Ethiopia

Greetings from Ethiopia. What an incredible country this is! We've visited the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela (800 years old - see the photo), seen the relicts of the ancient civilisation at Aksum (2,000 years old!) and wandered through the magnificent castles and palaces of Gonder that were built in the 17th and 18th century and rival anything in Europe for their opulence and splendour. Anyone who thinks Africa is backwards clearly hasn't seen Ethiopia. When Europe was in the Dark Ages, Ethiopia was one of the most advanced civilisations in the world.

 

Although some things have been very familiar to us Zimbos. Frequent power cuts, periodic fuel shortages and horrendously slow internet connections. Just to make us feel at home!

 

Thankfully the kids have enjoyed it. The long dark passageways carved into the rock, the caves, the paintings, the gold and silver crosses, the mummified bodies and (best of all) the fabulous tales of the secret hiding place of the Ark of the Covenant, have been enough to command the attention of even the youngest in our team (Max, aged 6). Yesterday they had their annual Timkat ceremony, when they take a box purportedly carrying the Ark of the Covenant out from its hiding place and parade it around town. We were there to see it, and we were duly impressed (see the attached photo).

 

Sadly we've lost Jake in the last few days. He flew down to South Africa to start his new boarding school there, and we were all mightily sorry to see him go. Monday was his first day of classes. Naturally we've heard nothing from him, but we're quietly confident he'll be fine. He's certainly the only one to have started the trip to school from an airport (Lalibela) at 2,600 metres above sea level!

 

From here we move on to Sudan on Thursday (would that be the 22^nd January?!). We'll be sad to leave Ethiopia, but mollified by the knowledge that we get a second crack at it again in March. Meanwhile, as there's no alcohol in Sudan whatsoever, we shall be drinking more than our usual quantities of beer tonight in preparation!

 

More soon!

 

Gus