Leaving Woldia, we set our sights on Lalibela, roughly a 4-5 hour drive where we planned to spend the next three days. Lalibela is also the town where our driver/tour guide resides. It seemed Cheru knew everyone in and around the town as well as everything about it. This is a UNESCO town because the churches are not built on the ground but are chipped out of the rock carved down from ground level to depths of 50 feet or more.
We visited all 11 churches in the area with the final one being the most remarkable in my estimation. I believe the local guides (you must use a local guide to tour the churches) said it took the work of some 40,000 people, 23 years to chisel out the church with hand held hammers and chisels, a feat almost beyond belief and yet here they are!
Later that evening Cheru took us to the Torpedo Bar where we listened and participated in what I would call “Ethiopian Rap” but Cindy does not agree. It involved only a drum and a mesinko (a horse hair stringed instrument played with a horse hair bow), a man, and a woman throwing insults back and forth. It was kind of like George and Elaine going at it on Seinfeld. I only think that because it was all in Amharic and I laughed when everyone else did.
Cindy’s Note:
I watched the dancing and what happened that allowed the guest to sit down. So once I could no longer refuse to dance I shook my shoulders (not this booty) and stuck a birr bill on my partner’s forehead. Cheru gave me a thumbs up. Dennis asked me how I figured it out, not brilliant, just by watching.
One of the group was a drummer who played constantly, no breaks. As we were leaving I put a bill on his forehead and was rewarded with a big smile from him and another thumbs up from Cheru.
Back to Dennis’s World:
A few male and female dancers circulated through the bar inviting people to dance (shake your shoulders and bum) and then say thanks by plastering a bill on their sweaty foreheads. Who could resist that? Once Cindy started, Sue, Cindy and I probably spent about $20.00 doing this. In all modesty, I think the crowd liked my dancing best. When I danced, the crowd laughed even harder than they did when the couple doing the “rap” routine performed. I took that as a positive.
We drank tej (a local honey wine, orange and sweet) which was served in a beaker. I understand it can be high in alcohol so two was probably enough. We each had four! Just kidding, Sue and Cindy each had a part of one and I being the gentleman, finished theirs for them. We called it a night and Cheru drove us back to the Top Twelve Hotel.
Cindy’s Notes:
The next day, Sunday was Sue’s last day in Ethiopia. Cheru had many things planned. He drove us, along with Ge’taye our guide from the previous day, to a cliff side monastery. Here we were to climb to the top to visit the church. Sue began the climb but decided this was not for her, the next heights whe was to conquer would be on an airplane. Dennis really wanted to see what was at the top and Ge’taye insisted that I had “heart” and could do this. Pretty good psychology, right? So up we went and we did make it all the way to the top. Incredible.
Once down, Cheru bundled us into the Toyota and off we went to his sister’s house where he had a surprise for us—doro wat. Sue really wanted to have this famous Ethiopian chicken stew, served with a hard boiled egg for each guest, while she was in Ethiopia. Good restaurants require 24 hour notice and we hadn’t done that but Cheru had done this especially for Sue and we all reaped the benefits. It was the best doro wat I’ve ever had. Then off they went to the airport.
When Cheru came back he took us to the weekend market where we were able to walk around and enjoy all of the sights, spirit, and energy involved in doing business.
Later he took us to his niece’s house where she and others had prepared a huge feast. The sense of community is alive and well in northern Ethiopia. Anyone in the area is welcome to come and eat. A blind man was welcomed to the gathering, a local priest joined in, anyone who knows of the feast is
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