25 April -26 April, Monday – Tuesday; Aksum – Mekele - Lalibela
We stop at the ruins of Yeha on our way to Lalibela. It is considered the birthplace of ancient Ethiopia and believed to be built in the 3 – 5th BC. We pay 150birr to see the outline of a ruin kept together by scaffolding – not worth the money or the detour. Although, to be fair, the 3m stone blocks were fitted together with perfect geometric lines and not a trace of mortar can be seen – quite remarkable if one considers the age.
The road to Lalibela is arduous and slow, but it covers pristine, lush green mountain terrain. Impressive peaks tower in the distance and we gradually creep closer and higher on a 2 track, potholed road becoming increasingly steeper and narrower. We pass small 4 – 10 hut villages, young children herding goats, donkeys carrying water and supplies. The clouds become darker and flashes of lightning dances through the sky as thunder beats out the rhythm and finally the rain arrives making our trip even more difficult and dangerous as the dry sand quickly turns into slippery mud. Willie edges forwards and upwards with steep cliffs hugging the road as far as we go. With each bend in the road you feel sure this must be the last – we cannot go higher, but no…the road continues to climb higher to reach an altitude of 4000+meters!
Finally the top and endless mountain ranges greet us on the other side, but this time the going is easier. No more rain and this side of the mountain is visibly drier. We pass through a small village where we are greeted by running children appearing from every direction, “pe…,pe…,pe…!” is what I hear as far as we go. That’s different from the usual, “yoo, yoo, yoo!”but then Hugo told me it is, “pen, pen, pen” The first thing after they’ve seen you is a demand for a pen, almost more than a demand for money. Warned and prepared we do not give, in spite of the fact that they tell you it is for school only to sell it to vendors or give to parents or family with little businesses.
Tourists are asked to not give directly to children, but to organizations like schools or educational institutions who can distribute it in the right way. Giving encourages them to beg, aggravates the already annoying problem of children hasslers and often keeps them from school. They tell you it is for school, but they sell it to vendors or give it to parents or family with little businesses.
We see a prize bird – the Abyssinian hornbill – on our last stretch down to Lalibela. The vegetation and countryside show a complete different, but equally beautiful face: drier, desert terrain with typical African thorn trees as far as the eye can see – absolutely magnificent especially when she colors her face with the last rays of the sun!
We reach The Seven Olive Hotel at dusk and are happy when they allow us to pitch camp in the parking lot. The boys will find a place for their tent after we had dinner.
It took us almost 8 hours to cover less than 300 km, but we finally are in Lalibela – a beautiful name oozing with the mystery of ages… We are excited to visit the historical sites tomorrow.
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We stop at the ruins of Yeha on our way to Lalibela. It is considered the birthplace of ancient Ethiopia and believed to be built in the 3 – 5th BC. We pay 150birr to see the outline of a ruin kept together by scaffolding – not worth the money or the detour. Although, to be fair, the 3m stone blocks were fitted together with perfect geometric lines and not a trace of mortar can be seen – quite remarkable if one considers the age.
The road to Lalibela is arduous and slow, but it covers pristine, lush green mountain terrain. Impressive peaks tower in the distance and we gradually creep closer and higher on a 2 track, potholed road becoming increasingly steeper and narrower. We pass small 4 – 10 hut villages, young children herding goats, donkeys carrying water and supplies. The clouds become darker and flashes of lightning dances through the sky as thunder beats out the rhythm and finally the rain arrives making our trip even more difficult and dangerous as the dry sand quickly turns into slippery mud. Willie edges forwards and upwards with steep cliffs hugging the road as far as we go. With each bend in the road you feel sure this must be the last – we cannot go higher, but no…the road continues to climb higher to reach an altitude of 4000+meters!
Finally the top and endless mountain ranges greet us on the other side, but this time the going is easier. No more rain and this side of the mountain is visibly drier. We pass through a small village where we are greeted by running children appearing from every direction, “pe…,pe…,pe…!” is what I hear as far as we go. That’s different from the usual, “yoo, yoo, yoo!”but then Hugo told me it is, “pen, pen, pen” The first thing after they’ve seen you is a demand for a pen, almost more than a demand for money. Warned and prepared we do not give, in spite of the fact that they tell you it is for school only to sell it to vendors or give to parents or family with little businesses.
Tourists are asked to not give directly to children, but to organizations like schools or educational institutions who can distribute it in the right way. Giving encourages them to beg, aggravates the already annoying problem of children hasslers and often keeps them from school. They tell you it is for school, but they sell it to vendors or give it to parents or family with little businesses.
We see a prize bird – the Abyssinian hornbill – on our last stretch down to Lalibela. The vegetation and countryside show a complete different, but equally beautiful face: drier, desert terrain with typical African thorn trees as far as the eye can see – absolutely magnificent especially when she colors her face with the last rays of the sun!
We reach The Seven Olive Hotel at dusk and are happy when they allow us to pitch camp in the parking lot. The boys will find a place for their tent after we had dinner.
It took us almost 8 hours to cover less than 300 km, but we finally are in Lalibela – a beautiful name oozing with the mystery of ages… We are excited to visit the historical sites tomorrow.
Click Play
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