WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE ! REAL MADAGASCAR !

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE ! REAL MADAGASCAR !

On October 30th, TotalAdventure landed in my 100th country – 57 years after #2 – France , in 1967 at age 8. As the number neared, the requirements grew stricter. Gone from the list were the Chines territories of Hong King and Macau. Taiwan is not recognized by the United Nations. East Germany is included because it was a nation when I traveled there in 1983. 2024I began with 95 in Nicaragua which comleted every continental country in the Americas, then Georgia,Armenia,Azerbaijan and Mauritius.

Entering Madagascar airspace. The plane flew in from the French Department of Réunion – an Indian Ocean island that is as much a part of France as Paris. Madagascar is 1000 miles long, 1600km and 300. iles wide 500km. THose beaches are empty !

Country # 100 ! Tourist visa on arrival. The QR is censored . To scan it brings up all te information that Google has on the traveler plus personal information and passport details.

Antananarivo ,the sprawling chaotic capitol city of 1.4 million. Malagasy is the national language, a tongue of Polynesian origin. French is the language of business and education. TotalAdventure knows ‘Restaurant French” but basic phrases are quite helpful.

Unique architecture with possible French influence, but unlike any other in the world.

Raw meat in Africa ? Zebu carpaccio is delicious and nutritious.

A Baby Baobab outside the airport.

The Malagasy Ariary is 4600 ot the US dollar. The largest bill is the 20000 , less than $5. Huge bundles of bills are required for many transactions, such as a tank of gas which can be 300,000 Ariary. Prices in Madagascar are much lower than the USA or Western Europe, with a good hotel room going for $ 60, luxury $ 90 and local $ 15. A hearty meal of zebu steak runs around $ 10 and beer about $ 1.

I could not fold my wallet and ended up carrying cash in my pack. This from a change of US $ 200..

The climate ranges from hot and wet in the northeast ,with rain in the summer from December to March. The southwest is desert and high desert with scorching temperatures in November. There is a winter than can get down to freezing in the mountains during July and August, but the coastal areas are pleasantly tropical. The best time to visit is from May to November.

Madagascar is mostly Catholic, also Evangelical Protestant and some Muslims. The churches are simple and only open on Sundays.

“African” hotel. Clean and comfortable at 60,000 Ariary , $ 14 a night.

The Spiny Forest typical of the coastal deserts of the southwest part of the country.

Rice was bought to the island by Southeast Asian boat migrants in the 1600s, and is grown in the Asian style. For many people rice is the main part of the diet ,served with fish ,vegetables and zebu.

Chameleon found only in Madagascar. AS Madagascar is so separate for the rest of the world, life forms have developed in their own.

Running water is rare in most villages. Rivers and lakes are for bathing and laundry, as well as irrigation for the rice fields. Although November is at the end of the dry season, there were adequate supplies of water.

At the marketplace in Tolara. Ducks for lunch !

Desert Sunset in Parc National Isalo.

Fixed tent quarters in Isalo.. Very comfortable at about US $ 70 a night.

Exotic Woodpecker.

Returning to Antananarivo, TotalAdventure flew on ,across Africa to Dakar !

TotalAdventure voyaged from Singapore to Mauritius on October 25 after promoting TotalAdventure.Travel and AdventureTravel.AI at ITB Asia , on eof the world’s largest travel shows, where i met with over 40 promoising adventure providers from Asia and Africa.

First there was an early moring one hour flight from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia on Singapore Airlines. . After a 2 hour layover I boarded Air Mauritius for the 7 hour flight to the center of the Indian Ocean. Crossing the Equator for probably my 50th time, we went from Autumn to Spring, though the only difference in the tropical maritime world is that thel days are longer in the Southern Hemisphere at that time of year.

First stamp in my new passport. Singapore, my first country on the new passport is all electronic. The Mauritius authorities were puzzled as to how I got so far from home without one stamp, and thoroughly inspected my pack.

TotalAdventure was drawn to Mauritius for its’ land scenery which did not disappoint and for its’ snorkeling, which did. The coastal waters were generally murky or devoid of fish, one must hire a speedboat outt o the reefs to see anything significant Many of the best beaches are inaccessible as they are walled off by heavily guarded resorts catering to French and Indian tourists.

A closeup of Cascade de Chamarel , 100 meters high.

Seafood curries are excellent , a mix of Indian and French influence.

The Mauritius Rupee is currently 46.5 to the USD. In general prices are moderately lower than the US and Western Europe

The waters are very tranquil around most of the island. About 5 to 7 km offshore, a giant reef blocks giant Indian Ocean waves.

Mauriius was TotalAdventure’s 99th country. Becuse of airline schedules I spent a little longerthere than I would have liked, but it was a nice rest

Next stop was Madagascar. We stopped in France along the way and yet the whole trip is only 3 hours.Réunion , in the middle of the Indian Ocean is a French Department, as much a part of France as Paris. The main reason to visit would be to get away from a cold European winter.

The Highway From Asmara To Massawa Drops Over 8000 ( 2500m) Feet In Just 100 Kilometers. We left early morning temperatures not far above freezing arriving to close to 90 ( 32C) on the coast.

At the entrance to the city is the Palace of Emperor Haile Selassie. Though he was murdered by the Communist Derge in 1975, his palace continued to be used by officials until it was bombed by the Ethiopian Air Force in 1991, when Eritrea began its’ War of Independence. To this day, it is still in ruins, like much of Massawa , in contrast to well preserved Asmara.

The visa to enter Eritrea is only good for Asmara itself. To travel anywhere else in the county , an interior Travel Permit is required. This took about 2 hours to acquire the day before. One must arrange transport as well. The driver’s name and the car’s license number are listed on the permit . TotalAdventure passport number deleted for security purposes.

One must carry the receipt as well, to prove that the 51 Nafka ( $3 ) fee was paid.

Along the highway there may be toll collectors.Baboons demand bananas in order to allow cars to pass without harassment.

Massawa architecture is more Ottoman than Italian.

Statuary Of The Lion King.

Barbed wire – possible live bombs inside of another palace.

The port on the Red Sea – almost all ships from China.

On Haile Sellasie’s Porch.

L – 1011 TO Nowhere.

Wartime damage un repaired after 30 years. But people live here.

Its’ been a long wait for the bus – about 45 years.

Bottled water plant , shuttered in the 60s.

Mothers and Children.

General of the Troop.

1930’s Graffiti.

Returning to Asmara – high above the clouds.

The New Generation Of Eritrea !

From Adigrat, Ethiopia , it is only 77 miles ( 120. km) to Asmara, Ethiopia. However, the border has been closed since it formed at independence in 1991, other than a brief period in 2019. Instead of 77 miles, I flew nearly 800 miles on 2 flights, from Mekele to Addis Ababa and then from Addis to Asmara, including a lengthy walk from.the domestic terminal to the international terminal.

There are 4 major languages in Eritrea – Tigrina, Arabic,I talian and English, and 9 local languages.

Arrival In Asmara was relatively smooth. Getting the visa is not easy – I actually had an agency in Washington DC handle it, whereas I normally get them on my own. Asmara Airport has flights to Addis Ababa,Dubai,Khartoum, and Mecca.

Asmara is perhaps the best preserved Art Deco city in the world. It is a 1930s Mussolini era time capsule.

Ave Maria Roman Catholic Cathedral.

Grand Mosque.

Eastern Rite Catholic Church.

Snail mail is still used as internet is extremely slow. TotalAdventure could not even access What’sApp.

An Apothecary.

Dining At Hotel Italia. I was the only customer, but had a great pasta and soup meal with beer for about $ 5 – 75 Nafka.

15 Nafka = 1 USD.

Perhaps The Best Coffee In The World. East African Beans, Italian Style.

Ancient Jewelry For Sale.

Getting Ready For Saturday Night.

The city has a. lively nightlife. This picture was taken on a Saturday morning.

Perhaps The Most Art Deco Building In The World After The Chrysler Building In New. York. Fiat Dealership That Closed In The 1960s Due To War

Imported Angolan Grain.

At the flour mill.

Extreme Deco.

TotalAdventure saw most of Asmara in a day. It is a fascinating place with few foreign visitors, the majority of them Italian.

Axum Is One Of The Holiest Christian Cities On Earth. It Is Home To The Ark Of The Covenant – The Tablets Of The Ten Commandments Held By Moses.

In Middle Ages Europe ,In The Time Of The Crusaders, there was a tale of a paradise called The Land of Prester John. A land of unimaginable riches, and home to the Holy Grail. Somewhere near Ethiopia, though the Crusaders never got beyond Jerusalem.

A Truly Ancient Land.

Egyptian emissaries erected stellae in the Fourth Century, though quite a few have fallen.

Sunrise in the Land of Prester John.

The modern Church of Maryam ( Virgin Mary ) near the Ark Of The Covenant.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church claims to possess the Ark of the Covenant, or Tabot, in Axum. The object is currently kept under guard in a treasury near the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion.( Wikipedia) Ark of the Covenant was brought to Ethiopia by Menelik I with divine assistance, while a forgery was left in the Temple in Jerusalem. ( Wikipedia.) Melenik I was the son of King Solomon and Queen Sheba.

A Peaceful Dove – An Apparition ?

An Ancient Stellae Field.

A Cantankerous Camel.

Holy Bible.

Brutal Punishments For Sinners.

Rugged Trees For the Dry Climate.Tigray only gets a few showers in the summer.

One of the best restaurants in Ethiopia – in Adrigat.

Lamb and Beef so fresh you can eat it raw.

Hot Tibs.

Hotel In Adrigat. Did not stay there.

Captured In Battle.

Ancient Scripture.

Debri Damo Monastery. Accessible only by rappelling up the cliff.

Even monks 80 or 90 years. old can do it. Once they can’t, they stay.

Two Fascinating Weeks In Ethiopia then came to an end. TotalAdventure moved on to nearby Eritrea, though it took two flights to get there. TotalAdventure would especially like to thank Awaze Tours for making our private journey possible. Also Special Thanks to our driver Engdu ! Ethiopia is not an easy country to navigate and Awaze helped make all this incredible experience possible.

The Simian Mountains In Northern Amhara State Were Formed By Extreme Volcanoes About 40 Million Years Ago. They Tower West Of The Rift Valley, Which Runs Almost The Whole Length Of Africa.

The Highest Mountain Is 15000 Feet ( 4550 m) . Snow is known to fall in the wet season. TotalAdventure experienced below freezing temperatures in the early mornings.

A Gelada Monkey Family Forages For Dinner. Snacks from tourists are strictly forbidden.

A Guard With An AK-47 Is Mandatory , To Guard Against Hyenas In Simian Mountains National Park. Hyena jaws are so strong they can snap a femur like a small chicken bone.

GeladaMonkeys sleep on the cliffs at night, in order to be inaccessible to hyenas.

A Father is unfazed by his human cousins. They are 5 times as strong !

Sunset From 11,000 Feet ( 3384 m) at the Simian Mountain Lodge.

A Fireplace Keeps The Dining Room Warm. Outside it was 26 F ( -4 C)

Our drive out of the mountain range. Drivers must be careful, with 3000 ft. cliffs on every curve.

Priests Enact The Carrying of Boxes Which Carried The Ark Of The Covenant From Jerusalem To Axum, Ethiopia.

TotalAdventure, a Catholic, went to Ethiopia to explore the origins of Christianity. Dismayed by the ever increasing commercialization of Christmas throughput the world, to the point where religion is barely mentioned ,we decided to go where Christmas is not commercial at all, but a joyous occasion celebrating the arrival of Christ on Earth. Like much of the Christian Orthodox world, Christmas is on January 7th and Epiphany 12 days later on January 19th. Because this year,2020 is a Leap Year Timkat was on January 20th. In the West Epiphany is celebrated as the arrival of the 3 Kings, one from Ethiopia. In Ethiopia Timkat celebrates the Baptism of Jesus Christ. In Gondar’s Emperor Fasilides Baths. After many hours of prayer and singing, male participants will dive in , re enacting the Baptism.

Christianity arrived in Ethiopia by the 4th Century. Traditions and mystical celebrations changed little by the time Ethiopia was effectively cut off from Europe and the Holy Land by the 12th Century. The ceremonies we see here, especially in the video above, are the closest to Original Christianity.

As darkness falls on Timkat Eve, the momentum builds, with prayer, chanting and singing.

Another palace of Gondar.

The Three Kings.

TotalAdventure returned to the Fasilides compound by 5 AM. The Faithful were fervently at prayer.

Monks Sing Around The Baths as they have all night.

Dawn Approaches.

Sahle-Work Zewde, the President of Ethiopia, Came From Addis Ababa To Take Part In The Ceremonies.

Blaine Zuver, Director of TotalAdventure, Is Interviewed For the Ethiopia Herald. Story Here.

Part of The President’s Security Unit. Many soldiers were on patrol as well.

At last , after sunrise, the clarions blow and joyful adherents of The Lord re enact The Baptism.

Timkat 2012 ! (2020) The Ethiopian Calendar is 8 Years Behind The Western Calendar.

A Very Unfortunate Incident Occurred At Timkat. Bamboo bleachers are constructed each year so the crowds can get a view above the walls surrounding the Holy Pool. They are built to accommodate perhaps 200 or 300 people.

Just before sunrise the overloaded structure collapsed. Ten people were killed. More than 200 went to the hospital, some paralyzed for life. The ceremony was disrupted for about an hour, then went on.

As Timkat approaches, the entire country gets into celebration mode. We leave Lalibela on. Saturday – 2 days before. Roadside markets are busting, as people stock up on food for the large family feasts after a 24 hour fast.

A music man in the Highlands playing his masinko. Watch him play on the video above.

Coffee beans growing on the side of the road. Ethiopian Coffee is amongst the best in the world !

A boy brings coffee to market. Rural children work for their families, but not for others as far as we could tell. It’s a necessity that armchair moralists of the West may not understand.

All food is very fresh.

Two sisters off to market.

Restaurant Mountain Vista.

A colorful Injera lunch.Various meats and vegetables, mostly cold.

Injera “flour”

United States help is much appreciated. With 109 million people in a mostly desert country , extra supplies are needed.

A cold Saturday morning, everyone on the way to buy and sell.

Drying grain.

Spices are abundant.

Spices Are Abundant.

Inside a market bar. TotalAdventure was obliged to try some of the local firewater – made from fermented fruit that still had seeds floating in it. Powerful ! Though it was only 9 AM, music was blasting.

Bamboo for sale.

Approaching Gondar.

In The Twelfth Century King Lalibela Decreed A Holy City Known As New Jerusalem – To Be Built From Solid Rock. Above Is Beti Gyorgis – St.George ,One Of Eleven Churches Carved From The Earth.

The Light of Jesus Shines Upon A Monk.

Days Spent In Prayer Unchanged From The Fourth Century.

Very Little Restoration Has Taken Place. Due To The Arid Climate And Solid Rock Construction, Lalibela Remains Much Intact.

Envy Of The Crusaders Who Sought Ethiopia, But Couldn’t Find It.

There Are 2 Masses Per Day, At Dawn And At Noon,Each For Two Hours. No Eating Or Drinking Is Permitted Beforehand ,Not Even Water.

While Ethiopia is being “Discovered ” there are few crowds.

Rock Church From Above.

An Approach To Church.

Circular Compound.

Exterior of Compound.

Light Of Jesus.

Outside Lalibela- A Church Built In A Cave.

Guard’s Rifle.

St.George From Below.

Holy Waters – A Bit Stagnant.

No Assembly – Just Carving !

Church Exterior.

Lalibela Houses. Only Recently Did The Town Receive Electricity.

The two day 500 KM journey from Addis Ababa to Lalibela is rugged and fascinating. Ethiopia is a land harkening to Biblical times, with a few modern twists like cars and smartphones.

The two day

On the first night , TotalAdventure stayed in Kombolcha and posted for the first time to the Magazine. After that , the voyage became too bsuy, exploring and traveling until well past sundown, meals with locals, and slow internet made daily contributions difficult. The next morning, before leaving the city, we passed through a market on the main street.

People walk for miles from the countryside to sell. their wares in the market.

Ethiopian markets have many spices In the US this would be sold in tiny packets for many times the price.

Salt , perhaps from Danakil .

Outside town, Gelada monkeys also shopped for food, asking passerby in cars. While many think the climate must be hot, as Ethiopia in in Africa, we were almost always between 7500 and 11000 feet – 2300m -3400m. In January daytime temperatures were generally in the low 70s F( 21C) to about 40 F at night ( 4C ).

Ethiopia is 33% Islamic and 62%. ( mostly Orthodox) Christian. In general there are no conflicts over religion.

Wheat is pulverized into fine powder by the hooves of oxen.

The powder is used to bake inerja – the ubiquitous bread that accompanies almost every meal in Ethiopia.

What appears to be a towel is the inerja. You use it to scoop up the meat and eat everything.

Evening in Kombolcha.