In 2019 I went on a four-day work trip to Ethiopia. At the weekend myself and two colleagues hired a guide and went out to see the countryside outside Addis Ababa, the capital. Our guides took us to a huge gorge to see the 'Portuguese bridge': this beautiful old stone bridge spanned a seasonal river in full flood. A few meters beyond the bridge the water crashes down a series of cascades into the valley below. The valley is a patchwork of small farms, green and lush with the wet season's rains. The air cracks with what sounds like gunfire but is, in fact, the large whips shepherds use to herd their livestock (or so we're told, we definitely saw a few people stood by the road with rifles).

We also visited one of the most famous monasteries in Ethiopia, Debre libidos. The site has been occupied since the 13th century but has been burnt down dozens of times by various groups. The monastery attracts lots of pilgrims, especially during religious festivals, one of which was due to start within a few days. One of the photographs below depicts people who were walking down from the cave where the 'founder' prayed for 30 years. One of his legs fell off in the process but the holy water in the cave revived him. Orthodox Christians cover their heads and traditionally wear white, and it is a brilliant, pristine white that they wear.

Photos taken on a Canon 5D Mark I.