A great Easter.

A massacre in the bedroom. My FB friends will be aware of the trauma we suffered on April 11th.  I bought a large box of red to see us through our rest week, Passover and beyond.  But we couldn't open the tab.  Marilyn setto with her penknife, I could see what was going to happen......and it did!

With difficulty and trying not to waste any more, we succeeded in decanting the remaining red wine from the incised back courtesy of a large plastic bowl to catch any drips.

Embarrassing!

Wednesday we bought stuff for Passover, and lamb from the German butcher plus shank bone which was more like a half leg.  We enjoyed lunch at the butcher's cafe, good and cheap!  Then I went to Marcie's to start cooking for the following evening.

Thursday we again went shopping for last minute supplies, had a quick salad at Bourbon in City Tower, then to Marcie's to finish preparing the meal.

We were seven people from the US, Rwanda, UK , Czech Republic, before we began we had to practice the songs: Jubilate, Dayenu and You shall go out with Joy

The service was well received so I´m glad that I prepared it

I stayed at Marcie's so I could attend the Good Friday service at St Etienne at 8.15.  I was a very good service, Manasseh led the music extremely well.  The service was a thanksgiving with uplifting songs, quite different to the more reflective service which I'm used to.

Then an unexpected invite to join folk at Lake Kivu for the evening, so off I went and had a very enjoyable time at the Inzozi Beach Hotel....I must return, it was great.

Then it was back to Marcie's for the night.  WE went to the new mall Kigali Heights for dinner, spicy Thai chicken salad was yummy.  There is a cupcake shop in the mall, also a shop selling all things Italian, especially ice cream....I shall return.

St Etienne decorated for Easter Day, little lights in the drapes, it looked so pretty.

The service was joyful of course, although Thine be the glory was ditched!  Manasseh and I are going to sing it sometime!  Bishop Louis preached what was a difficult sermon for him, with Kwibuka, the time of memorial for the genocide against Tutsis, coinciding with Easter he said it could be hard to think of the hope of the resurrection.  His 3 brothers were butchered, a priest of St Etienne was killed in the church.......but out of the despair and desolation of 1994 Rwanda has risen with the  hope of the resurrection.

Marilyn and I decided we would have a Pina Colada at the Serena to celebrate Easter and make up for no Easter eggs or Hot X Buns.  I got mine....but by the time Marilyn arrived from the English service at the catholic cathedral, she was concerned we would be late for the next appointment so didn't get her tipple.

Home in Kigali, at least for a little while.

Arrived late Tuesday night.  The next morning Bosco collected Marilyn and me at 10.  We did the rounds of internet providers as is the norm.  Bought a few supplies for Thursday and went to the Cactus for lunch, lovely! The first thing we did was have a pina colada!

Marilyn very happy with life!

 Then back to the accommodation at Kimihurura to log on to 3G, hooray, and get our stuff ready for Thursday.

As usual we left with Peter Safari at 5am to get to Akagera in good time, then an 8 hour drive animal spotting.  Still no lions, but they've just had cubs so we can forgive them for not posing.  Splendid spotting a python basking in the sunshine.  The 20 rhinos are coming in May so we are hoping to see them before leaving in July. 

Lilac breasted roller

Water Buck

Impala

I don't know if this vid will work.  The baboons were looking for mischief

The next morning we went on the boat trip, I always enjoy this as the birds are great and we had the added excitement of hippos, not happy to have us near their babies, lunging at the boat with jaws aggressively open and much spray.  We spotted an enormous Nile Crocodile, but just as we went to take a pic and family of hippos came from the opposite direction and scared the croc. away. 

Angry hippo behind the spray

 We saw lots of the crested cranes this morning.  They are the national bird of Uganda.  Farmers used to keep them as decoration, clipping their wings, but now they are being rehomed at Akagera and protected.

After breakfast we went out for another four hours, seeing numerous bush buck, this was surprising as they are normally very shy and keep hidden.

Bush buck and a monitor lizard in the foreground.

Then a sunset cruise, we were hoping to see the elephants come to the lakeside to drink, but they must have heard we were in the area as they stayed away.  But we saw more crocs and were once again entertained by the hippos.
Then directly onto the night safari when it's impossible to take pics.  The guide wasn't as good as usual which was disappointing, but we did see a jackal, but sadly, once again no leopards.  One day!

Yesterday, Saturday, I went to Marcie's and stayed overnight so that  could get to the Palm Sunday service, but in the Anglican church no palms, no red vestments, I thought maybe because Kwibuka the time of mourning for the genocide against the Tutsis began on Friday, but the catholic church wore red and had palms.
Marilyn and I met Apollo for lunch and had a delightful time together.

A strange Holy Week ahead as I can't get to the cathedral for services.  Thursday I'm hosting a Passover for Christians which I'm hoping will be well received as it's a first for the folk coming.

I'll return after Easter.

Frustrations and farewells

Now we come to Sunday April 2nd.

I had an unplanned visit to Muzanse this weekend:  the electricity cut out on Tuesday morning, 50 hours later when it appeared that nothing was being done, I had a hissy fit and declared that I was going to Muzanse after class on Friday afternoon.  The sisters were rather taken aback....but what if the electric comes back....  well it comes back, I have made arrangements and I shall go.   All my techie stuff had flat batteries and I needed them for class!  On Thursday morning I did go to the village to charge at least my computer, but we'd no sooner got there than the electricity cut out there also.  I have to confess that the final straw was when I found one of the sisters had gone to the bank, which has a generator, to charge their phones and didn't think to tell me or offer to take mine.  Relationships were frosty that night.  Anyway the electricity reconnected at about 8pm, however it was more off than on during the night and on Friday, so I was very pleased I'd held firm about going away for the night.

Tuesday night the volcano was amazing, the top was completely covered by what looked like a red mantle, it was a clear night and the stars were so bright you could almost touch them.   But for about half an hour the sky was lit by what appeared to be lightning, but it might have come from the volcano, it was like a volcanic Aurora

Another pleasant visit at the Gorillas, then yesterday, which was a beautiful day Eric drove us to Lake Ruhondo, there are twin Lakes, Burera is on the top of the hill, the water falls to the lower lake making HEP.  It's very pretty, lots of storks around which made me nostalgic thinking of Latimer and Lacey who live opposite the Bombeiros in Messines.  We took a boat across to a resort on an island, of course I couldn't get out of the boat, Eric insisted on lifting me which was both foolish and brave!  So a pleasant couple of hours just chilling and talking. 

Then I decided it would be nice to have lunch at the 5 Volcanoes again as I may not return this way anytime soon.  A delicious char grilled fillet steak, absolutely perfect with a glass of red.

Then back to the community and  the first of the farewells!  I hate leaving and saying goodbye, especially when I don't know if we shall meet again. And today ,  Sunday, I'm packing in a logical manner as far as possible.  I return to Kigali on Tuesday to a community house where I've not been before,.  Wednesday Marilyn and I shall go shopping, then Thursday early go to Akagera, return Sat and I shall go straight to Marcie's house so I can go to the 8.30 English service on Palm Sunday at the cathedral.

I´m leading a Seder for Christians on Maundy Thursday evening so will be busy sourcing and cooking the items needed.  Thankfully I have the order of service prepared and Apollo is  printing the booklets.

Apparently the postulants want us to have a farewell do this evening, so it will be alcohol, singing and dancing.  I taught them Jubilate everybody this week which they enjoy,  But you should see them enthusiastically sing and dance to If I was a butterfly.  I was a little concerned about the fuzzy wuzzy bear with fuzzy wuzzy hair, but they haven't taken offence.

We had a splendid party, the students had written special speeches in English, and songs such as 'Byee byee teacher'  and of course we had to dance and they gave me a very nice outfit made of local fabric.

The youngsters then performed a sketch based on my teaching, it was very funny and  Clarisse who played my part had me down to a T.

It's now Tuesday 4th.  Yesterday was easy, I showed both classes the film of Paddington, I had prepared them as much as possible without spoiling the story. Everyone enjoyed it, and Sr Godlive who doesn't usually come to English lessons joined us.

So frustrations with the electricity, which is off again today, also frustrations because the vehicle to take me to Kigali hasn't arrived yet,  They were going to leave Masaka at 7.30 but were still there at 9!   And farewells when I do leave this afternoon, tears all round I expect....along with the farewell song and drumming.

More than just a friend!

I was going to give an idea of the life of postulants and sisters here, but I had such a lovely weekend that I thought I'd write about it whilst it's still fresh in my mind.

Eric, the tour guide come driver collected me before 10, it was umuganda but as he is a licenced tour operator he has a permit allowing him on the road before midday. And we were only stopped by the police twice.
Once again I stayed at the Gorillas and given access to my room immediately, a little too quickly as no towels.....but this time I checked before getting into the shower.  So plugged in everything, not that there are many decent programs on the BBC at present,  then hit the hot water.

In the afternoon I met a young man who's here for 3 months doing voluntary work.  His mum is a friend of Nancy who is a friend and frequent visitor of Lyn and David.  We spent a very pleasant couple of hours talking about all manner of things.  He then went off to meet Bishop Sam, they were going to Skype an elderly gentleman in the UK, from Alastair's family, apparently Sam was a houseboy for this gentleman many, many years ago.
Alastair told the Bishop that he'd been with me so then I had message saying he hoped to see me in church the next morning.  I had planned a lie in.......but there we are, if the bishop 

expects then that's it!

Anyway, I then went shopping and managed to press all the wrong buttons at the ATM, a very nice man helped out in the end, I am afraid there was a very long queue of folk wanting to draw money.


I tried to do some work but there's no direct lighting in the hotel room so I gave up and went for an early dinner which was tasty, and a mango icecream.  I didn't get the icecream last visit.  I'd been awake since 1.30am so was tired and went to bed very early.

Which meant of course that i woke early!  So no excuse to not go to morning service which would begin at 8am.  I decided to walk to the cathedral as it was a nice morning, it took 20 minutes and I got there just as the service was beginning.  It was so nice having an Anglican service and in English....but the shortest sermon I've ever heard in Rwanda!  Barely 10 minutes, not that I'm complaining.

St John the Baptist, Cathedral  

You can just spot +Sam as goes back for the next service.

When I returned to the hotel Eric was ready and waiting so I checked out and off we went.  we had such a nice time, drove around the foothills of the volcanoes, passing a number of new lodges which look rather pricey and include spas etc.  We went to a cultural village which is self supporting and run by the people who were previously poachers, killing everything for 'bush meat' and to sell...killing mother gorillas and selling the babies for $2000 each!   Now they guide visitors through the culture of Rwanda and their wives grow 
the crops which they both eat and sell .

Challenged by warriors at the entrance....not very ferocious we were all laughing too much!

We spent a couple of hours there, I can wholeheartedly recommend a visit.  Eric and I had to participate in most of the activities, and with the onsite guide whose English was perfect we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and laughed a lot with the reformed poachers who now teach conservation.

Instruction on Bow and arrow to kill, no animals were harmed during this activity.  The little 

guy is a member of the Batwa people who supported themselves by hunting and making pots!  They are short in stature but not as small as the 'pygmies' of Congo.  

I  was made to try everything much to the delight and amusement of all present!

Here I'm grinding sorghum into flour which will have a number of uses including making sorghum beer.

The two most important people in Rwanda were the king and the queen mother.

The traditional huts are rental accommodation.  Really nice inside.

Next up, the drummers, apparently the guys thought I was quite good!

The warriors dance.  

Their sisal head-dresses representing the lion manes

 they wore in times of yore

I'm sparing you the pic of me being made to take part in the villagers' dance

After that we drove around another area, the countryside is so pretty and it was a blissfully sunny warm day.  At Kinigi a small village, which is where Eric grew up and his mother still lives, we stopped to pay her a visit, she hugged me so many times!  I 'm not sure who Eric had told her I was.

I was thirsty by this time so suggested a stop for lunch, We went to the most delightful place; 5 Volcanoes Boutique Hotel, it was perfect.  The dining area upstairs on the level of tree tops.  There are a number of rooms, I would love to stay there but it is expensive, there's a pool and sun bed area.  Lunch was tilapia cooked in a mushroom sauce, and perfectly cooked basmati rice and little veg, I had a lovely glass  of Sauvignon blanc.  All delicious.

View from Bar / Restaurant at 5 Volcanoes.

Then of course it was time to return to Busasamana, a shame to end such a lovely day.  I have to say that Eric and I  get on really well and discuss all manner of things, and laugh a lot.  Probably because I am so happy to be talking English with someone who is fluent also. Eric said he felt we were more than friends, hence the title of this post.  

Rosamond Carr: a very special lady.

I have to tell you a bit about Roz Carr, you can read more about her in her book, Land of a Thousand Hills: my life in Rwanda.  Roz was an amazing lady, she came to first Congo and then Rwanda in 1949 and lived most of her life, quite a bit of it alone,  managing a large pyrethrum plantation not too far from Busasamana.  In fact she was here over 50  years, living through the turmoils of independence, becoming a republic, the early genocides and possible that same year returned to her home, which had been virtually destroyed and realized the need for an orphanage which she swiftly arranged, using the old pyrethrum drying building as a dormitory.  In 1998, when insurgents from Congo were too close for comfort, Ros, her staff and the children moved into Gisenyi for safety.  Ros returned to her home in 2005 and died in 2006 aged 94, she is buried in the garden.  Ros was a friend of Dian Fossey and featured in the film Gorillas in the Mist part of which was filmed on site.
I recommend her book, it is available on Kindle.

Anyway, I took a day out yesterday and went to visit Ros' home which now retains the name of the orphanage and welcomes visitors as a means of keeping the foundation going.

This was the pyrethrum flowers drying shed,  After the genocide the building was repaired and turned into a domitory for the orphans whom Roz cared for.  This is David who, as a small boy used to visit Roz with the other local children and worked with her at the orphanage.  He now takes people around the grounds.

Roz's charming house

View of the garden from the terrace

The old pots were made by the Batwa people who are known for their pottery, they are hunter gatherers and live in the forests. When I was at school they were called 'pygmies' although not as small as those in Congo. They were a very small percentage of the population here, and I think nowadays are included as Rwandese.

This is Eric my driver / tour guide.  I had to take pics for his website.  He'is an excellent guide and has all the essential qualifications and very good English.

According to David, this view of the Hydrangea bordered path was featured in the film Gorillas in the Mist.

During the years Roz lived here people would come for tea on Sunday afternoons and the local chidren would dance the tradional dances.    These dances still occur on the last Sunday of each month.  You have to make a reservation though.

When the market price for pyrethrum fell Roz ploughed up the plantation and began growing flowers to sell to the embassies and hotels.  Many flowers and vegetables are still grown here for that purpose.  The pic is of a good crop of artichokes.

We then drove to Gisenyi as I needed to sort my wifi out yet again.  Then Eric managed to lock the keys in the car!  But chaps from the market came to the rescue with a bent coat hanger of course.

Then we went to a great bar on Lake Kivu, it was a splendid place to spend a few hours, I really felt as though I was on holiday.  Cold Primus, grilled tilapia, music blaring forth, families out for the day, youngsters swimming.

Off to Gisenyi this weekend for the hot water and pleasant facilities.  If I don´t go anywhere at the weekends the time really drags.

Another suitcase, another hall...to borrow words from Sir Tim Rice.

Yes, another bag packed and off I went for a jolly weekend.  I had another driver, Eric, a young tour guide, very knowledgeable and entertaining.   He took me to Musanze, previously called Ruhengeri, and both names are used on different signs so it gets a bit confusing.  Anyway, en-route to the hotel we went to MTN for some internet cards then to a supermarket.....well, a mini mini mini market, with very nice people and I stocked up with biscuits, coffee and coffee mate.  Then to an ATM for cash and to Tigo for their internet cards.

Eric the driver.

Arrived at the hotel, I don't think it's tourist season as I was shown immediately to my room , and of course plugged ipads in and started downloading.  I can't access iplayer anymore on the computer and I think it will be no go on the ipad in April.
It was lovely sunny and warm so out to sit by the pool for lunch, 3 tomatoes stuffed with shrimp in seafood sauce and of course some fries and a Primus.  Very nice.  Met an interesting NGO couple from Canada and we spent a very pleasant afternoon.

Later a soak in hot water and hairwash......oh dear only a tiny towel in the bathroom.  No answer when calling reception so I donned necessary clothing to preserve dignity and walked to reception, of course the chap was watching TV in the dining room.  It was amusing really as I´d had the students calling room service for towels and the like the day before.

A nice dinner and managed to Face Time Sarah, the first time this trip as the wifi is so poor.

Sunday, to the consecration service which my FB friends will have seen lasted 5 hours!  Much singing and dancing naturally, a half hour address from the Prime Minister, actually with a Christian message.  Other government ministers were also present.  Besides Archbishop Rwaje who would of course consecrate Sam, retired Archbishop Kolini was present and +John, the retired bishop of Shyira Diocese.  All 10 other bishops of Rwanda, 2 bishops from Uganda and 2 RC bishops....it was very colourful.  For the first part of the service Sam was dressed in his purple shirt and long white cassock, then after the consecration he was taken away by Bishops Louis and Emmanuel to be duly returned in full bishop's gear.  And then presented with his pectoral cross and hat. Quite strange headgear here, some with pompoms some without.  Sam's wife Jacky was very much included in the service, neeling before the Archbishop with Sam.  Their 3 young daughters sat as good as gold for the 5 hours.   At the end Sam and Jackie were presented with a car, loads of furniture and a lot of stuff for the kitchen....there is a new house, Bishop´s Lodge also.
A visiting C of E Bishop was in attendance, his wife was astonished at the gifts.....as was I.

L~R    Archbishop Rwaje, Sam, Jacky

Archbishop with Bishop Sam

St.Etienne Cathedral, (Kigali) Choir

Mothers Union members delivering the furniture.

So managed to meet up with a load of friends and have a natter, then back to Busasamana to another 24 hour electricity outage, (hate that word).

I guess that's probably sufficient for this post, now to upload some pics.  Nice to see my followers have increased.....how about some comments!



Oh, the volcano is very active this week, chucking red lava at the heavens with much abandonment.

News Flash......chilblains on the equator

Honestly, who would expect to get chilblains when virtually living on the Equator.  OK my feet were cold a couple of evening when going for dinner, but I ditched the sock with sandal scenario and went sock free.....

It is still raining....every day, if you doubt the veracity of this just google weather for Gisenyi and Musanze and work the average.  How any crops come to fruition beats me, it´s certainly not due to sunshine.

Anyway, a little addition to the last post, I discovered that the road by Lake Kivu is closed to traffic for 2 hours from 6am to 8am on Sunday morning allowing the keep fit mob to train without being run over.

I went to Mass this morning, nowhere near as lively as the congregation at Kanyinya, after the Ash Wednesday service at 6am this Wednesday....yes 6am!!!  I think I´ll just attend the service here at the community when the priest comes.

At meals on Sundays the postulants join the sisters, as it´s weekend there is alcohol served also.  Senior sister offered a glass of wine, strange bottle I thought, on inspection saw it was Cognac....no, even I cannot drink that with lunch!

So, the last day of February and 5 weeks today I leave Busasamana for Kigali, have I told you lately that I'm really looking forward to returning there.  We have a week without lessons so that we can confer about what we've taught and the level the students are now at.  So we're taking the opportunity to go to Akagera National Park for a couple of nights.  Peter Safari once again the driver.
I am also looking forward to shopping in  Nakunatt, how sad is that.

  Yesterday I walked into Gasiza the local village to get printing done and some money  put on the internet gadget, I went to one of the village shops for a couple of things surrounded by interested onlookers.  I know the lady charged me too much, but what can you do!   Pennies to me are riches to the locals.
Then it started to rain with a vengeance, and hail!  The printer folk wouldn't let me leave, eventually I donned raincoat, unfurled umbrella and set forth, well I am British!  All was ok at first but I hadn´t allowed for the torrents of water flooding the road in several parts.....very wet feet in trainers.

Gasiza

The first shop is the printing emporium, the second is the phone shop and the guy who puts money on the internet access for me.

One of the postulants asked me last week what was the difference between being single and being celibate.  Oh help I thought, not the sex talk needed.  No they all knew about sex.
I told Marilyn who then told her unmarried forty something son who said the answer was 'bliss and misery'!

I had the bright idea of using origami frogs to teach a point.  Spent most of the weekend endeavouring to construct without success so resorted to making a windmill, and I have to say everyone enjoyed making those.  And saved me a headache.

Everyday for breakfast we have a roll with avocado, sometimes recently accompanied by roasted, salted peanuts!  i wonder if the Michelin *** chefs have tried this combo.  The crunch is nice and the salt but it does make me thirsty.
Another staple is cabbage, they grow marvellous cabbages here, I eat a lot, cooked and uncooked, I shall take on a green hue soon I suspect.

All the produce is carried on bicycles from a co-operative patch of ground to a pick up point.  Some of the very large sacks of carrots and potatoes weigh between 200 and 400 kilos.

The young Parish Priest stayed for breakfast after Mass Tuesday, we had omelette, a treat for Pancake Day.  The sisters 'twinkled' at the company! Apparently we shall have beer and dancing this evening to set us up for Lent.  I might even get my postulant choir to sing Old McDonald has a farm which they enjoy, we're usually laughing so much by the end that we can't get the moos in tune.

I'm including a pic of my somewhat dippy bed, it is surprisingly comfortable though.

I'm off to Musanze (previously Ruhengeri) on Saturday for a night at another Gorillas hotel, much needed hot water etc.  A service of consecration for Bishop Sam Sunday morning.  It will be so good to be an Anglican again.