Cushion

Another tapestry cushion finished, this one is larger than a pillow, and started to get really hot to work with towards the end. A few more years and we'll have our own kasbah!

Monster mushroom

I couldn't resist this huge mushroom at the grocers this morning! (and it was the second smallest). Hope it's good to eat...

Grenade attack in Kigali

apparently there was Grenade attack in Kigali on Friday night, we were out on Friday night and didn't notice what had happened, and only heard about it at a party last night...

The local English language media only reported on this event 24 hours later http://www.newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=14178&article=6292

looking forward to Sarkozy's visit next week

Wikwiheba year 3

It's been about two years now since the first time I visited Wikwiheba. Thanks to Wouters strange need to keep running they have been able to make some big changes. They changed from a women with an idea into a proper organization. This means they should be able now to apply for grants and small project funds. It also means that it is time to let go. Just as well as we are moving this summer.

The first time I came it was more like a stinky cave smelling of pee. Now they have a proper house, soon with a few extra extensions for an atelier and classroom, a plot of land for basic foods and a barbershop. Also they are closer to the school. Their policy is to send as many children as possible to school as often as possible. Some children get thought in a small purpose build room next to the house, as they have special needs.

Here are a few photos.


Corn harvest


The new rooms


Man making the floor


Cooking still happens at Mediatrices house


The salon in one of Ngarama's main roads

Visit Lons Parents

Last night we waved Lons' parents off at the airport, after they came to Rwanda for a short visit, partly to see us, and partly to escape Hollands' winter.

As this was their third visit we were left scratching our heads to come up with suitable activities, but then realised that they had not yet been to visit the lakeside town of Gisenyi, the first visit through lack of time, and the second time, due to political instability in Goma.

We were fortunate and the weather was good, with great views across the landscape. So we drove up to Ruhengeri for lunch, and then on to Gisenyi via Kiaka, one of Lon and mines favourite cooperatives. For those who don't know Lons dad, he has a technical background, and loves to see the African solutions for many technical issues. He also speaks good french, and has the nerve to go and ask people what they are doing and why...oh and takes photos too (in fact pretty much all the pics are Henks due to a technical malfunction ((I left the memory card for our camera at home!)))

Every 4 yr old should have a sickle to chew...



Henk and the shoemaker

brushes are sewn by HAND!!

We drove down to the lake so that Henk could see the trimaran fishermen, and to watch the sun set with a beer




..and what a glorious sunset!

The next day, we went to visit the Imbabazi Orphanage near Gisenyi. We have a subscription for a bouquet of flowers, which comes every week from the orphanage (along with about 50 others in Kigali), so I was looking forward to seeing fields of flowers. However, the weekend before they had had a heavy hail shower which damaged all the fields, and had wreaked havoc... We were still received with great hospitality and warmth...


We also, over the weekend in Kigali went to visit the metal market....where Henk got a tour from one of the cooperative administrators - who declared Henk a researcher (and thus able to take photos and ask questions)



the wood market


and the regular market

Lon and his family went to visit the Wikiweheba centre - but I will let him post about that.


Wednesday saw us visiting a company here called Gahaya Links, along with about another 14 dutchies and visitors. Usually the Dutch partners have a coffee morning once every six weeks or so, and in the past, we have visited projects or gone on outings, so I decided to combine a trip for Lons parents with my partner duties...and it went really well. The baskets and jewellery that they make, are of a really high standard, for export (but also have prices which reflect that).

Buj Cat Band

Last Sunday we drove to Bujumbura. I had to do some work at the embassy office Monday to Wednesday morning. After a nice drive with only one wrong turn in a village without signs we arrived Sunday afternoon. Religion still wins from trade in Bujumbura, everything was closed. We changed some money. The man tried all the tricks in the book; he mentioned the normal rate, counted out 304 in stead of 340, then counted less money, 'difference is selling and buying rate', then tried to get commission, eventually gave in and counted 340, but trying to grab a 10 note as he was taking his 4 back. Why does everything has to be so difficult?


Our hotel at lake Tangayika

The hotel is nice. Just outside Bujumbura at the lake with a nice beach. It is possible to swim in the lake, but not advised as the crocks and hippos live just a mile down the road, they can be there.

Monday I did some work, Hazel mainly did nothing at the pool/beach/bar/room. Tuesday Hazel went to do some (rather a bit) shopping at the pots place, got lost with the taxi to end up where she started, we all had lunch at my colleagues place. Hazel went to go the house of another colleague to fall in the pool and hurt herself, and I just worked with airco on. Wednesday we went to the office together, Hazel to go to the cloth market and I to work. around 11 we went of, got a sandwich for on the road and stopped by the Congolese tourist market. We had to see every stall. Mostly junk, some Kenian stuff you can find all over the world. But we did manage to find a couple of nice pieces. So we had spent all our burundian francs, except for 2100, enough for two cokes at a cheap place, and even spend some dollars and rwandan francs. An uneventful drive back.

During our stay in Bujumbura our newest family member, Musti, decided that after the pest control, known as stinky men had sprayed the garden with insecticide, she did not want to come back. We were not surprised she wanted to stay a night away, but by Wednesday we were getting worried. We contacted her old house a mile away and made the gardener knock on all neighbours doors. No luck. By Friday we were getting desperate and were thinking about posters and advertisement on the local electronic newsgroup. To our big surprise when we came home late Friday night I heard a cat and sure enough she was standing there on the wall. I got her in and we gave her food. I don't know how it is possible for a 3 kilogram cat to eat so much food, she was starving, but otherwise looked fine. Neville was not very pleased with her, maybe because she left him or maybe because she came back, who knows. While she was away he had been very attention seeking, even more then normal.

Friday night we went clubbing. Just to prove we are not old. We had a flyer that the K'Rockodiles were playing at the local dodgy club called Planet. It started at ten, which for us is quite doable. It is not a bad club, there were relatively a lot of white people, because it was a expat band. The band only played once before and will not play again in this formation, because one member is leaving. There were a saxplayer, a trumpet player, drummer, bass guitar, lead guitar, singer and a girl singer. It sounded alright, except the lead guitar was not loud enough and the singer was a bit shouty. Choice of songs could be better. I mean, to sing 'stairway to heaven' you have to be very good, and to be honest, it was not good enough. They also managed to murder 'smells like teen spirit'. They were wearing the most ugly coloured tight trousers, but I think most people were looking at the young girl singer, a beautiful half suriname half dutch girl with a very good voice. I did have my doubts when men in tight trousers started singing 'I will survive'. They even thought it was a good idea to sing it twice, closing with it, then we knew it was definitely time to stop. As it became later the amount of 'challengingly' clothed local girls increased, and they were very interested in the white men; who says rwandans are not sociable?

We had an enjoyable night out and were very please by the welcome we got from Musti.

Cat post

In response to many requests, more about the cats...
last time for a while (promise)

they have now progressed to sleeping in the same room, and are sharing food bowls so assimilation is almost complete...this is good as we will be away next weekend

Nev has the blue collar, and Musti the red with bell. Just so we can tell who is who at a glance!







This is a piece of catfood being kidnapped by ants!

Musti

We have a new family member: Musti.

Our dear friend Bettina is leaving (left) Rwanda to go to here hometown of Berlin. Sad news. Her husband is still staying for a few months for work.

They have a cat and a dog (oh, and two children). We are taking over the cat, this way if it doesn't work out we can still give it back, not the we are planning to.

Musti is a female and looks like the twin of Neville, slightly smaller and half a year older. At the moment the easiest way to recognise Mutsi is that she is not wearing a collar.

The name Musti comes from a belgian TV programme. Drawn by a Belgian in 'Dick Bruna' (Miffy) style. See the website (with difficult puzzles)
www.musti.be
Her name might be abused, I like to call her Mutzig (local beer) or muts.
She is very good in languages, she listens as much to our english and dutch as to her german mothertongue! The guard might speak kinyarwanda or french to her.

The introduction went rather well. A lot of sniffing by Musti and Neville staring at her making growling noises at a 2 meter distance. No fighting.

We made Musti sleep in my study, she ate a lot, but spent a lot of time miauwing during the night. Today we decided to let Neville outside and Musti inside, seems to go alright, less stress. Tonight they can have a second introduction.