g's walkabout

lalibela

Lalibela is a majestic town in the hills of northern ethiopia that boasts churches from as early as the 4th century.  90% of it’s residents are orthodox christian.  The views, the churches and the many worshippers are breathtaking.  As this is more of a tourist destination than bahir dar, the locals are a bit more aggressive in setting up tours to churches and selling their wares.  Still, not that many tourists.

I spent the the morning of the first day visitng the “cave church” which is built in a cave only a few minutes from the center of town.  My companions were a pilot and a flight attendant from world-air doing a consulting gig for ethiopian airways. We were lucky enough to get to the church around prayer time.  The local worhsippers chanted their amharek prayers passionately and some of the melodies didn’t sound unlike some of the melodies of hebrew prayers I grew up with.  That said, seeing 100+ ethiopians dressed in their traditional white robes worshipping in a cave in northern ethiopia was a far cry from the big chapel at beth israel.

When I got back to the seven olives guest house there was a dutch couple that I was on the plane with from addis and they had just recounted the story to some brits about the american that deplaned in bahir dar (me) 30 seconds before I walked in.   Very funny.  We booked a trip to the kristos church (also in a cave) which is about 45km away.  An hour later we were in a 1971 orange land rover  headed through the ethiopian countryside.  Lush green hills, waterfalls, raging streams and many farmers.   Our driver was cool enough to let me drive for a bit and ride on the roof.  Don’t ask, don’t get.  Ahhaha.  The highlight of this particular church was an out of ground “tomb” of mummified priests and pilgrims.  Very “tales of the crypt”.

The last day was spent touring the main churches of lalibala which are enormous structures built into the mountain.  These churches are rife with symbols that king lalibela brought from his trip to jerusalem in the 4th century.  His intent was basically to create a “mini jeruslaem” so to speak, so that this worshippers wouldn’t have to schlep to the real deal.  Pretty considerate of him, but god knows the amount of blood sweat and tears that went into the construction of these things. 

Creepy yet cool highlight:  there are  hermits that live in these little portholes above the church that haven’t seen the light of day for up to 20 years.  The priests feed them every couple of days and are sworn to secrecy as to their whereabouts. 

Fell blessed that I got 7 days in Northern Ethiopia. I know it's a bit boring to read all of this without the pics, but broadband is $20 an hour and my pictures are pretty big.  I will post them when I get to Israel.  Leaving  in about 6 hours....

And now a word from our sponsor:

Thank you again for  the  many emails expressing concern about my going to Israel.  I too, have been watching the news and know what is going on there.  I will be fine.  I will hold back on my political perspective for now as well.  Of course, still hoping that a cease-fire comes soon and that all of the nations at war will one day live in peace. 

Addis Ababaly Yours,

G

bahir dar

the only tickets that were available back from lalibela were on the 11th which put me there for 6 days.  while i am sure that the churches carved into the mountains are amazing, i didn't want to get "churched out" (syn. "templed out"  see: angkor wat) so the plan was to figure out a way to get to bahir dar and back which is about a 10 hr. drive each way once i arrived to lalibela as that is where my flight to addis leaves from.  make sense?  at this point, i try to make as few plans as possible.

so, when the plane stopped in bahir dar and considered not flying into lalibela because of heavy rain (i have not been affected by floods) i simply asked the pilot if i could get off.  his simple reponse in a thick ethiopian accent:  "why not?"  hahaha.  love travel in africa.  so they grabbed me my backpack from under the plane, laughing as they waved from the cockpit window and here i am in bahir dar.  i am staying at the papyrus hotel which is about 50m from the central market. 

bahir dar hass about 300,000 people and is about 85% orthodox christian (as opposed to ethiopia's 50% overall) located on lake tana, which the blue nile feeds into.  it is really beautiful. i spent a good part of yesterday visiting the island monasteries and checking out the blue nile with my tour guide, matthew.  i turned him on to a tribe called quest  on the ipod and we ended up heading out to the local discos last night where they played everything from local artists in amharek to p-diddy.   all eyes were on the white boy.  i held my own on the dance floor- didn't try to break any records just maintain.  i think i did ok.  hahahaha.

i can't say enough about the people here.  amazing hosts and hostesses.  kind, warm and very very funny.  the women are absolutely stunning.  i haven't felt the least bit threatened.  while i expected it to be scorching hot it is actually quite cool and rainy as it is winter here.  they have their own calendar (8 years earlier, it is 1998 here), their own clock (8 hrs later)  and celebrate their new year in september.   the food is great although i still haven't developed a taste for the bread.  ethiopians have a very very strong sense of pride in thier culture and their country as they should.  while there is still a lot of struggle here,  there is without a doubt a general feeling of progress in the air.  all of the locals i have spoken with agree.  both gabriel and solomon are very common names here.  they get a real kick out of it.  sometimes i tell them i have ethiopian parents.  they rarely believe me.  very hard to post photos on dial-up, but i have taken a bunch and will post them when i get back to addis.

i am of course also glued to cnn, hoping that there is a cease-fire soon. 

paz y amor,

g 

addis ababa

 
 
   

i arrived to addis ababa safe and sound at about 7:00 am yesterday. on the plane, i sat near two men wearing sunglasses that were headed to zambia and were handcuffed to one another. i was fixated but tried not to stare. not looking for any beef with lusaka gangsters.

one of the only two places i could make a reservation online was the hilton. the delta between the haves and the have-nots are clearer in africa than on any other continent i have visited and the hotels here are a direct reflection of that. also, having never been here i figured it wasn't a bad thing to have a "soft landing" while i found my bearings.

so, after spending a couple of hours in the natural hot spring fed pool, watching cnn, using broadband internet and having breakfast, i hit the mercato and the national museum. my driver was a nice orthodox christian man named ephraim, the car, a 1976 fiat that reeked of oil, had a cracked windshield and mauve velour seat covers.

the mercato (central market) is the largest in africa and is an absolute assault on all the senses. mind blowing. we ended up in some back alleys that had almost ankle deep mud and smells that i had never before experienced. ephraim informed me that this was actually his first (and last) time visiting this section of the market. hahahaha.

the national museum is home of the skeleton of lucy, the famous australiopithecus afarensis named after lucy (of the sky with diamonds). the last ancestor common to humans and chimpanzees living from 3.9 to 3 million years ago. both the skeleton and the facility where it was held were fascinating. it felt like a damp furnished midwestern basement with pine paneling. the glass case that held her remains had no sort of alarm or security device. the sign on the door was misspelled and printed on an inkjet printer.

i will hold back on my macro-thoughts on ethiopia until later. i have been fascinated with this country, it's history and it's people for some time and am thrilled to have the opportunity to be here. i plan on heading about 600 miles north to lalibela tomorrow where i'm pretty sure there won't be broadband access.

my camera ran out of juice about 10 minutes into the mercato, but i managed to take a few shots. there will be many more to come.

all love,

g

bagoos

 
 

as promised...  (for those of you that are new, just click on the photo to see the album)

Farewell to Bali. Addis Ababa or Bust!

I know it’s been a while since my last post.  I have, like may others before me, been pulled into the dream that is Bali.  In the process, my surfing, my tan and my Spanish have all improved immensely.  Eating sushi and surfing everyday also does wonders for shedding a few pounds.  I am recharged.

As I mentioned before, I stayed the rest of my time living with Leticia (whom I met in Bangkok) and her mother, Paloma.  They both reside here part time, with their home base in Madrid. I can only hope to be as gracious of a host to others as they have been to me.  They are truly amazing people and at the risk of being redundant, it has been like having a casa away from casa.  Last week a crew of Leticia’s “banditos” (as I have affectionately dubbed them) arrived from Madrid to travel around Bali for a month and we also became fast friends.  Ignacio (Nacho), Eduardo (Edu) and Patricia (Pati) are salt of the earth Madridians with huge hearts and good souls.  Edu and I share the same twisted sense of humor and spent many hours laughing and exchanging juvenile vocabulary. Pati is Edu’s girlfriend who may be one of the sweetest people I have ever met and has a women’s clothing store in Madrid that was recently written up in Vogue.  Nacho is truly a saint amongst men and is wise beyond his years.  A better than really good chance I will meet up with them (and Citizen Crowfoot) in Madrid on the way home. 

So, my impressions on Balinese culture…  As many of you know Bali, unlike the rest of Indonesia is over 85% Hindu (as opposed to over 90% Muslim).  Their smiles and sense of humor are heart warming.  They are a very religous (and superstitious) people.  At any time of day you can look down and see offerings to the gods in front of every home and business (flowers, food, incense). Around noon the local dogs tend to devour these offerings.  When you look up in any direction you see kites flying high in the sky to ward off evil spirits. 

One day traffic came to a dead stop for what looked and sounded like a parade.  The procession was full of smiles, colorful dress, and music.  I would have had no idea that it was a funeral if Leticia hadn’t told me.  There were no tears, no perceived feelings of grief as they truly believed that the deceased had simply moved on to his next life (see pic). 

They don’t trust the police so they elect leaders of their neighborhoods to deal with interventions that the extortionists (see: police) are supposed to be dealing with.  These leaders (bajyans?) often have more power than the police and are respected as their trusted leaders.  The Indonesian word for “good” is “bagoos” (pronounced BAGOOS!).  Try saying it.  It feels good.

Once again, most of the locals are poor  and their economy has recently suffered since the bombing last year and potential tourist’s general fear of tsunamis.  Their frustration is bluntly expressed on locally sold t-shirts that say “Fuck Terrorist” and “Fuck Tsunami”.  Can’t say I disagree.

So those are the Cliff’s Notes.  I am now back at Suk11 in Bangkok in transit to Ethiopia.  This place also feels like home.  Two French girls are playing a fierce game of Boggle to my left and two fifty-something American academics are discussing life abroad behind me.  The thickness of the air is being cut by a fan on full blast  and Jimi Hendrix is sweetly wailing “Red House” in the background.  I just had an amazing bowl of green curry chicken and will be heading to bed shortly.  The %$&^$# photos are not uploading right now, but I promise to have them up soon. 

Bagoosly Yours,

G

viva bali

my friend sarah left to go back to the states and i have since been graciously adopted by leticia and her mother.  they also have an incredible "villa" and are wonderful, wonderful hostesses.  really feels like home away from home. 

i have also met a crew of italians and brazilians mostly in the clothing/fashion world and hung out with them on saturday at a spot about a half hour from where i am staying called "dreamland".  much more rustic with crazy waves and many incredible surfers.  the italians and brazilians have a way of enjoying life that i can only aspire to.   needless to say, i think i was born in the wrong country and continue to take copious notes.  hahahahaha. 

quick anecdote:  there was one particularly beautiful italian woman i was talking to.  she was wearing huge gucci sunglasses, smoking a cigarette and drinking a glass of wine as the sun was setting.  i asked her if she ever gets told she looks like liv tyler.  her reply, without missing a beat, in a thick italian accent:  "yees, *and* ceendy crawforrrd"

hahahahahahahhaa.  she defined diva. truly classic.

the day ended at an amazing yet rustic mexican restaurant run by an ex pro-surfer from puerto rico.  as mexican food has really been the only thing i've been craving since travelling in asia, it absolutely hit the spot.

trying to extend my time here as there is a big birthday party this weekend being thrown by the italian and brazilian crew.  i don't think it is to be missed.  oh yeah, the balinese are also an amazing bunch.  super friendly and kind with amazing smiles (except for the extortionist cops).

so, unfortunately the power chord to my computer is fried.  i plan on getting a new one soon, but until then pics are going to be hard to post.  give me a day or two.  ciao ciao!

amore y bacios,

g

bali photos

 
 

here are a few shots of a day in the life.  let's just say it hasn't been a difficult adjustment....

on avoiding tsunamis and going to israel

i have gotten a bunch of emails from you guys (and girls) asking if i've been affected by the tsunami and if i'm still planning on visiting israel. answers:  no and yes.  i do, however, appreciate your concern.

bali has not been affected by the tsunami although i did take quite a beating today trying to surf.  there is a beautiful restaurant/bar called ku de ta where you can bring your surfboard and mellow out in between beatings.  it's been great to have sarah and leticia here to show me the spots.  i haven't really taken any pictures but will post some soon.

it's clear that things are not so good in israel right now, but i am not going to let that dictate my plans to see my pops and extended family.  hizbollah and co. do not get to decide when i get to visit israel.

as difficult as it is to imagine right now, i still hold on to the hope that there will be a point in our lifetime that the region will know peace or at least something that looks like it.

hope all is well with all of you.

love,

g

bali hai

spent a day in bangkok running errands (booking ticket to bali, dealing with getting my suits shipped...) and stayed up all night as i had to wake up at 4am to catch my flight to bali.  crazy afterhours club that we snuck around police to get into although getting in was more fun than the actual club.

my friend sarah who has a clothing company that manufactures here picked me up from the airport and brought me back to her stunning home where she is staying.  huge living room with built in couches that opens to the pool, beautiful courtyard...  will post pictures.  we spent the afternoon hanging out at some very hip restaurants/bars on the beach.  felt very south beachy without all the cheesiness.

she took this morning off to get me situated and i now have a scooter with surfboard rack, 9 foot orange longboard, new sim card for my cell phone and directions to the nearest internet cafe, beach bar/restaurant and surf spot.  feels amazing.

bali is so beautiful and the food and the people are great.  it's really nice to have someone here who knows the lay of the land.  also, leticia, the spanish girl from bangkok is here as well as her familiy's clothing business manufactures here tambien.  she is meeting me in a few minutes....

so, i'm tempted to extend my time here in "asia" just to live this life for a little bit longer, i think it will depend how my surf skills pan out.....

paz y amor,

g

halong bay

i write this from the lobby of the thu giang guest house in the heart of the old quarter of hanoi.  it is pounding rain outside and the lobby is the proverbial traveler scene of folks from all over the western world ducking the rain, smoking cigarettes, drinking tea and swapping lies. 

while halong bay was beautiful it was a bit annoying having to travel with an organized group.  the govt. keeps tight reigns on the way folks can travel there.  so, we were more or less boated around like cattle to see the sights, go kayaking, etc.  i made friends with a family from mauritius who's 10 year old daughter broke my stones for 3 days for leaving my guitar on the bus. 

i have been vascilating over the last few days as to whether i jump deeper into vietnam, check out laos or go to bali.  bali won with laos a very close second. after 3 days with an organized group and almost 6 weeks of schlepping i am ready for a bit of r&r and a general honing of my (total lack of) surfing skills. 

so....vietnam.  physically beautiful country and if i had more time, felt that i was really wanted here and didn't have to fight with every business transaction i would have probably stayed longer.  it gets a bit tiring.

my ticket is pretty flexible, so if the pull to laos is still there (which i think it will be) after living the beach life i will check it out on my way out of asia. 

have a few pics from halong that i will post later. 

all the best,

g