weekend in Butare

At the weekend we made it out of Kigali and to Butare (Huye) the second largest city. Against all embassy staff advice and dire warnings we took a luxury minibus (1300 Rwf pp) for the 2 and half hour journey. The bus was pleasant, and contrary to popular belief the driver wasn't a lunatic, as he also wanted to arrive home safely...the scenery was amazing, and the opportunity we had to look into peoples lives from the road was great.

We arrived just after dark, and didn't do much other than check into a motel and have a few beers and dinner. Saturday was Umuganda (community clean up) so the streets were deserted. This gave us the once in a lifetime chance to walk round and take photos of shops at will. This only took up the first hour after breakfast, and we spent a good couple of hours sitting at a cafe in the shade watching the world go by (the part of the world not taking part in Umuganda).

(Bored muzungu)

Then at 12.00 coffee was back on the menu, so we had a coffee, walked round a bit more, had lunch, and then had to get the 15.00 bus, so as not to be driving in the dark. In order to get the 15.00 bus, you buy a ticket before 14.00, then at around 14.30 go to the bus stop and sit down if the bus is there as you need to get a (good) seat. The bus then went to the getting on stop (we got on at the getting off stop - along with a few others) waited for people to get on, then drove back to the getting off stop where people then got back off, and sat down in different seats.....it was very confusing.

We'll go back again when we have our own transport and actually do something like visiting the national museum...another day

Ghost town!















Advertising
















































Transport

Telecoms


Market