Die Paleiskompleks / The palace complex

Die kerk Medahme Alem / The church Medhame Alem

Gondar, Ethiopië

Vandag was dit ‘n kultuurdag.

Met ‘n gids het ons die paleiskompleks besoek wat deur Keiser Fasilidas (1632 – 1667) begin is. Die bouwerk was indrukwekkend. Dit kan met reg as die Camelot van Ethiopië beskryf word.

Daarna het ons die Badkompleks van dieselfde keiser besoek. Jaarliks vind hier nog ‘n groot byeenkoms van gelowiges plaas wat hulled an in die gewyde water bad as ‘n simboliese doop.

Laaste was die kerk Medhame Alem aan die beurt. Dit was die enigste van ten minste 44 kerke in Gondar wat tydens ‘n inval van Soedan in 1888 nie vernietig is nie. Dit word aan ‘n wonderwerk deur die Maagd Maria toegeskryf wat die invallers sou gestop het.

More gaan my toer voort. Anne en Anja gaan terug Addis Ababa toe vanwaar hulle Sondagaand terugvlieg Duitsland toe.

Laastens, baie dankie vir die baie e-posse wat ek kry. Ek kan op die oomblik nie daarop antwoord nie. Ek hoop dit gaan in Soedan beter met die internet.

Groete!

Gondar, Ethiopia

Today was a day spent on the cultural heritage of Gondar.

With a guide we visited the palace complex of the Emperor Fasilidas (1632 – 1667), who started the building of this impressive complex of castles. It is with good reason called the Camelot of Ethiopia.

After that we visited the Bath of Emperor Fasilidas. Annually a big religious gathering takes place here where the people bath themselves in the so-called holy water, an animation of the baptism of Jesus.

The last on our programme was the Medhame Alem church. It was the only of at least 44 churches in Gondar not destroyed during an invasion of Sudan during 1888. The people still believe a miracle in the form of the Virgin Mary stopped the Sudanese attackers.

Tomorrow my tour continues direction Sudan. Anne and Anja return to Addis Ababa, from where they will fly back to Germany on Sunday night.

Thanks you so much for all the emails I’ve received. I do appreciate! Unfortunately due to the slow internet I cannot reply on the mails now. I hope the internet in Sudan will be better.

Regards!