The entrance passageway had very interesting boards displaying a concise history of Ethiopia.
Inside were various examples of costumes, tools, religious books etc.
The building was previously the Royal Palace and the sleeping quarters of Emperor Haile Silasse and his wife have been preserved, even the Royal bathrooms.
Opposite the entrance of the museum a flight of steps was erected with one step being built for each year of Italian occupation.
Next we went to the National Museum which is within easy walking distance.
Outside a statue has recently been relocated which depicts the Emperor giving guidance to 12 students.
Here we saw the skeleton of Lucy.
There are some of the bones missing from the skeleton but sufficient evidence was gathered to make a life sized replica.
Lucy was just over three feet tall.
Due to the age of some of the original art no flash may be used inside the museum.
South of the museums is a traffic circle with a monument to the thousands of Ethiopians massacred when the Italians occupied the country from 1936 to 1941.
We passed Meskel Square on the way to check out the Addis Ababa Golf Club.
All around Addis, and especially at the square, there are posters honoring the recently deceased Prime Minister, Meles Zinawi whose party had been in power since 1991.
When we had an evening out at Yod Abyssinia I saw a man wearing a T Shirt with a similar photo and bearing the slogan "Well done Mr Prime Minister"!
The 9 hole golf course lies alongside the site of the old airport and is being extended to 18 holes. It is one of only 2 courses in the country, the other we had previously played at the British Embassy.
We returned the following day for a round of golf.
There are views of the new African Union buildings from the course.
On the way back to the house in Bole we passed the statue of the Lion of Judah.
The lion was previously depicted on the Ethiopian flag.
Location:Addis City Centre, 31st October 2012
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