Addis Zena – Gondar – 100 km ^25
Spectacular views greeted us as we pedalled the 100 kilometres to
Gondar. The following day was spent roaming the streets of Gondar,
an old town offering plenty to explore. The town was further our last
chance to buy essentials prior to heading into Sudan.
Gondar is a historic city and was once the capital of Ethiopia
(1632-1667). As a result, there were plenty of remnants of ancient
castles and fortresses.
The walled Fasil Ghebbi fortress is a vast complex of forts and palaces
measuring 70,000 square metres. It contains numerous restored
castles and other buildings and has been declared a UNESCO World
Heritage Site. However, the main attraction remained the immense
17th-century castle of Emperor Fasilides, as it included a surprising
mixture of architectural styles.
Gondor
Ernest headed to the border, but I decided to stay an extra day and
take a bus as I'd already cycled this stretch not too long before, but
never had time to investigate the area.
I popped into the Debre Berhan Selassie Church, famed for its
elaborate murals and ceiling. At leisure, I wandered the streets and
markets of Gondar, giggling at school kids greeting me with a sing-
song, "Good morning, teacher".