ethioguide.com
Tumultuous Crowd Greets Ethiopia's Athletes
Back from the Sydney Olympics
ETV sports anchor opens program at 7:30 am local time. Bole Airport pictured behind.
Reporter says Ethiopian Airlines plane bringing the athletes from Sydney via Johannesburg is due to land in a few minutes.
Musicians who recorded special songs marking the occasion singing in the studio.
A huge crowd has already gathered at Meskel Square
They came on horses.
They blew whistles
Chopper flies overhead flying the Ethiopian and Olympic flags.
Plane hovers over tarmac.
Haile Gebreselassie can't wait. He sticks his head out from the cockpit, waving a large Ethiopian flag.
Derartu is wearing a headband in the colors of the Ethiopian flag.
Athletes line up at the foot of the plane.
Derartu and others are given bouquets by guests including Speaker Dawit Yohannes and Addis Ababa mayor Ali Abdo.
Haile.
A group of soldiers lift Haile on their shoulders at the foot of the plane.
Addis mayor Ali Abdo places wreath around Million Wolde's neck. Split screen shows crowd at Meskel Square.
Athletes pose for pictures.
Parade travels down Bole Road, up ECA, past palace, through Piassa, down Churchil Road and back to Meskel Square.
Haile leads parade by standing out the sunroof of a Cadillac.The other medal winners each have a Cadillac of their town. The other athletes follow atop a float.
Up Churchil Road with the municipal building in the background.
Enough TV watching. I get in my car and decide to drive over to Meskel Square and see how far I can get.
PART II
PART III
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