the other bits of my Ethiopia trip

I've already described the highlights (the Mursi lip-plates and the Hamar bull-jumping), but there were other parts to my Ethiopia trip too - meeting people from the Dassanech and Dorze (and seeing where they live), and meeting the King of Konso.  He rules over some 400,000 people, although from his explanations as to his role, he takes rather more of a Queen Elizabeth II approach, talking of 'serving' his people rather than 'ruling' them.  This to the left is his palace.

He actually met Prince Charles some years ago, and hadn't heard that the Prince had just a couple of days before become a King!

& we met an old Jamaican guy in Sheshamene (the rastafarian town in their 'promised land' of Ethiopia).  This guy had long ago hosted Bob Marley at his place, and he was eager to show us his old balck-and-white photos of the event.  He also told us a little about the Rastafarian beliefs, and shared a copy of a speech that Emperor Haile Selassie had made about Ethiopia, imposed ('colonial') religions, and pan-Africanism.  I found it sad that pan-Africanists generally hold Ethiopia in high esteem - and of course the African Union is headquartered there - but that Ethiopians generally seemed to show no interest in the rest of the continent, having their own traditions, their own distinctive music, etc.

It was interesting for me to compare my life with that of the women we met on our travels.  I suspect their children and grandchildren are central to their lives, and that they would consider my life to be empty and sad.  Whereas when I look at women like these from the Dassanech ... well, I continue to feel super-grateful for the position I find myself in.

Whilst the trip was dominated by our interactions with people, there were a few other living creatures that sneaked in.  At Lake Chamo we took a boat ride and admired the many African Fish Eagles, Goliath Herons and Nile crocodiles that populate the lake, whilst I also noted some Thick-knees and Hornbills that I didn't bother pointing out to the other (non-birder) trip members.

Then in Hawassa we went to the fish market, where there were as many marabou storks as there were fisherman, and to a nearby park where vervet monkeys and black-and-white colobus monkeys hung around.  The latter had become habituated to the human presence, to the extent where a couple of local men were able to call them in, place nuts in the outstretched hands of tourists, and the monkeys would climb up to get them.  I think this one forgot the script, however.

Then on the final day we drove north of Addis Ababa, to visit the monastery and museum Debre Libanos ... not very interesting in itself, but not far outside of the town is an area known for Gelada Baboons, and I was really happy that a troop of them appeared and let us watch them (from a distance) for a while.