From Aksum/Axum to Lalibela's Saturday Market - North Ethiopia
It was goodbye to Johnny with profuse thanks for his wonderful driving. The plane from Aksum/Axum to Lalibela was about half full and left 20 minutes early. Ethiopian Airlines doesn't mess around. When all passengers are on board, it leaves. Don't even think of cutting a departure close. You'll miss your plane. Only four of us got off in Lalibela,...View image...two German women and us. Picked up by a Green Land car and off to Lalibela, a 40-minute ride from the airport on a good highway.
On the ride, the driver happened to mention that today was the weekly market, Saturday's only. That's all I had to hear. Had to stop at the market before checking into the Yemreha Hotel. A huge market with people walking towards it from all directions. There is no public transportation in this area. The people must walk (sometimes) 50-60km/31-38mi to get here, spend the night in Lalibela and then walk back home the next day. It can take six hours to walk 31 miles which is a lot faster than many people can run marathons...View image. ... A difficult life...and interesting market. Grains, barley, tef, salt from the border at Eritrea, animal market,...View image... clothing market..View image....a sea of colors...chickens and goats...View image...
The bright clothing market with shawls, scarfs, dresses for festive occasions...tourists buying (I waited too long thinking I'd see the same ones later on and didn't)...and a very pretty woman protecting herself under a purple umbrella...
...and at times, the entire market appeared to be a sea of umbrellas...
On the way to the hotel, we passed by some typical Lalibela houses built from stone and looking like little fortified cities... They are no longer using stone. Too time-consuming...and what else...more Coke signs...
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