|
|
|
was |
AFRICA
TRAVEL MAGAZINE YEARBOOK In The
Queen of Sheba's Footsteps Lalibela's
Bet Giyorgis, most famous of the eleven rock-hewn
churches in this mountainous area, is believed to
have been built in the late 12th or early 13th
century by King Lalibela. These incredible
edifices, which were carved inside and outside from
solid rock, are ranked among the wonders of the
world. Our team of North American journalists came
to Ethiopia with few preconceived notions, yet each
had some special areas of concern. For every member
of the group, it was a first time journey to this
ancient, mysterious, storybook land. What a
spiritual awakening it proved to be. The tour of
Ethiopia's Historic Route began in Addis Ababa, the
capital and geographical center. For starters,
Ethiopian Airlines, flew us north to Lalibela, the
holy city; to Gondar- Africa's Camelot, and to
Bahir Dar on Lake Tana, source of the Blue Nile.
Dire Dawa and the walled city of Harar in the
eastern sector completed the agenda. Nothing I had
read about the Holy City of Lalibela, its
mysteries, legends, saints and monarchs, could have
prepared me for what we were about to encounter on
this trip. The brief morning flight from Addis
Ababa's Airport north was a delight, winging
through the cloudless skies, as an ever-changing
panorama of awesome gorges, deep canyons and broad
plateaus unfolded below.
More-> The Exhibition "Lucy
Legacy: Hidden Treasures of Ethiopia" Following the
signing of the agreement, Ambassador Mohammed Dirir
said the centerpiece of this Ethiopian Exhibition
in the United States will be Lucy, but nearly 190
other Ethiopian Heritages items from various
regions of the country will be included. These
range form humankinds' earliest stone tools to
contemporary articles representing the legacy of
our forebears and of our own time. The Ambassador
further said that millions of Americans-school
children and adults- will view in some eleven major
museums across the United States these fabulous
collections from the cradle of human kind,
Ethiopia. He went on to say that they will have the
opportunity to somberly reflect on human origins,
they will have a chance to know about an ancient
millennia-old civilization in Africa, and a chance
to acquaint themselves with contemporary Ethiopia
through a realistic image. Continued Addis
Ababa: Africa's Meeting Place Why did ATA
choose Addis Ababa as the venue for its 32nd World
Congress in May 2007? To begin with it's today's
political capital of Africa, home of the
Organization of African Unity (OAU) and the United
Nations Economic Commission for Africa, (UNECA).
More than 95 embassies from all over the world have
their missions in Addis Ababa. This makes the
capital of Ethiopia a city where one finds the
highest concentration of embassies in the world
after Washington DC, New York and London.
Addis Ababa is easily accessible, having daily
flights to and from cities in Europe. Ethiopian
Airlines, Lufthansa, Alitalia, Kenya Airways, Egypt
Air, Saudia and others serve Addis Ababa. Perhaps
what makes Addis unique is that the national
carrier, Ethiopian Airlines, serves many cities in
Africa&emdash; making it the most accessible city
on the continent. United Nations
Conference Centre: One of the most modern and
sophisticated conference centres in the world,
offering state-of-the-art
facilities.
Addis
Ababa duated
with a BA., as an Economics major with a minor in
Public Administration. Ethiopian
Airlines Wins Friends , Influences
People:
How
many of our under 30 generation have read his
books, or even know about Dale Carnegie, I could
never guess. Yet this one man's simple concepts
have changed millions of lives dramatically and
positively for generations, not just in North
America, but around the world. In my opinion
everyone should read at least one of his inspiring
books. Like Napoleon Hill, another author who has
inspired folks around the world, he leads by
example. The management at Ethiopian Airlines has
the type of action-based thinking and 'hands on'
approach Carnegie talks about on every page of his
best seller, "How to Win Friends and Influence
People." Speaking of winning friends, the way our
group of 11 journalists was catered to during a
Tourism Ministry sponsored flight from the USA to
Addis Ababa -- and around the country on its
regional routes, left its mark indelibly on each of
us. Following the Historic Route Tour to Lalibela,
Gondar, Bahir Dar-and Lake Tana, I had the
opportunity of working at the company's head office
for several days, laying the foundation for this
issue and an updated (Post Congress) edition of
Africa Travel Magazine. That was when I experienced
the "Spirit of Ethiopian Airlines" first hand.
More-> Wine
and Roses:
My
inner child loves surprises, and to discover a
freshly cut sweetheart rose nestled on one's pillow
is a touch that transcends time and space. This was
the first surprise the
Sheraton Addis
reserved for our group, and much more awaited us as
we checked the nooks and crannies of this elegant
hotel and its spacious, luxuriant, terraced
grounds. Later, we discovered ornate vases of roses
literally everywhere; in the restaurants, around
the lobby and corridors, at the pool-side -- and at
a festive wedding we attended. Airports: Nationwide
expansion sets stage for tourism More-> Bahir
Dar, Lake Tana, Blue Nile Falls A
Storybook Land: I've
never been to Tibet, but the spiritual presence and
views we saw during our corkscrew journey up the
hillside would easily fit that image. Small wonder
this storybook land has such a spiritual presence,
a proud tradition and a way of life that has
survived three millennia, despite an outside world
of hate, conquest, treachery, trial and turmoil.
The thatched villages, shepherd boys, terraced
farming methods, simple forms of irrigation and
donkey power, attest to the fact that time has
stood still &emdash; as well it should. Coming from
North America it's hard for us to realize that this
is the way it has been in this part of the world
since time immemorial. Rocks of
Ages:
During my recent African excursions, I have been
awed by mankind's glorious creations, offset by a
Jekyll and Hyde capacity for evil. While we were
shocked by the slave castles of West Africa's Gold
Coast and Zanzibar's dungeons, we saw the result of
godly forces at work in the 12th century rock -hewn
churches that have made the Holy City of Lalibela a
magnet for Christian pilgrims and historians.
Many
come for the famous church festivals in Ethiopia,
such as Timket (Epiphany) and other times of
celebration and devotion. Souvenirs of King
Lalibela are everywhere, as a continuing tribute to
his glory and greatness in creating these wonders
of the world. Our official photographer, Robert
Eilets couldn't get over the abundance of photo
opportunities in Lalibela's streets, at the famous
stone churches and around every bend in the road
leading to this remote highland community. Next
time, we vowed to allow an extra day for
photography alone. Footnote:
Back in Addis Ababa, it was our turn to be
interviewed -- this time by Ethiopian press, radio
and television. To a person, each journalist agreed
it was a positive experience with no feelings of
concern or anxiety about personal health and
safety. The climate in mid February was perfect,
and the hospitality of the people was second to
none. What a beautiful prelude to the ATA congress,
Africa's 1st major tourism event of the new
millennium. More to come, including map and
photos. Continued:
(Holy
Route North)
Gondar- Ethiopia's Camelot |