I'm back in Addis Ababa after 7 amazing days in the Northern Region of Tigray. I have left my peasant lifestyle to regain the "comforts" of Addis and most significantly...........wireless connection......
My travels up North included 1 day in Kombolcha where I was able to work with the outreach workers at the clinic, 3 days in Mekelle where ASC also has a clinic, and an unexpected weekend trip to the Gheralta mountains. The Northern Ethiopian countryside spans a variety of magical and diverse landscapes. Some areas are clearly desert landscapes, other areas look more like steppe lands contrasting with the long meandering passage through the Wollo mountains.
In addition to the beauty of the landscapes, I am profoundly impressed and humbled by the warmth and resiliency of the peasants up North. They are the purest, sweetest and hardest-working people I have met. Their daily lives are consumed with sourcing water, trips to the market, and feeding very large families. After witnessing life in the countryside, I am also convinced women work harder than men in the kebeles (villages) - carrying heavy loads up steep mountainous hills, caring for children, going to church, and finally drying lentils and peppers in the sun in order to feed 5 hungry mouths.
The children themselves are not spared heavy labor. They steer cattle and mules - hitting the animals with sticks and stones in order to keep them moving. The irony, of course, is that these children are about 6 years old and have little flesh on their bodies. The 300 pound ox could easily overpower its owner...
The 14 hour drive up North serendipitously lead us to the Gheralta mountains. The undeniable highlight of this weekend escapade was the sunset setting over the Sahara, exposing parts of Sudan and the majestic Gheralta mountains. I was literally moved to tears...which is not unusual when I watch "Free Willy"...but has never happened while watching the sun set... Below are some images of the amazing lodge where we stayed tucked away in the mountains along with a couple photos of the transcendent sunset.
My travels up North included 1 day in Kombolcha where I was able to work with the outreach workers at the clinic, 3 days in Mekelle where ASC also has a clinic, and an unexpected weekend trip to the Gheralta mountains. The Northern Ethiopian countryside spans a variety of magical and diverse landscapes. Some areas are clearly desert landscapes, other areas look more like steppe lands contrasting with the long meandering passage through the Wollo mountains.
In addition to the beauty of the landscapes, I am profoundly impressed and humbled by the warmth and resiliency of the peasants up North. They are the purest, sweetest and hardest-working people I have met. Their daily lives are consumed with sourcing water, trips to the market, and feeding very large families. After witnessing life in the countryside, I am also convinced women work harder than men in the kebeles (villages) - carrying heavy loads up steep mountainous hills, caring for children, going to church, and finally drying lentils and peppers in the sun in order to feed 5 hungry mouths.
The children themselves are not spared heavy labor. They steer cattle and mules - hitting the animals with sticks and stones in order to keep them moving. The irony, of course, is that these children are about 6 years old and have little flesh on their bodies. The 300 pound ox could easily overpower its owner...
The 14 hour drive up North serendipitously lead us to the Gheralta mountains. The undeniable highlight of this weekend escapade was the sunset setting over the Sahara, exposing parts of Sudan and the majestic Gheralta mountains. I was literally moved to tears...which is not unusual when I watch "Free Willy"...but has never happened while watching the sun set... Below are some images of the amazing lodge where we stayed tucked away in the mountains along with a couple photos of the transcendent sunset.
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