Amanuel Assefa

It has been a week since I'm back from Ethiopia, but Istill have pleasant dreams about it. Looking over 1600 pictures that I have made there, I see all the smiling faces of local people, remember their warmth and honesty. I admire their ability to celebrate life, which we, group from Lithuania, have seen both in Gonder and in villages during TIMKET festival. There are many great things we liked about our trip to Ethiopia. During our time there we enjoyed being guided by Ethiopian guide Amanuel Aman , who has excellent knowledge of his country, is caring, calm and organized, and has ability to solve any difficult situation easily. For example, having barely minutes to get to airport and still being a long way off due to the long road there, we still made it safe and sound! The trip route was very well made. It included historical locations - castles, palaces, many Orthodox churches, some of them (XIIth century) chiseled in a cliff-side. In a lot of their rooms, covered in pictures of Saints and surrounded by confusing corridors, you can feel the legendary tales about these churches being built by people during days and angels during nights.Mountains and dry savannah, lakes and their islands with monasteries, hippopotamuses, crocodiles, philosophical and fearless marabou storks,monkeys, that take nuts right out of your hands, fruits, that you can buy by any roadside, colorful markets... Interesting tribes, with their distinctive appearance, apparel and trinkets... And most importantly - bewitching atmosphere of the country, which you feel every day a little bit differently. It is really likely that one day I will take this journey again. After all, Ethiopia is theheart of Africa. You will always be my friend, Amanuel!