Easter, Jerusalem and Christianity

The Dome of the Rock - the iconic image of Jerusalem

When we parted in Cairo, Elizabeth tells me if i am in Israel during Easter, Jerusalem is the place to be. She is due to arrive a few days before having completed her tour of Iraq. She does, i am, so we meet.

With holiday traffic running riot throughout the country, i opt to take the train from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, David kindly drives me out to Lod, some 40 minute from Hertzliya so i don’t have to change trains. Bless his cotton socks. The journey is very picturesque, comfortable, costs NIS19.50 and takes about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Elizabeth is staying in Jerusalem for at least 10 days and she fixes me a room at her base hotel in the New City – Kaplan Hotel (No. 1 Havazelet Street), just off Jaffe Street. A single costs US$65. I get into Jerusalem by 10.30 and my room isn’t ready. I literally dump of my bag, grab The Beast and head into the Old City.

I have a real penchant for the Old City, and it never disappoints as you go through the labyrinth of market stalls that make up the Moslem Quarter. The Old City is a relatively small area broken up into four quarters – the Christian quarter, the Jewish quarter, the Moslem quarter and the Armenian area. Each are fairly unique and have their own kind of charm.

By accident i hit upon the massive procession walking through the Via Dolorosa. It is clearly a very multicultural affair with Indians, Russians, Greeks and Ethiopians and Taiwanese making up a sizeable percentage of the pilgrims. Police barriers and blockades are all over the pathways leading into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the alleys are completely chocabloc with both pilgrims and photographers. Actually many of the pilgrims are also snapping away along the path.

14 Stations of the Cross

It was Helena, mother of Constantine in around 313AD that originally endeavoured to locate these 14 points based on the New Testament – much of it written down between 50 – 300 AD. It’s too easy to fit the Stations around the writings, after all there were simply no living witnesses, but then i am just an old irreligious sceptic.

The pathway of the Final Walk is known as the Via Dolorosa.

Station One

This is the place where Jesus was condemned. It is now the courtyard for Omariye College.

Station Two

The Franciscan chapels of condemnation and flagellation are where allegedly Jesus was given the death penalty, whipped, crowned with thorns and attached to the cross

Station Three

At the corner of El-Wad Road stands a Polish chapel. It marks the spot where Jesus fell for the first time. This is depicted by a high relief by Thaddeus Zienlinsky

Station Four

Jesus’ Mother says her fond farewells on the roadside. It is now an Armenian chapel

Station Five

A Franciscan Oratory marks the place where Simon the Cyrenian risked persecution for assisting Jesus with the cross

Station Six

Veronica wipes the sweat from Jesus’ forehead with a cloth

Station Seven

Jesus falls for a second time. It is marked by a Roman column in yet another Franciscan chapel.

Station Eight

This is marked by a Latin cross on the wall of a Greek monastery. Allegedly Jesus consoles the weeping women of Jerusalem

Station Nine

A Roman column close to the Holy Sepulchre Basilica marks the point of his third fall

Stations Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen and Fourteen are all at the Holy Sepulchre

10^th – stripped of his clothes

11^th – nailed to the cross

12^th – death on the cross

13^th – taken down from the cross

14^th – laid into his own tomb where he miraculously rises again three days later

I manage to get past some of the blockades and find myself at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre as a large collection of cross-bearing Christians are making a mass exodus.

I eventually manage to meet up with Elizabeth who has come armed with a quality Streetwise map of Jerusalem and we make it onto the Via Dolorosa. We find all the Stations of the Cross and visit some of the landmarks along the way, including the prison cell. It is packed solid and hugely claustrophobic with many Russian pilgrims breaking down into tears – i’m guessing for Jesus rather than their own personal discomfort, but i might be wrong. You an also visit the place where the last supper was hosted and the birthplace of Jesus' Ma, Mary.

Indeed the pilgrims are very emotional and i see several in tears throughout the day. The women in particular look incredibly pious, extremely plain and completely asexual. The men either look like hippies or dorks. Almost all are carrying crosses of varying sizes and the Moslem and Christian stallholders are doing a roaring trade with prices for Jerusalem Olive wood crucifixes with Jesus images beginning at US$60 for the smallest ones.

a field day for cross sellers

Eventually arriving back at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Elizabeth insists i go inside. With five of the 15 Stations it is Christianity’s most reverent pilgrimage site. The crowds are heaving and all i will say is i have rarely witnessed such unchristian like behaviour in my life, with people shoving into each other and swearing like foul-mouthed Wayne Rooney in a Manchester derby as they jostle to enter. It’s all too much madness and i refuse to complete the Stations. After twenty minutes i jostle back out from whence i came.

The Russian Orthodox church

We end the daylight hours away from the Christian pilgrims at the Wailing Wall to witness the ultra religious Jews – variety is the spice of life.

Unfortunately the hordes increase on the Saturday and almost all the gates into the Old City are closed. off by police, army and barriers. Only permit holders and residents are allowed in. Eventually i manage to enter by the wailing wall but again there are barriers to stop anyone getting near to the Holy Church of the Sepulchre. It is here where there is the main annual celebration - the Fire Ceremony.

Nonetheless, it has been both immense and intense, and i am delighted i made the effort to make the journey.

Crazy Cairo

from a bridge over the River Nile

With a population of more than 18 million, Cairo is a hive of activity. I am not concerned in the slightest whilst the revolution occurs around me, i am far more scared just trying to cross the road. A truly wild experience. My years of playing Frogger has finally paid off.

Despite its sprawling size, it’s not an unpleasant city – Central Cairo is reminiscent of Paris, with it’s suave cafes and sophisticated buildings and architecture.


Clearly there is still a sense of emergency in operation and my visits to both the Jordanian and Israeli Embassy were futile. Jordan stopped issuing multiple entry visas a month a go whilst despite taking almost an hour to get through rigorous security outside the Israeli Embassy, when i do manage to arrive at their office on the 17th floor in some unmarked and obscure building, it transpires that it has been closed since January.

Despite the close proximity of the pyramids at Giza, Cairo is not a pharaonic city, with it’s foundations laid in AD946.

Qasr el-Nil bridge

If you only have a short time in Egypt, a visit to the Egyptian Museum is a must. This rose coloured building is cram packed with ancient treasures, although it is poorly lit and labels are limited. Admission is E£60 for an adult and E£30 for a student. A new museum is currently in construction in Giza to provide a more appropriate holding for the exquisite collection. You can easily spend all day checking out some 60 rooms on its two levels, and it is best to be selective.


Upstairs you can find the Tutankhamun galleries. Although a very insignificant Pharoah – he only ruled for nine years, his treasures found by Howard Carter are simply outstanding, with lavish jewellery, artefacts and his incredible death-mask made of solid gold.

Having procured student status, i opt to pay an extra E£60 (E£100 non-students) to visit the Egyptian mummies – straight out of Scooby Doo. To see the remains of Ramses II with his whispy white hair, or Ramsis V with his small-pox covered skull is quite something.

No photography is allowerd unless you are an Egyptian using a mobile phone.

How To Make An Egyptian Mummy

1) Remove brain by breaking through the ethmoid bone
2) Make a small incision on the left hand side of the torso stomach, liver, intestines and lungs. These can be dried out in canopic jars, but the heart (the seat of the soul) should be left in place
3) Lay the body out and surround and cover it in natron (a mix of salt and baking soda to dry out moisture from the body tissue
4) After 40 days remove natron and massage the body with sacred essential oils and unguents.
5) Spend 30 days to wrap around bandages and jewels (70 is an auspicious number associated with the god Osiris

Cairo Tower and the Opera House

Khan Al – Khalili Bazaar is one horrendous sprawl packed with almost everything imaginable. The narrow lanes and alleys are not for the claustraphobes, but i manage to last about an hour. It’s also known as Islamic Cairo for its collection of old mosques.

mosque window

Old Cairo – originally Babylon, is small but interesting. Centred around the Coptic church and museum, it also hosts a few monasteries and a small souq. You can get there via the Metro and exit out at Mar Girgis.

old mosque in the Citadel

Coptic museum and church



outside an old mosque


and inside the aforementioned mosque

The Nile island Zamelek and Gezira is the place to be seen. Gezira is filled with parks, whilst Zamelek has some quality and expensive restaurants and bars. Maison Thomas offers the best pizzas in Egypt. Prices range from E£40 – E£75 plus tax.

Another good food option at much more reasonable prices is Kazaz with several branches around town. Large kebabs are less than E£10.

The pyramids of Giza lie in the city’s suburbs. There are normally regular buses heading out of Tahir square, but not at the moment. I take the Metro to Al Giza and get a microbus E£2 which takes you to Pyramid Way. A separate posting can be found by clicking here.


The Metro is clean, efficient and cheap; E£1 for each ride. In the middle of the Metro trains are two carriages for women only – no groping hands to deal with for female travellists.

Microbuses also serve the city for E£1 -3 if you can figure out where they are going.

Most pleasant of all is the lack of hassles from the people – i like the sense of anonymity, especially after being treated as a cash cow in Aswan and Luxor. I am even called back to have change returned on several occasions.

I am based at the lovely Pension Roma in the city centre, paying E£72 including breakfast and free Wi-Fi - my kind of place. It's situated at 169 Mohamed Fahid Street. My only complaint is the hard thin mattress. C'est la vie.

with so many people and traffic, pollution levels get seriously high

Harar

sunset from the Old City

Situated south of the Churcher Mountain range in the east of Ethiopia, some 350kms from the border with Djibouti, lies the town/small city of Harar. P. loved it here and tells me not to miss out on this gem, whilst Drew, an Australian backpacker i meet in Lalibela tells me he was looking forward to a few days here, but left town after 24 hours through boredom. We’re all different with different interests and tastes, but i kinda love this place.

I arrive by Skybus from Addis (Birr 278) after an eight and a half hour journey.


Harar self identifies as “a living museum” on its travel brochures, whilst Lonely Planet – Africa calls it “

Harar is undoubtedly an unique place. The old walled city covers just 1 square kilometre but is filled with some 368 alleyways and 87 mosques and shrines. This is a very Moslem part of the country. There is a very Arabesque feel to the place, but more colourful than one might expect, with the local women covered with floating multi-coloured hues. The scents and aromas seeping through from the herbs and spices even overcome more urinary smells from deeper recesses. Unfortunately my photos do little justice to the place.



Somewhat uniquely i am referred to as a “feranjo” rather than the more regular “feranji” – making for a not unpleasant change.


French poet, dromomaniac, hash monster and bon viveur Arthur Rimbaud relocated here in 1884, and became a close personal friend to Haile Selasie’s father – the Governor of Harar. There is a museum in the walled city commemorating Rimbaud’s life and works.

the Rimbaud museum

There are several young men offering you city guides, but they are not too persistent. The locals are friendly and open, and it is the first place in Ethiopia where they are not always asking you for money, even for showing you around and helping you out! The women are very beautiful, with unfeasibly high cheek bones, kohled eyes and stunning flirtatious smiles. Most are far too shy to be photographed – such a pity!

in front of the old city

The Harar Beer factory does tours in the morning, sells souvenirs and has a quality restaurant and beer garden. Nits at the North East edge of town (rickshaw Birr5 – 10). They boast the only export beer in Ethiopia – with New York and London popular clients. I know nada about beer, but i take a sup and the dark ale tastes quite good: rich with just a slight chemical edge in the after-taste.

The nightly feeding session of the hyenas is a must-see. Click here for more information.


During my stay i get to witness the Business Expo 2011 which runs for a week during January. There is live music and a few treats to be had.

There are a couple of day excursions to do out of Harar.

Between 17and 19 kms out lies the Argoban village of Koromi (Koremi). It’s meant to be really interesting, perched high on a cliff, but quotes range between Birr 500 – 1000 for transport. As i am heading to Lower Omo valley i pass up on this option.

Babille lies 31km out of town. Walk 4kms further out of Babille aand you enter Dakhata valley, known as the Valley of Marvels. Read all about it by clicking here.

The city is plagued by water shortages and it turned off for hours every day.
There is a Darshen Bank with international Visa and even Mastercard ATM.

Places to Stay:

My first hotel is the Belayneh – at Birr 175 one of my more expensive stays. The bed is comfy, has a TV (but only two local stations) and a balcony which overlooks the market. The water even when present is not hot despite the enormous water-heater in the bathroom.

The Harar Ras hotel is the opposite end of town by the only set of traffic lights in town. It is a government run place, but at Birr102 with an attached bathroom is a bit better value even if the mattresses are ridiculously soft. Unfortunately they are expanding at the moment and work begins at 8am. The full set breakfast (eggs, toast and fruit juice) is good if a bit pricey at Birr30. They also have a useful 24 hour bar.

Places to Eat:

I really like both the coffee and the Danish breakfast at the large blue Ali Bal Cafe. It’s located on the first roundabout through the Main Gate.

The Barbeque (chicken, beef and goat) at the Harar Beer factory is excellent if somewhat out of town. Combine it with a morning tour perhaps?

The pizzas are good at Fresh Touch, but not much else. Equally good pizza are available at Harar Ras hotel.

The Cozy Cafe in New Town does a fair breakfast, but when i visit at night has virtually no food to offer despite their comprehensive menu.

I check out the Hirut restaurant, a famous local eatery to try kwanta (quanta) firfir, a local dish containing raw beef marinated in chilli and lemon. The meat tastes quite good, but the injera stuffed with injera overdose makes me queasy. Going local is not always sensible for me – when will i learn?

Getting Around

Bajajs both shared (Birr1 – 3) and private (Birr5 – 10) are readily available around town. The taxis are old Peugeots and they look amazing, although i don’t use them myself. Mini buses to a wide variety of destinations depart from just outside the gate to the Old City.
local taxis


outside the Old City

A Town Called Addis

Addis Ababa - Amharic for "New Flower" - was described by a foreigner in the 19th Century a “noisy, dusty, sprawling and shambolic”. Clearly nothing has changed more than 100 years later.

With a population in excess of four million people it is Africa’s fourth largest city.

Walking the streets of the city centre on my first morning, it is surprisingly modern with high-rise buildings and plenty of affluent-looking people strolling around. However, interspersed with this are corrugated shanty areas and even tented communities reminding me of Port au Prince. Beggars (both Christian and Muslim) openly beg on the streets or along the minibus stops amongst the bustle of pedestrians. An old guy openly squats on a main thoroughfare in the city centre urinating on the sidewalk and nobody bats an eyelid. There is also something of Delhi and Mumbai here; the disparity of wealth is vicious.

shiny buildings amongst the squalor

Local family homes are being demolished all over the city in Ethiopia’s 10 Year Development Plan for Addis – a modern 21st century city. Clearly still a long way to go, as those evicted from their family homes are offered no recompense, thus forming the tented community.

mass demolition as part as the 10 Year Plan

My first stop has to be the huge ornate Holy Trinity cathedral – Ethiopia’s second-most important place of worship. It is the resting place of Haile Selasse in a lavish Aksumite-style granite tomb next to his wife complete with lion’s feet. Tourist entrance fee is Birr 30 including a guided tour by a priest and guide. My guide is very keen to point out the grave of English suffragette Sylvia Pankhurt who died in Addis in 1960. It is found just off Niger Street.




the priest/gate-keeper will pose for a photo - even if he is pretty pissed at my offer of Birr10

The Derg monument is a classic Communist monolith with typical Soviet style sculptures and wall murals. Entrance is Birr 5 and a further Birr 10 to use The Beast. It is located on Churchill Avenue, opposite the Main Post Office.


The National Museum is interesting and informative. There is a collection of fossils, the highlight being “Lucy” – a 3.2 million year old hominid. She is the first example of a human form walking on two legs, discovered in 1974 in the north east of country. There are also costumes and crowns of the Ethiopian royal family, including the lavish throne of Haile Selasse. On the top floor there is an exhibition of some excellent black and white photographs of Christian ceremonies.
Haille Selassie's throne

The Ethnological museum is on the campus of the beautiful Addis Ababa University – the site of Haile Selasse’s palace. You can check out his and the Empress’ bedroom as well as acquaint yourself with the myriad tribes and distinct cultures in Ethiopia. Photography is strictly prohibited.
Haille Selassie's Palace - now part of the University of Addis and the Ethnological Museum

Places To Stay:

Originally i install myself into the Lido Hotel on Sudan Street. It is spotlessly clean and comfortable with attached bathroom, but at Birr 345 (including tax) beyond my budget. I know Gloves will like it. However to pinch pennies i relocate to to the friendlier Wutma Hotel on Mundy street where a clean room with attached bathroom is Birr 160.

Undoubtedly my personal favourite however is Hotel Itegue Ituate. Built in 1897 by the Empress of the same name, it is the oldest hotel in Ethiopia. Rooms start from Birr 138.

Places To Eat:

For some real quality local fare, check out the Habesha restaurant on Bola (African) Road.. Mains start from around Birr 45. Local musicians and dancers perform nightly from 8pm. Open log fires keep customers warm on cold evenings and avoids being called up to dance. “Moves” were divided into three
1) double jointed shoulder shrugs
2) lots of food stomping – think of slow motion Irish Stomp?
3) Thrusting groins (and accompanying breast shaking by the nubile female dancers)

i have the good fortune to hook up with Betina, a German born, internationally educated journalist based in Hong Kong. She provides quality company and possesses an up-to-date travel guide. They first forget our drinks order and then forget our food order. Our tibbs (stewed lamb, cooked in a lush onion, pepper and tomato) is quality. I subsequently dine here with Gloves and the food is equally impressive.

I take Derbo (friend and fixer in Addis) to the Sheraton Hotel. Owned by an Ethiopian, the opulence is staggering – no wonder rooms begin from US500 per night. If this doesn’t sound too expensive for you, it is possible to upgrade to the villa for a staggering US$12,000 per night.

the foyer in the Sheraton

A pastry from the shop will cost about Birr40 and you can then take it into the coffee-shop to hang out. It is possible to use the swimming pool for Birr200.

On my last day in Addis Gloves treats me to a sumptuous buffet at the Summerfield restaurant – a worthwhile Birr 444.

The KG Corner next to Taitu Hotel probably has the best burgers in town.

Ristorante Castelli’s on Mahatma Gandi Street is an Addis institution. Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Bill Clinton and Bob Geldof have all dined here in what has been termed as the best Italian restaurant outside Italy. It is indeed quality, most especially the homemade pasta in truffle sauce, although the old fat Italian owner is a grumpy rude bastard.

The Good Times Cafe has reasonable food and regularly shows Premiership football.

The Yeshi Buna Cafe just up the road from Taitu is open 24/7. A little expensive, it does serve some cracking dishes and the strawberry machiatos at Birr10 are quality.

The Lime Tree cafe and restaurant is next to the Addis Ababa University. It does decent Ethiopian food with a few international dishes. The fruit juices are good and the desserts are highly recommended. The menu looks cheap, but they charge additional taxes. You can’t miss it as half of the place is a London double-decker bus.

Getting Around:

Local shared taxis (blue and white Hiace minibuses) ply the main thoroughfares of Addis with prices ranging from Birr1 – 3. The small Lada taxis need patience if you are to negotiate a fair price.

St George's Cathedral - proves very difficult to enter for free - i fail three times!


the massive Orthodox cathedral in Bole