MuchofthefascinationofEthiopialiesinitsmyriadhistoricalsites，theObelisksandsteleofAxum，thechurchesandCopticmonasteriesintheTigre，intheLakeTanaislesandintheLalibela：theAfricanJemsa—lemwithitsmonolithicchurches.InEthiopiatherearealsoninenationalparks，twoofwhichincludethemountaingroupsoftheSimienandtheBale，whiletheotherslieintheRiftValleytowardsKenya.Theunfore—seeablewildlandscapesaresurelythemainattractionoftheseparks，wheremanyoftheanimalspeciesareprotected，andsomeofthemareen—demictothearea.TheproximityofEthiopiatotheEquatorandthevarie—tyOfitshabitatsmakeitoneoftherichestcountriesinAfricainwildbirdlife.Historyandnaturearenottheonlyattractionsofthissurprisingcountry.Itisauniqueexperiencetocomeintocontactwithitspeople，SOdeeplyrootedintheirtraditionalculture，topmxicipateinreligiousritesinoneofthemanyCopticChurches，tomeetnativepopulationsliketheHa—met，theMursi，theCaroandthemanyotherswhoselifestyleishardtoi—maginetoday，SOfarisitfromourmodemlife.