We were blessed to see our friend Nati before we left on our adventure for the day. We have always remembered his kindness as the host of the guest house we stayed at previously. It was good to see his bright smile and kind eyes again.
We loaded up the van with kids and friends and headed to Unity Park. This is a newly built space close to the current primary government buildings. There were gardens, playgrounds, historical places, ice cream, snack shops, a zoo, and a cultural center. We thought we had plenty of time, but it was so large, we didn't get to see everything in the new park.
One thing we learned... anytime you are going anywhere near government buildings, even to a place that is across the street or next to them... bring your passport. We showed up at Unity Park with no ID. Kevin luckily had his wallet with his US driver's license. But other than that, nothing. I guess we looked pretty harmless because they eventually let us go through.
Everything had been built in the last two years. It is part of a project set that the prime minister put into place. The gardens were beautiful and there was significant thought put into the aesthetics and flow of the park. It pairs historical places with gardens and other activities to create a space that would appeal to people of all ages.
This is the chapel that Emperor Menelik II had built in the late 1800s. The elevated walkways all come together into his personal prayer room.
The grand entrance to the throne room. Everything was stone and marble. From the high ceilings dangled simple yet elegant chandeliers. The intricate work along the ceiling highlights multiple cultural designs.
A figure of Halie Selassie sits at the end of the throne room. The walls and ceilings are ornately adorned with filigree decoration, lights, and heavy curtains.
On each side of the throne room are long sunrooms that let light stream into the space. One side was an exhibit dedicated to the explanation of the various religions within Ethiopia. The other side concentrated on the history of the Ethiopian government.
It is beautiful to see the religious plurality in Ethiopia. While I am sure they have had some challenging times, there is currently peace and acceptance of the various faiths and practices. The orthodox priests sit in the markets under brightly colored parasols that are adorned with gold fringe and other finery. They offer blessings to those who stop and also encourage support for the church. On Sunday mornings you can hear the protestant churches from blocks away. The speakers of their sound systems carry the singing and preaching to all the ears of the neighborhood. The speakers on top of the mosques remind all people of the Muslim prayer times throughout the night and day.
We then visited the space under the throne room. While the room above represented a posh elegance, the spaces below were haunting. Prisoners were kept in the hollows of these arches. In the time of the Derg (the 1960s and 1970s), prisoners were packed into this space while awaiting their fate, torture and/or death. The exhibit in the center of the main chamber gives a brief history. There is much more to learn about in the Red Terror Memorial (on another day, stay tuned.)
Another grand building was the banquet hall. There was plenty of space for the government dignitaries to host other world leaders or the elite of Ethiopia. The colorful windows and bright paint kept the atmosphere festive.
The zoo had a small, but nice selection of animals to see. Meerkats, lions, cheetahs, giraffes, various birds, monkeys. The meerkats were very playful, but also enjoyed testing each other's strength. I'm sure only one can be the alpha of the group. The aquarium was nice. I overheard a child asking their mom if there was was a "Nemo" fish. Finding Nemo has found it's way to Ethiopia too! The Cheetahs paced while the hyenas and lions lounged around. The monkeys sat looking for attention from passersby.
After Unity Park we all went out to eat. The traffic was unbelievable. However, Josie prevailed in finding a great spot for Ethiopian Food. Zikir Kurt and Kitfo.
Ethiopian food is eaten as a group. There are not individual plates. It is one large plate in the center. Injera (sourdough flatbread) is spread over the plate and then the different dishes are piled on top. Extra rolls of injera line the sides of the large plate. There is no silverware. You pinch off portions of injera and use it to scoop up the food with four fingers.
One of the ways to show honor and respect for someone else is to feed them. Our Ethiopian friends enjoyed creating a sample of all the foods and feeding us.
We had quite the mixture of dishes. Josie ordered for the table, so I'm not really sure what everything is on the plate. However, it was all delicious!
Of course we quickly started returning the favor to them as well.
Tree
ዛፍ
[zauf]
Come
ና
[na]
Go
ሂድ
[heed]
Thank you
አመሰግናለሁ
[am-esh-a-ga-na-le-who]
What a lovely tradition!
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