Ethiopia

We should be getting word any day now that our dossier has landed in Ethiopia! Until then I can dream about the fun things to do when we travel

Ben and I want to go on a safari (Up to now the closest I have come to a safari is the jungle cruise at Disney-is that what you call it,C?)
We want to go hiking in the Simien Mountains and see the amazing blue nile(pic 3)
We also want to check out:

Gondar Castles
Gondar was founded in 1636 by Emperor Fasiladas who erected the first of a number of fine castles which still stand today. His example was followed by his son Yohannes I, and grandson, Iyasu the Great, so that by the end of the 17th century, Gondar was the site of many imposing palaces surrounded by a stout wall. There are also fine churches and innumerable dwellings for the citizens at large.



Lalilbela Church (pic 1)
They say the 8th wonders of the world. The small town of Lalibala in Ethiopia is the home of the world's most astounding sacred site: 11 rock-hewn Churches, each carved entirely out of a single block of granite with its roof at the ground level. Were it not for these extraordinary churches, Lalibala would almost certainly be well off the tourist radar.
The churches of Lalibala were not constructed, they were excavated. Each church was created by first carving out a wide trench on all four sides of rock, then painstakingly chiseling out the interior


Axum (pic 2)
(this is very interesting to me having just studied Solomon's life)
The legacy of queen Sheba lies just below the shifting sand, and churches hewn out of sheer rock attract wide-eyed tourists. The African nation's historic route begins in the ancient city of Axum, which dates to about 100 B.C. This capital was the first place in Ethiopia to adopt a new religion-Christianity. According to the Old Testament, the Queen of Sheba was born in Axum, but traveled to Israel to meet King Solomon. They had a Son named Menilik, who later become the first emperor of Ethiopia. Minilik brought the original Arc of the Covenant back to Ethiopia from Israel. Today, the Arc, which once housed the Ten Commandment, remain well hidden in Axum. It guarded by a selected group of Monks, whose sole committed is to protect the sacred vessel. Axum is also known for its massive, towering sculptures that are more than two thousand years old. Their significance is still under investigation by archeologist.
Axum is Ethiopia's oldest City, dates back some 2000 years to when it was the hub of the Axumite Empire.