturday!

Because this week went by so quickly and was full of so much to do, it feels really good for Millie and I to just be able to relax for a day. I know the weeks are going to keep getting crazier and crazier as we keep getting further into our internship here at ILRI.

This morning was nice and slow. Millie and I both took our time getting ready, made our own breakfasts; eating whatever we felt like having. I just had some honey on bread, an apple, and some juice. The honey is so delicious! When Millie and I went shopping one day this week, I bought some of the Ethiopian honey because I've heard so many people talk about how great it was! I have to say I agree with them 100%! It is so good! It's 100% honey, with no added anything! It's in a plastic container, and more of a solid than liquid... This was different... I have to use a knife to spread it around like peanut butter or something than just turning over the container and pouring it out. Also, this honey is while, and not a golden color. This was weird as well. It is so extremely delicious though! I can't have too much of it at a time though because it is extremely sweet. I don't think I've ever tasted anything as sweet as this before. I love all these 100% foods that you know are all natural. It's great. The juice I purchased doesn't have many added ingredients. It's a mixed fruit juice blend and contains water, 5 different fruits, no high fructose corn syrup, and sugar is one of the last ingredients listed! Score! It's weird not having nutrition labels on the food products though...

100% organic Tigray, Ethiopian honey!

Fruit juice!

I also forgot to mention about the full moon on Friday the 13th! No one here talked about the whole superstition about it, so that was cool. When Millie and I went shopping for our meals for the weekend, we couldn't find the moon, but saw the sun instead! That was the freaky sight! The picture doesn't show it too well, but it was so strange. It wasn't very bright, but it wasn't time for it to set yet. Also, it was white, so we thought at first it was the full moon!

We sat in the Zebu for a while, then decided to go back to our rooms for a bit to relax. Millie read one of her books while I played cards for a little over an hour. At around 1 Millie came into my room to check out my playing cards and shuffling. She was in pure amazement at how I shuffled for some reason? I have no idea, but she said that it sounded really difficult so I have no idea. Looks like I need to do some teaching on how to shuffle....:) By the end of the summer Millie will be a professional card shuffler! After the whole shuffling discussion, we decided it was time for some lunch! We headed to the Zebu for some samosas, but they didn't have anymore! So we headed back to our rooms and ate! 

We relaxed a bit after lunch too. I was playing some cards again, when I see Ricardo and Edwin creeping along our sidewalk. I was like, "Oh cool. They're out for a walk. It is a great day for that." Then they just stopped right in front of our walkway that leads up to our doors. I glanced out real quick at them and I see Ricardo looking right at me... "Oh jeez what do they need...?" I open my door and call to them to come in. They said they were going to Addis to buy Ricardo a phone and Sim card and wanted to know if Millie and I wanted to tag along. After buying the phone and card they were going to call a cab to take us to a handicrafts place so Edwin could buy a couple souvenirs for his daughter. Millie and I had nothing better to do on our Saturday, so we went! Ricardo got his phone within just a few minutes, so that was a cinch! We then had to call a taxi. Mr. Messafint gave us his business card last week went after we went site seeing, so we could call him whenever we needed a taxi and he would be right there. He took us to the handicrafts area where there were so many places to buy traditional things! It was perfect for Edwin! After that, Mr. Messafint took us to this one restaurant that's called The Top View and it used to be a restaurant with an amazing view of Addis, but since it was build, other taller buildings have been built in front of it so you can't see much of Addis from there anymore...

There's the not-so-much-view

The "view" not zoomed in

Because of this, Mr. Messafint took us to this other building close by to look at Addis from above! It was a really fancy building with a restaurant on the top floor! Above that, was an open area on the top! We went up there and the views were amazing! You could see all of Addis from there! There's so much motion in the city with everyone hurrying about their business.

Just me!

Left to right: Ricardo, Millie, Mr. Messafint, me

Left to right: Ricardo, Mr. Messafint, Edwin

Very busy area where most people grab a cab

Another view with the roundabout cut off on the right

While taking some pictures, I couldn't help but notice how interesting the sky and sun were. It was so cool with the sun trying to shine from behind the clouds. Also, to one side of the building, I saw some kids playing soccer in the middle of the road, and I was tempted to go down and join them! It looked like they were having a god time! Also, I saw a soccer field that probably the people that live there use. It was interesting with no grass, just dirt, and no nets on the goals.

So pretty!

There they are playing

The soccer field

After taking so many pictures on top of this building, we decided it was time to grab something to eat. Mr. Messafint told us to take our time and he would be in the car whenever we were ready. The 4 of us ordered a vegetable pizza to share, Ricardo ordered a beer, and Edwin, Millie, and I ordered papaya fruit juice. It was all so good! I'm afraid to admit, but I feel like I've had some of the best pizzas I've ever had here in Ethiopia. I don't know what it is about them, but their tastes are delicious!

A slice of the vegetable pizza

My fancy papaya fruit juice
with a lime!

It was time to head home. All of us were exhausted! We got back to Zebu, and Millie and I headed to our rooms to relax. The Columbia vs. Greece game would be on at 7 pm in the Zebu, so Millie and I might go to that and watch. Get some experience of how the whole World Cup environment and everything goes! This could be good! :)