Category: Photography

Not a very good photograph or a particularly photogenic subject, but I have been asked more than once to post a photo of Fasil’s Castle. This building, rebuilt by UNESCO, is a weird mix of Indian, Portugese, and Ethiopian building styles, and quite unique as an architectural specimen.

This door is painted with the story of Belai the Cannibal. Look it up for more details, but here it is in a nutshell: there was a man named Belai who ate many people (after all, he was a cannibal). One day, a leper begging for water moved Belai to pity, and belai gave the leper water. Later, when Belai died, the Devil was ready to claim his soul. When St. Michael weighed the bad deeds of Belai’s life (cannibalism) against the good deeds (giving water to the beggar), it was obvious which one was going to win out. During the judging, however, the Virgin fixed the scales by allowing her shadow to fall on the side with the water (notice her hand gesture), thereby allowing a cannibal into Heaven.

There were in fact several of these things. Sorry about the image quality–this is my worst lens wide open in poor light on a black bird . . .

The Abyssinian, or Northern Ground Hornbill (Bucorvus abyssinicus), quite possibly the ugliest bird I have ever seen in my life (bad light didn’t help). Thanks to Ariella for the identification.

It is a pretty impressive falls, but when you consider the factthat 60% of its water has been diverted for a hydroelectric project, it should be the African Niagara. All the area to the right in the photo was once spillway, but now is only used during the worst of the rainy season in August. It was lush.