While we're waiting on dear 'Mom (peace, luv!), who has more and much bedda pix... here's some to keep ya'llz interest (now, why the heck they're so large AND skewed sideways I have NO idea... as I "edited" everyone in the exact same way... but it was a LOT of work so ya'll jus' hafta to take 'em like this. My apologies, in advance, for any resultant neck cramps/shoulder pain - LOLOL!):
Some of our beautiful flight attendants (going in green; returning in gold/striped blouse):




Our WONDERFUL guides, Mebrahtu (outside of church, across from chapel),
Sisai (w/'Mom outside of tomb of King Kabel), and the
one who took us through the church on Sunday (whose name I've forgotten, sorry) at the bottom of stairs leading to the tiny church museum:



The church monument, its altar, and some of the stellai/obelisks the area is famous for (the second from the right in the first pic was returned from Italy a few years ago after being gone for about 68 years. It is in three pieces, as the Italians broke it to steal it away; the second is the largest of those in the area. Two explanations as to why it's over and broken: legend was some ancient queen had it toppled; archeology is setting too shallow for weight and height caused it to topple):




Ruins authenticated by French and German archeologists to be
the Palace of Makida, "the Queen of Sheba". The first one is thought to be the
front entry (as far as they know - they believe the Palace to have been much larger than what has been excavated so far); the second is authenticated to be
where the "Ark" (tablet) was kept when brought back from Jerusalem by Makida/Solomon's son, Menelik. The third was the kitchen and the fourth, the "drain" from her bath:




This is Makida's (the Queen of Sheba) swimming pool, located some kilometers from her palace, for privacy. The first shows the original stairway to the pool, the second the stairway added by Haile Salassie. It's olympic sized:


A UN military airplane at Bole Airport (Addis Ababa):

Finally,
the only "heartbreak" of the trip. I bought
these rocks to bring home to hubby and others. I thought they were absolutely gorgeous (and cheap - about $18 for both!):


You might think they're gorgeous, too:


Yep, that's
genuine AMETHYST, chikkens! The REAL deal... straight outta the plowed fields (which are FULL of rocks, both mineral/gemstones... and the plain old kind).
This one is both Mom's and my birthstone... and THE most beautiful
yellow/gold OPAL... and largest opal... I've ever seen. And I've never seen one in the rough. This is a SMALL one (oh, yeah, there were some 5 times this size!):

Okay, chikkens, that's enough from me. I will leave the rest for dear 'Mom who, again, to more and bedda photos.
Peace... and enjoy the eye-feast!
YSSFS of Christ,
Sheldiana