See the Poor in the Developing World of Ethiopia in 2015 - Part 1 of 2

 See the Poor in the Developing World of Ethiopia in 2015 - Part 1 of 2

(Travel Story Series @ Hon Too Fang 2021)

************************

This is Part 1 of 2 on Ethiopia, in the central and northern regions. 

*********************** 

My friends,

In November 2015, we joined a small group to tour Ethiopia. This is the travel story. You are invited to join us on this virtual tour. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. 

Hon

(19-12-2015) 

***********************

Prelude - Why Ethiopia?

"Popiah" is a Hokkien specialty. One day my wife the Hokkien lang was eating popiah at home when the part-time maid Kak Dian came to clean the apartment. My wife explained what popiah was to her, and this Sulawesi native said popiah with duck meat was her village specialty. My wife exclaimed loudly in astonishment, "itek popiah?" 

I was then talking on the phone with my friend Peter on our travel plans and he heard the scream of "itek popiah". "What, going to Ethiopia?" He asked, amused and amazed.

Mmmm, that was a good idea, why not? I thought. So to Ethiopia we went. 

Why Peter, like most Malaysians, was amused and amazed? That is because we ignorantly associate Ethiopia with the typical African nation, with little civilisation or history to talk about (except Egypt), currently in civil war of some sort, abundance of terrorists or religious extremists like ISIS or Boko Haram, economy crippled by famine, society beset by high crime rate, nothing to offer to the average tourist, etc. 

But we are wrong in all fronts. Ethiopia has an early civilisation and a long history, accepted Christianity even before the Roman Empire, has the most number of UNESCO World Heritage sites among African nations, 9 is the number, an example of a nation with people of different ethnicity and religion living in harmony, and as reported by Lonely Planet, is practically crime-free.

(Note in 2001: Unfortunately Ethiopia is currently in some kind of civil war. A powerful region in the north, Tigray, is in conflict with the central government and other regions. Unrest started in 2019 and turned into a war in late 2020. Still on going.) 

Section A: Info

First a general introduction of the nation. 

The country

Ethiopia is a landlocked country about 3 times the size of Malaysia. It is located south of Eritrea, west of Somali, north of Kenya and east of Sudan. Got it? No? Never mind, somewhere in north-east Africa. The first kingdom was established in Axum around the 8th century BC. And she has never been colonised throughout its history though the Italians invaded some parts of the country during WW2. 

When you have no natural resources to offer, no “angmoh” is interested in you. OK, girls, when you don't have desirable assets, better be less choosy. 

The last ruler from the House of Solomon was ousted in 1974 and Ethiopia became a communist republic, known as the military “Derg” regime. A rather unpopular one even in a country dominated by farmers. The government forces were defeated by a people's uprising in 1991. Strange isn't it, poor farmers rose against a communist regime and won the war? Normally farmers' uprisings are against the capitalist or imperial governments. 

Shown the Martyr's Memorial in Mekelle in northern Ethiopia erected in 2001 to commemorate those who lost their lives during the communist "Derg" regime. A monument to commemorate a victory over the communists? Normally it is the other way round.

The giant shoe (note the size of the people in the photo) at the Memorial is the type of simple plastic shoe worn by the farmers who defeated the government soldiers in Soviet-style leather boots. The design is evergreen, it is still widely worn by the rural folks, unlike those by Italian designers which would last for only 3 months.

The people

The population is 90+ million with over 80 ethnic groups. The most in number is the Omoro, at 34%. Next the Amhara, at 27 %, but the Amhara is the dominant race, in politics, finance, language, culture, etc. These 2 groups live in central Ethiopia, including the capital Addis Ababa. How they look like? More like Indians, or Bangladeshis. Shown our guide for 3 weeks: Mr Salomon the Amhara, a very good and knowledgeable guide, and the traditional costume of the Amhara race, as exhibited in the Ethnology Museum in Addis Ababa.

Then we have a Konso girl and her sister, and a Muslim woman of the Haliba tribe. Isn't that too low a cut for a Muslim woman who should be more conservatively dressed? She and her community don't think so. Both Konso and Haliba are "big" minority tribes in the south.

A farmer on the highland in Lalibela and a future Olympic marathon winner in Lebark. She ran along our bus approaching Debark for more than a km, gracefully and effortlessly. Her reward in accompanying us: a few ballpoint pens and candies.

The language

There is no Ethiopian language. The national language is Amhari, the language used by the dominant Amhara race. The written script is a showcase of worms like ሚ ሤ ሼ ቬ ኆ ኞ ዌ ዤ ጅ ጬ ጯ ፎ. Any spelling bee champion here?

In Ethiopia, the standard drunk-driving test is for one to write out his or her full name in the Amhari script. You think you can write out your full name in the correct shape of worms after 3 rounds of tej? Tej is their honey wine. Just joking about the test. 

Ethiopians don't have surnames. An individual's full name is made up of his or her own name, followed by the father's name and the name of the father's father.

Literacy rate is still very low, at less than 50%. 

The religions

Look at the photos below. Outside this religious building the women in prayer wear white, with matching head scarves. They bow and prostrate. They greet each other with a sign of peace, "salam". Outside, loudspeakers blare out the sermons. They don't smoke, they don't eat pork and shell food. They buy their beef/mutton only at certified butcher shops. 

Which Islamic sect they belong?

Not Muslims, they are Christians, from the dominant Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. They broke off from the Catholic Church in the 4th century. They are a very conservative sect, emphasizing a lot of practices from the Old Testament.  In tradition they are closer to the Copts in Egypt. 

The above photos were taken during a morning mass at the Abuna Aftse Church in Gheralta in the north.

About 45 % of Ethiopians are Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Christians, Protestants another 17%, Muslims another 34% and 3% in traditional belief. The patron saint of Ethiopia is Saint George. Many churches are named after him, and paintings of him slaying a dragon to rescue a virgin sacrifice adorn every church. And if that is not ubiquitous enough, one of the three local beers is named St George beer. Isn't it profane to name a spirit after a saint? May be that is logical: the beer is spiritual. 

The old painting of St George is found at the Old Church of St Mary at Zion in the town of Axum in the north.

The economy

Ethiopia is a very poor country though it enjoys good growth in the last decade. The per capital (PPP-based) GDP for 2015 is estimated around US$ 1,560 only. For comparison, Malaysia's figure is US$ 25,800 or 16 times more. Agriculture contributes about 40% of the GDP and 80% of the workforce. But productivity is low, with uneven rainfall and few irrigation schemes. The main export is coffee. In fact the coffee plant is originated from Ethiopia. The beans are the high quality Coffea Arabica. One of the most famous brand is To.Mo.Ca. Tasted fantastic at their special outlet in Addis Ababa. Bought some ground coffee packs home but it has never tasted that good like in Addis Ababa. Just a bit better than so-so. May be we need to study some finer points of "kopilogy" for a better brew. This is nothing new in life: you pick up a gorgeous girl from the bar, take her home, unpack and find she is just so-so!

Section B

Now we go for some sight-seeing. Section B is about central and northern Ethiopia and Section C the south. We spent near to 2 weeks in the central and northern regions of Oromia, Amhara and Tigray, and slightly over a week in the SNNPR in the south. 

Addis Ababa

We visited 2 museums in the capital city with some 3.3 million people. First the National Museum housing the nation’s artistic treasures as well as precious archaeological finds. The most famous exhibit is the fossil bones (about 40% of the full skeleton) of Lucy, 3rd photo, the Hominin who lived some 3.2 million years ago. The species precedes Homo sapiens. Yes, Ethiopia is that old. The 4th photo shows the hat and umbrella of Emperor Menelik II (reign: 1889-1913). The 5th shows a giant painting on canvas named “African Heritage” by a local artist Afewerk Tekle (1932-2012), while the last shows one of the many religious paintings.

Ethnological Museum

The Ethnological Museum is dedicated to ethnology and culture, with exhibits housed in a former palace of Emperor Haile Selassie (reign: 1930-1974). At the entrance there is an intriguing set of stairs spiralling precariously skywards. Each step was placed by the Italians (who occupied many parts of Ethiopia during WW2) as a symbol of Fascist domination, one for every year Mussolini held power. A small Lion of Judah (the symbol of Ethiopian monarchy) added by the Ethiopians later, sits victoriously atop the final step, like a final exclamation mark at the end of a painfully long sentence.

Shown some exhibits. The old painting in the 3rd photo is dated to late 16th century and that in the last photo to early 17th century.

Bahir Dar

This is a city some 550 km north of Addis Ababa. Shown typical rural roadside scenes taken on the journey. Horse carriages are the Mercedes class here, and men queuing for bus. Civilised protocol in an underdeveloped world. Cheers to the Ethiopians. Lastly a petrol station without roof, most typical.

Debre Libanos Monastery

Along the way visited the Debre Libanos Monastery founded some 800 years ago. This current church was built in the 1960s, with many beautiful stained glass panels. The 3rd photo shows a mosaic piece.

Bahir Dar the city

Bahir Dar is the capital of the Amhara Region and it has a population of about 220,000. We did not go into the inner city itself. Shown an urban modern building in the inner city viewed from afar and the typical rural houses seen on the city fringe. What a contrast. A street scene in the suburb of the city in the early morning and the unemployed looking at notices of vacancies near a bus stop. A working women showing her great head power, bare footed and carrying a child on her back too. And a souvenir shop near the jetty for boats in Lake Tana.

Lake Tana

Lake Tana is the largest lake in Ethiopia. We had a cruise on the lake or more accurately to cross to the other side of the lake to visit an historic monastery. The 1st photo shows our cruise boat and the “official” jetty. No life jackets? Got! Only in your next life. On the way met a fisherman in a papyrus boat. The Lake Tana region is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Ura Kidane Mehret Monastery

Visited the Ura Kidane Mehret Monastery, founded in the 14th century. The current church building is about 500 years old, with timber cladding as an outer wall. Richly adorned with murals, said to be 150 to 250 years old.

Tis Issat Falls

The main tourist attraction in this region is the Tis Issat Falls, on the Blue Nile River, about 30 km east of Bahir Dar. The waterfall is about 37 m to 43 m in height, which could extend up to 400 m wide during rainy seasons. A hydro-electricity dam upstream completed in 2003 has greatly reduced the flow in the dry season. Shown also the short walk to the falls and a rain shelter on the way.

Gondar

180 km north of Bahir Dar is Gondar, a city with some 280,000 people, still in the Amhara Region. Shown roadside scenes taken on the journey. Farmland and roadside stalls, a convoy of donkey carts, 2 fighting bulls, and the Finger of God, a 120-m high rock outcrop jutting out of nowhere.

Fasil Ghebbi
Gondar was an old capital of the country from around 1632 to 1855, founded by Emperor Fasilides (reign: 1632-1667). The main attraction is the Fasil Ghebbi, which is a group of ruins, mostly palaces, built by Fasilides and his successors. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The best preserved is the Fasilides Castle, which is also the biggest building, 2nd and 3rd photos. The 4th photo shows the ruins of the banquet hall and the 5th the storage facilities. The last photo shows the archives.

Fasilides Bath

Right in town is another of Emperor Fasilides’ legacy: the Fasilides Bath. The ruins include the bath, a watch tower and a connecting bridge. A fascinating sight here is the exposed giant roots of the ancient banyan trees intertwined with the crumbling brickwork. On the 19 January of each year, the pool is filled up with water to enact the baptism of Jesus Christ in the River Jordan.

Debre Berhan Selassie Church

We also visited the Debre Berhan Selassie Church built in the 17th century. It is a modest brick building seen from outside, but famous for its murals inside, including a ceiling full of images of angels.

Simien Mountains

About 110 km north of Gondar is the Simien Mountains. Typical roadside scenes on our journey. The 1st photo shows the town of Debark.

Simien Mountain National Park

The Simien Mountain National Park is about 220 sq km in size and a UNESCO World Heritage site. We had a 2-hour hike at the park, around the 3,000 m zone, part grassland and part forested with African cedar.

The park is the habitat to several endangered species of animals. We never manage to see any. Sure cannot see lah, already endangered mah! Can see one not endangered lah. Just advertisement to fool you.

We did see many herds of gelada, each herd 40 or 50 in number. Geladas are a species of monkeys found only in the Ethiopian highlands. They are often erroneously being called gelada baboons but they are not baboons. They are much bigger in size than the common brown tail macaque in Malaysia though much smaller than the monkeys in Malaysian politics. They are also being called the "bleeding heart" monkeys. For males the colour of the bare patch of skin on the chest shows their sex virility. Red means sexually excited, 2nd photo. He must be looking at our beautiful tour leader Rachel. How men wish there is such an indicator in women! Life is very much simpler then!

Shown a local farmer on the highlands. A typical farmer in his usual attire, with the national plastic sandals. Practically all men in the rural area carry a stick, as a weapon if attacked by wild animals or the MIL or as a walking stick. Shown also a species of the Red-hot Poker. Man and plant standing tall.

(Note in 2021: after taking his photo, 4 or 5 shots, I gave the farmer about RM 2 in tips. He sprang up a surprise: prostrated himself in front of me to thank me. OMG. May be RM 2 is a huge sum to him. Or he thought the Money God finally came!)

Axum

From the Simien Highlands we went further north to Axum in the Tigray Region, about 290 km away. It is near to the border with Eritrea. It was an old capital of the Axumite Empire from the 4th century BC to the 10th century AD. Shown typical landscape along the journey. The buffalo is the most prized possession of a family, not the daughter.

Chinese contractors were seen working on improvement works of the roads around this region, like pavement widening and road re-realignment. Some European NGOs are also helping out, mostly in mini irrigation schemes to extend the planting season. As I have mentioned in the introduction, the rains come mostly in July and August, leaving other months of the year very dry. These NGOs try to work on water retention projects to extend the planting season for a few more months. Bravo.

Along the way we also visited a local open air market. All food stuff and household items. No non-essential consumer goods except women’s clothing. Yes, women think that these are essential items.

Axum town

This old Ethiopian capital has a population of about 65,000. Shown scenes at the town centre. The first photo shows the main town square, empty and deserted. There were more goats than people on the road.

North Stelae Park

The major monuments in this town are stelae, or grave markers, a pagan practice before the conversion of the nation to Christianity in the 4th century, meaning all the stelae were built before the mid-4th century, or more than 1,600 years old. 

We visited the Northern Stelae Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. There are more than 120 stelae here but most are small ones. The most famous is the Obelisk of Axum, 24 m tall, weighing 160 ton. In 1937 the Italians, occupying Axum then, cut the stela into 3 sections and shipped the war booty to Italy and later erected it in Rome. In April 2005, Italy finally returned the obelisk to Axum. The runway of the airport in Axum was extended to enable the cargo plane to land. One piece a trip for the 3 pieces. They weigh more than 50 ton a piece. It has been described as the largest and heaviest piece of air freight ever carried. The operation cost Italy more than 7 million US$. The stela was finally re-erected in 2008, 2nd photo. 

The biggest of the stelae is the Great Stela, shown lying on the ground, 33 m long, weighing 520 tons. Scholars speculate that during the erection sometime in the 4th century, it fell and broke and that ended the practice of stelae erection. The last photo shows the king’s burial chamber. 

Erection failed and not repeated, no Viagra then! The lady in the 3rd photo was mourning the failed erection.

(Note in 2021: Axum is a town in the Tigray Region. The region’s dominant political party is the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which was the key political party in the coalition of the federal government that ruled the country for 27 years from 1993 to 2018. In 2018 the coalition government led by TPLF was ousted in the federal government election. Since then the TPLF, which still rules the Tigray Region, has been in serious conflict with the central government and in late 2020 war broke out between the TPLF forces and those from the central government and its allies like the Amhara Region south of Tigray. The worst case of fighting happened around the Axum area. War has now spread to the Amhara Region. No sign of any ceasefire yet. More than 10,000 people have been killed. Very sad news for such a poor country. Feel so sorry for these suffering people.) 

Old Church of St Mary of Zion

The holiest Ethiopian Orthodox churches in the country are also found in this old capital. The holiest is the Old Church of St Mary of Zion, founded in the 4th century and last re-built in the 16th century. Shown the side view of the small old church and some old trees in the courtyard. Inside it is fully decorated with paintings and murals. Shown some of these and a ceremonial drum. This old church is only for men.

New Cathedral of St Mary of Zion

A new church, the cathedral, was built adjacent to the old one in 1955. These two churches are considered the most holy in Ethiopia as it is claimed that they have in their possession the Art of the Covenant, the most sacred relic of the Israelites. The Ark is supposed to contain the 2 stone tablets of the Ten Commandments given to Moses by God, and the rod of Aaron. It is kept at a chapel next to the new cathedral not to be seen by anyone except the guardian monk voted to the office. Shown the exterior view of the cathedral, the special Axum cross on the roof, the main prayer hall and a worshipper prostrating on the steps before entering the church. This new church is for both sexes.

(Note in 2021: Axum is the worst hit area during the current military conflict between the Tigray forces and forces of the central government and its allies. One party fighting for the central government is the armed forces from the country of Eritrea north of Tigray. The Eritreans are old enemies of the current ruling parties of Tigray. At the beginning of the military conflict in November 2020, hundreds of civilians in Axum were said to be massacred by the Eritrean forces. There were unconfirmed reports that there were attempts to loot the Art of Covenant from the chapel.)

The new church is also very well decorated with paintings.

Gheralta

Part of the northern most part of Tigray is known as Gheralta, a vast spectacular landscape of flat dry plains and towering stratified rock outcrops.

It is best known for its 35+ rock-hewn churches, the largest concentration anywhere in Ethiopia. Some churches are famous for their stone workmanship, ancient paintings and old manuscripts, and others known for their magnificent view and difficult ascent. These rock-hewn churches in Gheralta, together with those from Tembien and Atsbi, form a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

Abreha We Atsbeha Church

We visited a few of the rock-hewn churches. The Abreha We Atsbeha Church (named after King Abreha and his twin brother) is said to be one of best kept and largest. This church was built around the 8th to 11th century. The murals are dated to post-17th century. The entrance portal, 1st photo, is of course a built-up. But all the space inside the church is carved out from solid rock. Shown also old ceremonial drums.

Wukro Chirkos Church

The Wukro Chirkos Church is a semi monolithic church about the same age as the earlier one featured. Here the space is cut out from red sandstone. As seen from the 1st photo, the top part of the entrance portal and the bell tower are built-up parts.

Saint George Church

We also visited another small church, the St George Church, where all the villagers came out to see this group of yellow-skin visitors. The part-time farmer-priest showed us his most prized possession - an old manuscript hundreds of years old. He was called out from his farm by our guide to open the door of the church and was given a tip, rightfully.

Great Temple of Yeha

Within this Gheralta is the town of Yeha, where the Great Temple of Yeha is located. This is the oldest temple structure found in Ethiopia, dated to 700 BC. What remain are a few partial walls. It is currently being restored. The 2nd photo was downloaded from the internet as mine was corrupted. Photo credit: ABLE Tour.

Church of Abba Afse

Very near to the Yeha temple is the Church of Abba Afse built in the 1950s. In the Ethiopia Orthodox Tewahedo Church, tradition says that there were 9 saints, mostly from Syria, who came to Ethiopia in the late 5th century to evangelise and one of them was Abba Afse. So the church was named after this saint.  A service was on going inside the church at our time of visit. Shown a wall mural and, again, a prized old religious manuscript.

While on the road in this region, witnessed briefly a funeral procession.

Mekelle

Mekelle is the capital city of the Tigray Region, with a population of about 290,000, the 2nd or 3rd largest city in the country after Addis Ababa. 

The only sight we visited was the Martyr’s Memorial paying tribute to over 60,000 fighters who died in the overthrow of the communist Derg regime concluded in 1991. The monument is 51 m high, with many sculptures depicting the struggle of the peasants and fighters.

Lalibela

From Mekelle in the Tigray Region we returned to Lalibela, a small town in the Amhara Region, population 15,000. About 315 km south of Mekelle. Saw quite a bit of terrace farming during the journey.

The region is generally mountainous, with Lalibela around 2,500 m above sea level.  After the decline of the Axum state, a new Christian Zagwe Dynasty emerged in the 12th century making its capital in Roha which was later re-named Lalibela in honour of the first king. 

During the reign of this pious King Lalibela many rock churches were dug, some horizontally into the rock slopes, and some vertically downwards into the rock. It took 24 years for the king’s men to dig 11 churches, with a layout representing the holy city of Jerusalem. Together they form a pilgrimage site with particular spiritual and symbolic values. The churches continue to be used for daily worship and prayer until now. These 11 churches are grouped by UNESCO as a World Heritage site.

For the vertical-cut churches of Lalibela each church was created by first carving out a wide trench on all four sides of the planned church, then painstakingly chiselling out the interior.

The roofs of these vertical-cut churches are thus level with the ground and the prayer floors are reached by descending steps in narrow trenches. A reason put up for such “level” construction is to make such churches less conspicuous and thus avoid attention from the Muslim forces at the coast. 

The 11 churches are divided into 3 groups. The North-western group and the South-eastern group each has 5 churches and the remaining one, Biete Giyorgis, stands alone. Churches within the same group are connected by trenches. 

Biete Giyorgis (alone)

Biete Giyorgis (House of Saint George) is the most famous and best preserved. It was carved from a type of limestone called tufa. It is 15 m down and the roof forms the shape of a Greek cross. The interior is quite plain. Shown the roof of the church level with the surrounding, a priest sitting beside an image of St George who is the patron saint of the country.

Biete Medhane Alem (northwest group)

Biete Medhane Alem (House of the Saviour of the World) is the largest monolithic church in the world, 33 m long, 23 m wide and 10 m deep.  The building is massive and it has 34 columns on the outside, and 38 on the inside to support the roof.  The interior has 4 aisles. Look at the smooth ceiling and arches, 3rd photo. There was a metal canopy over the church, seen at our time of visit. Probably for protection of the structures. A few other churches also have that kind of protective metal canopy installed.

Biete Maryam (northwest group)

The small Biete Maryam (House of Mary) is a well decorated church. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and it is the most popular church among the pilgrims as the Virgin Mary is particularly respected and adored by the Ethiopians.

The 1st photo shows the wall, the 2nd the entrance, and the 3rd a common symbol on the wall. This symbol looks like a swastika but in fact different. It is in reality an ancient Christian symbol showing Jesus Christ’s love reaching out to all corners of the World. The last photo shows part of the painted ceiling. The Star of David (the symbol of the Jews and Judaism) could be seen.

There are many old murals and paintings of the Virgin Mary inside the church. Shown 2 paintings and the last photo showing the resident priest.

Biete Golgotha Mikael (northwest group)

Shown 2 exterior views of the House of Golgotha Mikael: a vendor selling walking sticks in front of a niche on the wall with an eroded statue of St Peter, and a priest contemplating in front of the well preserved entrance portal.

Beite Abba Libanos (southeast group)

This House of Abba Libanos is dedicated to the popular monastic saint Abba Libanos, one of the 9 saints who came from Syria to evangelise in Ethiopia in the late 5th century.  This particular church is more like a cave church we have seen in the Gheralta highland. The space was carved out horizontally, and not vertically like Biete Giyorgis we just covered. Legend says that King Lalibela’s wife created this church in 1 night with the help of angels. Shown the big façade but the interior is very shallow. And a huge image of the saint.

Biete Qeddus Mercoreus (southeast group)

This is the House of St Mercoreus. Also a church cut horizontally into the slope. Shown a faded wall mural and some paintings: Gebre Menfes Kidus, St George and Virgin Mary and Child. This Gebre Menfes Kidus is a saint from Egypt but evangelised in Ethiopia in his later years. He sure looks like the evil wizard Saluman in the movie “Lord of the Rings”

Beite Emanuel (southeast group)

The House of Emmanuel is a 3-storey church cut vertically downwards, the only multi-storey church here, speculated to be a royal chapel. Shown views of the exterior wall and a decorated interior part.

Miscellaneous

More photos. The 3rd photo shows the type of trenches descending from ground level to the church floor. Do note that these are "live" churches, still being used. These are pilgrim sites for people from other parts of the country to come and revere. We have to take off our shoes to enter these churches. And the shoe custodian is an unusual but profitable profession.

In the vicinity

Shown village scenes around the northwest group of rock-hewn churches. Shown an open-air classroom. The 2nd photo shows the house of a nunnery attached to one of the churches we just visited. Look like round houses are the norm.

Na’akuta La’ab Monastery

This monastery is located on a hill slope about 7 km from Lalibela. It was built by King Na’akuta La’ab in the 13th century. Na’akuta was the successor to King Lalibela of the Zagwe Dynasty. It was built inside a natural cave and we had to hike about 15 to 20 minutes from the main road. Shown a hut as rain shelter and a panoramic view of the surrounding. The church is under the massive cliff face, 3rd photo. Shown also a delightful window design.

There is a big stock of centuries-old treasures here: crowns, crosses, icons, manuscripts, gold-plated ceremonial drums, etc. Some are said to be part of the legacy of King Na’akuta himself, 13th century. May be a bit far-fetched.

Asheton Maryam Monastery

About 20 km north of the town of Lalibela is Mount Abuna Yosef at 4,260 m in height. The Asheton Maryam Monastery is located somewhere on the slope of this mountain at about the 3,150 m level. The priests believe at such height they are closer to heaven and God. We had to hike for about 30 minutes on mostly cobblestone path from the end of the approach road to reach the monastery.

Shown the track, including a short tunnel, 3rd photo. The last photo shows the panoramic view of the land below us. 

Along the track we encountered many people. A little girl at the lowland wanted to sell us some souvenirs, so did the old auntie on the cliff face. An older girl invited us for coffee in her round hut at mid-level, hoping for a tip, and a donkey invited us to kick its ass for blocking the track.

And some houses: a round one with conical roof at the top of the mountain, a rectangular one with flat roof on the lowland and one hidden inside the rock at mid-level.

Now at the rock-hewn monastery near the top of the slope. We are now nearer to heaven and God. So behave yourself. Take off your shoes. 

There is a metal canopy placed on top to protect the structure, or may be for restauration work. Shown 2 internal views. The priest is holding up 2 of his centuries-old treasures to impress us. The one in his right hand is the Axum cross, the other a blessing cross used in benedictions.

Back to Addis Ababa
We then took a local flight from Lalibela back to Addis Ababa, in slightly over an hour. After that we would continue our tour to southern Ethiopia. 

(Part 1 of 2 of our travel story in Ethiopia, involving central and northern Ethiopia, is ended. See you in Part 2.)