We had another wonderful day trip outside of Addis, we went about two hours north. The countryside was breathtaking and it was interesting to see different types of Tukuls. Each small town we passed through was unique, and we enjoyed just watching the people and landscape as we drove by.
We stopped at a "overlook" site and met many beautiful children selling amazing hand crafted baskets. We wish that we could have bought them all, but we enjoyed the interaction and repeated "Betam Konjo, Betam Gobeze" which means, "very beautiful, very talented."
We visited Debre Libanos, which is one of Ethiopia's holiest sites for the Orthodox church. This 13th century monastery is tucked away beneath the cliff located above the impressive Blue Nile gorge. The monastery was founded by the priest, Tekla Haimanot, one of Ethiopia's most revered saints today. Unfortunately the original monastery was destroyed as a result of the Christian and Muslim wars, but a new monastery was built in 1961 during the era of Selassie. The monastery has amazing and large stain glass windows and stunning mural paintings. Minutes up the hill is the Tekla Haimanot's cave, where it is said that the saint prayed for so many years standing on one leg, that the other leg fell off.
The nearby Portuguese bridge overlooks the Blue Nile Gorge. The walk to the bridge provided sweeping views of the gorge, and was lined with huge cacti. The bridge is believed to have been built in the 16th century by the Portuguese, although some say that it was built in the 19th century by Menelik's uncle. Either way, it was a wonderful stop and we enjoyed the peaceful rest and stunning views.
It was a beautiful day outside the city, Ethiopia is such a beautiful country and we just wish we had more time to explore this incredible place! Mawerdi loves riding in the car and taking day trips, she is already a traveler!
This day trip was incredible and so truly beautiful. As Mawerdi's grandmother I cannot truly attest to her spirit of adventure. She is an excellent traveler. I might also add Pete and Viv are terrific parents and attend to her every need. She seldom fusses or cries and is happiest when in the arms of her mother or father. This country has a strong spiritual direction which elicits deep respect for their resilience and committment to their values of kindness and generosity.
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