Saturday, 21 July 2012

Ethiopia -Lalibela

Lalibela is without a doubt one of the most beautiful and enchanting places I have ever been. The town is set amidst the lush green mountains and seems suspended in the fog that rolls in over the mountain tops. The main reason for a visit to Lalibela is to see the churches and nothing can really prepare a person for what one finds here! These churches are nothing short of incredible. They are huge, and cut into the earth in ways that seem impossible even with modern technology. The grandeur of the architecture will leave you speechless yet the decor inside the churches is humble. The churches are still in use today and pilgrims come from all over the countryside to worship here during the Christmas season. Stone graves and hermit cells ring the outside walls of the complexes and underground passageways link the various churches together. Perhaps the best part of the visit to Lalibela was the lack of other tourists. Visiting here, you have the sense you've stumbled upon one of the world's best kept secrets! Or stumbled into, a living & breathing display of faith that has changed little in the last 800 years.

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