Signs of the times

We don't have a long drive to the embassy, but we pass these signs daily, twice.


































I hope you will understand what Shuga dadi means, the message is clear.

As well as the Bralirwa brewery we now also have a celebration of Primus being 50 years young. We like the GUMA GUMA. I asked my colleguea and he laughed. Guma guma is an encouragement typically shouted by women at for example weddings to make the men drink. It signifies being strong, manly and all other positive things linked to being able to drink beer. It is not the equivilant to 'cheers' and therefore not very helpful for day to day life - but we still like saying it.

out and about

Lon had Thursday and Friday off for Assumption day, so we decided to leave the big city and head out of town.

On Thursday we went to Nyanza, to see a reproduction of the Kings hut, and the last Kings last palace, and his new palace which has been turned into a modern art museum

as we didn't retain all the information our lovely guide passed on the details are here

http://www.museum.gov.rw/2_museums/nyanza/living_history/pages_html/page_1.htm
http://www.museum.gov.rw/2_museums/nyanza/old_palace/rukari_now_open.htm
http://www.museum.gov.rw/2_museums/nyanza/art_palace/page_art_1.htm

Reproduction of the last traditional Kings palace

internal walls

spectacular roof
Traditional milk storage vessels

shoes had to be taken off to visit the Kings residence, and thoughtfully provided sandals put on...

The modern art museum was in a beautiful setting (currently surrounded by scaffolding as they are repainting), but you can see better art at several of the local restaurants or galleries in Kigali - we felt a bit like parents at a school exhibition - its the little touches like the info about the paintings being printed out, cut out wonky and then glued to the wall the add to the experience - oh and the curator dogging our every step..

on Friday afternoon we took a long and meandering drive along a dirt road which follows a river just outside Kigali.


We passed through villages, some with specialities such as stones - there are people sitting with a pickaxe type tool smashing big rocks to make little stones, which are then picked up by trucks for the building trade


it was also sugarcane harvest time

it was interesting to see how the river changed size so often, sometimes a broad wide river, and at other times only a clear stream- the people who choose to make their livelihoods here are taking a gamble always that they don't get their entire crops flooded out (balanced against the land being fertile and easy to irrigate)





scary looking bridge which we made over succesfullythe road deteriorated somewhat, and it was after four....
so we had to turn round (and of course cross the same bridge)

I think its important that we regularly get out of town, and break the rhythm of our very comfortable lives where the fact that the shop has no plain yoghurt for the second week running constitutes a major annoyance. It's easy to forget the beauty and the poverty that are only a few kilometers away...

Flying visit

Last week (10-14 May) I went to The Netherlands for business, namely a computer course.

This meant I left Saturday afternoon to be there Sunday morning. The flight to Nairobi was uneventful. The waiting in Nairobi was worse then expected, but the coffee is nice there. The two hours they reserved for checking in was almost not sufficient, due to their speed, or lack of, and the size of the plane, a Boeing 747-400, the ones with stairs in it.

I sat next to a quiet lady and a sleeping child, this was not a bad spot. Still didn't sleep much as the flight is 8 hours. After taking off they serve dinner, this takes a long time, then some drinks, after that you can try to sleep. At least two hours before you land they start serving breakfast, so effectively I could have a theoratical 4 hours sleep.

The Dutch railway system is good, however not so much at Sunday mornings. Just missed the train to The Hague, so I get a magazine and wait for nearly an hour. A train arrives for The Hague HS and no one in sight to ask if this one has a connection to The Hague CS. Normally I would just get on the train, but not now with all this luggage. One of the next trains I ask a lady and she confirms I should have taken the train and can take the train some 40 later, just as well I am too tired to be grumpy.

So Sunday enough time to go to our, empty, house for a check and some fish at the sea side. The House looked OK, it does need some cleaning and a few minor repairs. After way too much fish from Simonis I head to the centre for a long awaited visit to the HEMA and Media markt. I did not get everything I need in one go, but enough to be satisfied and a reasonable amount to carry.

The next three days I had my course which was not too hard, but not too borring: a good balance. The time after the course I had to spent to hunt the missing things from our list. The Wednesday I spend a long time in the AH for a weird food list.

This summer we will definetely invest in a better suitcase, the wheels of this one feel of at an early stage on my way to the airport, 25 Kilos without wheels is not easy.

All in all a good outing, but not very relaxing. Sorry for all of you who would have liked to see me, but I think that would have been an overload and not very relaxing. Some other time.

AIC Food Fair

Saturday was the annual AIC (Africa International Club) Food Fair - Lon and I were on for first shift at the Brits table, with me doling out cakes and Lon the Pimms


15 mins in I realised that Lon had not been informed that the Pimms still needed diluting with sprite....



Victoria sponges, scones and jam, (four dozen butterfly cakes by me), and apple pies went down a storm




which was just as well since a la garden party all over England, we had a shower lasting 30 minutes

In all I think there were about 500 visitors which means that we raised a load of cash for the small charity projects which are supported by the club

Internet woes rant

sitting in bloddy coffee shop AGAIN, customer service for our ISP is a joke. Every time I call it goes a lot like this

Press 1 for Kiyarwandan 2 for English

2

Murhao, KiyarwandanKiyarwandanKiyarwandanKiyarwandanKiyarwandan

Can I speak to someone in English please?

KiyarwandanKiyarwandan Hello

Hello my internet doesn't work

what kind of account do you have?

59,000 Rwf wireless, and not working

what is the customer name?

Please can I give you my account number instead?

No I would like the customer name

sigh..L-O-N-A-K-O P-E-T-E-R Z-O-M-E-R
they look in computer

RANOKL? I cant find it

please can I give you my account number?

No, I have a PETER LAPTOP is that you?

No.
sigh..L-O-N-A-K-O P-E-T-E-R Z-O-M-E-R

OK I can't find it, what is your account number?

123234378

Oh you don't have a wireless account.

OK, the account type is not specified on the invoice, but I use it wirelessly

What is the problem?

My INTERNET DOESN'T WORK

repeat
daily


I know it is great that we have working internet mostly, I truly do.
But my caffeination levels are becoming dangerous.

Rant over

(swine) mexican flu

Just a quick reply on some question regarding former two blogs:
No, little Peter is not our godchild, and you really don't want to see the picture; it is one of those 'sweet' children, not 'cute' or 'beautifull' if you know what I mean. So I told the guard he was tall and had a lot of hair.
Yes, the tulips came from Holland, so did the cheese and the 'bitterballen'. In a way it was good the party didn't last so long, this gave us an excuse to consume the same amount of haring, cheese and bitterballen as another queensday in a much shorter time. This is also one of the reasons this party is populair, specially among Dutch.

Now, swine flu, we have been told the political correct term is 'Mexican flu'. The embassador told is and I quote 'when just one case of flu is confirmed in Rwanda, I am not allowed to stop anyone who wants to repatriate'. Loosly translated, you are allowed to go to the Netherlands, but I will think you will be taking an unfair advantage. He also couldn't answer my question why I would go to a country where there is already a case of m.flu to escape it. Also as far as I know the only thing to do if you have it is to take some pills. I fail to see what difference it makes if I take a pill here or anywhere else. There also remain many sofar unanswered question, as: who will pay for repatriation and under what condition? If the insurance doesn't pay anything, what will the embassy pay?

We have been asked to provide the embassy with a list of our staff and their children. As soon as 1 case is comfirmed in Rwanda we will get enough pills for 30% of embassy personell and staff of expats and family. Why we don't get already a small stock is also beyond me, won't it be a bit late by the time we have a confirmed case?
As in many rules and regulations it all seems a bit arbitrairy. In any case, I hope this will blow over and with any luck we will not notice a thing. Although it has to be said I am a bit snotty lately ....

Luckily 5 May is for me a day of this year, liberation day. So I can have a lay-in and get some strength.

..its all black

Finally, I got round to organising having our outdoor furniture repainted and the cushions recovered. It was one of those jobs that I envisaged being a hassle, but the reality was in fact pretty simple.
Its turned out really well I think.


The cats have tried out the new chairs, and have given them the paws up.

The eagle eyed among you might have noticed tulips on the table - they are from the Queensday celebrations. Strange how much pleasure a bunch of flowers can bring, I took tulips so much for granted!

Queensday celebrations were very muted following the attempted car attack on the Dutch royal family, which has resulted in five dead, excluding the driver. So we had no music, alcohol, or dancing and all was over by nine..I was relived as my feet were aching.