Gondar, and a drive into the Simien Mountains, Northern Ethiopia.

Gondar, in Northern Ethiopia, is a fascinating place -- its most important features probably the brothel where we stayed, (we also stayed in a brothel in Debre Marqos -- that one was a whopper! Even had the roster on a table outside the rooms!), the St Georges Beer brewery, and then the castle complex dating back to the 16-17th centuries. (see the post on the history of Ethiopia)

While we were in Gondar, a few of us took a mini-van trip into the Simien Mountains. It was a stunning experience.

Yet another armed solder to look after us on our journey into the mountains.

It is high. Very high. Clean pure air --

Feels like walking into the another world.

Imagine living with this view -- breathtaking

I checked to see if the cows had shorter legs on the one side -- for they most certainly need to have. How they don't tumble down these sheer verticla slopes, I do not know.

Mark and Tash enjoying the view.

It was actually quite hard to take a photograph without our armed escort in it -- he managed to step in the way every time! The solution was to take this photograph, show it to him, and then continue

Little cowherds. What they are supposed to do when the cows and goats venture too close to the edge, I am not sure! The cow herds in Ethiopia are incredibly young -- some as young as three, four years of age, put in charge of a herd of cattle. They learn very young how to wield their big sticks.

And there was a goat giving birth to a kid! Here, no more than 20 minutes after giving birth, she is scratching an indentation in the soil where she then lay down to sleep. The guide removed the placenta -- so I do not know what she would have done with it

And this cheeky goat tried very hard to take my lunch out of my hands before it reached my mouth!

The crows are large and strange and noisy -- waiting for the crumbs of our meal

And then we came across a troupe of Gelada monkeys!

We walked amongst them and could get in really close while they were grazing on the green grass, when suddenly, there was a panic call from the other side of the hill and the entire troupe -- way more than a hundred of them, started running as fast they can. It sounded -- and looked like a stampede. Quite amazing to see! And within a minute, they were all gone!

Another flat tyre on the way back to Gondar. But still a most perfect day!