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Ethiopia

October - November 2022
A 26-day adventure by skip's retirement travel Read more
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  • skip's retirement travelEthiopia
    Day 6

    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

  • skip's retirement travelEthiopia
    Day 7

    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

  • skip's retirement travelEthiopia
    Day 9

    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

  • skip's retirement travelEthiopia
    Day 10

    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

  • skip's retirement travelEthiopia
    Day 11

    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

  • skip's retirement travelEthiopia
    Day 11

    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

  • skip's retirement travelEthiopia
    Day 13

    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

  • skip's retirement travelEthiopia
    Day 14

    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

  • skip's retirement travelEthiopia
    Day 15

    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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