to one and all
off to bed now
Lon Zomer and Hazel O'Dea - their life abroad
Wednesday 31 December 2008
Tuesday 30 December 2008
Young @ heart
Yesterday we went to our neighbours, the Swiss consul and his wife. They invited us round for a film. As we knew Thum can cook nice thai food and will allways make snacks for this kind of event, it couldn't go wrong. The film turned out to be brilliant. He got it on DVD from the US and it is currently playing in european cinemas. So about ten of us set in their reshuffled living room, facing the white wall. The film is more of a documentary. It is about a group of old people singing in a chorus. This doesn't sound interesting, but it is. These oldies, average age of 80, sing moderns songs in their own style. Imagine your grandma singing a Clash song or Sonic Youth. For those who don't know these names: loud punk music. But the film is also about the characters. This is these peoples live; one man didn't come to rehearsals one day, the next day he came and told he was in hospital, but he came as soon as he could. Three of them car pooled, the one that could see properly drove (slowly). During the filming two of them died, almost on stage, but the group kept going. They are just unstoppable.
It is not the storyline, but the characters that make this film brilliant. They are more alive than many teenagers. They even made a prison audience quiet and tearful.
A must see, if not the film their tour.
Here is a link
www.youngatheartchorus.com
It is not the storyline, but the characters that make this film brilliant. They are more alive than many teenagers. They even made a prison audience quiet and tearful.
A must see, if not the film their tour.
Here is a link
www.youngatheartchorus.com
Sunday 28 December 2008
Happy Christmas
Nothing very much exiting to report.
Christmas brought us several new cd's and dvd's and for Hazel some books on painting.
We had a lovely dinner, potatoes, duckbreast, gravy, and carrot and beans. Hazel made some mince pies for herself and apple pies for me. Boxing day we stayed at home as well, playing Jenga and generally not doing much though we saw all of heroes second series.
By the third day of Christmas we were very confused as what day it was. Saturday. So we left the house for a pizabun for lunch we invited a colleague for our Conimex (indonesian pre-mix) dinner. So now it's Sunday and we are relaxing after a busy few days doing nothing. Fortunately next weekend is 4 days long again, I could get used to this.
Friends of ours are taking these four days to drive to Mwanza, spend a day in Serengeti and drive back. In exchange for a full report on driving times etcetera we have to feed their cat and dog. The dog behaves more like a cat, rolling on her back asking for attention. The cat looks a lot like our Neville, only female. Maybe because she is female, she is softer and easier to pick up and stroke. A perfect cat, I wonder if we swop her for Neville if they would notice (thats my evil genius side speaking).
No big plans for new years except a party at English friends. A lot of Dutch will be experiencing the change of year at a colleague's house.
Christmas brought us several new cd's and dvd's and for Hazel some books on painting.
We had a lovely dinner, potatoes, duckbreast, gravy, and carrot and beans. Hazel made some mince pies for herself and apple pies for me. Boxing day we stayed at home as well, playing Jenga and generally not doing much though we saw all of heroes second series.
By the third day of Christmas we were very confused as what day it was. Saturday. So we left the house for a pizabun for lunch we invited a colleague for our Conimex (indonesian pre-mix) dinner. So now it's Sunday and we are relaxing after a busy few days doing nothing. Fortunately next weekend is 4 days long again, I could get used to this.
Friends of ours are taking these four days to drive to Mwanza, spend a day in Serengeti and drive back. In exchange for a full report on driving times etcetera we have to feed their cat and dog. The dog behaves more like a cat, rolling on her back asking for attention. The cat looks a lot like our Neville, only female. Maybe because she is female, she is softer and easier to pick up and stroke. A perfect cat, I wonder if we swop her for Neville if they would notice (thats my evil genius side speaking).
No big plans for new years except a party at English friends. A lot of Dutch will be experiencing the change of year at a colleague's house.
Wednesday 17 December 2008
Small things
It is the small things that make you laugh.
We heard this (old) song on the radio this morning on the way to work.
Pygmy_Divorce
We heard this (old) song on the radio this morning on the way to work.
Pygmy_Divorce
baking day
partly because it is the season, and partly for bookclub today has been a baking kind of day
I made some dutch spice cookies - a bit like speculaas but using cookie cutter shapes instead of the traditional moulds which of course I don't have
they made the whole house smell heavenly - all spicy and cinnamony
three cheers for imports from Kenya, I have been able to make my traditional mince pies (ready made pastry and a jar!)
I made some dutch spice cookies - a bit like speculaas but using cookie cutter shapes instead of the traditional moulds which of course I don't have
they made the whole house smell heavenly - all spicy and cinnamony
three cheers for imports from Kenya, I have been able to make my traditional mince pies (ready made pastry and a jar!)
Tuesday 9 December 2008
Sunday 30 November 2008
More expo
The expo was good for Hazel to do some shopping. I liked the machines more, my dad would have loved it.
The simplest thing was a fire free cooker; basically a basket lined with duvet. You bring your pot to the boil and then put it in there and it keeps cooking.
The handmade ovens were also impressive.
look also at www.technologycentre.go.ke
Another instrument was a stone-crusher, not sure why. You give a wheel with fly-wheel a push and keep going while you put a stone in and crumbs come out the bottom.
To most useful thing was a brickmaker. In this machine you put your dirt and with a huge lever you compress it to a brick.
See also www.makiga.com
This brick is kind of Lego shaped, this means you can build a whole building without using mortar. A second one does the same, only it makes slightly round stones, specially useful for making watertanks.
The simplest thing was a fire free cooker; basically a basket lined with duvet. You bring your pot to the boil and then put it in there and it keeps cooking.
The handmade ovens were also impressive.
look also at www.technologycentre.go.ke
Another instrument was a stone-crusher, not sure why. You give a wheel with fly-wheel a push and keep going while you put a stone in and crumbs come out the bottom.
To most useful thing was a brickmaker. In this machine you put your dirt and with a huge lever you compress it to a brick.
See also www.makiga.comThis brick is kind of Lego shaped, this means you can build a whole building without using mortar. A second one does the same, only it makes slightly round stones, specially useful for making watertanks.
Expo
We saw some signs for another east african expo in town and went to investigate
a steaming cup of tea....
Barack Obama cloth
a beekeeping outfit
part of the sexual information stand
a steaming cup of tea....
Barack Obama cloth
a beekeeping outfit
part of the sexual information stand
Saturday 29 November 2008
One more visitor
Our minister of development aid visited Rwanda this week. He visited visited the north, south and Kigali. Something a normal person would cost at least a week, but with the aid of a helicopter and the organisational skills of our secretary he did it in two days.
Of course a visitor brings presents, so the minister could promise some money we actually already commited to as an embassy.
The minister was briefed on what to say, but we were not sure how he would say it and what the reaction of the Rwandan government would be. Because of the situation with the germans we hope this will not extend to other EU countries. The situation is still a little bit tense, but things seem to going back to normal.
Of course a visitor brings presents, so the minister could promise some money we actually already commited to as an embassy.
The minister was briefed on what to say, but we were not sure how he would say it and what the reaction of the Rwandan government would be. Because of the situation with the germans we hope this will not extend to other EU countries. The situation is still a little bit tense, but things seem to going back to normal.
Visitors
The visitors left again, I believe they had a good time. It was a busy programme: Butare, Kibuye, Akagera and the handicapped childrens house, all within 11 days. Luckily they did not notice anything from the protests, they were in Akagera. They even saw the elephant which was hiding in the grass. Of course they also saw the more obvious animals.
As it was the first time in Africa for my uncle and aunt, they a lot to take in. We tried to explain that Rwanda is Africa for beginners. You can read or watch a lot about Africa, but you really have to see it. Rwanda is lacking the roadside cafes, music stalls and streetvendors. We do sometimes miss those sounds and smells.
At the german embassy there is still a small hut with some protestors and a bit of road is closed of guarded by a police man.
Wednesday 19 November 2008
Links to demonstration info
Demonstration - chez nous
One of the streams of demonstrators has just passed our door / gate on the way to the nearby German embassy.
I think the differences between the crowd with / without music / tv cameras was quite marked.
with camera crew
without - and this was a busy period - I forgot to video when it was quiet
I know only the dancing/singing/placard group will make the tv, and not the majority of demonstrators who were ambling down the road and chatting.
How it proceeds remains to be seen.
Photos/videos made from the upstairs terrace and the guards room
I think the differences between the crowd with / without music / tv cameras was quite marked.
with camera crew
without - and this was a busy period - I forgot to video when it was quiet
I know only the dancing/singing/placard group will make the tv, and not the majority of demonstrators who were ambling down the road and chatting.
How it proceeds remains to be seen.
Photos/videos made from the upstairs terrace and the guards room
Saturday 15 November 2008
Troubled times
Rwanda has been in the global news quite a lot recently I know - since it's not usually anywhere near the media radar.
The situation with the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo - formerly Zaire) is complicated.
Luckily the BBC have provided a clear overview of the situation see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3075537.stm
in Kigali we have not noticed many differences, last weekend we saw more NGO vehicles in town, as they came down from Gisenyi (for the geographically challenged Gisenyi is just over the border from Goma in DRC where the fighting is currently centred).
How this will situation will be handled by the international community in the face of the global economic crisis remains to be seen.
The situation with the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo - formerly Zaire) is complicated.
Luckily the BBC have provided a clear overview of the situation see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3075537.stm
in Kigali we have not noticed many differences, last weekend we saw more NGO vehicles in town, as they came down from Gisenyi (for the geographically challenged Gisenyi is just over the border from Goma in DRC where the fighting is currently centred).
How this will situation will be handled by the international community in the face of the global economic crisis remains to be seen.
Excitement
We are happy that we are still here.
According to Germany Rose was not on an official business and therefore according to international rights they had to arrest here to deliver to France.
Monday there was a demonstration (the second since 1994) at the German embassy, close to our house. The protest went on towards the 'Deutsche Welle', the German world service radio station.
Hazel's comment - Here on the ground in Kigali, I got caught up in Mondays anti German demonstrations, but having worked on the Plein in the Hague for so many years it wasn't really very impressive despite looking so in the news. For those who missed the news - see the Rwandan News Agency
Tuesday some smaller demonstrations took place near the EU office, but also past the American and Dutch embassies amongst others.
Hazel's comment - Here on the ground in Kigali, I got caught up in Mondays anti German demonstrations, but having worked on the Plein in the Hague for so many years it wasn't really very impressive despite looking so in the news. For those who missed the news - see the Rwandan News Agency
Tuesday some smaller demonstrations took place near the EU office, but also past the American and Dutch embassies amongst others.
During Tuesday it also became clear that the German ambassador was sent home. But just the ambassador and his family not the rest of the embassy.
So when we picked up my parents and uncle and aunt from the airport Tuesday night we had to warn them that there is a possibility they had to leave on the next plane. Fortunately this didn't happen. Hopefully the Rwandan government knows they need the aid from Germany, The UK, Belgium and The Netherlands specifically.
Saturday 8 November 2008
Saturday 1 November 2008
Monkey
we just had a monkey in the garden!
Dobby was far braver than Nev at trying to chase him away.
Blimey! We really do live in Africa.
P.s. poor photos as on wrong setting in all the excitement.
Congo
Just an update of the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), what's in a name.
I don't know what reaches the press abroad, but here we get daily updates of the situation in east DRC bordering Rwanda.
It has always been bad in eastern DRC since the war in 1994. The two provinces bordering Rwanda are south and north Kivu. South Kivu borders also Burundi and North Kivu also borders Uganda. In South Kivu there are rebels that are closely linked with Burundian rebels, this is a problem but seems to be at a stable level, and also Rwanda doesn't seem to intervene or have an problems because of it. In North Kivu the main rebel group is that of Nkunda a tutsi ex army lieutenant or general (I don't even know the difference). He says he is fighting for the tutsi's in DRC who are still suffering oppression. Rumours are that Rwanda is aiding him in all sorts of ways, but this is hard to prove.
Recently the conflict between Nkunda and the DRC army has escalated, it looks like most of the area is in control of Nkunda, except Goma the province capital. In Goma is a high presence of UN (MONUC) and are a lot of NGO's (red cross, doctors without borders...) situated. Goma is right next to the border, at the other side of the border in Rwanda is Gisenyi, both at the shores of lake Kivu.
The latest reports are that the DRC army was looting in Goma, even killing some people. Many Congolese flee over the border to spend the night in Gisenyi. A lot of NGO's decided to withdraw from DRC and move to Gisenyi. The UK and Dutch embassies have advised not to go to Gisenyi and hotels are not accepting reservations.
The international community is worried about the situation, more so because nobody seems to know an answer to the problems. However nobody seems to be worried that the problems will spread towards the rest of Rwanda. Rwanda is very cautious not to intervere, because of international pressure, and Nkunda has nothing to gain by going into Rwanda.
Nkunda offered an aid corridor, this looks kind, but this is most likely because he depends on the people for his own food supply.
In short, we are not worried, but we avoid going to the north-west of Rwanda.
I don't know what reaches the press abroad, but here we get daily updates of the situation in east DRC bordering Rwanda.
It has always been bad in eastern DRC since the war in 1994. The two provinces bordering Rwanda are south and north Kivu. South Kivu borders also Burundi and North Kivu also borders Uganda. In South Kivu there are rebels that are closely linked with Burundian rebels, this is a problem but seems to be at a stable level, and also Rwanda doesn't seem to intervene or have an problems because of it. In North Kivu the main rebel group is that of Nkunda a tutsi ex army lieutenant or general (I don't even know the difference). He says he is fighting for the tutsi's in DRC who are still suffering oppression. Rumours are that Rwanda is aiding him in all sorts of ways, but this is hard to prove.
Recently the conflict between Nkunda and the DRC army has escalated, it looks like most of the area is in control of Nkunda, except Goma the province capital. In Goma is a high presence of UN (MONUC) and are a lot of NGO's (red cross, doctors without borders...) situated. Goma is right next to the border, at the other side of the border in Rwanda is Gisenyi, both at the shores of lake Kivu.
The latest reports are that the DRC army was looting in Goma, even killing some people. Many Congolese flee over the border to spend the night in Gisenyi. A lot of NGO's decided to withdraw from DRC and move to Gisenyi. The UK and Dutch embassies have advised not to go to Gisenyi and hotels are not accepting reservations.
The international community is worried about the situation, more so because nobody seems to know an answer to the problems. However nobody seems to be worried that the problems will spread towards the rest of Rwanda. Rwanda is very cautious not to intervere, because of international pressure, and Nkunda has nothing to gain by going into Rwanda.
Nkunda offered an aid corridor, this looks kind, but this is most likely because he depends on the people for his own food supply.
In short, we are not worried, but we avoid going to the north-west of Rwanda.
Time
Time is a mysterious thing.
Most people who read this might have noticed that they had to change the clocks. We didn't.
Sunlight savingtime or whatever you call it in English (zomertijd) has ended for at least the UK and the Netherlands. As we are heading towards summer our clock should have gone the other way. However Rwanda has decided not to do strange and difficult things like that. 1. It would confuse people, the sun rises around 6 AM and sets around 6 PM, why change it. 2. It would make the time differences with other countries more confusing. A quick look on the net shows that most African countries are not bothering with 'summertime', with a few exceptions.
countries with changing time.
Anyway. We are now two hours ahead of the UK and one hour ahead of The Netherlands.
This means 6 o'clock here is 4 in the UK and 5 in The Netherlands. Just so you know.
Most people who read this might have noticed that they had to change the clocks. We didn't.
Sunlight savingtime or whatever you call it in English (zomertijd) has ended for at least the UK and the Netherlands. As we are heading towards summer our clock should have gone the other way. However Rwanda has decided not to do strange and difficult things like that. 1. It would confuse people, the sun rises around 6 AM and sets around 6 PM, why change it. 2. It would make the time differences with other countries more confusing. A quick look on the net shows that most African countries are not bothering with 'summertime', with a few exceptions.
countries with changing time.
Anyway. We are now two hours ahead of the UK and one hour ahead of The Netherlands.
This means 6 o'clock here is 4 in the UK and 5 in The Netherlands. Just so you know.
Thursday 30 October 2008
Gede ruins
We got up early on Sunday morning to visit the ruins at Gede - an old muslim Swahili town which had been famed along the coast. Our guide spoke rapid english and punctuated sentences with "are you follow me" to check if we were keeping up, and spoke of the secretans in the tombs (three tombs in I realised he meant skeletons). All in all its an interesting place / palace and the various methods they used for sanitation in terms of clean and dirty water were ingenious.
Although it was interesting the highlight for me were the baobobs.
For details of the site see Kenyan National Museum Site
We also visited the museum attached - where I was impressed by craftsmanship of the door!
Desert rose
Although it was interesting the highlight for me were the baobobs.
For details of the site see Kenyan National Museum Site
We also visited the museum attached - where I was impressed by craftsmanship of the door!
Desert rose
Watamu - Marijani
This is our hotel / resort the Marijani.
We were the only guests - I don't know if this was a good or a bad thing. They still forgot to clean our room. Twice.
But at 20 euro a night we were comfortable (when the electricity was on - and thus the fan otherwise sweaty) - it wasn't luxurious - and made us feel almost like travellers again.
Our balcony sitting area / kitchenette where we spent a lot of time hanging out
This is Ugly - our resident cat. I'm sure he has another name, but we renamed him anyway - I don't think I've ever seen such a badly proportioned cat. Ever. - I think his mother was friendly with a hyena. Anyway - he was a noisy vocal cat that came every mealtime and rummaged in the bin and nicked an unattended cheese sandwich from the table. Marijani was home to some 11 cats, 5 parrots and 2 dogs (none fed enough or given enough attention to my mind). Watamu is home to many hundreds of cats - all undernourished and mangy looking
this is Scary our resident spider in the tree outside. HUGE. and scary
We were the only guests - I don't know if this was a good or a bad thing. They still forgot to clean our room. Twice.
But at 20 euro a night we were comfortable (when the electricity was on - and thus the fan otherwise sweaty) - it wasn't luxurious - and made us feel almost like travellers again.
Our balcony sitting area / kitchenette where we spent a lot of time hanging out
This is Ugly - our resident cat. I'm sure he has another name, but we renamed him anyway - I don't think I've ever seen such a badly proportioned cat. Ever. - I think his mother was friendly with a hyena. Anyway - he was a noisy vocal cat that came every mealtime and rummaged in the bin and nicked an unattended cheese sandwich from the table. Marijani was home to some 11 cats, 5 parrots and 2 dogs (none fed enough or given enough attention to my mind). Watamu is home to many hundreds of cats - all undernourished and mangy looking
this is Scary our resident spider in the tree outside. HUGE. and scary
Watamu - food and the village
Watamu is essentially still a fishing village at heart, with some hotels built around (and more in the offing) - we felt very much at ease and safe, and enjoyed the exchanges of jambo, habari? Mzuri (swahili for" hello how are you - I am fine") or ciao with people.
Rwanda still feels cold (not just temperature) in comparison - there are goats grazing freely, women on corners frying fish, or manzani (doughnut /oliebol type things - but with cardamom flavoured sugar), kids playing in the street etc, as well as music playing in the shops and from peoples houses.
Mama Lucy's supermarket - a well stocked oasis of Kenyan and imported produce.
Roasters was where we ended up taking a lot of our meals - fish curry with rice, fish masala with chapatti etc reasonably priced, and reasonably fast.
This is the Banda cafe taken from the terrace of the Jambo pub. The Jambo was a great place to have a Tusker or two as the sun went down (and not bad dinner either), however the Banda was a new and pretty interesting place to go. We had an incredible dinner of octopus stew (swahili spicing) with chapattis, soft drinks and african spice coffee for the princely sum of two euros.
Street food!! these are batter dipped potato slices which you buy per piece (1 shilling = 1 eurocent) and sprinkle with chilli salt, and can squeeze with lime - served either in a newspaper twist or a plastic bag depending on who you buy from. They are gooood.....
Rwanda still feels cold (not just temperature) in comparison - there are goats grazing freely, women on corners frying fish, or manzani (doughnut /oliebol type things - but with cardamom flavoured sugar), kids playing in the street etc, as well as music playing in the shops and from peoples houses.
Mama Lucy's supermarket - a well stocked oasis of Kenyan and imported produce.
Roasters was where we ended up taking a lot of our meals - fish curry with rice, fish masala with chapatti etc reasonably priced, and reasonably fast.
This is the Banda cafe taken from the terrace of the Jambo pub. The Jambo was a great place to have a Tusker or two as the sun went down (and not bad dinner either), however the Banda was a new and pretty interesting place to go. We had an incredible dinner of octopus stew (swahili spicing) with chapattis, soft drinks and african spice coffee for the princely sum of two euros.
Street food!! these are batter dipped potato slices which you buy per piece (1 shilling = 1 eurocent) and sprinkle with chilli salt, and can squeeze with lime - served either in a newspaper twist or a plastic bag depending on who you buy from. They are gooood.....
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