Still in Bahirdar, we drove to admire Blue Nile Falls and the famous outlet of the Blue Nile, located about 32 km/20 miles out of town These falls used to be more impressive but a hydroelectric project was built and the falls are half the size of the former 400m/1,300′ wide expanse. … View image… The Amharic name is Tissisat or “smoke of fire”

The Woyto/Weyto/Woyito people live on the shores of Lake Tana and still make tankwas, boats woven from papyrus. They paddle back and forth carrying charcoal and firewood to market in Bahirdar/Bahir Dar. Jimmy said these boats are even sturdy enough to carry oxen! We saw the boats stacked up by the side of the lake but not anyone actually using them.

Papyrus boats ready for tomorrow’s fishing on Lake Tana, Ethiopia
Throughout the entire series on Ethiopia, you’ll see numerous spellings for towns and tribes, all correct. These aren’t typos. It is completely impossible to get a firm, definitive answer on the correct spellings. Bear with me.

To see the Falls, you must stop by the Park office and pick up a local guide to accompany you. You can walk down to the base of the falls but ex-Marine had sprained his knee before this trip and was wearing a brace. We settled for a short boat ride across a little river, walked across the fields… View image…and then gradually walked down an easy slope to the falls. The local guide is primarily there for “show.” He was studying to be a lawyer and asked for a tip throughout the walk. We were now two-for-two. The Green Land guides never asked for money….only the “local” guides forced on us. Again, nada for him.

commuting back and forth across the river by boat, Ethiopia 

walking to the fields in Ethiopia
I was surprised to see so many volcanic rocks around the area. There was a group of locals visiting the falls,…View image…,people working in the fields picking up cow and goat dung to use for heating, and even a local donkey parking lot by the river. If you were visiting the other side, you parked your donkey there for the day, went about your business, and picked up the donkey on the return.

donkey parking lot by the Blue Nile Falls, Ethiopia 

tilling fields near the Blue Nile Falls, Ethiopia 

carrying huge bags of charcoal in Ethiopia
The White Nile begins in Jinja, Uganda and the Blue Nile about three miles out of Bahirdar. They meet in Khartoum, flows though Egypt as just the “Nile River” and empties into the Mediterranean.

Blue Nile Falls, Ethiopia
Lunch at the Ghion in the garden surrounded by the gorgeous Jacaranda trees in full blossom. …View image… Violet petals everywhere, birds, an ancient Banyan tree….

extremely ancient Banyan Tree at Ghion Hotel, Ethiopia
…with views of Lake Tana.

enjoying lunch at Ghion Hotel, Ethiopia 

all this for $3.00 in Ethiopia
After all that relaxation, it was time to get back on the move with a drive to Gonder and my favorite advertisement of the entire trip…

“the only soap that eliminates unpleasant smell of foot”
Your vacation can take a year to save for, only a second to ruin. Purchase Travel insurance through AIG Travel Guard. Starting at $30.