It
seems everywhere you go in Ethiopia, the magnificent landscapes leave you gob
smacked. After my first good impression
driving south to Langano, I couldn’t believe the views on the drive from Addis
to Bahir Dar and from there onwards to Gondar.
The lands are varied and shift from deep gorges to high, mountain
passes. Everywhere, a unique vibrant
green mixed with dark brown, freshly ploughed fields are a gift to the
eyes.
The most astounding natural feat near Bahir Dar is beyond doubt the Blue Nile Falls. It is a 40-minute drive on a bumpy, dirt road to reach the place where you begin your walk to reach the best view. Before reaching the Falls, you cross the Portuguese bridge that was constructed in the 1600s. It is built out of stone and rather than being straight, it extends diagonally in the direction of the flow of the river and then turns diagonally back to end straight across from its starting point, forming a triangle. It is used today as it was 400 years ago, with time leaving little trace on the antiquated structure. Perhaps the shockingly low level of water in the river has made it easier on the old stones.
Upon
reaching the Falls, I was amazed at its sheer size. Steep cliffs drop for over
a kilometer with water sliding over the edge at three distinct places. The biggest of these is the furthest on the right,
which you can hear from kilometers away.
On the left flows a fall from the dam that diverts much of the water and
severely damages the Falls’ former grandeur.
Hopefully, when the Renaissance Dam is completed, this one will be taken
out of action, and the Falls will be returned to their full immensity.
While this is noticeable on the road to Gondar, the concern is almost drowned by an epic landscape of mountainous, fertile land. Traditional villages are found among the terraced hills they rely on for subsistence. From the slopes protrude giant stone colossi rising hundreds of meters into the air. It is as if they were titans from another time banished to eternal slumber. The more scientific reason is to be found in the geological history of the Great Rift Valley. According to Planet Earth, millions of years ago, immense volcanic activity created an enormous stone dome over what is now Ethiopia. Through millennia of erosion, these great rock formations are all that remain.
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