I don't know if it is the injera or the local chilies (berbere), or maybe all the local coffee I have been drinking, but there is something hard to describe here, an almost mystical quality. I mean, this area is called Gondar for one thing. People here resolutely believe that it was here that Mary and young Jesus fled when escaping King Herod. The Ark of the Covenant, of biblical and movie fame is also believed to be here. In fact the island in the second picture, is where many believe the Ark was first kept after it was taken from Israel. In fact you can see the exact spot where it was kept for several centuries. It actually makes sense to me that if you were trying to protect an object of such significance, one would want to take it to a place where it could not be easily found. And this place certainly fits that description. Way up in the highlands, historically inaccessible and far from major trade routes and then on a tiny island in the middle of a pretty big lake (even today it takes 2.5 hours by boat to get there). I don't know myself but like I say, there is something that makes one want to believe.

Blue Nile Falls, just downstream from Lake Tana, so quite close to where the river starts. Much of the river is now diverted for hydroelectric power and what you see here is only 25% of the whole thing. Also this is after rainy season so it can get much bigger. The Blue Nile is one of two main tributaries of the Nile, the other being the White Nile, but volume wise, the Blue Nile brings the majority of the water. In fact this creates some water resource management issues between Ethiopia and the countries downstream (mainly Egypt).

A woman serving coffee at the Blue Nile Falls was wearing this coin, an Austrian thaler. First minted in Austria (of course) in the 1700's (you can see the date 1780 on the coin), it was commonly--but not exclusively--used as currency in Ethiopia even into the 20th century. Now worn as jewelry I guess. This coin was almost certainly not minted in 1780 since that date has apparently been stamped on all thalers since that time.

The first pouring of the coffee ceremony, abol

The second pouring, tona

The third pouring, baraka

Alem Saga mountain, in S Gondar region, Ethiopia.

A massive, beautiful tree that I could only capture using the panorama function on my phone. I think the trunk is at least 3 m wide. In behind is Lake Tana, effectively the source of the Blue Nile. A very peaceful and relaxing place with gentle almost hypnotic maskino music playing in the background.