Bahar Dar, Lake Tana and the Blue Nile Falls

Bahar Dar and Lake Tana

Bahar Dar, located at the southern tip of Lake Tana, is a nice town with many palm tree-lined streets and a nice walk along the lake's shore. We stayed there a few days in order to see the town and above all to make a trip on the lake to see some churches (see the next post).

The town has many hotels and restaurants and it is a very enjoyable place to stop for a few days. The daily market is also interesting.

Bahar Dar market

Grains of all sorts.

Lake Tana.

Trip to the churches.

A fisherman setting a net.

Many locals still use these traditional boats, named Tankwa. They are made from the papyrus which is a plant similar to a reed. Stems are packed together in order to make a boat.

It is the same plant that was used to make the famous paper by the Ancient Egyptians.

Blue Nile Falls

For a number of years, a dam diverts much of the water that once flowed into the Blue Nile Falls. When I was there in 2001 with Karavaniers, the falls were 3-4 times larger. Nevertheless, it is still a very nice place for a stroll in the country side.

Before the dam, there was water flowing down all along the rocky cliff behind and to the right of the rainbow. There was a much bigger volume of water.

Going to the falls.

Meeting the locals.

What is better than a good coffee with this nice lady.

All right, I don't drink coffee... Gitane took a coffee and I took a soft drink.

Portuguese Bridge build at the time of King Fasilidas.