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Ethiopian Coffee Travels: Some Photos Worthy of Their Captions

On a trip like this I take 3500 photos. I’ll spare you the grand tour: Here are 27 photos with special descriptions I wrote. I hope you find one that you like, or is interesting at least. Thank you! -Tom

This is a picture of coffee parchment that is "resting" in the warehouse at Kenisa coop. I like this picture, and have taken the same one 1000 times.
This is a picture of coffee parchment that is “resting” in the warehouse at Kenisa coop. I like this picture, and have taken the same one 1000 times.
This is a woman pouring coffee from a jebena. They serve coffee at many farm and coop stops in Ethiopia, which is great unless it is 5 pm or later.
This is a woman pouring coffee from a jebena. They serve coffee at many farm and coop stops in Ethiopia, which is great unless it is 5 pm or later.
This is everyone who was anywhere nearby when I visited Kenisa. I like the photo and the people were really nice, as usual.
This is everyone who was anywhere nearby when I visited Kenisa. I like the photo and the people were really nice, as usual.
This is Asnake Nigat who has one of the nicest faces in Ethiopia. Many people think so. He works for the coops and does a great job. I think I have known him 10 years.
This is Asnake Nigat who has one of the nicest faces in Ethiopia. Many people think so. He works for the coops and does a great job. I think I have known him 10 years.
This is just a little weird. The Oromia bank was making a video that night at Duromina. They wanted me to say how its been as a buyer of their coffee for nearly 10 years. I said it was great!
This is just a little weird. The Oromia bank was making a video that night at Duromina. They wanted me to say how its been as a buyer of their coffee for nearly 10 years. I said it was great!
If you go to origin you can get really close to coffee cherry and take a photo, proving you were there. This is variety 74110, no joke. I love taking these kinds of photos with my phone camera
If you go to origin you can get really close to coffee cherry and take a photo, proving you were there. This is variety 74110, no joke. I love taking these kinds of photos with my phone camera
This is a kitten at Mike Mamo's new coffee station in Gera. It looks pretty sick and frail but they were trying to take care of it. I did nothing for it but take a photo. What should I have done?
This is a kitten at Mike Mamo’s new coffee station in Gera. It looks pretty sick and frail but they were trying to take care of it. I did nothing for it but take a photo. What should I have done?
This is baby coffee at the Ayetu farm in Gera. Its's a huge lovely forested farm, and doesn't make a lot of business sense, people say, but I like it!
This is baby coffee at the Ayetu farm in Gera. Its’s a huge lovely forested farm, and doesn’t make a lot of business sense, people say, but I like it!
This is Mesfins tshirt and I think it was so great he was wearing it ... but I didnt ask if it was true or not.
This is Mesfins tshirt and I think it was so great he was wearing it … but I didnt ask if it was true or not.
This is a Bajaj and they have tons of style. Bajaj are one of the most fashionable ways to get around, and people put a lot of work to make them stand out and have character.
This is a Bajaj and they have tons of style. Bajaj are one of the most fashionable ways to get around, and people put a lot of work to make them stand out and have character.
This is not social distancing, and how could you when the choice is 1. walk 10 miles or 2. cram onto the truck?
This is not social distancing, and how could you when the choice is 1. walk 10 miles or 2. cram onto the truck?
This is how amazingly easy is to go designer chic in rural Ethiopia
This is how amazingly easy is to go designer chic in rural Ethiopia
This is the tip top leaves on a coffee tree and I take this photo 1000 times, but this was at the Dehab Farm in Kafa
This is the tip top leaves on a coffee tree and I take this photo 1000 times, but this was at the Dehab Farm in Kafa
This is Dehab, later on in Addis. Her farm is so beautiful and she is excited about her coffee and her honey production.
This is Dehab, later on in Addis. Her farm is so beautiful and she is excited about her coffee and her honey production.
This is Solomon, the pharmacist, the "guard" and the other guy who really know the coffee. This farm is in the middle of a dense forest, the only farm in the whole area. I have never seen that before!
This is Solomon, the pharmacist, the “guard” and the other guy who really know the coffee. This farm is in the middle of a dense forest, the only farm in the whole area. I have never seen that before!
This dog and all 10 of his friends was so sweet! I gave them some lamb bones from by tibs, but I asked first if it was ok, because giving dogs scraps might not be good when there is still a human use for them, you know like soup or something. I told them I give my dogs a ride in my car and they said that was crazy.
This dog and all 10 of his friends were so sweet! I gave them some lamb bones from by tibs, but I asked first if it was ok, because giving dogs scraps might not be good when there is still a human use for them, you know like soup or something. I told them I give my dogs a ride in my car and they said that was crazy.
This is the guard who was really into having his picture taken, but not really that into guarding anything. Anyway, it's all about the guarding pose, more than the job.
This is the guard who was really into having his picture taken, but not really that into guarding anything. Anyway, it’s all about the guarding pose, more than the job.
This is Gregor, who doesn't know who I am. (To be fair, I think he vaguely knows me as the "dog calendar guy") This man is a treasure and his lodge called Aregash after his mother has been such a welcoming place to rest for many years now. Please live forever, Gregor.
This is Gregor, who doesn’t know who I am. (To be fair, I think he vaguely knows me as the “dog calendar guy”) This man is a treasure and his lodge called Aregash after his mother has been such a welcoming place to rest for many years now. Please live forever, Gregor.
This is a photo of light filtered by dust from the road. It looks interesting but its nasty too. I dont like it much.
This is a photo of light filtered by dust from the road. It looks interesting but its nasty too. I dont like it much.
This is Sagni in Dimtu town. We woke up early to get our flat tire repaired, and eat Tibs. of course, tibs. Always Tibs., Morning noon and night. Sagni wanted to pose like this, a bit like Rocky or something? Not sure, but I like it.
This is Sagni in Dimtu town. We woke up early to get our flat tire repaired, and eat Tibs. of course, tibs. Always Tibs., Morning noon and night. Sagni wanted to pose like this, a bit like Rocky or something? Not sure, but I like it.
We are eating tibs. These were some of the best Tibs on the trip. But still, tibs. I hear little baby goats in my sleep.
We are eating tibs. These were some of the best Tibs on the trip. But still, tibs. I hear little baby goats in my sleep.
This is a lot of guys and me, but besides Fedesa next to me, I really don't know them. They were in the local gold business and then bought coffee stations. Sometimes you really know when people are "coffee people" and when they are "gold people".
This is a lot of guys and me, but besides Fedesa next to me, I really don’t know them. They were in the local gold business and then bought coffee stations. Sometimes you really know when people are “coffee people” and when they are “gold people”.
These kids wanted a photo after I took one of their brother, in Bensa at Mr Buriso's farm. I liked the photo, and will try to make a print of it to bring back to the farm to give to them. I have done that many times and people are ... well, I thionk mostly confused, but I like to think they are honored by it.
These kids wanted a photo after I took one of their brother, in Bensa at Mr Buriso’s farm. I liked the photo, and will try to make a print of it to bring back to the farm to give to them. I have done that many times and people are … well, I thionk mostly confused, but I like to think they are honored by it.
This is the most cliched photo you can possibly take when visiting a coffee processing site. It is used 1 million times by coffee companies. What does this photo suggest? What does it mean? I have ideas but, well, handling the coffee and looking at it is something we do when visiting so, it happens.
This is the most cliched photo you can possibly take when visiting a coffee processing site. It is used 1 million times by coffee companies. What does this photo suggest? What does it mean? I have ideas but, well, handling the coffee and looking at it is something we do when visiting so, it happens.
This is a station in Bensa where a lot of children were working. It was a little weird. Later I asked why so many children, and I was told that it was good they had some work, because it was probably the only money coming into the family, It's just weird though even without imposing my values, because this place won top cup of excellence. But at least there's no show here - this is the way it is. Sigh.
This is a station in Bensa where a lot of children were working. It was a little weird. Later I asked why so many children, and I was told that it was good they had some work, because it was probably the only money coming into the family, It’s just weird though even without imposing my values, because this place won top cup of excellence. But at least there’s no show here – this is the way it is. Sigh.
This is a photo taken out the car window as we bounced by at 15 KPH. I like structures.
This is a photo taken out the car window as we bounced by at 15 KPH. I like structures. Not above a drive by photo either.
This is Mr Buriso's house where we ate fermented false banana and a fermented milk beverage. I guess they call it "yogurt" locally (true story). I wish I could say it was good, and it was, for the others.
This is Mr Buriso’s house where we ate fermented false banana and a fermented milk beverage. I guess they call it “yogurt” locally (true story). I wish I could say it was good, and it was, for the others.

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    • 2 Responses

    2. UNBELIEVABLE photos! From the guard who loved the photo ops but didn’t do much guarding, to the locals not understanding why we would give a dog a car ride, to the children not understanding why they would be given a photo of themselves yet feeling honored but still confused by it, and to the teens working on the farm that won top cup of excellence. INCREDIBLE view into a completely different culture. FASCINATING!

      Reply

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