Pressure cooker holes

That's pot holes on steroids. The pot holes here are over 80% self-inflicted. When on the way to work today, we traversed a major fissure in the road near Alum hotel that was being carefully excavated by a handful of workers. These monstrosities can be over a foot wide and a few inches deep. I always remember a very scientific study that was one by a well-known engineering firm in Toronto called IAS Inc. Their CEO and founder determined if one travels exactly 74 kmh over the speed bumps in what used to be North York west of Bathurst and north of Sheppard, the bumps seem non-existent. I have suggested to the citizens of Addis that they try this well-known manoeuver with these massive fissures and they may be surprised.

Even more interesting is how we drive over one of these "canals" in the morning and it is 2-4 inches deep and requires care when crossing. Then in the PM on the way home, there is no evidence that ANY work was done that day in a 2,000 metre radius, and the hole is filled in. It gets even better ... sometimes the filler is red gravel, sometimes loose sand that serves no purpose other than to trick poor drivers as they approach a loosely filled hole that might as well be that original 2-4 inches deep. I guess that's why seasoned drivers, along the lines of those used by Dr. Paul, always approach these cavernous entities with caution.

The pot holes themselves are impressive too. On the ring road on the way back from Debrezeit there are some holes the size of a basketball if not bigger. They can creep up without warning but habesha seem to know where they are. When new ones appear, some kind sole always seems to place rocks around the opening to warn drivers of their sudden appearance. Some of these rocks themselves are so big I wonder how they get positioned in the first place.

Plans perchance to see music with Melaku tonight. I am going to see if he wants to do dinner beforehand. Jam session with habesha minus less than 48 hours. I am going to ask Melaku to join us on a hand drum that resides at Dr. Paul's house ...