Rock Strew Churches of Lalibela

 St George

Lalibela is Ethiopia’s prime tourist attraction with it’s 10 rock strewn churches dating back to the 12 century steeped in myth and legend. It is said King Lalibela dreamt up the churches and wanted to create his own pilgrimage site rather than expecting Christians to travel the journey to Jerusalem – a particularly bandit-infested route from Northern Ethiopia.

All 10 projects were completed during his life-time – somewhere between 25 – 40 years, and all their costruction projects were successfully – although all are in varied states of erosion or reconstruction due to varying sandstone contents in the soil. 

a particularly fucked facade

It is generally believed the finest architects, craftsman and masons were part of a team of 40,000 workers who gave their time to celebrate and pay tribute King Lalibela, much as the pyramid builders of Egypt were devoted to the pharaohs.

Their are two main cluster sites each side of the aptly named River Jordan, and each are connected through a labyrinth of tunnels in each section. Most are spectacular from the outside and disappointing on the inside, not least because large parts are curtained off that are sacrosanct (not least because they each hold a direct replica of the original arc of the covenant), and only high priests may enter.   

All the churches have treasured art work - no flash photography is allowed. These were taken with my ISO set at its highest.

 

Entry prices for whites is now US$50, entry fees for the surrounding monasteries are extra. Bring a torch and explore the tunnels.

Notoriety in Lalibela

The Grade 5 field trip gives me an opportunity to check out Derbo’s new souvenir shop, as well as bring in some much needed customers, for Lalibela is devoid of tourists at the moment. 

I urge him to rethink the shop’s name, but he is insistent. In fairness, he has done up the space nicely, and has taken on my idea of printing business cards.

I also get to meet his family for the first time, who celebrate my arrival with a coffee ceremony. His mother makes the mot incredible cup of jo made from beans grown from the neighbouring village. We also feast on one of the tastiest white honey i’ve experienced. 

 Derbo's mum and step father

 and a variety of siblings and family

 

Reacquainted

It is beautiful seeing my Grade 5 students again. Seventeen students (out of 48) make it to the first ever school trip outside Addis – to historical Lalibella. 

With much of my teaching experience spent in Early Years, I usually have a propensity to give the young uns additional nurturing and loving, but I have completely loved my Grade 5s – responsible, respectful, generally smart, and who thoroughly embraced both my Student Council and the Mission and Vision projects.

There is a delighted shock when they spy me at the airport, and even more so when they find i am accompanying them. Plenty of hugs n kisses and questions I can’t really answer.  They reliably inform me the school is now “boring” and demand my reinstatement forthwith. Even they know how crazy this school is - they tell me constantly.

We travel in style, taking the early morning flight up, and staying in Lalibela’s most deluxe hotel -  Mountain View, an Ethiopia-Belgium project.

 fantastic views from the hotel

They are captivated by Lalibella and have a host of questions for our Tour Guide, Mario. He is clearly impressed with their astuteness and soon succumbs to their charms. He is invited not just to our last supper – the hotel slaughter 2 sheep for a BBQ, but also to Wubi’s PJ party, which he politely declines.

They love the churches and, like myself, relish being out of Addis. They don’t want to return. But they have no choice, and they fly out early. I stay on an extra day. 

 All Hugs

 my smallest Grade 5 student - Hanna

Travels and More Travels

An all too brief sojourn to Hong Kong kills several birds with with one stone. Not least for some more money laundering.

The food is fantastic and i gorge myself excessively on a quality mix of Asian and European. I have little time to spend with friends, but catch up all too briefly with Sniffy, Wong, Kev n Fam.

As i fly out of the Territory, so is cyber whistle-blower Edward Snowden, and the departure lounge is patrolled by swathes of police officers armed with hand-grenades and machine guns.

Back in Ethiopia and Mrs Rosenburg calls excitedly. Her “friend” is desperate to hire me as School Director with almost  double my salary and all the perks for an established Pre-KG to Grade 12 school in Addis with over 1000 students. I schedule a meeting for next Monday.

It's time to head north, back to Lalibela – but this time with my many of my gorgeous Grade 5 students.  Both Boss and Ato S have tried to cancel it on “Health and Safety” grounds, but parents have been insistent that it happens. I am delighted.

Photos to follow soon.