After visiting the fascinating yet dusty and undeveloped towns of Lalibela and Axum, the lakeside "resort" town of Bahir Dar provided a very welcome respite.
Great bird watching at the shores of Lake Tana, as well as on the lake itself, of course.
Interesting and historic monasteries also dot the shoreline and small islands on the lake.
And the town itself is a friendly, laid back affair, its colorful Saturday market in particular...
Ready? Ok, let's go shopping!
A legume shop. We recommend the big open market if you're in Bahir Dar on a Saturday morning. Very colorful, and a good look into how Ethiopians live.
A ping pong table? Sure, why not? But for rent, or for sale? We don't know, but at least it gives another look at Bahir Dar's "traditional" Saturday market.
Brightly woven baskets are typical Ethiopian, and used for celebrations; we saw them in many wedding processions throughout the country.
On Lake Tana . . .
Fishing from a reed boat on Lake Tana. We've seen these reed boats in Peru and Omanm as well. In Ethiopia, they're made from papyrus reeds.
Pelicans and cormorants in the middle of Lake Tana.
Mornings are quite calm and the water was glass-like. (Afternoons tend to get windy, though.)
A fish eagle with his breakfast, and a carmine bee-eater, waiting for his.
Hippos near the scenic outlet to the Blue Nile.
A monk showing and explaining a centuries-old holy book, at Kebran Gabriel monastery.
And, finally, a colorful portion of the interior wall of Ura Kidane Meret monastery.
Ok, that's it for this webpage . . .
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