Yemereha Hotel Lalibela

... pitch in and help us. Teamwork!<br><br>The plane ride is very stable and very long&#8230;..The couple we have picked up are lovely. They travel 6 weeks every Spring and 6 weeks every Autumn. Now that is a plan! <br><br>We hand over to the hospital at 10.30pm. It has been a long day and all I have eaten is a pack of digestive biscuits &#8211; I wish I could eat sandwiches!!! I am now praying for a day off&#8230;

... 13th century buildings, in excellent condition, carved out of the surrounding volcanic stone - mesmerizing with multiple passageways, crypts and the sounds of chanting - different from Petra in that the structures are actually freestanding. The most impressive of the bunch was Bet Giyorgis, a church a bit set off from the others, named for the patron saint of Ethiopia (St. George) and built in the shape of a Greek cross. I was excited to ...

... them.  The guide said that they've only seen a few white people in their lives.  More and more kids kept stopping by.  They must have heard there was a faranji (foreigner) in town.  The kids and adults all loved having their pictures taken so they can see what they look like.  Ah, the beauty of digital cameras! There are very few travellers here and we all seem to be taking the same route through the north, give or take a few days, so I keep running ...

... John Graham already for the past 800 years), due to overpopulation and ancient farming methods. Road building took its toll again. We had to follow a truck for 20 kliks, on a single lane, the other half of the road was covered in mountains of ballast or, if the road had already been rolled, they had made it impassable by placing rocks on it. 20 kph uphill and 15 downhill. Our highest points today was 3550 meters (Eurasian Chough ...

... The first of our correct suspicions that this was going to be a fun day... Sitting and waiting, we are now back-logged with our flight, and the crazy white-guys' flight. Where will they put us all when the plane is finally running again? We hear a little announcement stating that our flight has been delayed (surprise) and that the new departure time will be announced (thank you for the information!). Moved to the ...

... she still mixed it in for us (there's no other way to drink coffee!). As it was starting to get dark, we said that we needed to get back to our room. Father and children walked us up the road holding hands. And with an exchange of emails we said goodbye. We have noticed before that Ethiopian people are very affectionate. It is not unusual to see 2 men walking holding hands or with their arms around each other. If they feel ...

... churches together. Some are short and others are long. Some are so tiny we cannot fit through! One was called 'the way to hell'. When walking you are to reflect on how it feels to be without light (symbolizing God). This tunnel was quite long (over 2 minutes walking time), and completely pitch black. At times is widens so you cannot even reach the sides to guide yourself. In the end you climb up towards the light and ...

... team from Quebec here now filming a children's show), Lalibela is the centre of pilgrimage for many Ethiopian Orthodox Christians and during major festivals, this place is swarming. Originally known as Roha (the town was only renamed "Lalibela" after King Lalibela's death), this was the Zagwe dynasty's capital in the 12th and 13th century. There are various legends which explain why these amazing churches were built, all in such close proximity and ...

... as "Africa's Petra", and the last 14 km into Lalibela were the most awe-inspiring with stunning mountainous scenery and smooth uninterrupted tarmac road, all paid for by UNESCO. We arrived at the Roha Hotel just in time to see a wedding party dancing and singing in the parking lot. They were all just getting into cars and heading out. The bride looked absolutely stunning, and ...

... on the ceiling (if your torch is good enough to see them) and at the back of the cave are many skeletons of pilgrims that have gone to die there ( about 10000!!) Tips for Tourists 150 birr for a guide - from guide hut by ticket office ( is worth it as you get no hassle for the day and the priests show you the crosses in the churches etc) now 200 birr per person for a ticket you do not need a guide to take you to the marble church