Wedding invitation

We were finally lucky enough to get invited for a rwandan wedding.

The only thing is: we don't know these people.

I got the invitation at work adressed to fam. Lon Zoner. I suspect it is a man I met once, because he wanted a large extention of a development programme.

So I don't think we will go, even more because it will be a large unpersonal wedding judging by the location: a big tent on the expo field. I have been told at such accasion it is customary to bring money, not unlike elsewhere on the world. In this case it would be around 30 GBP = 20 Euro. (yes, the pound is almost equal to the Euro)

We do apriciate the thought and the lovely card, NICE.

Say cheese

You might know La vache qui rit, the famous french fake sandwich cheese. Well, this 'laughing cow' (translation) is for sale here, but as it's imported, relatively expansive.

The solution is simple, we buy the 'nouvelle vache' (new cow) at half the price, and I can't tell the difference.

Recently we found a new product as in the photo: 'sporty cow'. Personally I like the name, unfortunately its taste is slightly worse, but it is also slightly cheaper. This sporty cow comes from Saudie or thereabout, judging by its packaging, and now a lot comes from there.

So we are spoilt for choice, I think we stick with our nouvelle cow, no unneeded import and nice taste.

This just shows the level of excitement we get.

New phone number

Rwanda has to be more international and therefore deemed it necessary to change the phone numbers.

So our numbers are now:
Lon +250 788642454
Hazel +250 783073024
Or when you are in Rwanda 0788642454/0783073024

And for us calling abroad we now have to add three 0's. e.g. 00044 for UK and 00031 for NL.

The fixed lines have not changed yet, but I expect it won't be long. Hardly anyone uses these anyway, just businesses and of course the Embassy.

Just so you know.

School outing

I went with the Embassystaff on a schooltrip. We went in a small bus, about 25 of us, to Gisenyi. Gisenyi is about 2,5 hours drive in a car, 3 in a bus.

A day before we went we got the news that Rwanda has sent troops to Congo. Gisenyi is a bordertown, seperated from Goma just by a gate. So fingers crossed.

After lunch we went to the Braliwra brewery. Bralirwa is 70% Heineken en 30% government owned. It was an interesting tour. The brewary is remarkably simular to any European brewery; clean, organised. We were surprised to hear the most of the ingredients are still imported. Heineken puts a lot of effort into consistance worldwide. They are experimenting with corn (mais) as a suplement, mostly because of price. They contracted a firm to deliver it. However they need to improve the quality of the corn, standard Rwandan corn is not very good.

Braliwra has a monopoly in Rwanda, they make Primus and Mutzig, the local beers, and they have a Coca Cola lincense and bottle all softdrinks in Rwanda, even the import beers are Heineken and Amstel, both Heineken brands. Less then 1% is imported otherwise, some places have Ugandan or Tanzanian beer.

After a sample of the beer or soda we got a t-shirt as present, this made my happy as I was after a Primus t-shirt for a long time.

In the evening we had a french film without subtitles, this was very hard on most of us, but the pictures were clear ad very graphic. I won't go into details in case we have young readers.

After that we had a fire on the beach, well organised. It was nice and 'gezellig', sorry there is no word for that in english.

The following day we went to the obligatory dance and drum spectacle, we even had to join in.

A colleague arranged a quick visit to the gas platform in the lake (we will finance a large part of it). This is a test station to win gas from the lake on a small scale, if it is succesfull they will take lots more, in theory enough to supply most of Rwanda of electricity at current levels, they are hoping to make electricity cheaper and more available.

The concept is simple; a pipe goes in the lake an extract gas and water, the water goes back, the gas goes to shore where electricity is created by some sort of generator.

Bumper cars

After driving in Kigali for almost exactly a year the inevitable happened and yesterday I had my first accident

A car in the right hand lane swerved to avoid having to slow down for a bus, and forgot to look to see if the road was clear (it wasn’t)

He then drove off, I thought it was a gentler tap than it was (just the wing mirror getting clipped) – but saw the damage was a bit more extensive when I got home

Time for a respray job – luckily this isn’t too expensive, and Suzuki silky silver is readily available

Internet

Sorry for people who wanted to Skype us, but internet was down most of last week. Or at last not within the measurable scale. Yesterday we had a brief spell of a speeds over 1 kb/s in which my parents could briefly speak with us.

I am curently typing this at work. I do not know what the current situation is.

I read my email at work, Hazel spends most of the day waiting for some mails to open.

If you need to contact us, mail is still the best option. If you have too much money you try calling our mobiles, that should work. In daytime you can call the Embassy, after opening hours you get a tape with the emergency number.

All is well. The weather is slightly cloudy, sometimes some rain. Otherwise just normal working life, at least for one of us ;)

All the best and don't forget to sponsor Wouter. http://rouwhorst.blogspot.com/

Cat in a basket

Our beloved cat Neville was naughty and didn't come home at dinner time. When he finally came home he was confused as his sister ate most of the dinner. After some wondering around and complaining to management he decided not to lay down in his usual spot but in our basket. He forgot that this basket is, amongst much else, the home of a sharp brush, after he noticed this the hard way and I took it away he settled for his evening nap.

Doesn't he look cute. I could eat him.

Made in Rwanda

There is a small but important manufacturing industry here most of the products manufactured are for the domestic and regional markets – mostly tea/coffee and cleaning products – so here’s a selection from the weekly shop.


Sulfo is an all purpose cleaner
While Spot is a type of Vim – which is used with gusto – and I love the retro packaging

Non specific kigali-itis

Non specific kigali-itis
Lon and I are both suffering a bout of it

Lon feels full and bloated, and hasn't any appetite
I am achy and have urgent toilet needs, and gripy tum

neither of us have malaria, or food poisoning, its just an occasional off feeling, that all Kigali residents are familiar with

so we're snuggled up on the sofa with the kits and watching telly

Umwaka mwiza muhire

Umwaka mwiza muhire!

You can guess what this means.

We are currently recovering from a good new years party.

Life long and prosper.