I made an executive decision last night to stay an extra day and it fully paid off today.
I just wasn't feeling a tough mountainous ride and my hotel was a little way out of the Gondar centre so I still hadn't really seen what it had to offer. I don't like cycling after doing a few jobs either and I needed to get some money changed and ideally clean Nigel so it made sense to stay an extra night.
I changed some money first thing and despite the bank being ram packed with around 30 people swarming around 4 cashiers I was called around the other side of the perspex and fast tracked in around 5 minutes. A perk of being the only white man I guess!
After changing my money I made my way into the city centre to do my touristy thing. A Tuktuk ride and a walk later (the Tuktuk cut me off well short of where I wanted to go!) I had a nosey around Fesilidas' castle who I'm told used to be king of Ethiopia and checked out his baths aswell. There was a 2.5km walk between his castle and his bath which is a bit of a naked dash if you've left your towel in the airing cupboard! Not exactly ideal if you ask me but it was good to do something different and I welcomed the peace and quiet.
I was sporting a big smile for the whole day as i properly chilled out again and took in more of Gondar and the surrounding area. I could sense the people were more used to foreigners as there was slightly less staring and less giggling behind my back. I did wonder if Beirdre didn't exist, would I have any laughs and staring at all? I clocked her for the first time in a mirror in about 6 days and she is positively feral. If the dog hadn't of bit me on Saturday then I'm sure it would've just been a matter of time until Beirdre took my nose off!
I saw a tour bus of white people which was a very welcome site. I didn't talk to any of them or anything like that but it just made me feel slightly less alone then I have felt for the last 3 weeks or so. Come tomorrow when I thrust myself into the countryside I will be back to being the randomer again but for at least 5 minutes today I didn't feel quite so much like an alien.
Even walking around the more "backstreets" of Gondar I felt very relaxed and comfortable just as I have done in all the previous towns I've stopped at for a few nights. Football is becoming more popular and I stopped to watch a few people have a kick about in the street. There are a lot of Ethiopian football jerseys worn in the streets and I'm sensing a greater love for football in Ethiopia compared to Sudan and Egypt. The bar and beer culture may help this but there is always football of some sort on the TV and there are always people in the bars. You could say its like a home from home but its not, it's hot here and its still slowly sinking in that I'm actually in Ethiopia!!!
There is a slight Caribbean feel to the area. The colourfully painted corrugated steel stalls sell a variety of things from shoes to stationary and they blast out music which creates a good atmosphere as you walk past. You're likely to find a few man holes uncovered so you have to watch where you walk as you bounce along and I had to move quickly to avoid some flying rubble today that was being shovelled out of nowhere.
There is always so much to see in main towns in Africa compared to back home and I love just sitting outside a bar and watching the variety of things going on. I could've done it all day today but I found myself actually wanting to get back to the hotel family.
I got back to the hotel around 2 and had some food, had a chat with the manager about the impending rough terrain that lies waiting for me and then leisurely got Nigel clean and ready to go in the courtyard area. It's good that I know when I'm ready to move on and also when I want to stay. Today was perfect in every way and I can be happy that I've experienced Gondar properly and now I can look forward to the next exciting town/challenge. There's nothing worse than regretting not seeing something when you've come so far. There is a very historic church called Lalibela that would be great to see as well but its just too far a detour for me unfortunately. I may see if I can get a bus tour there during a rest day but cycling would mean changing my route completely and probably adding 5 days which I don't really want to do.
I packed up my panniers and settled down for the night with a movie. My movie got interrupted multiple times with the man on reception channel hopping and then putting on Ethiopia's got talent which was really annoying as I was enjoying Mr Poppers penguins! I guess I will just have to watch it when I get home. No Home Alone or Muppets Xmas Carol for me either this year, "when in rome" means I have to put up with some absolutely atrocious singing that didn't get given one "X." Maybe I could get through on Ethiopia's got talent?...
At least the bed was comfy. A good sleep was needed for a big day on big hills tomorrow.
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