Frodo, sometimes the closest place to danger is the farthest from harm

After our first few days in Addis Ababa and Debre Libanos, we travelled to Bahir Dar through some of the most beautiful land I've ever seen. After passing through a few hours of highland villages, we descended precipitously into the Blue Nile Valley. I'm terrible at estimating, so I'll just say the way down was really steep. Really really steep. Thanks to a new road, a gift from Japan, it was also unexpectedly smooth.

After crossing the river where a sign proclaimed the Ethiopian millenium (by their calendar, it's 2002 presently), we drove across what seemed to be an endless plain. I hate Orientalist terms like "traditional," "tribal," and the like, but other than the odd foosball table and Coca Cola cooler, this area was a different world, even from Addis Ababa. The people there baled hay and plowed their fields as we sped by. The baboons just stared, as they are wont to do.

We arrived in Bahir Dar unexpectedly early. (I think Ethiopia is the only country that overestimates travel times.) Situated on Lake Tana, into which the Blue Nile flows and out of which it emerges, Bahir Dar was a welcome break from the onslaught of Addis Ababa. Other than some tout pressure, it was a very nice little town, which we made our base while we explored the monasteries of Lake Tana and visited the now just trickling Nile Falls.

Monasteries dot the islands and peninsulas of the lake, ranging from modest recent churches to beautifully decorated complexes of medieval (and still active) churches, religious schools, and villages that support them.

Of the five we visited, two stood out:

The second monastery on our itinerary was situated on a small island. Though the interior of the church was closed for a restoration that may never happen, it was incredible architecturally. Like most of the churches, it is a round structure with an outer colonnaded porch and an inner cella/sanctuary. Chimes hung from a weathervane that topped the thatch roof. It was simply beautiful. We sat outside as strange birds, black with long white tail feathers, flew around the clearing. After my experiences in Egyptian monasteries, I wondered why anyone with a choice would choose to enter such a sad, often miserable place. Seeing the Lake Tana settlements made me think that a life reading on a beautiful island wouldn't be so bad.

Later in the day, we landed on a peninsula to visit the most active of the monasteries of Lake Tana, whose name escapes me. After making our way into the church, we saw some of the most beautiful painting in the country. Scenes from the Bible, saints' lives, and Ethiopian history covered the large inner cella, surrounded by a round enclosure with a thatched roof and reed-screened porch.

We had only been inside for a few minutes when preparations for the services began. A monk walked around the cella swinging incense and others gathered. As we exited to the field, an almost royal procession of priests and attendants walked towards the church.

Before we got on the boat to return to Bahir Dar, we stopped at the huts of some of the monastery's young noviates or seminarians, who for a few birr were happy to chant scripture for us in Ge'ez, the ancient language of Ethiopia.

After visiting the beautiful but sadly low-pressure Nile Falls, we ventured north to Gondar, the former royal capital. I'm pretty ignorant of Ethiopian history before the 20th century, but castles don't really need explanations, do they? They're big and old, and you run around them.

[A while ago, a friend asked me if he should visit Krak des Chevaliers in Syria. "Were you ever an 8 year-old boy?" I asked him. "Yeah?" "Then you'll love it."]

Romping around palaces and lion cages, sneaking into towers and dungeons, this is why I remain so grateful for this year, in spite of the difficulties, illnesses, and homesickness. As my time left traveling in North Africa draws short, part of me is relieved that by late summer, I'll be living a normal life with hot water, clean sheets, and people who speak English. But mostly I wish I could do this for just a little longer. Like five years or so.

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Stories of meeting an oracle, freezing in the desert, an Egyptian haircut, and my arrival in Tunisia coming soon.

Location:Tunis, Tunisia