End of the Historic Route

Park of the Stelae

What are the biblical and legendary allures of Axum?  To name drop:  One of the 3 magis in the Nativity (King Balthazar who brought the gift of gold)  is said to be the Emperor of Ethiopia at that time.  His tomb is in Axum.

King Balthazar (3rd from left),  the bearer of gold

The Queen of Sheba, who became the wife of King Solomon ruled from Axum.  The remains of her palace and bath can be seen today.  Last March 2012, the mine pit believed to be the source of the gold that Queen Sheba gifted King Solomon was reported to have been discovered by Louise Schofield, an archaeologist and former British Museum curator.   

Remains of Queen of  Sheba's palace

The Queen's bath (a lagoon)

Prince Menelik I, the son of the Queen and King Solomon was said to have brought the Ark of the Covenant containing the tablet of the Ten Commandments from Jerusalem when he visited his father.  The Ark is said (as it is off-limits to the public) to be kept in the Chapel of the Tablet at the Church of our Lady Mary of Zion.

Is the Ark of the Covenant inside?

The Ge'ez alphabet used some 2,000 years ago is now extinct.  But some of the books written in Ge'ez are still read in  Ethiopia's church liturgy.

Ge'ez alphabet

Bible written in Ge'ez

Well, before I went to Ethiopia, I thought that I would find Noah's Ark there.  I was wrong.  Evidences of Noah's Ark are supposed to be in Turkey.    What is claimed to be in Axum is the Ark of the Covenant.  But this claim is refuted in several research.

The tallest obelisk in the world

But regardless of religious affiliation,  Axum is famous for its monolith granite obelisks.  The tallest (33 meters high, 500 tonnes) obelisk in the world has crumbled, but the 2nd tallest (24 meters) is now back in the park.  The latter has a very touching story:  It crumbled some years back, then in 1937, it was looted by the Italians during their brief occupation and the pieces were

Details of the obelisk

brought to and assembled in Rome.  Italy was ordered to return it to Ethiopia.  Compliance suffered many delays such as the airport of Addis Ababa had to be upgraded for the arrival of the obelisk and finally in 2008, (after 60 years), it was re-erected, and is now a UNESCO Heritage site.   

Thanks to the Italians, spaghetti is good here.

The Garden of Eden

There is more 

Very few travel to Axum by road because it cannot be reached in one day.  Buses do not  ply at night and it is just right because the landscape to Axum from the Amhara region is not to be missed.

Look like the Great Pyramids

At the Woldia terminal while waiting for the bus to leave for an overnight in Makele, I called a Filipino VSO volunteer assigned in the area  to meet him for the first time.

Till the last goat is down; then bus leaves

The famous badjas; not found in Uganda

Five minutes later,  I saw a farengi alight from the badjas, and I was tempted to say, “Dr.  Livingstone, I supposed”.  It was such a pleasant albeit spontaneous and brief reunion.  

Good vibes grass.  In buses, too!

Traversing the well-maintained road to Axum was like going up to heaven. The hills gave different views as we navigate the  zigzag road.  The sight was awesome,  like seeing the pyramids in Egypt, jutting out of the desert.   It was breathtaking.

The hills take on different views

The long and winding road to heaven

If God placed the perfectly-baked man (olive-colored skin) in Ethiopia,  then He must have created this  garden that is beautiful in the rainy season. My eyes were never satisfied with seeing.

Same hills, different view

Cactus plants line the road and the cactus fruits are aplenty.  I tried eating the fruit which tastes and looks like a big red kiwi.  It was delicious and I finished a basketful during that long trip. 

Cactus plants with fruits

The edible cactus fruit 

Some parts of the Tigray region are barren and suffering from drought.  I understand that there is famine in the area.  According to the grapevine,   there is some kind of weeds that destroy vegetation and pasture land…. and these are believed to have sprouted together with the  seeds that were sown as part of some international food aid programs. 

The barren part of Tigray region

Animals show sign of starvation

On to Axum, the thriving capital of Ethiopia at the time that Jesus was preaching in Palestine. 

Wondering where to spend the night