The North

The North

Most tourists who come to Ethiopia are set on some kind of historical circuit, bouncing from one cultural, historical or geographical wonder to the next. There are eight UNESCO cultural and environmental heritage sites in this country and beyond those, there are more layers than one could explore in a lifetime. Funny thing is, for most westerners who have never visited or learned about the country, the immediate association is still -- from the mid-80’s -- famine, starving people, Hands Across America, and possibly a vague sense of historical significance? I wonder how many people giggle ironically when they hear that Ethiopian food is by far one of the best and most abundant in the world, and that the place itself is considered the true Zion by followers of various religions.

The food is only a superficial misconception. The real truth of this place is something much deeper and more difficult to discover on a two and half week vacation. Unlike the rest of the tourists and backpacker types, I have intentionally foregone with the historical circuit. I figured if I didn’t have time to see it all – Lalibela’s rock-hewn churches, Aksum’s 30 meter obelisks, Lake Tana’s ancient island monestaries, and the thriving Lower Omo Valley indigenous culture just to name a few – than I would just relax and do what called to me most. So I took off from Addis and headed straight for the northern city of Gonder, conveniently located directly on the route to Sudan and only a three hour bus ride from the Simien Mountains, highest range in Africa and oddly popular trekking destination for foreigners of all ages and fitness levels.

I literally frolicked around Gonder for the two days prior, meeting new folks, seeing the sites, sharing good food and inspiring conversation. My 7 dollar a night hotel, the Belegez Pension was by far the most luxurious and friendly home base I’ve had yet. Guests included almost every European nationality but not a single American. This is a good thing for me, as Ethiopians seem to generally LOVE Americans, more so as they are rare in the country and especially the jovial ones. I notice that I enjoy this place the most when I am at my most sociable and outgoing, therefore this is what I try to be everyday, and it works, especially today my last full day in the country.

But back to Gonder. Capital of Ethiopia from the early 1600’s until the late 1800’s, the city is built mostly on top but to an amazing degree around its pre-modern edifices. The most famous (one of the eight Ethiopian UNESCO sites) is the Palace of Fasilades, commonly referred to as the African Camelot. I will leave it up to folks unfamiliar to do your own digging, only to say that the place lives up to and possibly exceeds its European namesake. The palace is actually an 8-hectare grouping of stone walled castles built by seven successive Ethiopian kings, and one Queen. Throughout its two hundred and fifty year history, some infighting occurred, but for the most part there was smooth transfer of power and stability until the 1883 Somali invasion. After that, Ethiopia was sucked into the modernizing vortex created by European colonization and expanding global communication and trade networks. In the end, it was Emperor Haile Sellassie who moved the capital to Addis in 1921, but the palace buildings remained until the close of World War II when the British aerial bombardment of the Italian occupiers severely damaged or destroyed much of what we see today. The place is nonetheless a souring testament to an original Kingdom which claims its direct lineage from King Solomon.

Gonder is only the most recent of the pre-modern capitals, and for me it will have to remain at least temporarily as my only glimpse into the living history of this country. For now more than ever, I realize my time on the continent is short. This is of course by personal choice that I decided to try to squeeze 8 or 9 countries into a two and half month overland SPRINT. My heart was set on trekking in the Simiens, so I nixed the idea of catching a short flight to Lalibela or one of the other northern historic sites. The thought of meandering around with herds of fellow tourists for two days and spending more money that I had was in the end quite unappealing. I actually went to the airport on Saturday morning with a reservation for the flight, but while sitting at breakfast amongst the herds I made up my mind. So I stroll out the airport doors intending to catch a taxi back to Gonder and the first person I meet is none other than the manager of the Simien Lodge (www.simiens.com) who is at the airport to pick up the owner off a flight from Addis.

Sure enough, this extraordinary man named Fantu who is the lodge’s Ethiopian co-owner with a Brit is happy to give me a lift (four hours of smooth cruising on dirt road in a new Toyota Hilux, a diesel pick up not sold in the US!) I figure this is a resoundingly auspicious turn of fate, and what choice do I have but to pack my trekking bag, quickly purchase four days of food and jump in. By late afternoon we arrive at the high altitude (and high luxury) lodge located 10KMs inside the national park boundary. Fantu hooked me up with the $20 per night dorm room (empty but me and facing the setting sun), showed me to the giant circular fireplace in the middle of the lodge, and left me with the best damn hospitality of any hotel I have ever experienced, in the world.

Next morning, I saddled up my pack and we set out down the dirt road leading to the main hiking trail. When I say we, I do not mean that I buddied up with some fellow backpackers, though there were many many to be encountered at the three main camps along the way. No, I’m talking about Jambor, the armed scout with whom I was required to travel (closely) for the duration of my stay inside the Simien National Park. It’s kind of a silly disorganized system, but every single person who enters the park – both Ethiopians and foreigners, though there is separate fee schedules – is required to have one of these guys. I was very lucky in that Jambor spoke and understood a fair amount of English. Most scouts do not and for this reason, most tourists also have to pay for a guide, and then of course most are not interested in carrying a heavy pack so they also pick up a mule and a mule driver. Needless to say this ain’t your average pack and go type of backcountry excursion. What was most unique was the fact that the Simien Mountains aren’t wilderness at all, at least in the normal sense of a place with little or no human impact. The terrain is in fact all high altitude grazing land with the steepest and wettest slopes devoted to barley cultivation. I kept thinking about possible similarities to what I might encounter in LADAKH.

My expectations had to adjust a bit with the sight of so much human activity, unfortunately including serious overgrazing and litter. Theoretically speaking, the highland people could be relatively prosperous growing frost resistant crops and raising sheep, goats, and cattle on the rich pasture. But this is most certainly not the case. Conflict number one stems from the fact that the government, park administration, and indeed many NGO’s are working to get the people out of the park and returned to the lowlands. All sorts of novel concepts for sustainable relocation have been proposed but to date the highland people persist. The other issue is that there is nearly zero additional infrastructure to provide for the peoples’ basic needs beyond what they build and prepare themselves. With only thatch-roofed mud hut villages and the nearest town a 2-5 hour bus ride down the treacherous slopes, the pursuit of health and education becomes an arduous journey for those that are lucky enough to have the idea in the first place. I met several children with infected soars, malnourished and eager to make a little cash by selling a handmade hat or basket. Some told me there was primary school in the villages, but judging from the fact that most were out herding animals in the middle of the day, this was not a regular fixture. I did meet a couple secondary school students who took the bus down to Debark town to spend the week studying and return to their families on the weekends. All in all though, the situation was not so optimistic for the majority.

Of course, this is the general predicament that many of us westerners expect to see especially in the rural areas of the so-called developing world. And my expectations were not much different, except that here in Ethiopia the relative situation is different. Physical manifestations of poverty are everywhere but this a developing country poised on the verge of actually developing. They’re about to join the WTO and up to this point the formerly socialist, now quasi democratic government has maintained staunch protectionist measures. Meles Zenawi the current PM was an original member of the Peoples Liberation movement of the late 80’s, and in some ways has accomplished what the Sadinista movement might have if it were not for the Reagan administration. I’ve talked to many Ethiopians who have equal parts disdain and appreciation for Zenawi’s undemocratic measures against oppostition parties and bolstering economic growth and stability, respectively. The base of real development has been set in the form of solid country wide telecommunications, transport, and energy systems. Up to now, a certain degree of efficiency has been lacking due to the absence of foreign capital and subsequent competition. But this is the necessary and crucial thing that Ethiopia has done which sets it apartfrom so many other postcolonial so called developing nations. Of course the reality here is not post colonial. It may be because the country has NEVER been colonized that it has so strongly maintained a protectionist stance, or perhaps it’s a simple result of its natural endowment of almost all resources but petroleum. I’ll have to save the historical investigation for the next trip, when hopefully I could set up a full semester long program for myself and perhaps others.

For now, it’s enough to say I am in awe and respect. Interestingly enough, tomorrow I set out for another country with its own uniquely undervalued and misperceived potentials for development. From what I hear, Sudan -- at least in the regions I will travel -- is not the war torn, crime laden dessert of state deparmtnet nightmares that most would have you think, but in fact something all together different and inviting. Tonight I happened to encounter a German traveler staying at the Belegez who is also heading to Sudan tomorrow. Then a French couple overheard us talking and offered to donate their used copy of the Bradt Guide to Sudan. Now I have a fellow (Caucasian) traveling partner and a guide book, both of which I assume will make the experience better, safer, or perhaps neither.

The plan is to arrive in Khartoum by Thursday and “kick it” in and around the city until Monday when I catch the sweltering dessert express train to Wadi Halfa. The train is supposedly meant to connect with the departing Nile River ferry for Aswan on Wednesday afternoon. The other temptation would be to go via rubber wheeled vehicle through all of Northern Sudan and take in the many historical sites, though for my frame of time and mind, I do not think this would be feasible. As of now, I am stripping away destinations from the original itinerary, even as I have pushed back my flight to India from December 15^th to the 30^th. The first country to fall on my chopping block is unfortunately Israel. Yes, I am choosing to eliminate the holy land and for no other reason than it is too complex and personally relevant for me to speed through in any sort of contrived fashion. For this trip, the remnants of the Felasha Jews here in northern Ethiopia will have to suffice for personal root finding. This decision will also hopefully ensure my smooth passage and hassle free visas throughout the Arab world. That said, I’m open to all the possibilities and being open is quite simply the whole point in this kind of experience.