Exploring Ethiopia

by Yeab Mekonnen (Ethiopia)

Making a local connection Ethiopia

Since I was a child, I have been a wanderlust. However, I did not have the chance to explore much because my family members do not enjoy traveling as I do. However, I have been to the United States thrice to visit my relatives living there. The best trip of my life happened this year during our semester break. According to the school’s culture, we get the chance to explore Ethiopian architectural sites after finishing our first semester of the third year. As a person who likes traveling, I was waiting for the trip since I was a freshman. Our seniors were talking about their experience and it seemed interesting. On Sunday morning, we all went to board on the bus that was prepared for the longest haul of my life. Due to the excitement, I was active throughout the whole journey and I was not tired. Especially when we arrived at Debre Sina, translating to Mount Sinai in English, the scenery was beautiful. The mountainous road was covered in fog and there were apes and monkeys everywhere. Everyone was busy taking pictures and recording videos of the scenery. After 12 hours, we arrived at Dessie and stayed there for the night. Even if it was my first time going on a vacation without my parents, I did not feel anything since I was enjoying everything. After deciding to choose the place to stay for the night, we went out to eat dinner at a traditional place. There were traditional dancers and singers called azmariwoch in Amharic. It was my first time in a traditional “azmari bet” but it was a good experience. The next day we had another 12 hours journey, so we went to our pension early to get ourselves ready for the next journey. At dawn, we started the journey to Lalibela, Ethiopia’s major tourist attraction site. We had two stops before arriving at Lalibela. I was very eager to see Lalibela and I found it to be more impressive than what I have expected. The Rock-hewn monolithic churches were magnificent. It connected my spirit to the place. The feeling of oneness and the revelation of one’s identity, it was exceptionally astonishing. Yimrhana Kristos, about one hour drive from Lalibela, was one of the most wonderful places to visit. It was built in the 11th century inside a cave carved naturally. The church is inside a cave and above a water surface. It was delightful to observe nature complimented by a beautiful architecture. After a two-day stay in Lalibela, we left for our second destination. Gondar is one of the five international cities in Ethiopia. It is famous for the castles built in the 16th century. We only had one full day to visit the major attractions in the city so we did not have time to explore it as much as Lalibela. Even if the time was limited, I have experienced it as much as Lalibela. Especially the Fasil Compound tour was extremely refreshing. We also had the chance to see Debre Berhan Selassie church; the only unburnt church built during the invasion of Mahdist Sudan. After a busy day, we went back to our pension and stop for the day. Our final destination was Bahir Dar; the most beautiful city in Ethiopia. The city is famous for its lake monasteries and Lake Tana. On the first day, we went to the lake to see the sunset. Astonished by the beautiful sunset we spent a while around the lake and went back to grab some food and get some rest. We spent our last day visiting the monasteries of Lake Tana. Everyone was excited to go on a boat ride and spend the day on the beautiful islands. The tranquil islands ease the spirit and the soul giving the sense of unearthliness. Words cannot express the beauty of the monasteries and the lake in general. After a long day, we headed back to our hotel and spent the last night of our trip. Overall, it was the best trip of my life and maybe the best of my travels to come. My soul had found its dwelling place, a trip to remember and keep in the heart forever hoping for more to come along the journey of life.