Pictures

Arranged and carefully selected:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/70748281@N07/sets/72157628185857913/

Big Map & A Few Numbers

Africa In Detail

Coming home

Istanbul, Turkey

Verbatium, these are the directions from my hostel in Istanbul

Make sure you are going in the right direction! Get off at the Sultanahmet tram stop. Get off the tram and follow the tramline downhill. You will see a Tourist Information office in the park on your right and Pudding Shop restaurant on your left. Walk diagonally through the park towards the Blue Mosque which is on your right. Pass the Blue mosque and the rows of benches in front of it, walk down the road you will see the Blue Hotel (MAVI EV) and Arasta Bazaar on the corner. Turn right at the Mavi Ev. Then take the first left. Walk down the hill by the rug stores and take the first left, then the first right. You will see the Bahaus Guesthouse at the corner and the Big Apple hostel sign. Just turn right again and you will find us right next to Bahaus. Please feel free to call us if you get lost.

Green

For the average person, the word "Ethiopia" generally brings to mind an arid region filled with starving children. I guess this is to blame on the 1985 famine (which, to be fair, became a crisis because of the government rather than nature).
This visual is nothing like what I have seen. There are deserts in part of the country but most of the population lives in the mountains which are a stunning green. The teff fields (staple grain) almost seem neon green.
The area around Lalibela is the most beautiful landscape I've ever seen. Imagine cliffs like the grand canyon, but covered in grass, shrubs and jigsaw puzzle shaped fields of teff.