Amazing Lalibela

Lalibela is an amazing place.  The landscape is incredible.  Hugely mountainous with rich red brown earth and bright green foliage.  The rainy season is the best time to see Ethiopia I think as it is so verdant and green.  Our bus-ride from the airport was surprising.  The traditional homes of native Laibelians are different to what we had already seen.  They are round in shape with a thatched grass roof and there are several in a compound.  This was a very natural and rural setting.  There were some shops and cafes but these were not tourist areas at all and simply served the local population.

We had pre-arranged a guide who met us at the airport and he took us to one hotel and then to another for us to decide which one we preferred.  We arranged an itinerary with him and we went out the same afternoon after hunch, to look at some of the churches that have been hewn from the rock.  What is amazing about these churches is that they have been literally dug out of the earth.  They are not carved into a rock face but are actually dug out. 

I used to make sandcastles with my children like this: draw a circle in the sand and dig out a moat and pile the sand into the middle to build up the castle. 

King Lalibela (a priest King) stood on the top of a rock face and went downwards.  The church is one whole piece of rock as once the main body of the church was dug out, they then went inwards and carved out the inside of the church.  There are 11 churches in total and took 23 years to complete.  There was one church that was carved out sideways on to a rock face by his queen after his death.

Amazing rock-hewn church 

Chanting Drums 

Martin on watch-duty

Traditional Lalibela style mud house 

Newly built cobbled road 1

Newly built cobbled road 2

View of St George’s Church from the top 

Closer view of St George’s church 

Us and St George’s church! 

Closer view of St George’s church 

Church built by King Lalibela’s wife in 24 hours 

The next day we visited a church and monastery called Nabuka La’ab.  This church was built under a huge overhanging rock with the most fantastic scenery.

The priest is very honest we were told 

View over the mountains 

Church has been built under the overhanging cliff

Monks and nuns live below the church