Istanbul/Ethiopia/Azerbaijan Day 5

February 29, 2016

Wow... I awakened, again, so very early (6am). I didn't fit it today. I just went with it.

I sent a few messages on Facebook only to find that these friends were still awake. Time change...freaky.

I lounged and then washed some clothes. After showering (lukewarm water) I prepared for my day,

I paid my bills at reception. I was now set, including transport to the airport, tomorrow.

Breakfast was a repeat of yesterday, with the same warmth, same cloudless sky, and same amazing view. I blogged a bit and just absorbed my surroundings.

After breakfast, I went to reception to make change for small bills and struck up a conversation. Ambachew, has aspirations of being in the hospitality industry A having his own place. He'd like to offer Agro-tourism, hiking, bird watching, and even exploration of local plants. I offered suggestions for how to be more visible to attract the right kind of guests. He has a tutor on how to use Facebook and that's a start. He's a bright guy and just needs the right tools to grow a business for himself.

The sun was high in the sky and the churches closed until 2pm so I put my feet up on the balcony and enjoyed the view.

I had a lunch of the lentil soup again, it was tasty, cheap, and full of protein. The wind had picked up so I are just off the deck.

Two o'clock - time to go, Ambachew had called me a tuk tuk and for 50 birr ($2.33) he brought me to Bet St. George. I walked down and cross the bridges and heard some saying hello and then Salam. He was high up on the rock that has the best vantage point. He asked for my ticket. I looked though my bag and it want there. I did find where I had paid the $50 dollars for the museum for 5 days, today was day three. I showed him that and He said "ticket". I said that this was all I had. He said I needed a different piece of paper - in his best English. I repeated that this was all I has and that if there was something else, the guide must have kept it. After as few rounds of that he said check. We went to the office on the other side of the park, were you register and pay,

They were having same issues with my receipt. I told them that I had been for two days with my guide (goush). I described him...they new him, of course, I told them I could show the pictures of my last two days. I did and then was accused off giving or selling my ticket to someone. Now I was furious. They had called my guide and now he was there. I showed him my paperwork and he said I had changed money at a bank. I reminded him that I had no money at that time. He argued back and forth for a bit. At that moment I realized that the paperwork was my $50 entry visa receipt.

During the arguing between them, they found the receipt where my guide had paid. What was the problem now??? Even if I didn't have the receipt...they had my pics and his receipt. After my guide was emphatic, they said - St. George only. That's all I wanted anyway.. So, they said they would send someone with me. They they didn't??? I walked back to Bet St. George and started down the hill when the guy yelled at me, again. I told him what they had said and he said that no one told him. The old man with him told me to come up to the view and have a seat. I think he was trying to get the guy to go ahead and let me be. He wasn't going to allow my stay at St. George and I told him to call the office. He did and then with his face looking defeated, he said ok.

So,I start to take pictures and - another guy starts yelling at me. Now, where did he come from?!

I've had enough. I start yelling back. I had done everything asked of me, my guide even came to vouch for me, they found his part of the receipt and I'd produced the pictures. They allowed this one site, I shouted all of this at him and told him if he had a problem with any of it, he needed to go deal with it himself. I had been given permission and was going to use it. He shut up. Now mind you, all of this was in ear shot of two military personnel who looked over and watched but didn't do or say a thing. After my strong response...maybe I was lucky.

ANYWAY...I spent my quality time with the cross, admiring its beauty, architecturally and aesthetically. I was still exhilarated by being in its presence and thinking of what a religious ceremony must be like in our time, let alone in its heyday. I took many pictures at every angle I could find. This was my last chance. I wanted it to count.

Happy that I had fought and then gotten what I came for, I gave a dirty look up the hill and then climbed up. I walked into the lower city area (if you can call it that) where the little shop was yesterday. The girl was gone but two other ladies where there. At first I couldn't find the Lalibela cross. Then they were telling me that this other cross was a Lalibela cross. Now, I'm thinking that I'd been lied to. I pulled up the pic on my phone and they said it was the Lalibela St. George cross...geez! Then I looked for a wall hanging for Harriet. Evidently, the same man painted a few of the ones on display and rather did look like his work. I had only seen individual squares and then the lady started opening many others. The first one really intrigued me as it reminded me of the parchment at the monastery.

Now negotiating - I had been there the previous day and spent money. I had returned and was doing business with her. I wanted her to show that she appreciated. Her first and second offers for the crosses (200 / 180) were insulting and much more than I paid before. I told her the price (150) and she shook her head and said the girl was next door. I told her to get her because I wasn't a liar. She backed down. Then she offered a price for the wall hanging (350). For a total of 650 birr. I told her 600 and that was it. I began pulling the money out and she conceded. She wrapped everything up and asked if I was happy. I said that She would now be making a friend of mine very happy. She smiled.

I walked through the lower town and its cobbled stone and mostly dirt road/ path, occasionally saying hi to the passers by who would stare. Almost back, a kid with a story I'd already heard, in school for engineering and father is a farmer ( kid revealed that he's in 11th grade - if there's even such a system here). He wanted money and in "my currency. I continued on and he waited at the gate - even yelling that he'd be waiting here. Oh boy!

I was soaked with sweat and needed a cool down. A cold shower and relaxed for a bit, writing about the afternoon drama. I always find it. :-)

Later on, I went down to the reception and talked more with Ambachew about the business that he wants to start. I showed him Travbuddy and the travelers that might be interested in visiting this area. He didn't know that there were so many.

A restful evening after they within a seat on the balcony while I chatted with friends around the world.