ETHIOPIA TRIP DOSSIER
January 7th to January 21st 2006
Fly from Birmingham to
Addis Ababa via Schipol Intl Airport (Holland)
7th Jan. Fly to
Addis Ababa. Check into Ras Hotel (Churchill Road)
Addis Ababa, the capital of
Ethiopia, is a bustling African city, dotted with Italian architecture,
interesting churches and friendly inhabitants. It is also a city of immense
contrasts – the Addis Sheraton, with its ‘singing fountain’ is one of the most
luxurious in all of Africa, yet you only need to travel a few streets away to
find yourself among busy markets, dirt roads and the odd goat or two wandering
the streets. The city is a relatively new city – established by the Emperor
Menelik II in 1887, and at 2,400m has the distinction of being the third
highest capital in the world. Although Ethiopia was the only African nation
never to be colonised, parts of it, including Addis, were briefly occupied by
the Italians in the twentieth century, and in many parts of the city their legacy
lives on in the form of old art deco buildings and coffee shops, particularly
in the area known as the Piazza. Addis can seem daunting at times, but even the
briefest foray into the busy streets can reveal interesting new insights.
NATIONAL MUSEUM – ADDIS
ABABA
One of Addis Ababa’s
greatest treasures is the National Museum, home to an excellent collection of
artefacts and remains from Ethiopia and around. Most people come here to see
‘Lucy’, the replica of the famous remains of one of the earliest known
descendants of humans, but there are also many other sights to see which
provide the visitor with a good background to this fascinating country.
9th Jan. Fly
to Bahar Dar, a pleasant town situated on the shores of the impressive Lake
Tana, Ethiopia’s largest lake and the source of the Blue Nile. Check into the
Ghion Hotel.
BLUE NILE FALLS – BAHAR
DAR
The famous explorer James
Bruce, when he first laid eyes on the Blue Nile Falls, described them as ‘a
most magnificent sight, that ages, added to the greatest length of human life,
would not deface or eradicate from my memory.’ Flowing from the mighty Lake
Tana, the Blue Nile Falls were once the second largest in Africa, after
Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. However, since the construction of a hydro-electric
dam upstream in 2003, the falls have been reduced somewhat, and are quite
different to those seen by Bruce. The walk to the falls
takes you through the
village of Tis Isat, then crosses the river using an old and picturesque bridge
built by the Portuguese sometime in the seventeenth century, before winding
through small homesteads and ending up at a viewpoint over the falls.
LAKE TANA – BAHAR DAR
Lake Tana, one of the
fabled sources of the Nile, is one of Ethiopia’s greatest natural treasures. With
a surface of around 3,600 square kilometres, the lake is also famous for the
series of ancient monasteries and churches located on twenty of the islands
that are found within the waters. Life on Lake Tana goes on as it has done for
centuries, and local people traverse the lake on tankwas, boats made
from papyrus that are capable of holding enormous weights. The monasteries
themselves are fascinating and unlike any others outside Ethiopia, often
decorated with bright frescoes. Because of their isolation they were used to
store art treasures and religious relics from all over the country. Local
history says the Ark of the Covenant was kept on one of these islands when the
city of Axum was under threat, and the remains of five Emperors - including the
renowned Fasilidas - are to be found at Daga Istafanos.
11th Jan. Fly
to Gonder, the old capital of Ethiopia. The town is home to the Royal
Enclosure, a collection of well-preserved castles built in the seventeenth
century. Check into the Circle Hotel.
THE ROYAL ENCLOSURE -
GONDER
The town of Gonder is
often described as ‘The Camelot of Ethiopia’, and when you approach the Royal
Enclosure, situated in the middle of the town, it’s easy to understand why. The
city itself was founded by the Emperor Fasiladas around 1635, and soon became
dominated by a collection of almost European looking castles and buildings,
still standing in an excellent state of preservation today. Different stories
abound as to who built them – some say Portuguese craftsmen, others believe
they were built by Ethiopian hands. Whatever the truth, the Royal Enclosure has
to be one of the most of the most striking and unusual sights in all of Africa,
standing as it does in utter contrast to everything around. The highlight is
without a doubt the two storey Fasiladas’ Palace, an almost intact fortress
castle complete with turrets and battlements. The complex also houses many
other intriguing buildings, including a library, chancellery, a lion house and
many other palaces.
FASILADAS’ BATH -
GONDER
Around 2km northwest of
the city centre lies Fasiladas’ Bath. A large, rectangular sunken pool is
overlooked by a small but charming two storeyed-tower, surrounded by a stone
wall. Once a year, Fasiladas’ Bath is filled with water for the important TIMKAT
ceremony.
DEBRE BERHAN SELASSIE
CHURCH - GONDER
The superbly preserved
church of Debre Berhan Selassie is seen by many as Ethiopia’s finest, it’s not
hard to see why. Dating back to the seventeenth century, it was the only
original Gondar church to escape destruction at the hands of the Dervish of
Sudan in the 19th-century, reputedly saved by a swarm of bees. The interior of
the church contains amazing frescoes dating back centuries, and even the
ceiling is completely covered with religious images.
13th Jan. Fly
to the isolated town of Lalibela, which is home to a spectacular collection of
ancient churches hewn out of the surrounding rock, so astounding that local
legend has it that they are the creations of angels. Check into the Blue Lal
Hotel.
To the south east of the
Simien Mountains lies Lalibela, a small, dusty town in the Lasta Mountains that
is home to some of the most fascinating sights in the country. Dispelling the
myth that sub-Saharan African had no indigenous ‘civilisations’ before the
European colonization, Lalibela and its environs house an amazing collection of
rock-hewn churches, many excellently preserved and all begging more questions
than they give answers. There are many stories concerning the origin of these churches,
but the most popular local legend is that they were built by angels in a single
night. The churches have been dated back to the reign of King Lalibela sometime
in the eleventh or twelfth centuries. Many of the churches are connected by
underground tunnels and narrow walkways built into the rock, and they are still
a site of pilgrimage today as they have been for centuries. In some of the
churches hermits and monks live in tiny caverns in the walls, barely big enough
for them to stretch out, staying here for years on end. While in Lalibela you
may also be lucky enough to witness one of the religious festivals that often
take place here. The jewel of Lalibela’s churches is Beta Giorgis, a cross
shaped church rising out of the earth, surrounded by the
walls of the pit into
which it was dug, which houses a wooden box said to have been carved by King
Lalibela himself. Although there are many churches within the town itself, some
of the most spectacular are found in the surrounding mountains.
15th Jan. Fly
to Addis Ababa. Check into the Taitu Hotel. Spend a couple of days chilling
out!
17th Jan. Fly
to Dire Dawa before taking a minibus to Harar. Check into the Belayneh Hotel.
A once important centre of
Islamic scholarship. For many years the city was closed to Christians and early
explorers were forced to enter in disguise, at their peril.
Harar, an ancient city
surrounded by great walls, has the most colourful market place in Ethiopia.
Harar was for centuries the main center for Islamic learning and culture in
Ethiopia, and a prosperous centre for the caravan trade. Harar is the spiritual
heart of Ethiopia's large Muslim community. With almost a hundred mosques in a
small city of less than one square mile (the highest concentration in the
world), Harar is considered by some to be the fourth holiest Muslim city in the
world. The city was founded in the early 12th century. The great walls
surrounding Harar were built in the 1600s to keep out powerful neighbouring
hostile groups. Harar remained an important centre of Muslim learning and trade
throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. The first European to visit Harar was
the British explorer Richard Burton. Burton spent 10 anxious days there in
1854, not sure whether he was a guest or prisoner of the Emir. Harar's autonomy
ended in 1875 with its capture by Egypt. The Egyptians left in 1884 after
continued resistance. However, Harar was once again captured , this time by
Menelik II three years later. It has been part of Ethiopia ever since. Today,
Harar remains a lively, friendly cosmopolitan city.
Houses a museum dedicated
to the French poet. One room in the museum contains a series of illustrated
panels about the poet’s life, as well as housing a small collection of books,
letters and writing about the poet.
THE HYENA MAN OF HARAR
Harar is home to one of
the stranger sights that you’re likely to see in your journey through Ethiopia.
Every night, a local man goes to the outskirts of the city and calls the hyenas
from the surrounding area. A practice that has gone on for more than a hundred
years, the bizarre ritual was first started to discourage the hyenas from
stealing local livestock. As the hyenas approach, the hyena man holds out
pieces of meat to them, either in his hands or sometimes between his teeth,
which the hyenas then take from him. This is a practice that is handed down
from generation to generation, and only one person fills the role at any one
time. Although this practice has been carried out for many years, there are of
course certain risks associated with it. Essentially the hyenas, although
extremely used to human contact, are wild animals, and there is no fence or
barrier separating them from any spectators.
20th Jan. Fly
back to Addis Ababa
ST GEORGE’S CATHEDRAL –
ADDIS ABABA
Built in 1896 in the
traditional octagonal shape by the Emperor Menelik II to commemorate his
victory against Italian forces at Adwa, this small cathedral is dedicated to
the national saint of Ethiopia – the same saint that serves as the British
patron saint. The museum that is housed within the grounds contains a wide
collection of important religious paintings, crosses of many designs, historic
books and parchments, and beautiful handicrafts, and is an excellent
introduction to the religious life of Ethiopia – an extremely important element
of society here. There are also fine examples of modern paintings by the famous
Ethiopian artist Afewerke Tekle.
21st Jan Fly
back to Birmingham