Kosso tree

I had a very bad night with minimal sleep - not just due to Mr C’s unabated snoring, but also I’d heard that one of my oldest friends had died. In addition, the church starts a loudspeaker going for 4 hours from 4 am. It is dirgy, moany, drop you and interspersed with ranting. Think of an old drunk man singing at a wedding and worse! We got cereal and scrambled egg and fruit and coffee for breakfast in our posh hotel but I felt rough.

I took Jane, who is not well, some water (30 Bir here, twice the normal) then tried to read on the nice balcony but was too tired. We left at 11, stopping in the town to wander in the market in the Muslim area. Caryn wanted a dress for her grandchild but they were either too big or too small, so we got fed up and walked back to the bus. Apart from some unusual herbs, it was all football shirts and scarves. We had a coke in a cafe till Nagusse decided it was time to leave, then we headed north for Debark, stopping just out of town at Wolleka, what had been a Jewish (Falasha) village. Once home to a thriving population of Falashas most were airlifted to Israel in the 1980s in exchange for arms, and now none remain. They are very much second class citizens in Israel. there was a small circular synagogue, and some crafts. We visited a centre run by Ploughshare to help single mothers. They sold very rough pottery and woven baskets. They were small and quite pretty but they wanted £10 for one. Caryn says she’s going to start a crowdfunding for it, but didn’t part with any of her own money.

The journey was about 3 hours on good roads. We stopped at a high viewpoint where we looked down into fertile valleys. Barley was grown higher in the hills. We arrived in Debark, where firstly Iain had to go with Nagusse to help fill in the NP permits for tomorrow and organise our local guide and a scout (armed guard). I was too tired to go out so had a nap then read my book, The Lonely City by Olivia Laing. The hotel is very simple but the room has recently been whitewashed and the beds are clean.

This tree is called “ kosso “. The flowers are used to make an infusion they give to women before the wedding night to make sure she is docile. It’s illegal now, but is still used in some areas.

I’m back blipping as WiFi was off yesterday. Had a long sleep so feel up for our trek in the Simien mountains today