TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Lalibela, where history and religion is set in stone
The majestic monolithic rock-cut churches of Lalibela
Change Size
The majestic monolithic rock-cut churches of Lalibela. (The Star/ANN/S. Indramalar) (The Star)
The majestic monolithic rock-cut churches of Lalibela. (The Star/ANN/S. Indramalar)
I was prepared to be blown away in Lalibela. Every photo I'd seen of the famous rock-hewn churches in the northern Ethiopian city was nothing short of spectacular. One of the country's seven Unesco World Heritage Sites, Lalibela's monolithic churches have been touted by many as the eighth wonder of the world.
I couldn't wait to visit, naturally.
The 30-minute drive from the small but busy airport into the city was enough for me to completely lose my heart to Lalibela. I was already impressed with the beauty of the country and the friendliness of its people. But nothing prepared me for the vistas that greeted me in Lalibela.
Flat-topped mountains (like South Africa's famed Table Mountain) circle the city's vast, verdant valley-side. Located some 2,600m above sea level, the air up there is crisp and chilly, the skies are clear and bright blue, and the countryside, many gorgeous shades of green. It was like stepping into a scene from a postcard and I didn't for one moment let go of either my camera or mobile phone.
Fikru Woldegiorgis, my guide for the day, chuckled as he looked at my wide-eyed expression.
'You like Lalibela?' he asked, beaming with pride. Without waiting for a reply, Fikru assured me that he would stop up ahead where the roads were wider and I could get my fill of photos.
As our vehicle made it's way up and down the undulating roads, we saw villagers, mainly women and children, walking to or from their villages accompanied by load-laden mules.
As we passed, the women looked at us with curiosity while the young ones waved excitedly.
As beautiful as the country is, tourism in Ethiopia is only now picking up, helped in no small measure by its recent title of being the world's top holiday spot in 2015 given by the European Council on Tourism and Trade last July.
Presently, most of the country's visitors are from Europe while there are some Americans too. From Asia, there are tourists from China (Chinese investments in Ethiopia are growing, and the Chinese are responsible for the new roads that are being built throughout the country).
After lunch, we headed to the famed churches which, according to Fikru, took some 23 years to be carved.
As we approached the church complex, Fikru draped himself loosely with a crisp white cloth, customary wear for worshippers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church when entering their place of worship.
The 11 churches, explains Fikru, still hold services every morning and sometimes in the evenings too.
According to legend, he says, villagers worked hard on the churches using the barest of tools during the day. At night, however, the angels took over.
Historians, of course, offer some varying explanations about the construction of the churches.
Carved out of volcanic tuff rock, the churches have very distinct styles. Some are chiselled into the face of the rock while others stand in isolation.
The entire complex of underground churches are connected to one another by a network of tunnels and passageways which are used by the 100,000 pilgrims that make their way to Lalibela yearly. The monolithic churches are, after all, believed to have been modelled after Jerusalem by King Lalibela who ruled much of the country back in the 12th century.
The most famous of the churches, because of its arresting design, is the Church of Saint George which is carved into the shape of a cross.
It took about three hours to explore the entire complex and I couldn't but marvel at the monolithic masterpieces.
While it does require some climbing (nothing you need to train for but proper shoes help) and navigating the tunnels (which are not lit and leave you in complete darkness) takes some guts (particularly if, like me, you are terrified of small, confined spaces), the churches are easily accessible to tourists of all ages and levels of fitness.
Heart of Ethiopia
It's easy to see why Lalibela is the country's most famed tourist stop but Ethiopia has far more to offer. My introduction to the country began in Addis Ababa (which means 'new flower'), the country's vibrant and fast-growing capital which is home to more than three million people.
Sam, my guide in Addis (as it is referred to), briefed me on the city's history. Ethiopia, he emphasised, was never colonised.
Ethiopians, I came to realise in my six days there, are fiercely proud of their country, both historically, politically and geographically.
'You will not see any American restaurants or shops here. Only Ethiopian,' says Sam, proudly.
Addis is dusty and busy, and has the distinct buzz of a fast-developing city: Wide boulevards flanked by construction and a brand new urban metro system ' the first of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa ' began operations in September. Addis is also the capital of Africa, and Sam proudly pointed out the spanking new African Union headquarters.
Ethiopia generally has two seasons: The long dry season from September to February, and the rainy season from March to August. It is generally cold in the mornings and evenings, and cool in the day, with annual temperatures averaging 16ËC in the highlands and 28ËC in the lowlands. Addis, at about 2,590m, is the third highest capital in the world and is pleasantly cool all year long.
I spent the afternoon at the national museum where I got to see its biggest draw: Lucy, the partial skeleton of what is believed to be the oldest ancestor of humanity, discovered in the Awash Valley, west of Addis, in 1974. (Incidentally, Lucy got her name from the Beatles classic Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds which was playing at the archeological campsite after anthropologist Donald Johanson and his team returned from their find.)
Another highlight in Addis is the merkato, the largest open-air market in the continent. There are some 7,100 vendors selling everything from spices to squawking chickens to electrical goods. There is even a huge recycling station at one corner. Chaotic and full of people every day of the week, the merkato is a sight to behold.
My tour of Addis ended with a drive up Mount Entoto, the highest peak overlooking the sprawling city. The mountain is densely covered by eucalyptus trees (which came from Tasmania early in the 20th century); the drive was not only scenic but filled with the scent from the trees.
The ancient monastries and churches, like this one, in the islands on Lake Tana, Bahar Dar, are beautiful and show how deeply religious the Ethiopians are. - S. INDRAMALAR/The Star
The ancient monastries and churches, like this one, in the islands on Lake Tana, Bahar Dar, are beautiful and show how deeply religious the Ethiopians are.
Picture perfect
When I sent my brother a photo I'd taken at the Blue Nile Falls, one of the main attractions in Bahar Dar, a town some 320km north of Addis, he annoyingly insisted that I'd sent him a photo of a painting or postcard.
It was that picture-perfect beautiful.
Known in Amharic (the national language) as Tis Issat (which translates to 'smoking water'), the Blue Nile Falls is a sight to behold. It is known as 'smoking water' because of the spray that looks like smoke coming from beneath as the water from the river tumbles more than 45m over a sheer basalt cliff. Quite a spectacle, especially combined with the surrounding dense forest.
Some of the travellers who made the trek with me commented that the falls were less spectacular than the Victoria falls in Zimbabwe or the Niagara Falls in North America. While this is partially true, it is chiefly because much of the water from the Blue Nile has been diverted to a power dam.
But, although the Blue Nile Falls is undoubtedly smaller in volume, its allure is second to none and well worth the hour-long drive, five-minute boat ride and half-hour trek to it's periphery.
The Blue Nile gets its water from Lake Tana, Ethiopia's largest lake which was where I spent the morning. Lake Tana is home to one of Bahar Dar's other attraction ' the 16th and 17th century monasteries located on islands situated on the lake.
I visited the Ura Kidane Mihret on Zege Peninsula, Lake Tana. It is one of the most-visited monastries in the area. Its most striking feature are the colourful paintings that cover every inch of the clay walls. Done in the 16th century, the paintings depicting biblical stories and folklore have withstood the test of time, with the colours still bright and vibrant.
As the deacon of the church was relating the history of the monastery and the stories behind the paintings, I could hear the chanting in the background of teenage boys in the monastery who were in-training to become priests.
North and South
A country as vast as Ethiopia has something for all kinds of travellers. I spent my time in the North, visiting mostly historical and archaeological wonders. Further north, which I hope to revisit, are the majestic Ethiopian Highlands, fast getting a reputation for being a trekkers' dream. Here, one can go on community treks that are led by local guides and villagers who own, operate and benefit from the tourism.
The treks range from strenuous mountain hikes to leisurely walks along the top of the plateaus. The 136sqkm Simien National Park was one of the first sites to be designated a Unesco World Heritage Site, in 1978. In it stands the country's highest peak, Ras Dashen (also the fourth highest in Africa), at 4,550m and contains wildlife such as the endangered walia ibex (or mountain goat) and the Gelada Baboon (or bleeding heart baboon).
If the north is all about the country's mountainside and historical landmarks, Southern Ethiopia is where you see the country's cultural heritage and diversity through the indigenous Omo Valley tribes. The population of 500,000 live mostly on the banks of the Omo river and the Lake Turkana basin in the dry season, and move to the grasslands in the rainy season. There are more than a dozen ancient tribes that live in Africa's Rift Valley and they all adhere to their ancient heritage, which is what makes the South truly unique. (kes)
5 'must do's' when in Ethiopia
1. Try the staple Injera, a sourdough-risen flat bread whose taste and texture most closely resembles the Indian thosai. Made from teff flour, it is served with meat and vegetable stews. Ethiopian curry is also delicious, thick and spicy ' a perfect accompaniment to the Injera bread.
2. Dance your night away, Ethiopian-style. Ethiopians know how to have fun, from my visit to Yod Abyssinia, a 'cultural' restaurant in Addis Ababa. It is the place tourists go to for a snapshot of Ethiopian culture and food.
3. Ethiopia is home to seven Unesco World Heritage sites. If you don't have time to visit them all in one trip, my top choices are: Lalibela (the city and the monolithic churches); Simian National Park; and the geological marvel known as the Danakil Depression, officially one of the hottest and driest areas on earth (with average temperatures of above 35°C). It is at the lowest point in all of Africa and the second lowest in the world (after the Dead Sea), and contains active volcanoes, hot springs, lava lakes and salted basins, all lying below the sea level.
4. Forget about finding a Starbucks or Coffee Bean outlet in Ethiopia. The Ethiopians only drink their own coffee, which contributes to about 60% of the country's foreign income. Did you know that the arabica bean originates from Ethiopia?
5. If you want to shop in Addis Ababa, head for the famed Merkato. It's chaotic, of course, but it's an experience you are not likely to find anywhere else.(+)
