Abesha Prices

I expected to get the special Ferengi discount (that would be a negative discount!) in Ethiopia.  I didn’t know it would be so blatant.   

First example:   Actually, I’m OK with this one because I understand the economics of this one.  The Ferengi airplane ticket for Addis-Bahar Dar-Lalibela-Gondar-Addis was $400.  The Abesha price for the same ticket was $147. Clearly, most Ethiopians don’t have the funds necessary to pay for expensive flights.  Plus, ET Airlines loses money on the domestic flights operations. 

Second example:  Lalibela Orthodox churches are free to visit for all Orthodox Ethiopians.  That makes sense to me…it is their church after all.  Ferengi cost is 200 ETB.  A little steep, but I could handle it.  However, all non-Orthodox Ethiopians are also expected to pay a fee to view the churches.  Do you think there is any kind of scrutinization for Ethiopian Protestants? No proof on this one, but I doubt it.  But, a white person married to an Ethiopian Orthodox still has to pay Ferengi price.  Grrr.  Third example:  The Gondar baggage guy wanted to charge us 4 birr each to carry our small backpacks onto the plane instead of checking them.   

Fourth example:  At the Gondar airport, we were having some soda and cookies in the restaurant.  The bill was 22 ETB.  A little steep but I’m used to airport price gouging.  I headed out as Lekneh paid the bill.  A restaurant employee came rushing over to Lekneh.  My immediate though was “great, what other “fee” are they sticking us for?”   Turns out the employee was refunding Lekneh 4 birr.  They had given us the Ferengi bill, but when it turned out Lekneh was paying the bill we got the Abesha price.