Ethiopia
Half way!
Fun facts:
-
The rock churches were not built from the ground up, they were chiseled out of the volcanic rock
-
Addis Ababa, the capital, is this highest city in Africa, 7,726 feet above sea level
-
Ethiopia is the only country to use a 12-hour clock system, counting from dawn to dusk and dusk to dawn
-
Ethiopia has 13 months in a calendar year (several thousand years ago the Ethiopians cottoned on to Spinal Tap’s belief that one more is always better – and have been counting 13 months to their year ever since. What does this mean? Well, that 2019 is still 2011 there.) (from intrepid travel)
-
The biggest festival is three days that honors the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan river
If I get to be a tourist I want to…
-
Erta Ale – “smoking mountain” one of the hottest places on the planet and is home to two lava lakes
-
Red terror martyrs museum – pays tribute to all victims who suffered (and because I am such a crime junkie)
-
Feed hyenas
-
Sof Omar – the longest cave system in Africa, formed by the Weib river
Food I want to try:
-
Tibs – small cut beef chunks sauteed in butter with onions, garlic, hot pepper, and rosemary.
-
Spriss – layers of pureed fruit juice, no, water, no sugar, no ice are added, typically made with 3 fruits (usually avocado, guava, papaya, mango, pineapple or orange) topped with a squeeze of lime
-
Fatira – thin pastry with with scrambled eggs and honey, typically served as breakfast
