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Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee: it is in the forests of the Kaffa region that coffea arabica grew wild. Coffee is 'Bun' or 'Buna' in Ethiopia, so Coffee Bean is quite possibly a poor anglicized interpretation of 'Kaffa Bun'. Coffee Arabica was also found in the Harar region quite early, either brought from the Kaffa forests or found closer by. Ethiopian coffees are available from some regions as dry-processed, from some regions as washed, and from Sidamo as both!
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The legend of Lalibela: Ever since the first European to describe the rock churches of Lalibela, Francisco Alvarez, came to this holy city between 1521 and 1525, travelers have tried to put into words their experiences. Praising it as a “New Jerusalemâ€, a “New Golgothaâ€, the “Christian Citadel in the Mountains of Wondrous Ethiopiaâ€.
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Omo Valley People: The people of the lower Omo Valley are considered among the most fascinating on the African continent. Visiting the people of the South Omo is an enriching and educational experience. Over twenty tribes inhabit the area and the most famous are the Mursi, renowned for their clay lip plates, but there are many other vivid encounters with some fascinating tribes.
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Axum: The legacy of the Queen of Sheba lies just below the shifting sands, and churches hewn out of sheer rock attract wide-eyed tourists. The historic route begins in the ancient city of Axum, which dates to about 100 B.C. This capital city was the first place in Ethiopia to adopt a new religion -- Christianity. According to the Old Testament, The Queen of Sheba was born in Axum, but traveled to Israel to meet King Solomon.
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Ethiopian Orthodox Church: The Ethiopian Orthodox Church, an autonomous Christian church headed by a patriarch and closely related to the Coptic church of Egypt, is the major church of Ethiopia. About 62.8 percent (Orthodox 43.5%, Protestant 18.6% and Catholic 0.7%) of the people of Ethiopia are Christians. Ethiopians adopted Christianity long before Europe accepted Christianity around the 4th Century.
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Semien Mountains: The dramatic landscapes of the Semen Mountains (i.e. the extreme escarpments and their thousands of meters of sheer cliffs) are the result of massive seismic activity in the area about 40 million years ago (Miocene and Oligocene, geological period). Ever since, this massive complex (a 3000m-thick molten lava outpour) has been going through tectonic activities (faulting, folding ... during tertiary period), glaciations/ice cover and uplifting.
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Wild Life: With 14 major wildlife reserves, Ethiopia provides a microcosm of the entire sub-Saharan ecosystem. Birdlife abounds, and indigenous animals from the rare Walia Ibex to the shy wild ass, roam free just as nature intended.
