A self-guided historical tour of Addis Ababa, Lalibela and Gondar.
My husband and I arrived in Addis Ababa Airport at 3:30 am. The concierge at the Zeist Lodge had promised that their driver would meet us there. We were very happy to see him waiting for us at that inconvenient hour.
The Zeist Lodge, a garden oasis of beautiful art and delicious food, was a wonderful choice for our first day in Ethiopia.
We had less than a week to spend, so the next day we were off to Gondar. This historical city has been called the "Camelot of Africa". Our guide described past glories of Kings and Queens and showed us the the European influences on the castles and local architecture.
Debre Berhan Selassie Church is Ethiopia's version of the Sistine Chapel, where painted wide-eyed angels hover on the ceiling and the walls are painted with scenes from the life of Christ, Mary, the saints and martyrs. Afterwards we stopped at a nearby cafe for some Ethiopian coffee, deliciously roasted in the open air.
In the evening we walked from our centrally located hotel (Lodge du Chateau) to the Four Sisters Restaurant, where we enjoyed a delicious buffet with Rift Valley Merlot (a local wine) and, of course, Ethiopian coffee.
The next morning our driver brought his niece and nephews along to drop them off at school. They were 5, 6 and 7 years old, and they got a chance to practice their English with us. Their English was so much better than my Amarhic.
Next it was off to Lalibela, a center of pilgrimage for Ethiopian Orthodox Christians. The town is famous for its rock-cut monolithic churches. We toured Bet Madhane Alemm and the cross-shaped Church of St. George (Bete Giyorgis) where many white-veiled pilgrims generously shared their holy space with us.
At our room at the Top Twelve Hotel, we enjoyed the spectacular view of the valley below. Lalibela is 2,500 meters (8,200 ft) above sea level. As a sailplane pilot, I guessed that the area would be great for ridge soaring.
That evening we dined at the Ben Abeba restaurant, a Scottish-Ethiopian place whose unique, open air construction on a cliff's edge offered yet another mind bendingly spectacular view.
On our last night in Ethiopia, (in Addis Ababa) we visited Yod Abyssinia, where we had some traditional Ethiopian food (meat and vegetarian platters) and enjoyed a show that showed local history via dance. Visitors were invited to dance too, which the kids in the audience really loved.
One week was definitely not enough. On our next visit, I'd like to get to Axum to learn more about Ethiopia's history and visit the Bale Mountains National Park. But this was a great introduction.
