Elephant Walk

I ventured out by myself to explore Addis Ababa this afternoon, or at
least the main road that runs through it. Chez Glo, my guest house, is
just a short walk from Bole Road which pretty much runs from the airport
straight north through the city. I put on some sunscreen, grabbed my
book and headed out, stopping along the way for lunch. I chose a place
called Elephant Walk since a) it looked inviting and b) after just 20
minutes in the sun I needed a big glass of water. I grabbed a seat out
on the patio but noticed that occasionally beggars would stroll through
and hold out their hands to the guest. I moved my seat to one inside the
restaurant and opened the menu. The waitress took my order: a greek
salad, a chicken sandwich and a cold bottled water. The salad had large
chunks of feta cheese, big slices of tomato, red onion, crisp shards of
lettuce and some peppers that added a little spice and balance to the
whole dish. The chicken sandwich came on a large bread roll with
shredded chicken and tomato and a side of french fries. Everything was
excellent and I took my time with it, relaxing and reading my book.
Afterwards I ordered a cappuccino and finished the chapter I was on
before heading back out to Bole Road and continue my walk. I continued
walking another 90 minutes, straight ahead, just taking in the sights
and everything that was going on around me. When my legs felt like they
were about to give out, I crossed the street, hailed a little blue taxi
and watched my whole walk in reverse from the backseat.