Lalibela, Ethiopia - Happy Easter.

scary, scary, scary stuff... not really. just people praying and slumbering.

More church today. Gone were the mad crowds of worshipers. In their place were annoying tourists which was too bad. At least there were a few of the ascetics praying about.

Like Anthony, the Polish guy said, the most appealing thing about these monuments is that they are for the living. I had a look at his photos. I wished I were a better photographer. It seemed like we were taking photos on 2 different planets yesterday. He is by far the most talented photographer I've met on this trip. [click here for his blog].

Perhaps the big event today was everyone attending night church. Festivities started at around 2300. Felt a little eerie walking the churches at night.

angel-like figures huddled outside and inside bet medhane alem (one of the largest churches). they have to get rid of that ugly scaffolding. they're killing my style points...

little did i know i was walking into a big slumber party. ok, i knew it was going to happen but not to this extent. they really packed them in.

outdoor festivities. i thought the candles (passed out to everyone) were a classy touch.

more ceremonial stuff.

at one point, the official party, i assume, streamed out of the church and circumambulated around the church in a anti-clockwise direction.

more followers made the same walk around the church. took me back to memories of the animists of tibet. they walked around the sacred mount kailash (centre of the universe) in the same direction. the tibetan buddhists circumambulate kailash in a clockwise direction. i digess however i find these similarities fascinating...

Just before heading off to the ceremonies tonite, I met antonio and luis, the spanish guys from the omo... crap, it's a small world. I'm going to meet them tomorrow. hope they can give me the low down on the simien mountains. anyway, it really nice seeing them.

Out of Canuckistan: A travel blog, Apr 7/07
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