51. Ethiopia: Lalibela

Ok, I was really grateful that Craig did all the work to research and book both our Ethiopia and Egypt tours. Truthfully, I was mostly focused on the 8 week safari-overlanding tour.

I thought I was up for it when he said these 2 countries would have more of a cultural focus. That is, until today, when we were subjected to a guided tour of ELEVEN churches in one day. I was numb after the first few, and looking for a spire to jump off of after a half dozen.

That being said, the eleven rock-hewn (carved into rock) Churches of Lalibela are monolithic structures named after the late-12th and early-13th century King Gebre Mesqel Lalibela of the Zagwe dynasty, who commissioned the massive building project of 11 rock-hewn churches to recreate the holy city of Jerusalem in his own kingdom. The site remains in use by the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Church to this day, and it remains an important place of pilgrimage for Ethiopian Orthodox worshipers. It took 24 years to build all the 11 rock hewn churches.

This was our last evening in Ethiopia - we celebrated dinner with our guide at a neat looking restaurant overlooking Lalibela.Read more