I went back home to Australia in mid-November. A pre-arranged trip with the NGO and Pulse to attend to my daughters graduation, parents illness and sons engagement. The project was in hiatus until early January, so nothing could be done or progressed. I remained in contact via Skype with my Pulse GSK colleagues.
Coming back home was refreshing both psychologicallly and physically. I had lost 7 kgs, and a medical check showed I was probably my healthiest in 10-15 years. I have been doing the 4 km 1000 steps in the hills near my house in Melbourne everyday to maintain that level of fitness as well as prepare for the Mt Kilimanjaro climb in December.
News from Hawzen was stunning, 3 close colleagues from MVP ether did not have their contracts renewed or resigned. These were the 3 that had helped the most, so was going to be interesting on my return.
But back in Melbourne, enjoyed family and friends, dinners and outings and preparing for Mt Kilimanjaro.
Tuesday 13 December 2011
Axum Journey
Saturday October 22, stated out as a good day for a long trip to Axum and back on the following day. Decided to hire a 4WD from Waldi, our car contact in Mekele. He arranged through a friend to rent us a Nissan patrol, with over 250,000 km, new engine and a 19 year old driver Avraham.
The drive from Hawzen took us to Adigrat, and north to the church Debre Damos.It was about 40 km north west on a gravel road from Adigrat, but only 15 km from the main road from Adigrat to Axum. The drive to Debre Damos took us through a number of stunning valleys, somewhat isolated, but was surprised by the number of huts and people. The road I guess from the map skirted the Eritrean border, but other than an army check point we did not see a soldier or signs of the border.
Debre Damos church is about 1400 years old, and is located on a high rock bluff, accessible only to males, and by a rope, basket pulley arrangement. There are many religious festivals held in Ethiopia, and there was one to occur in 2 days time at Debre Damos, where there would be thousands of people coming to visit and pray. Time did not allow us to climb to Debre Damos, so we pushed on to Yeha.
Yeha is an ancient capital, dating to pre-christain times. It is about about 6 km off the current main road between Adigrat ad Adewa. Th etown is small and teh temple is now located within a church compound. A Grman archaelogical group is investigating the area and only touched a small area and to a depth of half a metre Impressive were teh rock walls of teh temple. There was a church with beautiful paintings and an older monastery which we scaled to the second floor. Quite a number of artifacts and bibles were found and a priest , the first we had met who spoke English gave us an overview of their history.
Th etrip from Yeah to Adewa, site of famous Italian -Ethiopian battle si nteh 19th century, was quick and we had lunch in one of the hotels. No time to visit the battle sites before heading to Axum. Check in at theAfrica hotel before heading to the church of St Mary of Sion and the Stellae and Museum.
St Mary of Sion church site anda large modern cathederal, reminiscent of Mehadene Alem Cathederal in Addis Ababa. The site also had an older church, museum and a church with the Ark of the Covenant or replica. The Ark of the Covenant is protected by a priest who nevers leaves the church. It is held behind closed doors. teh church is adornbed with paintings. the story goes that the Ark was brought to Axum by thr son of the Queen Sheba and King Solomon, known as Menelik I.
Then to view the large Stellae or stone pillars and the archaelogical museum. Fascinating history, albeit too short and minimalistic to really get a sense of the long history of the area.
In the evening we had dinner at the Yohannes Intenational restaraunt run by an ex US Marine an dhsi Ethiopian wife. Ordered steak which I hadnt had in a while and also tried their famous cinnamon buns.
On Sunday I was woken to the sounds of the priests praying at the cathederal, A breakfast in another hotel, followed by heading off to the guide association to hire a guide to show us the archaelogical sites. We visited in quick succession, King Caleb archaelogical site, Queen Sheba pool, Queen Sheba palace, field of Stellae, King Balthazar archaelogical site and then some remanents of rock pillars in Enzano Park.
The morning had been full of history, although Axum is a huge archaelogical site, very little has been excavated and explored. The history is based more on legend than fact.
On the road again for the return trip to Hawzen, we stopped forlunch at another hotel in Adewa. Then heading through theback or short route to Hawzen, we headed somehat south for about 50 km and a gravel road that ultimately would get to Mekele. Turning east on a road to Maryam Wukro, 51 km, passing through a number of small towns to arrive at Nobelet. The drive was stunning, numerous houses and fields in valleys that dropped several hundred feet from the plateau we were driving on. Our driver had never been this way so every so often we had to make sure we were on the right road.
Maryam Wukro is supposedly a stunning church, about 7 km north of Nobelet. Little did we know that the road is impassable and in the end did not make it very far. Time did not allow us to walk to the church. Nobelet was a small dusty rural village that probably had not seen many ferenje. Kids running around our 4WD seeking money.....The dust had built up considerably inside and outside the 4WD but only another hour to Hawzen and maybe some respite. However, this was tempered by the beautiful and stunning scenery that even pictures could not describe nor capture. Driving back I manged to get my bearings on the Gheralta range in the distance.
Overall a great 2 days that relieved the stress of working at Millenium in Hawzen. While work life balance is some what hard to find back home with so many obligations these weekend breaks restoke the energy.
The drive from Hawzen took us to Adigrat, and north to the church Debre Damos.It was about 40 km north west on a gravel road from Adigrat, but only 15 km from the main road from Adigrat to Axum. The drive to Debre Damos took us through a number of stunning valleys, somewhat isolated, but was surprised by the number of huts and people. The road I guess from the map skirted the Eritrean border, but other than an army check point we did not see a soldier or signs of the border.
Debre Damos church is about 1400 years old, and is located on a high rock bluff, accessible only to males, and by a rope, basket pulley arrangement. There are many religious festivals held in Ethiopia, and there was one to occur in 2 days time at Debre Damos, where there would be thousands of people coming to visit and pray. Time did not allow us to climb to Debre Damos, so we pushed on to Yeha.
Yeha is an ancient capital, dating to pre-christain times. It is about about 6 km off the current main road between Adigrat ad Adewa. Th etown is small and teh temple is now located within a church compound. A Grman archaelogical group is investigating the area and only touched a small area and to a depth of half a metre Impressive were teh rock walls of teh temple. There was a church with beautiful paintings and an older monastery which we scaled to the second floor. Quite a number of artifacts and bibles were found and a priest , the first we had met who spoke English gave us an overview of their history.
Th etrip from Yeah to Adewa, site of famous Italian -Ethiopian battle si nteh 19th century, was quick and we had lunch in one of the hotels. No time to visit the battle sites before heading to Axum. Check in at theAfrica hotel before heading to the church of St Mary of Sion and the Stellae and Museum.
St Mary of Sion church site anda large modern cathederal, reminiscent of Mehadene Alem Cathederal in Addis Ababa. The site also had an older church, museum and a church with the Ark of the Covenant or replica. The Ark of the Covenant is protected by a priest who nevers leaves the church. It is held behind closed doors. teh church is adornbed with paintings. the story goes that the Ark was brought to Axum by thr son of the Queen Sheba and King Solomon, known as Menelik I.
Then to view the large Stellae or stone pillars and the archaelogical museum. Fascinating history, albeit too short and minimalistic to really get a sense of the long history of the area.
In the evening we had dinner at the Yohannes Intenational restaraunt run by an ex US Marine an dhsi Ethiopian wife. Ordered steak which I hadnt had in a while and also tried their famous cinnamon buns.
On Sunday I was woken to the sounds of the priests praying at the cathederal, A breakfast in another hotel, followed by heading off to the guide association to hire a guide to show us the archaelogical sites. We visited in quick succession, King Caleb archaelogical site, Queen Sheba pool, Queen Sheba palace, field of Stellae, King Balthazar archaelogical site and then some remanents of rock pillars in Enzano Park.
The morning had been full of history, although Axum is a huge archaelogical site, very little has been excavated and explored. The history is based more on legend than fact.
On the road again for the return trip to Hawzen, we stopped forlunch at another hotel in Adewa. Then heading through theback or short route to Hawzen, we headed somehat south for about 50 km and a gravel road that ultimately would get to Mekele. Turning east on a road to Maryam Wukro, 51 km, passing through a number of small towns to arrive at Nobelet. The drive was stunning, numerous houses and fields in valleys that dropped several hundred feet from the plateau we were driving on. Our driver had never been this way so every so often we had to make sure we were on the right road.
Maryam Wukro is supposedly a stunning church, about 7 km north of Nobelet. Little did we know that the road is impassable and in the end did not make it very far. Time did not allow us to walk to the church. Nobelet was a small dusty rural village that probably had not seen many ferenje. Kids running around our 4WD seeking money.....The dust had built up considerably inside and outside the 4WD but only another hour to Hawzen and maybe some respite. However, this was tempered by the beautiful and stunning scenery that even pictures could not describe nor capture. Driving back I manged to get my bearings on the Gheralta range in the distance.
Overall a great 2 days that relieved the stress of working at Millenium in Hawzen. While work life balance is some what hard to find back home with so many obligations these weekend breaks restoke the energy.
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