Goha Tisy – Debra Markos – 70 km ^17
In the morning, the route descended into the legendary Blue Nile
Gorge and, to our surprise, we discovered the 1500-metre descent
half-paved, making the ride a piece of cake. However, the sharp
1500-metre climb out was still under construction. Workers had put
down a thick layer of gravel, making riding somewhat tricky. Having
already biked this section previously, I saw no need to cycle it again
and opted for a ride on a truck to the top. Ernest was, however,
determined to cycle.
Debra Marcos was our overnight stop and allowed for plenty of time
to shop. At the market, we uncovered dried beans, potatoes, onions
and chillies, which Ernest concocted into a stew - something different
to injera eaten almost daily.
History has it that when the Italians arrived in Debra Markos in 1936,
they told astonished villagers they'd come to free them from their
oppressors. This news left them baffled as they were unaware of said
oppressors. I giggled at this information, imagining the surprised look
on the Ethiopians' faces.