Lalibela’s rock hewn churches – eighth wonder of the world

We were spoilt in Lalibela. We stayed at a hotel for the first time in ages and it was incredible. It’s the 28 day old Lalibela Lodge with sweeping views of the entire mountainside, large rooms, hot showers, comfy beds and a lovely owner, Hab.

Eight of us only had one full day in Lalibela as we were heading off overland to Axum and Debark (Simien Mountains) so we packed in a full day of Lalibela’s famous rock-hewn churches.

Mario, Hab’s cousin, was our guide for the churches and he was incredible. He grew up here and even used to play ‘hide and seek’ in the churches and the myriad of secret underground tunnels so needless to say he knows it well.

Scholars are divided on whether the churches are designed to represent the powerful monarch’s reign, reproduce the holy site of Jerusalem or communicate religious beliefs. Legend has it that the churches were hewn out of the rock by angels but tradition speaks of 24 years of uninterrupted work day and night by more than 40,000 people to complete these structures. Axes, chisels, and hammers were amongst the primitive tools used to excavate the churches, making it even more incredible, particularly as a high degree of accuracy was required. King Lalibela had the inspiration in a vision and devoted his entire life to their constructions, spending all his patrimony and even selling off his children as slaves to gain the means to conclude his mission! Since 1978 it has been on a World Heritage Site and it’s really no wonder that it is supposedly the 8^th wonder of the world.

The 1^st group of churches contains: Biet Medhane Alem (The Saviour of the World) – at 33.5m long by 23.5m wide by 11m high, it’s the largest monolithic church in the world; Biet Mariam; Biet Maskal; Biet Denghel (House of the Virgins); and Biet Golgotha-Micael-Selassie which includes the Selassie crypt, the holiest place in Lalibela (which only men can get somewhat nearer to but still cannot enter). ‘A Guide to Lalibela’ says the first non-ecclesiastics known to have entered this chapel were Italians in 1939 and this apparently took place ‘at the point of a pistol’.

Biet Giyorgis (St George) stands alone and it was by far my favourite. Looking down from above on the cross-shaped church blew me away. It had yellow lichen on the façade which is cleaned off at Ethiopian Christmas but I think it adds to its charm. It has a secret access passage and three layers – the bottom is meant to represent the water level of Noah’s Ark, the middle where the animals were kept and the upper when Noah and his family lived.

The 2^nd group of churches consists of: Biet Gabriel Raphael; Biet Lehem (the holy bakery); Biet Mercurios (which has a pitch black tunnel below it to represent hell and the church above represents heaven); Biet Emmanuel; and Biet Abba Libanos.

They really are incredible constructions.

Of course we also had to sample Lalibela's local restaurants and bars albeit in the short time we had there.

Ben Abeba restaurant was recommended to us by a US architect we met in Ristorante Castelli in Addis who has travelled around Ethiopia extensively. The restaurant was designed by two young Ethiopians and has paths winding around each other skywards to a rooftop with incredible views and a very cool owner, Suzie. The food is made fresh.

Unique restaurant was then recommended to us by Suzie. It only has a couple of tables but again, everything is made fresh.

Askalech/Torpedo tej/Azmari bar was listed in the Lonely Planet. For 40 Birr we ordered the more expensive ‘special’ tej (local honey wine) which is stronger and sweeter. The tej comes out in a glass beaker and the waitress tips it on its side and taps it against the tray to remove the thin layer of sediment on top.

The bar was a room filled with people sitting on low tables and chairs, listening to local music. A man was playing a one-stringed instrument with a bow, called a massinko and a lady wearing a long, traditional white dress sung in accompaniment. They would both pull people up from the crowd to dance with them – the ‘in’ style seems to involve lots of shoulder jerking whilst keeping your hands still which, if you’re uncoordinated, can feel like you’re doing the chicken dance! (much to the amusement of the locals).

As if laughing at your dance style were not enough, they also pick on people in the crowd (like a kind of court jester) and evidently what they said was funny as everyone would roar out loud with laughter. We couldn’t understand a thing as it was all in Amharic. As far as we could gather from our taxi driver who came early to pick us up, they had a good laugh at Shaun’s beard and also joked that although we were Australian they still like us! (and something to do with us girls being sweet like candy!) I think a lot was lost in the translation as clearly it was hilarious and all at our expense.

Can’t wait to find another tej/Azmari bar but next time we will be bringing an interpreter!

Bahir Dar, Blue Nile Falls and Lake Tana Monasteries

The mountainous drive from Addis to Bahir Dar was stunning and the very steep s-bends made the drive even more incredible.

Farmers were using cattle to plough their fields and goats were sitting in the middle of the road, oblivious to the vehicles that had to take a wide berth around them.

In the afternoon of the day we arrived, some of our group went to see the nearby Blue Nile Falls (Tiz Abay – ‘water that smokes’). We were taken to see the first bridge built over the Nile by the Portuguese in the 17^th century before seeing the falls themselves.

Upon seeing my photos, Jo aptly described them as being like a ‘mini Victoria Falls’ (mini as they are only 400m wide and 45m high).

Once we got a good overview of the falls, we then went over a bouncy suspension bridge accompanied by locals and their goats, to get closer to the falls.

Here it started to get muddy, slippery and wet. Everyone, except for Dom and I, did the sensible thing and stayed at the top of the last viewpoint. The two of us instead decided to get drenched at the foot of the falls and that we certainly did.

I had to walk back up barefoot as I was slipping out of my muddy flipflops. Young kids trying to earn a living wanted to wash them so I let them but they were only to get muddy again a few minutes later.

The following day we organised a boat to take us to three monasteries on Lake Tana. I didn’t realise how big Lake Tana is and/or how slow the boat would be as it took us 1 ½ hours to get to the first monastery on what I thought was a ‘nearby’ peninsula. Local fisherman passed slowly by on straw boats that reminded me somewhat of Lake Titicaca (although the boats here are about the size of a canoe).

We visited three monasteries: Beteremariam, Azwa Mariam and Ura-Kidahnemihret. All of the monasteries had very rocky, muddy paths so we had to be careful not to slip. Kristy was well-prepared in her trusty gumboots and some wore hiking boots – the rest of us struggled in flip-flops.

All of the Ethiopian Orthodox monasteries are circular with 3 sections – chanting on the outer, communion in the middle and the ‘Holy of Holies’ (said to contain a replica of the Ark of the Covenant where only monks and priests can enter) in the centre.

The paintings are done on hand-woven canvas as it absorbs colours well, and are then attached to the walls with natural glue. They mostly depict scenes from the New Testament but also contain scenes from the Old Testament and 44 extra biblical books, such as ‘Miracle of St Mary’. They are designed to teach people who can’t read the Holy Bible.

One painting I found particularly interesting was of ‘Belahe-Seb’ meaning ‘eating man’. He was a cannibal who ate 78 people including his family.

In exploring the town of Bahir Dar itself, we came across ‘Delicious Juice Bar’ where I had a fresh mango juice and a 4-layered ‘Spris’ – mango layer then guava then avocado then papaya – incredible! I am going to miss the fresh (and cheap) fruit juices in this country.

Addis – a foodie’s paradise

It would not be wrong to say that our 5 day stay in Addis revolved around food. Addis truly is a foodie’s paradise and what’s even better is it’s really cheap.

Ristorante Castelli – many famous people have dined here and I can see why – the Italian menu is fantastic with everything from prosciutto crudo to mozzarella to homemade fettucine pasta al tartufo to risotto con funghi to tiramisu to crème caramel. With an entrée, main, dessert and shared bottle of Ethiopian wine, the grand total only came to around $20. It was so good I went twice.

Habesha – everyone seems to get here around 9pm or so – barely anyone was around at 7pm when we arrived. The local music and dancing is a highlight and the Ethiopian menu was extensive too. It’s worth trying the tej (local honey wine).

Serenade – I had planned to eat only the ravioli with parmesan, spinach and pinenuts in this Mediterranean restaurant, but after seeing the felafel curry I had to order it too. The saffron icecream with cardamom and cloves was actually the reason we came here and it didn’t disappoint. And the fresh orange hibiscus juice was also delicious.

Taste of India – the tofu chilli fry entrée was so huge I had trouble finishing my sweet Navratan fruit and vegetable Korma, but the dry red Ethiopian wine seemed to help wash it all down.

Whilst our focus was on food, we still managed to see the main sights.

Entoto Market – apparently now called Shromeden, we bought a traditional Ethiopian outfit here that will serve as “everyday wear” for Kris.

Merkato – a minivan from piazza to merkato costs 1 Birr 40 (less than 10 cents). Supposedly the biggest market in Africa, we focused our attention on the dedicated souvenir section and spice alley with honey and butter shops – the butter is smeared into a recess in the wall and you can see finger smudges where people have scooped it out.

Churchill Avenue shops – the antique souvenir shops were nearest to piazza – our favourite was one with a winding staircase and an Aladdin style cave filled with old treasures.

Ethnological museum – it’s located in the university and used to be Haile Selassie’s Palace. You can visit his bedroom, bathroom and safe although it made it hard during a blackout that occurred when we were there (relatively common).

National Museum – the highlight for all of us was seeing the partial skeleton replica of Lucy, an Australopithecus afarensis, discovered in 1974 and estimated to have lived 3.2 million years ago. She was nicknamed ‘Lucy’ after the Beatle’s song ‘Lucy in the sky with diamonds’.

Holy Trinity Cathedral – it was all locked up when we arrived but after we paid 50 Birr, we were told to “Follow that monk!” The monk unlocked it for us and then excitedly encouraged me to take photos of everything. The most interesting part was seeing Haile Selassie’s (and his wife’s) pews and tombs.

Herbal Beauty Spa – it was hard to resist when you can get a 1 ½ hour hot stone massage and a pedicure for 350 Birr ($20).

And then I guess you could add to the list of sights this random one…Shaun and Karen were wandering around the centre when they came across a man on a bike with a very unusual (live animal) 'backpack'…!

Photo courtesy of Shaun and Karen

Ethiopia. Like no other.

Welcome to ‘Utopia’ [read: Ethiopia] we heard. Honestly though, we’ve had mixed reactions. We’ve had friendly, curious people waving and smiling at us, many yelling out “You, you, you, you, you!” but others yelling “Fuck you!” and making obscene gestures.

We didn’t get off to a good start in the country with Shaun and Karen’s iPod being stolen right from under our noses in a restaurant in the first town we stopped in, Yabelo. And from there I really have to say it’s still been up and down. We’ve met some great people; we’ve also met some bad people.

Ethiopia really is in a league of its own perhaps as it avoided colonialisation, having been occupied for only 5 years by the Italians, who were kicked out during the Second World War.

Our first few nights in Ethiopia were memorable. The first night we stayed at a bushcamp and had a girls’ truck sleepover. Kristy was up top on the ‘beach’, Emma on the ledge and Jo, Amy and I diagonally on the floorboards.

The second night, we stay in Ziway at what must’ve been a sex hotel. Prostitutes were milling around and each room was equipped with a box of condoms and a full length horizontal mirror lining the side of the bed. Rooms cost the least for boy and girl, more for girl and girl and the most for boy and boy! Hmm…sounds dodgy right?!

Peeing was a memorable too. When you’re on the road for so long, peeing on the side of the road becomes second nature. But we were warned about pee stops in this country as people tend to crowd around you whenever you get off the truck. We had a plan. All girls who need to pee go to the back of the truck then when Nev stops and honks his horn, we get off as quickly as possible. The boys keep a watch for us, then we get back on the truck and then they pee. At one stop, Garrett played the ‘Mission Impossible’ theme song which was hilarious but apt! There was actually no-one around until we got off and started peeing then practically the whole village turned up to watch. One enterprising man even came up to us with a huge bunch of bananas hoping to make a sale! God knows what they thought of us all peeing near their village and then taking off, without even buying a single banana!

Coming into Addis was a change. Big city. Crowds. Chaos. But more about that later.

In the meantime, here are the things that stand out to me so far in Ethiopia:

Injera – a pancake-like food that acts as your plate and you tear bits off by hand to eat with lentils, salads, mince, corn, carrots and beans, groundnut sauce, rice, or any other topping. It’s tasty and cheap too – four of us shared one huge plate for under $2.

Fresh juices – pineapple, mango, and avocado the most common (the avocado is best served with lime) – all for about 60 cents.

Coffee – It’s strong. And it’s good. In fact, it’s so good I have momentarily given up my coffee ban and am now downing a macchiato a day. Or two.

Taxes – All I can say is that they are confusing. Most menus list the prices excluding taxes and then lump on the tax at the end which can be 15% then another 10% service charge. It makes splitting large bills an absolute pain.

Cockroaches – well, I have found many in the bathrooms and in restaurants. I’m kind of used to it now though.

Altitude – Ethiopia’s pretty high above sea level - Addis Ababa is the third highest capital city in the world at 8,300 feet. You really notice it when walking around, and I get out of breath much easier over here.

Rainy season – we’ve hit the rainy season here unfortunately and it rains every afternoon, mostly around 3pm.

Fasting – every Wednesday and Friday are fasting days, except during the 50 day period after Lent. There are about 250 fasting days in a year, of which 180 are obligatory. The longest periods are Lent (56 days) and Advent (40 days). Fasting is meant to imply one meal a day with no meat, fat, eggs or milk.

Religion – Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity dates back to the 4^th century AD is the main religion in the country.

Ethiopian calendar – very confusing to say the least. Their calendar is 7 years, 7 months and 7 days behind ours due to alternate calculations in determining the date of the Annunciation of Jesus. So the 12^th of July 2012 was actually the 5^th November 2004 here. Awesome – bring back the Noughties! A poster we past advertised ‘Ethiopia: 13 months of sunshine’. I was less concerned by the fact they promoted sunshine all year round in spite of their very wet rainy season than by the fact they said they had 13 months! [The Ethiopian calendar has 12 months of 30 days each plus five or six epagomenal days comprising a 13^th month.] Times are also confusing. 12pm is 6am and 12am is 6pm (based on sunrise and sunset). If a local tells you a certain time in advance, always check if it’s Western time or Ethiopian time.

Given that we have three weeks in this country, I’m assuming we’ll have some pretty different and unusual experiences. Stay tuned.

Northern Kenya

The drive from Nairobi, Kenya to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia was always going to be tough with five days of rough roads and bush camping. For the first part, the road was being constructed by the Chinese but then it changed from tar to dirt abruptly and from that point on, it became incredibly bumpy and dusty.

Our drive took us past donkeys, camels with bells around their necks and Samburu villages where women wore large round beaded necklaces that fell over their bare breasts. The yurt style houses we went past reminded me of Central Asia.

In a small village called Marsabit, we refilled our water containers, again, as per West Africa, much to the amusement of the locals.

Naturally we had a lot of time to kill with our long drive days so I finally finished off ‘Long Walk to Freedom’ by Nelson Mandela. The highlight though was the ‘Truck Olympics’. Oli won the (very bumpy) ‘truck surfing’ singles (stand upright on truck without moving feet)

and Kris, Dom, Sonny and Garrett won the relay. Dom and I tied the first game of ‘bucket ball’ (throw ball in bucket) and Shaun won the second game. Then ‘cage ball’ (throw ball in back container) came down to sudden death and Tom won it. Hours of amusement.

Our bushcamps were quite memorable too. One night it was so incredibly windy that our tents nearly blew away and packing them up in the morning was near impossible. But our first night was the most bizarre as we were told to watch out for lions as we were near a national park. Villagers warned us that a lion ate a man from their village last month. A car full of police and park rangers turned up later and insisted upon staying with us to ‘protect’ us – we even played Scrabble by gunpoint! – but as it turns out they were fast asleep when Nev got up at 3am.

Then when we crossed the border into Ethiopia, a whole new manner of chaos ensued…

Truck family update

I’ve been meaning to write about our new truck family for a while, so here goes…

NEWBIES

Emma

This fun, young English chick joined us in Zanzibar and has a strong interest in Arabic and the Middle East. She’s absolutely gorgeous and is never seen without her red sunnies – maybe in the hope that it won’t rain as she’s afraid of thunder and lightning. Very well-prepared for the trip – she came with her own beer funnel. Currently in a backgammon ‘fight-to-the-death’ with Nev, our driver.

Kris

This crazy Belgian joined us in Arusha and sadly already left us in Addis! (Through no fault of our own I might add – he just wanted to get back home as his cycling team was invited to a very prestigious Belgian race). Is embarrassed that the Belgian cultural icon is Mannekin Pis (literally ‘Little Man Pee’). He loves ‘bubbly’ (his term for sparkling/soda water) so much so in fact that he took a bottle into the Arctic Ocean with him in Greenland. A fellow 90s music aficionado who loves an adventure and hard, rough travelling (the West Africa part of our trip which he is planning on doing over 2012/13 will be perfect for him). Loves cycling, table tennis, tennis, rowing, kayaking and sailing. Also loves his cartoon-themed socks with everything from Spiderman to Garfield to Homer Simpson to Snoopy. Will respond to ‘Olga’…

ABANDONERS

Lee left us in Arusha

Ron left us in Kampala

Katie rejoined in Zanzibar & then sadly left us again in Nairobi – sniff!

Kris/Olga left us in Addis

Raf left us in Addis

NEW PERSONALITIES

Now, I don’t expect anyone will really ever understand quite how much time we have and how crazy we’ve actually become on this trip. Or maybe you will after this post if you haven’t already…

Fatima, aka Dom, has existed since the early days in Morocco when Kristy mistook Dom in his local outfit for a local lady…since then we found out in one of our library books that ‘Fatima’ was a very generous, fat Moroccan wh*re…

Olga, aka Kris, (the 3^rd best prozzie in Domainia) was sadly only born the night of Kris’ farewell. We miss him/her already and wish him/her well!

(A special thanks goes to Shaun for costume assistance).

Gladys, aka Oli, (a 1950’s Northern England washerwoman), was born most recently at a very wet bushcamp.

More personalities to come?? Let’s hope so…