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1. Ethiopia - Why
Connoisseurs think it is Africa's best-kept secret
Ethiopia is an enchanting country whose delights
are unknown to most travelers. And yet this is a truly unique
destination with such attractions as can be found nowhere
else in the world. The biggest draw is the rich Orthodox Christian
heritage. Ethiopia was one of the very first nations to embrace
Christianity, way back in the 4th century AD. The wonderful
churches, monasteries, icons and relics to be found here is
a reminder of the central role the Church has played in the
history of the country. The painstaking effort summoned to
produce some of these tokens of mans faith in God is very
impressive, especially for non-believers.
Ethiopia is a very worthy destination and
many connoisseurs consider it to be Africa's best-kept secret.
Since so few outsiders come here, the tourist infrastructure
is not well developed. But on the plus side, there are no
crowds of visitors, unlike at other historical destinations
such as Egypt. The Christian heritage aside, Ethiopia is blessed
with an astonishing contrast of nature's gifts. This ranges
from the heights of the jagged peaks of the Simien mountains-
a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the bird filled rift valley
lakes, to the under sea level lunarscape of the Danakil Depression.
Travelers have plenty of opportunities to
enjoy mountain treks, caving, camping, sailing and white water
rafting adventures. Though not as abundant as elsewhere in
east Africa, there is plenty of wildlife, and 31 rare species
are only found in Ethiopia. This is also one of Africa's great
birding destinations and 861 species have been recorded of
which 16 are endemic. Due to the relatively undeveloped tourist
infrastructure, the best way to see the country is by buying
a packaged Ethiopia
tour.
Most overseas visitors will start off from
Addis Ababa. Addis, as the city is popularly known is the
capital city and home to Bole International Airport. The city
rests at the foot of the Entoto Mountains. By Ethiopian standards,
it is a new settlement and came into being in 1887. Addis
Ababa means New Flower and its foundation is credited to Queen
Taitu - consort to Menelik II. In Addis, make sure to visit
the Ethnographic Museum and the National Museum. The Giorgis
Cathedral, which was built in 1896 to commemorate victory
over Italian invaders, is also worth a visit.
The Simien Mountains National Park is much
favored by trekkers. The park has some of the scenic sights
in the country. The mastiff reaches to 4620m, the highest
point in the country. The park was created to protect the
Walia Ibex, which is found only in Ethiopia. Other endemic
animal species in the park are Gelada Baboon and Simen Fox.
Bale Mountains in the southeast, though less accessible, has
trekking opportunities and some wildlife including a few endemic
species.
Awash National park is one of the finest and
most accessible reserves in the country. The Awash River strides
the park before heading to the Dankil depression where it
vanishes, never to reach the sea. Some special attractions
in the park include the Awash Falls, the dormant Fantale volcano
and some thermal springs. Forty-six species of wildlife have
been identified here and the bird life is prolific. The park
is located just 211 km to the east of Addis.
You will obtain best value for your Ethiopia
trip if you have at least an interest in the unique history
of the country. The country claims a history going back 5,000
years, and there are Bible episodes mentioning Ethiopia that
are dated at least 3,000 years ago. The colorful history is
a blend of fact, legend, and tradition. Some incidents dearest
to Ethiopians and which they use to affirm unique their place
in the world, on close examination appear to be apocryphal.
The legend that the Ark of the Covenant is housed in Axum
is certainly controversial. But most of the history is almost
certainly correct and remains unchallenged.
Despite earlier contact with the outside world,
Ethiopia developed in relative isolation and was actually
once known as the "Hidden Empire". As a result,
some of the living culture is unique to the country and has
origins dating back hundreds of years. The Ge'ez language
used in most modern day church services derives from the Kingdom
of Axum. Ge'ez alphabet has an amazing 231 letters. The country
still uses the Julian calendar, which has 12 months of 30
days each and an additional month of 5 days, with 6 days in
a leap year. Relative to the Gregorian calendar used in the
west, Ethiopia is 7 years behind between 11th September and
8th January and 8 years for the rest of the year.
Festivals of the Orthodox Church are an ingrained
part of popular culture. Timket, feast of Epiphany, is a colorful
3-day festival commemorating the baptism of Jesus by John
the Baptist in the Jordan River. Meskal, celebrates the "finding
of the true cross" upon which Jesus was crucified, by
Empress Helana -mother to Constantine the Great. It is believed
that a fragment of the True Cross is to be found in a monastery
in Gishen Mariam. Meskal has been celebrated in the country
for over 1600 years. Other Orthodox festivals include the
Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash) and Christmas (Lidet).
Page 2 Article on Ethiopia
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