Church of St George, Lalibela

The Church of St. George is the best known and last built rock hewn church in Lalibela.

As described from the UNESCO world heritage website "Lalibela is a small town at an altitude of almost 2,800 m in the Ethiopian highlands. It is surrounded by a rocky, dry area. Here in the 13th century devout Christians began hewing out the red volcanic rock to create 13 churches. Four of them were finished as completely free-standing structures, attached to their mother rock only at their bases. The remaining nine range from semi-detached to ones whose facades are the only features that have been 'liberated' from the rock.

"The churches were not constructed in a traditional way but rather were hewn from the living rock of monolithic blocks. These blocks were further chiseled out, forming doors, windows, columns, various floors, roofs etc. This gigantic work was further completed with an extensive system of drainage ditches, trenches and ceremonial passages, some with openings to hermit caves and catacombs."

Posted with Blogsy

The Unknown Rock Hewn Church

Misgun, our amazing and very knowledgeable guide, asked us if we may be interested in seeing a rock hewn church only a handful of people have ever witnessed. What do you mean, I asked? Misgun starts to describe how a monk living in the mountains had a vision to start building a rock hewn church, not unlike the ones in Lalibela, for the people, for the holy of holy. Locals living in the area thought the idea was ludicrous and the monk had somehow lost his mind. But, everyday, for the past 13 months, using a crude scrapping tool, he dug down into the sandstone and started to carve a creation of wonder. When the monk is not carving, he is in a cave above his creation, meditating.

Yes, we say - as long as the monk does not mind - we would like to see what he is building. Slowly and steadily we climb against the side of a low sloping escarpment edge. I glance across the landscape and really don't see anything out of the ordinary. Then, we pass what looks like posts sticking up out of the ground. What's this? Million year old petrified wood, I am told. Then I realize, we have arrived.

Using a crude tool, a wheel barrow with a stone wheel, this amazing human being, is literally carving a holy church down into the very sandstone no one could believe possible. Alone.

Posted with Blogsy

Leaving Meket

A few last details................

Posted with Blogsy

Gelada Baboon

As we approach our final campsite, for this trek, we pass through a very large band of Gelada Baboons. Their huge manes and tails resemble that of a lion, and in the golden sunlight, they are absolutely gorgeous. They are a species of old world monkey and are only found in the Ethiopian highlands.

Posted with Blogsy

En-route to Aterow

Feeling good, we continue our trek along the escarpment towards our camp in Aterow. Breathtaking scenery, pastoral farmland, amazing and beautiful Ethiopians and yet another amazing campsite.

Posted with Blogsy

Typical Farm House

The farmers in this region live communally with their animals in very tiny, simple houses. This family is having dinner by a fire in the centre of the floor as their animals wonder in from the field. So far, there are several chickens, a cow and calf, and one cat. It is smoky, dank, moist and warm. After dinner, and all the animals have gathered, the family prepares for sleep on a wooden platform, made of poles, just above the animals. The reason the animals are allowed to live in the home is twofold - heat for the house and protection from the hyenas.

Posted with Blogsy

January 7th, Ethiopian Christmas

Family and friends gather throughout the countryside to feast together for Christmas after a long fast. On this Christmas day, Nick and I have about 9 - 12 people that either are, or feel they are, responsible for us. Our main guide, two local guides, their donkey, two cooks, a camp manager, a young boy on security and two holy men. As a gift of appreciation, Nick and I decide to purchase a sheep for Christmas dinner to be eaten at our next campsite in Wajela.

Upon camp arrival, the sheep is presented to us as two men in worn suits patiently wait for us to attend the ceremonial slaughter. Although somewhat difficult, it is fascinating to watch the process and know it is done in a respectful and thorough manner.

Everything, and I mean everything, is eaten. The blood is drained into a dish and immediately drank, the gonads are eaten raw and desired for the rich fat content, all of the meat is meticulously cut and either boiled or fried and the sheep bones are boiled until they can be crunched by the teeth to get the marrow which is slurped down with the broth.

Everyone who gathered in the candle lit tukal that evening, sang songs, shoulder danced, feasted and reveled in the precious day.

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Campsite Mequat Mariam

OMG!

Posted with Blogsy

Trek to Mequat Mariam

Community Trekking, imagine what this must like in one of the most populated countries in the world - over 78 million people of which 90% of the population lives rurally. There are very few roads, no electricity or internet, no private land ownership and smoking is taboo! They do like their home made beer though!

With our donkey fully loaded with gear, Nick and I start trekking through fields that have an endless maze of pathways. We pass people harvesting grain, carrying water, shepherding cattle and sheep. Little circular farm houses called tukuls are scattered throughout the countryside. Children shout out to us, Hello-Hello-Hello with the biggest brightest smiles. We greet everyone with Selam and often stop to shake hands or rub shoulders.

The heat of the day requires us to be fully covered, we walk miles, cross an endless landscape, and by late afternoon, reach the beginning of the escarpment. The vista is stunning - off in the distance we see our first camp.

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Harvest

January is harvest time. The entire process is immensely labor intensive. The standing crop is cut by hand and hauled to a centralized area. 4 to 6 cows and horses are roped together, their mouths are tied shut, and they walk in a continuous circle for hours and hours to trample the grain. Once the crop has been thoroughly tromped, the farmer tosses the straw into the air with a hand made fork to separate the chaff from the grain. Then the long tedious process of collecting the grain begins. I couldn't help but reflect on the current industrial farming practices in Canada and within my own family. Mind boggling........

Posted with Blogsy

Celebration!

People gathered by the hundreds to listen to music and speeches in the downtown square. We tried to find out what was happening and received two different stories. One person told us it was a graduation celebration and another told us the students had just finished a 10 kilometer race. Which ever it was - it looked like great fun.

Posted with Blogsy

Debre Berhan Church

This Orthodox church is one of the most beautiful in Ethiopia. It has stone walls, arched doors, a two tiered thatched roof and the most beautiful ceiling paintings. It is believed the church was saved from being destroyed in the 1880's by a giant swam of bees that chased the invaders away.

Posted with Blogsy

The Royal Enclosure

The Royal Enclosure, a world heritage site, is enclosed in a 70,000 square meter compound. The oldest and largest building is Fasiladas Palace. It stands 32 meters tall and has four domed towers. Although we enjoyed touring around the grounds the best part of the experience was sharing conversation and ideas with gentlemen who just wanted to talk. We shared stories, snacked on bits of dried grain, and talked about numerous business ventures and the financial struggle to realize the opportunities.

Posted with Blogsy