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One of the things that I was not able to get on our first trip to Ethiopia that I was determined to get the second time around was a ‘mesob’ — a covered basket on a stand that Ethiopians traditionally use for their dinner tables. I thought it would be a fun thing for my girls room, used as a night-stand or maybe even a play table.
On our last day in Addis, Selamneh (our cab driver) brought us to a rather nice shop. When we got there it was raining, and the guard at the door ran outside with an umbrella to escort us inside. For some reason our cab driver had to stay outside. I’m not sure if the store owners wanted the tourists to not have the cab drivers around helping them bargain or if he just had to stay outside to guard the van.
It was a nice big place, set up like an art gallery, with many things nicely displayed in at least 4 different rooms. I had a rushed, last-chance feeling that afternoon, and found all sorts of things within 20 minutes or so: a nice big mesob for 350 birr (about $45), some smaller baskets, a traditional dress for my 3 year old, a silver locket, and some pretty pieces of fabric.
The lady who sold me the mesob wrapped it up in plastic and tape, but it wasn’t a very good job. By the time we got it out to the van, it was already starting to peel off. I wondered how we were going to get it decently wrapped for the plane ride home. It is at least 18 inches across at its widest point, and a little over two feet tall. Not a small item.
Selamneh assured me it wasn’t a problem. He gathered the needed wrapping materials –a long tube of clear heavy plastic and a length of rope– and came that evening and wrapped it all up for our flight home. It looked very secure and well wrapped to me.
However, at the airport we were told it was not well enough wrapped. They directed us to a nearby service counter that would wrap it for a fee. The man at that counter had an enormous tube of shrink-wrap, and a big turntable that reminded me of a potters wheel. On the turntable went the mesob, and around and around wrapped layer after layer of shrink-wrap. When it was done, it was indeed VERY securely wrapped. And it only cost about $3 US to have it wrapped there.
When we made it home a day and a half later I was delighted to discover that the basket had indeed made it home safely. It resided in my daughter’s room for awhile, but at the moment it is being used as a computer table in our living room. Even though it was a little extra hassle to get it home, I’m glad we made the effort. I love looking at it.
Too cool! I may have to get one of those on our next trip to Ethiopia.