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Across the Abyss (cont.)

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The Other Side of Langano (Part 2) … Everyone here, from the village children who waved and ran to us to the lodge staff, is so friendly and welcoming. It has been so long since I came across simple, down-to-earth people happy to host me and share what they have. The chef was quite a character. He introduced himself so graciously and asked for our names. His charisma was very charming, and despite his relatively old age, the man was very youthful and energetic. He stuck up a conversation with me and started to open up spontaneously. He told me he was from Sudan and had stayed here for decades. I could see the wisdom in his eyes, and he sensed something positive about me, claiming I was a humble and light soul. I was flattered. He divulged a hobby and played a video of him singing on his phone. I wasn’t a record label exec or headhunter, but it felt like my opinion mattered so much at the moment. I was very honored, and I applauded his passion. I knew he was the type of gentleman I coul...
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Across the Abyss

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The Other Side of Langano (Part 1) Local travel has always been an underrated delight for me growing up in Ethiopia. I tended to glorify international travel more, but the gems scattered in my vicinity will always remain priceless. Lake Langano was among the few places we visited frequently. It is ingrained in so many of my dear memories. We used to stay at a private bungalow by the shore on weekends or for up to a week. It is a family-friendly place where anyone can feel at ease, which made it a popular tourist destination over the years. For those unfamiliar with this destination, Langano is one of the Great East African Rift Valley lakes found beyond Ziway, just next to Lake Abjatta and Lake Shalla. It is roughly 205 kilometers from Addis Ababa and has a diameter of around 15 kilometers. The murky, brown hard water is surrounded by gray sand beaches. It is one of the cleanest lakes despite its possibly off-putting muddy color. What makes it so clean is what makes it brown, not soil ...
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Biting the Big Apple (End)

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A Weekend in New York City (Part 3) … More metro rides, this time we were entertained with some youngsters bringing in much-needed afternoon energy with a break-dance performance. I enjoyed such a complementary event. We hopped off across the East River and strolled around Brooklyn neighborhoods. It was a sight for sore eyes & feet. The vertical Manhattan island prohibited our eyes from wandering beyond a block or two. Here we were treated to quiet residential areas and sidewalks lined with trees. The breeze and falling trees hinted at the looming fall season. We marched on to the waterfront, where others like ourselves kicked back and took in the view. It is pristine to see Manhattan served on a platter with Long Island and the Brooklyn Bridge fitting in the view. It felt so serene as I gazed at the sun setting by the waters. Panoramic Manhattan skyline & Brooklyn Bridge, New York City (2018) Copyright © Kidus Assefa 2023 We walked around some more and headed to the Brooklyn B...
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Biting the Big Apple (Cont.)

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A Weekend in New York City (Part 2) … Last night was very short; today is going to be long. I didn't get much sleep but still had all the energy to take on the day's plan. Lucky for us, our location is convenient, so we grabbed a quick breakfast. I had a whole-grain breakfast panini with eggs, tomatoes & avocado. Everything felt within reach as we strolled into Grand Central Station, a couple of blocks away, to catch a subway. Ahhh, the New York metro. I love how I can go anywhere with these trains. Life would be impossible (or very expensive) without the metro. It is a lifesaver. I was entertaining the idea of being an art dealer around this time. Our first stop for the day would be a game-changer had I continued down that line. We waited for opening hours to start and went into MoMA – the Museum of Modern Art . The six floors of vast gallery space were enough clues of the treasure trove between these four walls. Noticing a donor list with names like Rockefeller, Getty, an...
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Biting the Big Apple

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A Weekend in New York City (Part 1) I’ve always said if you had categories of all “kinds” of people, you would find at least one of each kind of person somewhere in New York City. You would realize this right away once in the big city. It is a concrete jungle where the trees have jungles within, the river networks are underground, and the critters share tight [public] spaces. New York City is a lot to take in, and it would take anyone a lifetime. I once heard it would take you five years non-stop to eat at every restaurant in the city. I have been here before and had a blast, but I was 12 years old. This time I was determined to make the most out of it and observe more sharply. My aunt offered an unplanned weekend there. I couldn’t resist the offer, so we were off. We started our drive from Silver Spring early in the morning. I was excited to spend some time on the road; I have come to enjoy long drives more than ever. We drove past Washington D.C. and Baltimore (where I had visited a ...
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Milano a Lugano (Cont.)

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Ascending the Alps … A peaceful night passed, and the morning sang new beginnings. I am not much of a football (soccer) fanatic nowadays, but I love the sport very much. I wasn’t the type to support my local team, but whoever played the most captivating game with flair at the time captured my heart. For those uncertain about where I’m going with this, I’ll spill the beans and say Milano is home to two giants of world football. They are competing rivals and sworn enemies that ironically share a home. This derby can sometimes spiral out of control and require authority intervention. The A.C. Milan stars were like superheroes to me. I couldn’t believe the day had come when I could visit my dream pitch. The plan was to start driving after lunch. We hurried and grabbed our luggage because this was also our last day in Italy. We parked our car at a train station parking lot and took the metro to the San Siro . The previous UEFA Champions’ League Final had taken place here, and the remnants w...
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Milano a Lugano

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Ciao Malpensa This vacation had to be one of the most anticipated trips I have taken thus far. I had never set foot in Europe aside from airport layovers, you can imagine. I was thrilled to hear that I could visit Italy and make my way to Switzerland with a Schengen Visa. This one stamp granted me access to any European country, whether a member of the Union or not. I am a summer child who has associated the most colorful memories of my childhood with summertime in the northern hemisphere. July presented an unforgettable itinerary I eagerly awaited to exploit on one of the hottest summers Europe experienced until that point. It was deja vu mixed with rebirth when I looked out the passenger boarding bridge windows at the Malpensa Airport (MXP) . That classic smell of heated asphalt and fresh air with an Italian flavor hit me before entering the airport for a brief moment. There was almost no memory of what had happened before I boarded the plane and now. It was as if I teleported here. ...
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