Ethiopia – Lalibela

Our guide today, Henoch a relative of Yared, took us to some of the 11 churches in Lalibela.

The entrances to the churches were small, creating some interesting congestion as shoes needed to be removed before entering. A person was hired to watch shoes and while you were inside. You can imagine the number of shoes at each entrance given the number of pilgrims!

Lining up to get in an entrance.

Line up behind us.

This rather startling symbol is of course quite old and can be seen is several ancient structures.

That evening we had injera with Yared and his family.

View from the front of our hotel.

View from our room in the morning

and in the evening.

Ethiopia – Lalibela

Jan 5 This morning before we left Addis, we heard a lot of banging and thought workers had started early. It turned out the man in the next room was locked in his bathroom and could not get out. The staff asked to come in our room and one reached out our window trying to reach his bathroom window with a long pole. We were trying not to be too nosy so it was a mystery to us how they got him out.

These two ladies were wonderful staff employees in our hotel.

After we flew into Lalibela airport, we rode 23k up the mountain into town all the while a constant stream of animals and people passed us heading home down the mountain. It had been a market day and people had bought livestock to take home for Orthodox Christmas. Others were carrying their wares back home. What an incredible introduction to the town.

Here the houses are fashioned from eucalyptus poles, which are very straight and easy to grow, then covered with mud. Once dried some are even painted. They are uniform in size and design.

Animals are all over the road. The traffic is constantly swerving to avoid them.

Main street Lalibela.

The pilgrims pour into Lalibela for the Orthodox Christmas celebration. They have no regard for their physical well being. Some walk 7 and 8 days to get here. Estimates say 30 to 40 thousand arrive. They are all wrapped in white and many are bare footed. Our senses are on overload.

Our guide took us into a rock church that evening where 50 to 60 priests were chanting. They started at 9 and chanted until 9 the next morning. We stayed for 2 hours. Our guide managed to get us right up beside the ceremony.

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Coming out all of the area around the church was covered with white robes as the pilgrims curled up on the ground to sleep. Unbelievable.

Again we have been blessed with a great guide, Yared, 0983178276.

Ethiopia -Addis Ababa

Today we had to locate an Ethiopian Airlines office to pay for our tickets to Lalibela for the Orthodox Christmas celebration there. As always, finding places in an overcrowded and frenetic city is an experience but we got there, got tickets and are thrilled for our next adventure.

We spent the afternoon visiting the Holy Trinity Cathedral, which is the highest ranking Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Cathedral in Addis.

The Selassie Museum would not allow any photos inside. The crowns and chalices in gold and silver were exceptionally beautiful. What I really wanted was a photo of the bible written in Amharic on horse skin. The writing was a work of art.

A monument to the members of Parliament that were killed when the Derg took over in Ethiopia in 1975.

John went into see Halle Selassie’s tomb. Haile Selassie was Emperor from 1930 to 1974. He was murdered in 1975 when the Derg assumed power.

John was surprised to see that Sylvia Pankhurst, the British Suffragette and Activist is buried in the Cathedral Cemetery.

These three were purchased by the Cathedral to be slaughtered for Christmas dinner for the poor. Happily they do not know their fate.

So special to see the blossoms.

These little taxis outside our hotel are used just for transportation within the immediate district and not for travel to another districts.

Ethiopia – Addis Ababa

This morning Jan 3, I opened the curtains in our room and saw a herd of sheep across the road.

We had lunch with Yehalem, the director of the Frances G. Cosco Foundation which builds schools in communities in Ethiopia. We talked about what service we can offer the Foundation while we are here. Our lunch was at a restaurant that gives orphans the skills to wait tables for employment in the hotels that are being built to accommodate the increase in tourism.

Yehalem told me the reason the sheep are in town is that the locals buy an entire animal for Christmas. When we left the restaurant we saw two vehicles with animals tied on the roof. As well, while waiting for Yehalem I saw a man go by with a sheep that was hopping on three legs. The man was leading him down the road by one leg. Then I realized why.

After lunch we went to the Merkato, which is the largest open market in all Africa. Our taxi cab.

When we drove into the market looking out from the cab we were overwhelmed by the number of people and not one other tourist face. We were thinking of not getting out at all when out of the blue a man appeared offering his service as a guide for the market. We negotiated a price and were amazed by what he provided. He was proud of his country and enjoyed explaining absolutely everything we passed. His number if you need a guide for the market is 0947901155 and his name is Sun. .

Notice the homemade wheel barrow. Our guide talked about the resourcefulness of the people and pointed out many examples of recycling that is evident in their products. Notice the red sling on the man’s back on the right.

People carry their products in these tarps and lay them in the market where they can. They do not have licences so they are always on the watch for the authorities. In the bottom left picture you can see the security with his stick chasing them and the left picture the boy leaving with his products.

John bought a bottle of this home made honey alcohol that is made at home and sold for Christmas which here is Jan 7 Orthodox) The market was extra busy because of Christmas shopping.

They burn frankincense on their little stoves for the rich smell when they have their friends over for Christmas.

The sulphur is used for cuts and sores and the khole, in block form and little bottles for womens’ eyes.

Strainers and sieves made from recycled metal drums.

These women make envelopes from recycled paper. The vendors selling spices buy from them.

These women are cutting up a fibrous food from the base of a banana plant that does not produce bananas and then mix it with butter. Further refining and mashing produces a type of porridge.

Wrapped and sold in packages.

Buying at the market to take to the outlying communities.

Spices abound.

A type of butter women put in their hair and leave for up to six hours before they go to the hair dresser to make it soft. Cottage cheese in the back bucket.

Metal being recycled and reused.

Large baskets made to store injera in which keeps it fresh for up to four days.

Animals like this pregnant goat wander the market eating the scraps, then go home on their own at closing time.

A happy camper.

When these young girls saw me taking photos they were happy to pose for one.

Ethiopia – Addis Ababa

At the airport people are not allowed to wait inside for those they are picking up.

Once settled we headed to the National Museum of Ethiopia in a taxi.

Haillie Selasse the emperor, his robe and chair.

A traditional painting.

We had lunch in the Lucy restaurant beside the museum. Definitely a good choice. We asked for a table in the sun so they took one outside for us. Our waiter wondered why we wanted the sun. When we said we were from the Yukon, he understood.