Ethiopia

In 2018 we visited Ethiopia, privileged to be accompanied by an Ethiopian/American friend whose presence opened a lot of doors. We visited historic cities like Lalibela with its remarkable churches carved out of stone; Axum, ancient seat of the Solomonic dynasty and home of the Arc of the Covenant; Gondar, an architectural wonder and former seat of power for centuries; and of course throbbing Addis Ababa. We also had the good fortune to trek for a week in the unique Simien Mountains. We arrived on the eve of the appointment of the current Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed. A year later, he would receive the Nobel Peace prize for achieving peace with neighbor Eritrea. Two years later, rebel forces from the North would ignite a bloody war that has left thousands homeless and starving. It is sobering to think that many of the places that we visited were victims of the depredations of both sides.