Arba Minch
After a pretty sleepless night (hate jet lag) we are on our way at Arba Minch. Checkpoints flair at the domestic airport. Only ones with masks! Stay tuned for more!
Our overnight hotel at the Haile resort is magnificent. Overlooking s huge lake, mountains - this is definitely first class. The city of 400,000 is not. Dusty, bustling, poor, chaotic - this is an oasis! After lunch we boarded our two land cruisers (for the five of us plus drivers) and headed straight up the mountain pass. It was surely a bumpy and windy hour drive (and I was glad to have my wrist bands!). The road was crowded with goats, cows, people walking and carrying water and wood, children doing dances in the middle of the road to catch our attention, a funeral possession, donkey carts with Boys carrying water, tuk tuks and bicycles. Challenging drive. We saw lots of people washing and bathing in the river side.
We arrived at the Durse village and were met by the chief’s son. He sat us down to explain the unique huts. Shaped almost to look like an elephants head, the are made out of “false” banana leaves. One house was built 106 years ago, but has since shrunk as its eaten by termites. Entire families (usually 15 people with parents and children) live in one hut, along with the animals. We saw how they spun cotton for weaving, made rope by stripping the leaves, fermented the pulp into liquor, and baked the remaining pulp into bread. . We even got to taste the liquor and bread with honey. The children tried to sell us their necklaces, gourds and cloth. All super friendly and beautiful smiles. We did buy some of their handicrafts and they all had to come together to agree on a price. They finally agreed on a 10th of where they started negotiating!
We stayed a few hours and headed back to the hotel for dinner on the terrace. Amazing fascinating day!
Ps. Even in this luxurious hotel the power sporadically goes out. Have to remember where we are!
Our overnight hotel at the Haile resort is magnificent. Overlooking s huge lake, mountains - this is definitely first class. The city of 400,000 is not. Dusty, bustling, poor, chaotic - this is an oasis! After lunch we boarded our two land cruisers (for the five of us plus drivers) and headed straight up the mountain pass. It was surely a bumpy and windy hour drive (and I was glad to have my wrist bands!). The road was crowded with goats, cows, people walking and carrying water and wood, children doing dances in the middle of the road to catch our attention, a funeral possession, donkey carts with Boys carrying water, tuk tuks and bicycles. Challenging drive. We saw lots of people washing and bathing in the river side.
We arrived at the Durse village and were met by the chief’s son. He sat us down to explain the unique huts. Shaped almost to look like an elephants head, the are made out of “false” banana leaves. One house was built 106 years ago, but has since shrunk as its eaten by termites. Entire families (usually 15 people with parents and children) live in one hut, along with the animals. We saw how they spun cotton for weaving, made rope by stripping the leaves, fermented the pulp into liquor, and baked the remaining pulp into bread. . We even got to taste the liquor and bread with honey. The children tried to sell us their necklaces, gourds and cloth. All super friendly and beautiful smiles. We did buy some of their handicrafts and they all had to come together to agree on a price. They finally agreed on a 10th of where they started negotiating!
We stayed a few hours and headed back to the hotel for dinner on the terrace. Amazing fascinating day!
Ps. Even in this luxurious hotel the power sporadically goes out. Have to remember where we are!
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