Bale Mountains, the trip that almost was.

As a very part-time grade 9 advisor I got asked to tag along on their Week Without Walls trip to the Bale Mountains. According to the head honcho, the trip is usually in mid-December, when the rainy season is well into the books. This year's trip was an exception, I guess the person who made the master schedule for WWW decided to test fate (or ignore both sound advise and mother nature). After nearly a 10-hour drive, we arrived to the land of continuous rain. Long story short, the trip was abandoned two days into it, months of planning activities for the kids-a total waste, 20-hours to and fro in a bus dodging livestock...In the end, the kids had fun as we spent the last 2 days doing day-trips (Lake Langano and Menagesha Forest).  As I as said before, Ethiopia has some of the most amazing landscape in the world, one day I hope to return to the Bale Mountains.

Week two in Addis

Since our last post we haven't really escaped our compound or gone on any real adventures. We keep pretty busy with school and the rain limits our explorations. The power outages have been less frequent, but internet connection at home is still hit or miss, when it is a hit we can check e-mail...other activities such as streaming video, Skype, etc. is pretty much a pie in the sky. 

In other news, US Customs had pulled our container off the ship and was searched for weapons of mass destruction; an A-TECT exam (Anti-Terrorism Contraband Enforcement Team). If customs determines that your cargo needs inspection, the container is contracted to a third-party to be taken to a warehouse a couple of miles from the port. Once at the warehouse the third-party company (Price Transfer Inc.) opens the container and boxes. A-TECT comes in and looks for weapons of mass destruction (yes, that is the real term used). The exam is free but the cost to pull it off the boat and driven a couple of miles amounted to about $1500 (at our expense).   

We were followed by one of the boys during our hike up Mount Entoto...The other guarded our van. 

Daily rain in the school's parking lot.  

There are 2 Bobs and a Rob on campus. Rob hosted a single malt tasting while the other Bob played the hand of Michelangelo's God.   

Q: Where do most of the Canadian's who work at our school live?  

Dance party in Little Canada.  

The band providing the dance tunes.

This is why I carry a Sharpie with me. We decided that our housing complex should be a gang. So I gave everyone Varnero tats. 

Jackie rocking it!

Monica wanted a neck tat. 

Saturday DMV funzies. We are legal to drive. 

The DMV had a cool car museum in it...but no photos allowed.

Ana and the stolen a baby.

Actual size and mean as hell.

Dog day afternoon.

Arf-arf

Running track beneath our apartment. The loop is about a quarter km, combine that with the stairs and you have the Varnero mini-gym. Word to the wise: some homies got stuck in the elevator when the power went out the other night-unless you like Russian Roulette, stairs are your best option. If you do get get stuck, scream loud so your friends can come an giggle.  

After the DMV comes car shopping. Fully loaded. 

Egyptian Concerts and Storms

I've been in hiding for the past couple of weeks, in short taking a break from getting myself into trouble. The holidays are here; sort of...at least the Schutz gang makes it feel like Christmas. I suppose the biggest news is that we drew blood to sign next year's contract. You heard correct, we're staying put. The Camels and Tacos misadventure continues.

This holiday we are going to a less exotic part of the world. Portugal has been high on my list while Paris is Ana's dream. We compromised and split the holiday between the two places where neither of us speaks the language. The plan is to stay in hotels as little as possible and try out some couch surfing by staying with locals. It's like being on a punk rock tour all over again. 

December has also been a month of concerts. Last night the Cairo Symphony was in town and Dr. Greg our esteemed music teacher/conductor/man of many adventures and tongues gave his usual "I'm about to jump out of my skin" pre-concert lecture. A movie has to be made about Greg. Period. Our small group was treated to a Mozart overture and concerto and Beethoven Symphony No. 5. 

A few weeks prior I entered the world of Egypt's best well known contemporary composers Omar Khairat. You either love or hate the guy's music. He played four sold out evenings at Alexandria's Bibliotheca Great Hall. I met up some co-workers after my questionable 15 minute teeth cleaning (more on that later). I bought a ticket from a scalper (at face value) and sat front row for 2 plus hours of what sounded like a soundtrack to an elephant hunt with Arabian music blended with the themes to The Rockford Files, Beretta, with a touch of Dynasty (or Dallas) for good measure. Each composition felt more dramatic than the previous. The majority female audience doused him with bouquets by night's end.  

Omar looking suave for the ladies

Omar in action

Last week's severe storm that left a path of destruction in Alex. Below are photos borrowed from an e-mail a co-worker sent. I shot some video but decided not to post it. The waves were massive and breaking at least 300 yards out.