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Ethiopia
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Oct – Nov 2022

Ethiopia

A 26-day adventure by skip's retirement travel Read more
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    October 17, 2022
    skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelEthiopia

    Addis Ababa

    October 18, 2022 in Ethiopia ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Addis Ababa is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia. It is a relatively young city in its current location, being found by Emperor Menelik II in the late 19th century. At first sited atop Mt. Entoto for it's defensibility, the city moved downhill, making the many hot springs more accessible. The last picture, albeit it hazy, it taken from Entoto overlooking the modern city. Entoto is now a city park.
    The 1st picture is the statue of the Lion of Judah, one of the names for the Emperor. The Solomonic Dynasty, of which Haile Selassie was the last emperor, traces it's lineage through Menelik, said to be the son of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.
    The 2nd picture is Meskel Square, the main meeting place for celebrations, protests, and all manner of public activity.
    The 3rd picture is the African Union headquarters. Ethiopia was a founding member of both the League of Nations and the UN. They have been active in multinational work for a long time, and finding the AU headquarters here follows in that tradition.
    The 4th picture is of a small part of the large fabric market where all manner of clothes, from shirts to wedding dresses are made and sold.
    The 5th and 6th pictures are of the Merkato, said to be the largest market in Africa. The market has areas where particular goods are concentrated. Like the industry in the fabric market, you can probably find someone making just about anything. A large part of this industry is recycling, from rehabbing goods to recycling pretty much everything.    Read more

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    Holy Trinity Cathedral, Addis Ababa

    October 18, 2022 in Ethiopia ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa, unfortunately in a major renovation at the moment, is the seat of the patriarchs of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. It is here where the patriarchs are anointed and where they serve. It was built to commemorate the driving out of the Italian occupation in 1942 and replaced the former monastery church on site
    The 1st and 2nd pictures are the exterior of the cathedral from the front and then from the back.
    The next 4 pictures look at the inside of the cathedral, especially of the stained glass and artwork. If you enlarge these, you may be able to recognize biblical scenes.
    The 7th picture is the throne where His Majesty Haile Selassie sat when attending worship. There is a similar thing be for his wife. The 8th picture is the sarcophagus of Haile Selassie.
    The last 2 pictures are of other sites on the cathedral complex. 9th is the Church of the Holy Spirit. Most newer Ethiopian Orthodox churches are round or octagonal. This is an example.
    The last picture is a part of the cemetery where only people who are important to the church by and nation are interred. For example, the statue of the man with his arm raised is the winner of the marathon at the Moscow Olympics.    Read more

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    Debre Libanos Monastery

    October 19, 2022 in Ethiopia ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Debre Libanos is an Ethiopian Orthodox Monastery, whose Abbott is the 2nd most important person in that church. The monastery's history dates to the 13th century and it's founder, Saint Tekle Haymanot, who lived in a cave at the site. None of the original buildings remain.
    The 1st picture is the monastery church that only dates to the 1960s. It is built above the tomb of the founder. All the rest of the pictures (except the last) are of some of the extraordinary stained glass and artwork here, all executed by Ethiopian artists. You can recognize lots of biblical references in the work. Note, especially, the 7th picture. There is a crucifixion scene spread across several panels. This is the front of the church above the altar.
    The last picture looks out from a balcony of the church over the monster y grounds to the mountains beyond.
    There is also a museum of locally relevant artifacts, but no photography is allowed.    Read more

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    North of Addis Ababa

    October 19, 2022 in Ethiopia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Here are a few scenic views from the road in the northern part of Ethiopia. The 1st 4 are all looks at portions of the Ethiopian part of the Great Rift Valley of Africa. This country is simply beautiful.Read more

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    Tis Abay

    October 20, 2022 in Ethiopia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Tis Abay is the falls of the Blue Nile just downstream from Lake Tana (see another post). This is said to be one of the largest waterfalls in Africa, after Victoria Falls (see another post).
    The 1st picture shows the full width of the falls. I'm here just after the rainy season. So the water level is high. The 2nd picture looks along the length of the largest section of the falls.
    The 3rd and 4th pictures are at a tributary of the Blue Nile, just downstream of the falls. The suspension bridge is over a small gorge which can be seen in the 4th picture. This was taken from the bridge which is more stable than it looks. Even the walkway is solid steel bars. And yes, I did walk out and take the picture!    Read more

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    On Lake Tana

    October 21, 2022 in Ethiopia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Lake Tana is the largest lake in Ethiopia and is the source of the Blue Nile. This is said to be a crater lake, formed in an extinct volcano.
    The 1st 2 pictures look at the approach to and the point where the Blue Nile leaves the lake. This is behind an island that is shown in the 3rd and 4th pictures. You can see a traditional papyrus boat and several fisherman using these boats with said island in the background.
    The next 2 pictures are wildlife. The 5th is hippos in the water. There is a calf hidden in there. The 6th is an African Fish Eagle.
    The next picture shows 2 island out in the lake. The one to the left has a convent; while the one on the right has a monastery.
    The 8th picture looks from the lake to Bahir Dar, the largest city in the Amhara region.
    And those are beehives in the last picture!    Read more

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    Zeghie peninsula

    October 21, 2022 in Ethiopia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    The Zeghie peninsula is in Lake Tana. It's most important economic activity is naturally grown coffee. The trees grow wild and are harvested. The 1st picture is of a walkway there that passes through the coffee plants. They almost look to me more like vines. Incidentally, the man's hand is on an ebony tree. In addition to coffee, there is fishing, agriculture (mangos, avocado, lemons, etc.) and tourism.
    The peninsula is perhaps best known for the several monasteries therr, many dating to the 14th century. I visited 3 of them: Bete Maryam, Azusa Maryam and Ura Kidanemihret. The next several pictures are taken at the 3 monastery churches.
    These are round churches with concentric sections. The 2nd picture is one of these from the outside. This one maintains the traditional thatch roof. The 3rd picture is of the outermost ring of one. This is where the chanting, dancing, music, etc. takes place.
    The 2nd ring is highly painted with scenes from the bible and other books sacred to the Ethiopian Orthodox tradition. The 4th picture is the flight of the holy family to Egypt, which the Ethiopian tradition says continued south from Egypt into this region. The 5th picture shows the martyrdom of the apostles, something I don't think I've seen elsewhere. I should note that these paintings are on the innermost part of the church: the holy of holies. This part of the church is reserved for the priests. Note the door in the 6th picture. This is the entrance to the holy of holies and it always carries paintings of the archangels protecting the entrance. The 7th picture is the east side where the Eucharistic elements enter the holy of holies for mass. These 4 walls are painted from floor to roof.
    In order for a building to be an Ethiopian Orthodox church, the holy of holies must contain a replica of the ark of the covenant with the 10 commandments. The originals are said to be at Axum.
    The last 3 pictures are in the museum at Ura. The 8th picture is the original cross atop the Ura church from the 14th century. Historically, when kings ended their reigns before death, they retired to the monastery as monks. The 9th picture is the crowns given to the monastery at their retirement. The last picture is a large set of holy books predating the printing press. These include many held holy in Ethiopia but not in the biblical canon as we know it.    Read more

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    Near Gondar

    October 22, 2022 in Ethiopia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    These are a few views along the road heading from Bahir Dar to Gondar (not Gondor: I'm not due in Middle Earth until January 😉).
    The 1st picture is God's Finger, a unique rock outcrop. The 2nd picture is of the ruins of Guzara Palace which dates to the 16th century. The next 2 pictures are some of the scenery here in the Ethiopian highlands. The last 2 pictures are of Saturday markets in 2 towns along the way.Read more

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    Gondar

    October 22, 2022 in Ethiopia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Gondar, in northern Ethiopia, is a former imperial capital. There is more here than Fasil Ghebbi and Trinity cathedral (see other posts).
    The 1st picture is the view from my hotel. The 2nd and 3rd pictures are in the local market.
    The last 3 pictures are in another part of the city. These were also built by Fasil. The 4th picture is the remains of the royal stables adjacent to the royal bath in the 5th picture. I'm told this is still used during Timkat, the Ethiopian Orthodox celebration of the baptism of Jesus that is held at Epiphany. The last picture is another part of the same site. In the background is the weaving factory. The small building to the left is the tomb for the emperor's horse.    Read more

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    Church of the Trinity, Gondar

    October 22, 2022 in Ethiopia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    The Church of the Trinity here is not the typical round church of Ethiopia. It is rectangular, following the tradition in Axum. I'm told an emperor wanted to move the ark of the covenant from Axum to Gondar. So he used Aksumite architecture. He didn't succeed. The ark hasn't been moved.
    The church dates to the 16th century, and all the artwork is original. So I'm uploading a video that scans around the space to show the extensive art typical of Ethiopian Orthodox churches.    Read more

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    Fasil Ghebbi

    October 22, 2022 in Ethiopia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Fasil Ghebbi is a royal compound in Gondar of about 7 hectares and containing some 20 buildings. Most are royal palaces, as each successive emperor built a new one. This fortress was the home of the Ethiopian emperors from the early 17th century until the middle of the 19th century. The buildings are heavily damaged from bombing during world war 2. I'm told that during the Italian occupation, these buildings were used for military purposes. This was during the British assisted effort to remove the occupation.
    Historically, each successive emperor built his own palace.
    The 1st picture looks up from the entrance to several of the palaces. The 2nd picture is the 1st palace built and is the largest. The 3rd picture is one of the Royal room there. The 4th picture is a cistern to retain water during the dry season.
    The 5th and 6th pictures are 2 of the later palaces. The 7th picture is a royal banqueting hall, while the 8th picture is of stables located next to the banqueting hall.
    The 9th picture is the lion house. Lions were kept at the palace in honor of the imperial title, "Lion of Judah."
    If I could have gotten a decent picture, the 10th picture would have been of the sauna. Really. There was a sauna in Ethiopia centuries ago!    Read more

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    Simien Mountains

    October 23, 2022 in Ethiopia ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    This is both a national park and world heritage site. It contains some spectacular scenery and many endemic species. All the pictures were taken between 3100 and 3500 meters above sea level.
    The 1st picture is the Jinbar waterfall, said to be the highest in Africa at over 550 meters. Being here at the end of the rainy season is good for lots of water.
    The next 4 pictures give a sense of the rugged and beautiful scenery.
    The rest of the photos are wildlife in the park. One of the most famous residents is the gelada baboon. They are known for the red patch on the breast. Next is the klipspringer, followed by Menelik's bushbuck.
    The last picture is a flower I like, especially it's name: red hot poker flower. I love it when species are named for their looks.    Read more

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    Awra Amba

    October 25, 2022 in Ethiopia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Awra Amba is an intentional community founded in 1980 based on an ethos of mutual support and egalitarianism. The 1st picture is of their posted community "rule." I find this very positive, even if counter cultural.
    The community founder, Zumra Nuru, is still present and helps lead the community. I had the privilege of meeting him.
    The 2nd picture is in their museum that traces Mr. Nuru's story and the story of the community. It also includes a number of utensils and tools made there.
    The 3rd picture is the standard kitchen in every home, designed by Mr. Nuru. The round section is the oven to make injera. To the left is a grill. And there are 2 ports for heating. They are to the back and have covers on them.
    The 4th picture is in the kindergarten of the community school. The kids are introduced to the community ethos early. They have built their own high school too. The community has near 100% literacy.
    The 5th picture is in their library. Most of the books are in English as schooling is in English starting in middle school. Most of the books are academic, though there is some fiction.
    The 6th picture is in the elderly building where the oldest members of the community live and are cared for.
    The 7th picture is of the village restaurant and coffee shop. They even have a guest house. The 8th picture is one of the rooms. That is a full bathroom with shower.
    The 9th picture is their weaving shop, and the last is their store that sells what they make.
    I found the community and it's ethos inspiring and impressive.    Read more

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    Lalibela

    October 26, 2022 in Ethiopia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Lalibela is another former Ethiopian imperial capital in the north of the country. It's current fame relates to the rock hewn churches here. They are all attributed to King Lalibela (now Saint Lalibela). So the churches date to the 12th century.
    There are 11 rock hewn churches here, too many to fit in a single post. So this will be spread over 2 posts. This is another place where I've experienced that feeling that the pictures and TV shows don't do justice to what is here. Being here is amazing.
    This post begins with the most famous of the churches, St. George. This is the cruciform building carved down into the rock as seen in the 1st 2 pictures. The 3rd picture is in St George's and is a treasure box dating from the time of Lalibela.
    Every Ethiopian Orthodox church has a separate building called Bethlehem. It it from Bet Lechem or house of bread. Here the communion elements are prepared, including grinding the wheat and baking the bread. The bread and wine are then carried to the holy of holies for mass. The 4th picture is one of these that is no longer used. In this case, the elements were carried through a tunnel to the church. That's the 5th picture.
    The 6th picture looks across at a 3 story church thought to have been the royal residence for Lalibela and his successors. The 7th picture is in that church with the local priest.
    The 8th picture shows the front of one of the churches. The curtain to the left blocks the holy of holies and typical art is to the right.
    The 9th picture is one of the passages between churches, this one bringing to mind that needle's eye and the camel. The last picture is another one of the churches. This is a cave church. Notice the section to the right that looks like concrete blocks. This section is a restoration. The rest is original.    Read more

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    Yemerehane Kristos cave church

    October 27, 2022 in Ethiopia ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    This is a late Aksumite church built in a cave, probably in the 11th century, making it older than the more famous churches in Lalibela. It is located on a natural spring, and the water is considered holy.
    The 1st picture is the final approach to the church after a climb of about 20 minutes. That wall is a new structure to provide security. There is a small waterfall from the cliff above the cave to the left of the security wall that pilgrims use to shower as a form of healing.
    The 2nd picture is the front of the church inside the cave, behind the security wall. It is made of marble, limestone, wood and rock. I'm told that the door was provided by the Caliph Saladin at that time. The 3rd picture is a detail of the lintel over the door showing lions.
    The next 4 pictures are all inside the church, showing the extraordinary decoration, most of which is original. The last of these is the local priest, fully vested and standing before the Holy of Holies, showing 2 ancient processional crosses, one gold and the other silver.
    Behind the church, where the cave continues back into the mountain, is an area with as many as 2,000 skeletons. I understand that these were priests, monks and pilgrims who wanted to be buried in this holy place. This is in the hard to see last picture.    Read more

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    More Lalibela churches

    October 27, 2022 in Ethiopia ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Lalibela had been exiled to Jerusalem for about 12 years. When he returned, his older brother abdicated to him, and he moved from Axum to found his capital here. I'm told he came back with the mission to create a new Jerusalem in Ethiopia.
    In the 1st picture I'm standing under the Tomb of Adam. Next door is the house of Uriel. The 2nd picture is of the largest of the rock hewn churches. The upper windows are Ahksumite in design, with the specific shape brought from there by Lalibela. The 3rd picture is the passage to the St. Michael and Golgatha churches which are to the right. Another post is a brief recording of Ethiopian Orthodox chanting taking place in this church.
    Several tombs for the royal family are excavated into the sides of the rock exposed during construction. That is the 4th picture.
    The 5th picture is another of the churches. Note the influence from the Indian subcontinent in the design of the lower windows. Lalibela seems to have been influenced by several cultures that can be seen on n the design. One I haven't yet mentioned and you can see here and there, especially in some of the windows is the Arabic influence.
    The 6th picture is one of several baptismal pools. All of these that I saw are located outside the churches.
    The rest of the pictures are more examples of the extensive interior decoration in the churches. Given that these all date to the 12th century, it follows that artwork like this helps in teaching a preliterate population.    Read more

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    Harar

    October 29, 2022 in Ethiopia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Harar is a walled city in eastern Ethiopia (well, at least the old town is). It is considered the 4th holiest city in Islam after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. The old city is a UNESCO world heritage site. Harar did not become part of Ethiopia until the late 19th century when emperor Menelik II defeated the last emir.
    The pictures, in no particular order, begin with a typical house interior. It seems every house in the old town has the same basic design. This isn't a shop. Every home was expected to have enough sets of serving ware to accommodate the largest crowd without asking for help.
    The 2nd picture is the tomb of ar-Rida, the leader credited with making Harar a major Islamic center.
    The 3rd picture is the home of the father of the last emperor, Haile Selassie and is where he grew up.
    The 4th picture is one of the 82 mosques in the old city. The 5th picture is one of the original city gates. The city wall has been opened along side to allow vehicular traffic. The 6th picture is a section of the original city wall, unrestored.
    The 7th picture is inside the home of French poet, Arthur Rembaud, who spent 10 years here. I was taken with the architecture.
    The 8th picture is a section of the local spice market. That is an aisle between stalls. I have been in many such markets, and this is easily the most tightly organized.
    Speaking of tight, Harar is known for Reconciliation Streets that are so narrow that 2 people cannot pass each other. The 9th picture is one such street where one must interact with the person coming the other way, even if they would rather not.
    Harar has an interesting relationship with hyenas. Their howl is said to chase away djinns or less than friendly spirits. There are openings in the city wall for them to enter and eat anything on the street (which helps with sanitation). Too bad they don't eat plastic. They also feed the hyenas. The last picture is me participating in the tradition. And, yes, those are wild hyenas.    Read more

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    Awash

    October 30, 2022 in Ethiopia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Awash national park was a bit of a disappointment. Even the rangers say there are no animals in the park. Here are a few pictures of what there is.
    The 1st 2 pictures are Nile crocodiles. The waterfall on the Awash River is impressive which you can see in the 3rd and 4th pictures.
    The 5th and 6th pictures looks across the park. Most of what I saw was savanna and thorned bushland.
    The last picture is the only other critter I saw (except livestock). The is the Abyssinia bird.    Read more

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    Lake Ziway

    October 31, 2022 in Ethiopia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Lake Ziway is a volcanic lake in the southern part of Ethiopia. It is a bit of a birding site, and fishing is s significant part of the economy here.
    The 1st picture is of the lake. The island in the distance has a small community and a monastery. There is also a minute mastery on the mainland (2nd picture). Both are Ethiopian Orthodox.
    Now for some birds: ibis, Marabou, African fish eagles, hamerkop in the foreground with more ibis behind, egret among the water hyacinth, Egyptian geese and pelicans.
    As for fishing, the last picture has tilapia and carp on the grill.    Read more

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    Abinata-Shalla Park and Lake Lantana

    October 31, 2022 in Ethiopia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Abinata and Shalla are 2 small lakes around which the small park is preserved. The 1st picture is typical of the park landscape. There are some animals here. The 2nd picture is an ostrich, and the 3rd is Grant's antelope. I did also see a warthog, wild tog and guinea fowl, but I wasn't quick enough to get pictures.
    The next 2 pictures are at Lake Langano from the beach at the resort. That 5th picture is a white heron.    Read more

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    Halaba

    November 1, 2022 in Ethiopia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    The Halaba people are one of the many ethnic groups of Ethiopia. They live in the central Highlands of the country. These pictures are in a small village in the region.
    The 1st picture is a typical house, and the 2nd picture is a larger look at the village. The 3rd picture is the woman of the house wearing a traditional Halaba hat.
    The 4th and 5th pictures are inside the house in the 1st picture. The construction is interesting. I haven't seen this type of roof support. Living is arranged around the outside, while cooking is in the center. The 5th picture is the kitchen storage area on the side opposite the previous picture.
    The last picture is the man of the house separating the wheat from the chaff in the old traditional manner, letting the breeze carry away the chaff.    Read more

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    Droze village

    November 1, 2022 in Ethiopia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    The Droze people are an Ethiopian ethnic group living in the highlands in the southern part of the country. They are perhaps most famous for their houses. The 1st picture shows these houses made from bamboo that look like elephant faces (intentionally). The trunk is the entry. The eyes provide light and a vent for rainy season cooking fires. The next 2 pictures are inside the house, showing a sleeping area and some crockery.
    They are also well known for their textiles. The 4th picture shows cotton being spun from raw cotton bolls brought up from the lowlands. They remove the seeds to return them for the next crop.
    The 5th picture is a weaver at work along with some of the wares. I'm told that Droze weavers provide for Ethiopian Airlines flight attendants.
    One of their staple foods is the false banana. In the 6th picture, the woman is shredding the plant from the fibers and outer covering. The fibers are used for rope, among other things. The plant pulp is fermented in the ground for 3 months and then dug up and used. A primary use is for bread that is cooked and a plate similar injera, but the dough is baked between leaves.
    The 8th picture is the finished beard with fishes of local organic honey and a spice paste. In the back is homemade arack, their local alcoholic beverage. I got to enjoy all if it, including their ceremony for drinking the arack.
    The last 2 pictures are more examples of their artistic talent and craftsmanship.    Read more

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    Lake Chamo

    November 2, 2022 in Ethiopia ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Lake Chamo is one of the Ethiopian rift valley lakes and lies within one of the national parks. The 1st picture looks along a section of shoreline where the lake has encroached and killed the trees. The 2nd picture is of Turtle Island, named for its shape. The 3rd picture is another African fish eagle with a nest. The 4th and 5th pictures are Nile crocodiles. These are sunning themselves at the end of Turtle Island that I decided to call Croc Beach. There were far more Crocs there than I can show. The ones living here are said to be among the largest Nile Crocs anywhere. The 6th picture has a heron hidden to the left of center. The last picture catches a couple hippos swimming. They spend their days in the water, making this about as good a daylight picture I can hope to get.Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelEthiopia

    Ari village

    November 2, 2022 in Ethiopia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    The Ari people are another tribal group native to the Omo Valley of southern Ethiopia. The Ari are thought to be the largest and oldest tribe in the Omo region. They are well known agriculturalists, providing much of the food for the region. They also have skilled potters and blacksmiths.
    The 1st picture is a look at a family compound of the 2nd wife of the village blacksmith. The 2nd picture is the blacksmith at work at his forge with a few of his products laid out. The 3rd picture is the potter shaping a baking plate for injera baking and other cooking uses. The 4th picture is the working still making the homemade liquor. The 5th picture is one of the many fields. Growing here are sorghum, corn (maize), beans and more. The last picture is again making injera. This time the batter is made from corn instead of tef as in this region, tef is much more expensive and so used only at celebrations, holidays, etc.    Read more

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