May24 outing to BD rose-oil farm TERRA in Debre Birhan

Dear friends and family, it has been too long since I  shared some of our experiences. 
Much happened, all interesting and enjoyable, but I'll start with yesterday's outing and gradually over the next week cover the other interesting things we did in March and April.

We went with the 'Deutsch-sprachige Gemeinsschaft'  (Wir waren eingeladen worden) to Debre Birthan, 1,5 hours on a good tarred road. First coffee in the very sophisticated and large modern Eva hotel restaurant. then we went- only a 5 minutes drive- to this beautiful Bio-Dynamic farm on a slightly sloping hill. 

We were warmly welcomed by the project manager of Terra PLC, an Ethiopian. Interesting enough, they have a rose-oil producing farm, 1 kilo rose oil per ha. and they do their own processing. 

This is not a developing project. 17 Ethiopians are shareholders; they have invested in this business. it will take a while before they see returns on investments, but this is what they do! Great! 

Everything is mixed farming and intercropping. They make their own compost, keep cows for the milk, feed them the most wonderful herbs, that grow in between the roses and fruit trees.

The pure rose oil is for the Hauschka cosmetics and costs 7000 euro for 1 liter . The remaining rose water( wuth remains of the oil) is locally sold to Arithi Herbal. 

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Here you see the herbs growing in between the apple trees. and the women cutting and gathering the herbs.

 Then they bring it to the cows or for drying in the wind.

.....and of course Robert and I were bird watching. Amongst others we saw this interesting widow-bird. when it flies it has bright yellow under-wings and a yellow breast, beautiful! 

Ankober - where Emperor Menelik lived

Hanna and Jaco were here to visit their family. We already promised them a nice long weekend outing, as we now that Jaco loves to get out (and watch birds, be in the open air) while Hanna prefers to be with her family, the one time per 2 year that she visits here.

We went to Ankober, as we also liked to 'discover'that place and it is good to share new experiences together- which we have done so many times with them already - and not only that fabulous visit to Meike in Hawaii. The good and bad times really!

Ankobar (the  ancient capital of Shoa/Ethiopia) is the old seat of Emperor Menelik, grandfather of Haile Selassie, in the long line of Solomitic kings (descending from Solomon and the queen of Sheba, who came from Ethiopia according to legend). On top of the mountain, where once the palace stood, is now a beautiful lodge, in a sophisticated local style. It’s actually built by one of the members of Rob’s rotary, one of the more wealthier Ethiopians who worked in Geneve. He has invested in improving the village of Ankober, built de lodge also to provide employment for the population, and paid for a new orthodox church.

 The location is  about  3 hours on a very good asphalted road to the north east of AA, arriving in ……… From there 3 hours on a dirt road to the South East, where you get higher and higher up in the mountains- still in use for  agriculture.  So that’s what we did. In Debre Berhan we had  lunch in a very European style restaurant, in the garden  under parasols. Halfway the dirt road we had to stop (according to our bird guide book “where to watch birds in Ethiopia”) but didn’t see that one special bird that supposedly occurs there. A bit further near a cliff we saw some nice birds – but more interesting were the little boys and girls that came rushing to the car. Luckily I had taken lots of small hotel soap packets to distribute, and pens, just enough really!

 When we arrived the view was phenomenous. We had to park the car at the bottom of the 200 or so steps leading up to the lodge. As it is in the mountains, about 3000 m, we had to go slowly and were quite behind breath when we arrived. Ethiopian bearers climbed to the top with our luggage as easily as mountain goats.  





We got two cottages next to each other, with a veranda, from where we watched the sunset. Beautiful, and relaxing!

 The next morning was a sunny day and we walked with a guide the grand tour,  around the rock really, though the agrarian landscape looking for birds. We all love walking and it was really like you would go to Switzerland for a walk. Beautiful views and here of course lots of interesting new  birds and  flowers.

Here's a blue Rock Trush (NL: lijster). Robert and I saw the same species in uzbekistan but there almost bright blue.

And the Blue winged goose

And we saw all the different chats together, the white winged chat, the mocking cliff chat, Rupell's black chat...and many other birds. 












When we came back Rob had his afternoon nap, Hanna went for a traditional coffee, buna, and Jaco and I would come as soon as possible... butthere was a team from the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (TV) that wanted to interview us, with the lodge in the background.

On my question what it was meant for they answered  ”promotion of their cultural heritage”. So we should be positive about Ankobar as the old Emperors' palace site. 

We both said that we were here for the birds.. but that was the wrong answer...So we discussed briefly the topics and then I was interviewed first. After that it was Jaco's turn. He talked a lot about the birds and showed the bird book in front of the camera, so all Ethiopia now knows where to go for birds. Inspiring and educational! 

There is much more to tell, but these are the highlights! 

Timkat/ Epiphany in Addis Abeba

Today, January 19th Timkat in Ethiopia. 

We went to the religious celebrations at Jan Meda, a big field where most citizens - apart from the moslims- come together as early as 07:00, in order to be blessed with the holy water. In fact it is the re-enactment of  the baptism of Jesus by Yohannis. At that point in his life it became clear that Jesus was called upon for his special task as Jesus Christ. 
Therefore, apart from all the flags, there are many decorations along the road depicting the baptism and Jesus with a dove on his crown chakra, receiving the holy spirit. 



 Anyway, in the middle of this huge field (two football playing fields together), there is a closed compound, where the orthodox pope and many, many bishops and priests stand together to do the ceremony. It encompasses a lot of chanting before the priests walk three times around  the basin and then bless the water with their huge wooden, silver and golden crosses.

I was somewhere in the middle of the crowd of 'ferengi' (foreigners with a special permit to be in the sacred area), dressed in white , as is the customs, with a Netella (a big thin white cotton scarf to be draped around you). 

There is so much to see, especially since the various types of priests are dressed in the most wonderful embroidered robes, carrying beautiful gold embroidered parasols and wearing phenomenal miters on their heads. Even the deacons are impressive. 

After the celebrations we drove back through a very festive city. 


Because the other very important occasion that is celebrated today is the blessing of the arc of the covenenat, the tabot. Only once a year the tabot is brought form the holiest of holies of its church to a  big tent where more tabots are being assembled. the whole night the priests are singing and drumming. A colleague of mine stays in a hotel near to that place and couldn't sleep the whole night. 

 The next day the tabots are carried back to their respective churches in festive processions, with people singing and dancing all around it.  

At the ceremony, I was interviewed by the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC televison): What I thought of the celebrations? Of course I told them in front of the camera about my love for Ethiopia, its old jewish-christian traditiosn, its beautiful landscapes etc. I did appear in the 8 o'clock news and got reactions from quite some of my ethiopian colleagues that they has 'seen' me on tv  and were proud of me.