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Ethiopia In
the Queen of Sheba's Footsteps on Ethiopia's Holy
Route Since Ethiopian
Airlines is the only carrier providing direct
service from the USA to Northeast Africa, Ethiopia
is positioned to become a hot new destination for
Americans seeking nature, adventure and culture,
plus Christian and Jewish pilgrimage travel.
Ethiopian Airlines is becoming a hub for
combination tours, including the Middle East,
Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa and offshore
islands. On behalf of ATA
and our fellow journalists, we thank Mr. Hagos
Legesse, Ethiopian Airlines North American
Marketing Consultant in New York, Mr. Bisrat
Nigatu, Chief Executive Officer of the airline, and
Mr. Yusuf Abdullahi Sukkar, Ethiopia's Tourism
Commissioner for providing this once in a lifetime
journey to Ethiopia took
place in 2000, the Africa Travel Association's
Jubilee year. Each time, our agenda in the country
was arranged by the Hon. Yusuf Sukkar, Ethiopia's
Tourism Commissioner, who greeted us at the airport
and arranged a private lounge, which is a touch of
class in my book of public relations protocol.
This
professional touch continued and the whole project
turned out to be one of the best organized trips we
have ever experienced. It provided enough pleasant
memories to last a lifetime, plus souvenirs galore,
purchased at a wide variety of marketplaces and
souks. As an introduction to the charm and mystery
of Ethiopia, we joined ten other journalists from
the USA on a week long trip which included
Lalibela, Gondar, Bahir Dar and Lake Tana and
Harar. On
the second flight to Ethiopia we followed the Rift
Valley south from Addis Ababa. Several pages on
this site cover the various segments of our
Historic Route journey. Back in Addis Ababa, after
the tour, it was our turn to be interviewed -- this
time by Ethiopian press, radio and television. To a
person, each journalist agreed it was a positive
experience with no feelings of concern or anxiety
about personal health and safety. The climate in
mid February was perfect, and the hospitality of
the people was second to none. What a beautiful
prelude to the ATA congress, Africa's 1st major
tourism event of the new millennium. The
Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela Lalibela's
Bet
Giyorgis, most famous of the eleven rock-hewn
churches in this mountainous area, is believed to
have been built in the late 12th or early 13th
century by King Lalibela. These incredible
edifices, which were carved inside and outside from
solid rock, are ranked among the wonders of the
world. Our
team of North American journalists came to Ethiopia
with few preconceived notions, yet each had some
special areas of concern. For every member of the
group, it was a first time journey to this ancient,
mysterious, storybook land. What a spiritual
awakening it proved to be. The tour of Ethiopia's
Historic Route began in Addis Ababa, the capital
and geographical center. For starters, Ethiopian
Airlines, flew us north to Lalibela, the holy city;
to Gondar- Africa's Camelot, and to Bahir Dar on
Lake Tana, source of the Blue Nile. Dire Dawa and
the walled city of Harar in the eastern sector
completed the agenda.
Nothing
I had read about the Holy City of Lalibela, its
mysteries, legends, saints and monarchs, could have
prepared me for what we were about to encounter on
this trip. The brief morning flight from Addis
Ababa's Airport north was a delight, winging
through the cloudless skies, as an ever-changing
panorama of awesome gorges, deep canyons and broad
plateaus unfolded below. Everything that I
had read about Ethiopia in Wilbur Smith's novels,
the River God and Secret Scroll, was as he
described. As we learned later from Hon. Yusuf
Abdullahi Sukkar, Ethiopia's Tourism Commissioner,
airport construction enjoys a high priority, and on
the high plain south of Lalibela, a new terminal
building is in the final stages of completion. Our
temporary waiting area was a baggage shack, where
we basked in the morning sun, awaiting the commuter
bus. A
Storybook Land:
I've never been to Tibet, but the spiritual
presence and views we saw during our corkscrew
journey up the hillside would easily fit that
image. Small wonder this storybook land has such a
spiritual presence, a proud tradition and a way of
life that has survived three millennia, despite an
outside world of hate, conquest, treachery, trial
and turmoil. The thatched villages, shepherd boys,
terraced farming methods, simple forms of
irrigation and donkey power, attest to the fact
that time has stood still &emdash; as well it
should. Coming from North America it's hard for us
to realize that this is the way it has been in this
part of the world since time immemorial. Rocks of
Ages:
During my
recent African excursions, I have been awed by
mankind's glorious creations, offset by a Jekyll
and Hyde capacity for evil. While we were shocked
by the slave castles of West Africa's Gold Coast
and Zanzibar's dungeons, we saw the result of godly
forces at work in the 12th century rock -hewn
churches that have made the Holy City of Lalibela a
magnet for Christian pilgrims and historians.
Many come for the
famous church festivals in Ethiopia, such as Timket
(Epiphany) and other times of celebration and
devotion. Souvenirs of King Lalibela are
everywhere, as a continuing tribute to his glory
and greatness in creating these wonders of the
world. Our official photographer, Robert Eilets
couldn't get over the abundance of photo
opportunities in Lalibela's streets, at the famous
stone churches and around every bend in the road
leading to this remote highland community. Next
time, we vowed to allow an extra day for
photography alone. Footnote:
Back in Addis Ababa, it was our turn to be
interviewed -- this time by Ethiopian press, radio
and television. To a person, each journalist agreed
it was a positive experience with no feelings of
concern or anxiety about personal health and
safety. The climate in mid February was perfect,
and the hospitality of the people was second to
none. What a beautiful prelude to the ATA congress,
Africa's 1st major tourism event of the new
millennium.
More
to come, including map and photos. Gondar:
Africa's Camelot As
our minibus rolled into Gondar, after a short
flight from Lalibela, there was ample evidence that
here was an area destined for long range
development as a destination resort. Several new
industries attest to this growing trend, as did our
conversation with entrepreneurs at the airport and
later at the hotel. Our modern, government operated
hotel, the Goha was perched like a sentinel on a
hilltop, with a commanding view of the city and
countryside.
Gondar
was Ethiopia's capital and principal city during
the reign of Emperor Fasilidas in the 17th century.
Perhaps that's why I expected to find it a shrine
to past glories, instead of an active, bustling
community, with people filling the streets, shops
doing a brisk business, and scores of gaudily
painted horse and buggy taxis (garis) scooting
every which way, like bumper cars at a
midway.
Several of
our group decided to try this hair raising means of
transport, and it became a highlight of their day,
trotting through the narrow alleys of this
centuries old
capital.
Thanks to a
massive government initiative, many of the castles,
palaces and royal structures built by the early
Emperors are being carefully restored. These
treasures of Gondar include the stone bathhouse of
Emperor Fasiladas and the ruined Palace of Kusquam.
We also entered the church of Debre Brhan Selassie,
to gaze in awe at its unique murals, which have
stood the test of time for centuries. These castles
display a richness in architecture that reveals the
influence of Arabia as well as Axumite traditions,
and are said to be the largest concentration of
such structures in Africa. Bahir Dar,
Lake Tana, Blue Nile Falls A
pleasant surprise occurred on day 3 of our Historic
Route journey through Ethiopia. Following a short
flight on Ethiopian Airlines from Gondar to Bahir
Dar Airport, the gut-wrenching condition of the
road leading west led me to believe our group of 11
journalists would be staying at some dusty lakeside
village. However, like several of my colleagues, I
was completely bowled over when tall palms and
jacarandas suddenly appeared out of the blue. Like
part of a royal procession, we entered a modern,
well laid out community with broad, tree-lined
boulevards. Bahir Dar would rival many seaside
retreats on the Mediterranean or
Florida. En route to Lake
Tana, I spotted a huge resort hotel complex nearing
completion &emdash; a sign of positive things to
come. After checking into our hotel, we boarded a
motor launch for a spin around Lake Tana, which is
Ethiopia's largest lake. We're told there are 37
small islands on the lake, and most of them shelter
monasteries and churches, some dating back to the
13th century. On most inland bodies of water of
this size, one might encounter powerboats and sleek
sailing craft, but on Lake Tana in Northern
Ethiopia, leisure gives way to practicality. Here,
the waters are alive with a fleet of 'tankwas' ,
papyrus canoes, carrying charcoal and firewood to
market in Bahir Dar. Nature's
Brush, Fields of Gold and Smoke of
Fire The Ahramic name
for the Blue Nile Falls is 'Tissisat' or 'smoke of
fire' &emdash; which describes what many claim to
be the most spectacular waterfalls in Northern
Africa. Here a wide body of water drops over a
sheer cliff more than 45 meters deep. In many
photos I have seen, that curtain of spray kissed by
a brilliant rainbow. Speaking of rainbows and pots
of gold &emdash; in September I'm told it's a sure
sign of spring, when the 'Meskel" flower turns
entire hills and fields to gold. Adventures
on the rivers ofEthiopia and East Africa |
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