october-2018

36 / TRAVEL / Ethiopia
TRAVEL / 37
Left (clockwise
from top left):
Priest reading the Bible;
Ceiling at the House of
St. George; Blue Nile
Falls: at 37-45 m in
height, the falls consist
of four streams that
originally varied from a
trickle in the dry season,
to over 1/4-m–400-m
wide in the rainy season
Right (anti-clockwise
from top): Boat carrying
passengers on Lake
Tana; Pelicans; Man in
front of Blue Nile Falls
“The Blue Nile Falls, the waterfall from where the
Nile River begins its 4,500-km journey to the
Mediterranean Sea, shouldn’t be missed”
Getting Around
When attempting to get around
in Addis Ababa, it’s good to know
that there is no such thing as Uber
or Taxify, although there are some
similar services called RIDE, ETTA
and ZayRide. Unless you have an
Internet connection, these services
are redundant. However, there are
other options, such as blue-white
taxis (be sure to arrange a price
before you get in), yellow taxis (more
expensive, but more traveller-friendly
because of their running meter) and
Sub-Saharan Africa’s first light-rail
metro line outside of South Africa.
Gondar is most famous for its well-preserved castles and palaces
in the stonewalled Fasil Ghebbi complex is a perfect location
for a morning walk. But the Debre Birhan Selassie Church is the
absolute highlight of my Gondar visit. After stopping for lunch
at Master Chef (they serve great fish, freshly caught from the
nearby Lake Tana), it’s a 20-minute walk out of town. In a
peaceful courtyard, where a monk hangs the clerical chasubles
to dry, I find one of the most beautifully decorated churches
of Ethiopia. Every corner of this 17 th -century church is graced
with superb art depicting bible stories. And don’t forget to look
up: the painted ceiling features the faces of 80 beautiful angels.
With the Fasil Ghebbi complex around the corner, my hotel
is perfectly situated. Although the walls of Lodge du Chateau’s
rooms are wafer-thin, Simon, the owner, makes up for that by
going the extra mile. From here, you can hop into a tuk-tuk and
head to the south of town, where a visit to Fasilidas’ Pool – a
sunken bathing place surrounding a small fortress – is still used
for the annual Timkat celebration in January. A visit to this
royal pool is a great excuse to check out the city’s Dashen
Brewery, which has a charming beer garden that is often
packed with students from the adjacent university.
More comfortable than the ride from Lalibela, a five-hour
drive takes us to Bahir Dar, Amhara’s capital, which is situated
south of Lake Tana. This green, somewhat more tropical destination
is ideal for day trips. The lake’s monastery islands and
the Blue Nile Falls, the waterfall from where the Nile River
begins its 4,500-km journey to the Mediterranean Sea,
shouldn’t be missed.
After the hustle and bustle of Addis Ababa and the cultural
stopovers at Lalibela and Gondar, it’s nice to be in a town
where there isn’t that much to do. After a small lunch in an
unassuming bistro opposite the market, I go for a coffee at
Wude, and top it off with a fresh fruit juice at Hani Juice.
From there, it’s easy to access the pleasant two-km lakeshore
footpath that is dotted with bars alongside the city’s small
harbour.
As I reach the gates of the lush Lake Tana hotel, my phone
starts buzzing. Apart from some sporadic signals during my
trip, it’s the first time I have full-speed Internet access again. I
take my phone, look at the long list of notifications and pocket
it again while I look over the lake. Thanks to Ethiopia, I’m less
hooked than before.
➔
Plan your trip
Kenya Airways operates non-stop daily
flights to Addis Ababa from Nairobi’s
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Philip Lee Harvey, Michael Poliza, Joost Bastmeijer