F O T O S P A C E

Couple watching the bonfire at Meskel Square :: Addis Ababa

Meskel :: Ethiopia

Meskel in Addis Ababa

So far I’ve spent the last month in Addis Ababa and getting used to Ethiopia again. The raining season seems to come to an end and we celebrated the New Year here in Ethiopia two weeks ago. On September 27 and the beginning of a new year, Ethiopian Christian Orthodox people celebrate Meskel - the holiday that commemorates the discovery of the true cross by St. Helena in the 4th century. They will burn a large bonfire in the heart of the city on Meskel Square. The bonfire has a cross on top with yellow flowers tied to it. Priests will bless the bonfire, then light it and adults and children will dance and sing around the big fire. After the big bonfire is lit the cross will fall, and depending upon the direction the cross will fall, it has a different meaning. I’m excited to experience this holiday here in Addis tomorrow and I guess I will find out more about it in the next few days. For now here are the yellow flowers of the New Year - Adey Abeba - they will be tied to the cross for Meskel tomorrow. They only bloom in September and symbolize a new beginning for the new year.

Boy in Addis Ababa :: He absolutely wanted me to take his photo. He was so happy ♡

Melkam Addis Amet

Wishing all my Ethiopian friends a Happy New Year! We will be thinking about the victims from 9/11 ten years ago today. A time for new beginnings!

Busy times

Sorry for being absent for a while. I have been busy wrapping things up in New York in August and was getting ready to leave to Ethiopia just before September. I have been in Addis Ababa for over 2 weeks now and it finally seems the raining season may come to an end. Today was the first sunny and beautiful day without rain in weeks. Everyone was out and about to do all last minute shopping for the approaching New Year 2004 (the Ethiopian calendar is 7 years behind the Gregorian or Western calendar). I’m sure most people don’t know that the Ethiopian New Year starts on September 11th. It’s a time for new beginnings and families comes together to celebrate into the New Year! We will be sadly thinking of the victims of 9/11 in NYC, but here in Ethiopia we will celebrate a happy time. Wishing all my Ethiopian friends a peaceful and prosperous New Year!

Common people :: Egypt

This photo doesn’t reflect the current situation in Egypt, but I’ve met many great people there in 2010 and I hope all of them are fighting for their rights and are ok doing so. Power to the people!