MADNESS ON FARANDZHI (continued, part 4) The main event of the day was a visit to the Church of the Virgin Maria Sion, which for the Christian Ethiopians is the center of the universe. The day was a big celebration (apparently, the day the Virgin Mary of Zion, one of the two (along with Timketom) major festivals in Ethiopia, approx. Perevi.), there were a lot of people. I think we are very lucky because it was the same, the only day of the year when the public review exhibited an ancient book. It is believed that this book, "Miracle of the Virgin Mary", 1400 years old (it is made of goat skin, and color illustrations striking in their beauty), but we are unsure if they are. Ancient Book Here, too, was once built the first church on African soil. Its ruins can still be seen between the old and new churches. They say that the original church was completely covered gold, and that when it was destroyed and burned, the gold melted and flowed away like water in the river. The Church of St. Mary Zion in the museum displays to show the great treasures of the former Ethiopian rulers: their crowns, clothing and books. In a carefully guarded the chapel, as says the legend, kept the Ark of the Covenant. Only in the special guardian has access to the ark, and none but he is not allowed on the Ark of the watch. If you look at it, then immediately burn. The superintendent should not leave the chapel, he can only visit monks. The current superintendent held in the chapel in 1951. As if by coincidence - seems to us very lucky that day - we saw the keeper bypasses the surrounding area. Apparently, he usually does not go where somewhere near there are foreigners. Chapel which allegedly kept the Ark We wanted to find a little bread, but it resulted in the whole adventure. We asked passers-by, where is the nearest bakery, but eventually the two tricksters carried us across town to a small shed behind a house. There's an excellent and delicious baked bread. We collected a full bag. Another hot bread for 50 pence! Then we went to the city of Mekele, the capital of Tigray region. To get there, we again had to get up at 5 in the morning and eight hours to drive on rough roads. It could be worse if it had not come across the remnants of asphalt areas. Unfortunately, our driver, "not all were at home, it's very strange was driving, and on the way we have several times narrowly escaped a frontal collision. Mekele has become for us a breath of fresh air. There was also spacious campus, several good restaurants and good cafes. Mekele in particular not look at that, but still there are two interesting museums. Yohannysa Museum IV (the Ethiopian emperor, the rules at the end of the XIX century, ca. Perevi.), a former palace Now here paraded Ethiopian manuscripts, crosses and icons. Previously, all of them were in private collections in France, but in 2001 were returned. yet there was an interesting collection of clothing, which was a cloak of skins of the lion. Yohannysa Museum IV Martyrs Memorial and Museum dedicated to the struggle of the Ethiopian people against the authority of the Provisional Military Administrative Council (the supreme authority of the socialist Ethiopia from 1974 to 1987., ca. TRANSFER).. The museum displays a collection of photos perioda 70-80-ies, which were made by members of the People's Liberation Front Tigrinya, who overthrew the regime of the Council. It was during this period, the world's attention was drawn to Ethiopia due to famine 1984-85. Then hunger took one million lives, and photos of those years are part of the exhibition. Martyrs Monument in Mekele Then we went to city ??of Lalibela, where we had to visit the church carved into the rocks and take a 5-day hike to the cliff Meskety. Unfortunately, it took us two days to get to Lalibela and the way we had to spend the night in the town of Wald. Bus trip of Mekele in the Wold there was not easy. The first time we stopped due to a puncture. Wheel later, but it was replaced within minutes. Then we stopped at a checkpoint. The bus had three more passengers than were allowed for this reason, the bus rented accommodation. Apparently, the bribe did not work, because the drivers are fined, despite his entreaties. Numbers on the bus soon returned, and we were allowed to proceed and three extra passengers jumped into the bus again (obviously it was not safety) . We did not understand why the driver risked taking some extra passengers. The road is full of posts, and it was the second bus, the driver is fined and threatened to take away rights. extra passengers did not go far away, so the cost their tickets are unlikely to cover the amount of the fine. In a small stop, during which we decided to drink tea, our bus was gone. And along with him and our bags. It happened in a split second when I went for tea. I went outside, but bus and vanished. One guy who rode with us on the bus, too, decided to drink tea. It was he who said that the bus will return, and he came back, but we still had a little bit nervous. We have gone further. bumped into cow. Slightly touched her so. cow survived, and so are we. Bus only slightly injured. Herds of cows and goats wandering here and there along the road, and those who are supposed to follow them, do absolutely nothing to those not to poke on the road and not create more problems. Already at the entrance to the Wold, we got stuck in traffic. Streets were flooded with marching and singing people with sticks in their hands, they lifted up. Some were even machines. It was a feast in honor of the overthrow of the Council. They all rejoiced and were very friendly. Everyone saw that we take pictures of them from the bus, and happily posed for us. Volda - a small dirty town, not the best place to spend the night. us at night someone bitten. I think they were fleas. Oh, those costs are traveling! However, from the outset there was no reason to expect the comfort of a luxury in these parts ... Home of the material:
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