Liz & Richard's 2010 African Adventures

Arrival in Rwanda

Some brief context.  Rwanda is a very small country in Central Africa, bordered on the west by “The Congo” (civil war, marauding war lords, etc) and on the east by Tanzania (quite stable).  It was a German colony for a brief time (lost by Germany after the first world war) and then was a Belgian colony until independence in 1961.  (the second language is French but that is now shifting to English).

In 1994, “the genocide” happened – 800,000 Tutsis and 200,000 Hutus were killed (out of a total population of approximately 8 million at the time) by their neighbours while the UN and the world sat back and held meetings.  Today, everything in Rwanda is viewed through the genocide lens.

(one of the many fascinating things we learned was that the Tutsis and the Hutus are not two different tribes – its origin is more a class/economic descriptor – the Tutsis had more money/cattle/etc… so you could become a Tutsis by dint of your economic status.)

Rwanda also has most of the surviving Mountain Gorillas in the world (approximately 700 out of 1,000) – the rest are in Congo (war torn) and Uganda (stable).

There are numerous other bits of data that we’ll try to cover about this fascinating country.

For starters – it is physically gorgeous.  Very mountainous and intensely cultivated

 

 

They also have some unusual laws – when you enter the airport there are signs announcing that “plastic bags are illegal”.  No kidding.  We’re having trouble enough with angst paying a nickel a bag at Loblaws – they just banned them outright.

But best of all, on the last Saturday of each month they have “umuganda” which means “contribution”.  From 7am to 1pm people sweep the streets, upgrade schools, paint homes, etc.  Everybody.  Everywhere.  You cannot drive a car during this time and as we left on such a Saturday our guide had to get a permit to take us to the airport.  We now know how the president feels driving through town…alone. (following is a pic Liz found on the internet – we had packed away the cameras not realizing what a surreal experience the drive to the airport would be)

One very last neat feature – the police are not corrupt and it is very safe.  How safe?  Well, we went directly from the airport to the Genocide Museum – all our bags (including cameras and computer) were sitting in the back of the truck and the windows were all open.  We assumed that meant Martin was staying with the truck as we toured the museum.  As he strolled with us, we kept looking back at the truck – finally asking him if it was safe.  “Of course” he said.  (having just left Nairobi – called Now-I-Rob-You – that was a leap of faith for us)

We loved our guide Martin – bright, intelligent, articulate and ready to talk openly about the incredible events of the last decades.  He survived because his family had been exiled to Uganda (because of a mixed Tutsi/Hutu marriage) prior to the genocide.  His father was polygamous (x3).  First person we ever met with firsthand knowledge. Fascinating.  Martin’s pithy observation is that “multiple divorces” is just polygamy on a different time frame.  He and his father (but only 1 wife – Martin’s mother) returned in 1996.

Martin picks us up at the airport and then an unfortunately short visit to the Genocide Museum – which is a very sophisticated history of events.  We planned to return on Saturday morning before going to the airport, but with Umuganda it was closed (everything is closed!)  We are committed to read/learn more.

Off up country to the Mountain Gorilla View Lodge in Volcano National Park. The road is an epic piece of construction; unfortunately with numerous pot holes (actually more like cauldron holes).  Vistas as we wind up the mountains are stunning.  People are tall and lithe – Martin tells us that basketball is a favourite sport – no kidding.  They also wear very beautiful colourful fabrics – but the locals don’t like their pictures taken.  The mythology is that tourists take their pictures, publish expensive coffee table books and make lots of money off their images.  Martin asks us not to take pictures (other than from a distance) and the few times we even aim a camera in someone’s direction, justifies his concern.  We do take some through the windshield from a distance (hence the blur)

We love the roadside egg sellers with their unique packaging (30 eggs per bundle).  Took this shot (no people) before the owner came rushing out suggesting he be paid

The hillside fields are rarely terraced and in some places are almost vertical.  Rain can be torrential here so soil erosion must be a problem

While the country is very mountainous, much of the local traffic is on bicycles. They must have incredible thighs

 

You know that perpetual motion is impossible but the Rwandans are trying to achieve an agricultural version.  The following photo is of a fish farm growing Tilapia in the pools.  The little sheds are for rabbits.  The Tilapia live on the rabbit shit.  Now, if we could just feed the rabbits the tilapia guts….agricultural perpetual motion!

Most of the homes have no running water.  The roads are thick with people (mostly women) carrying home 20-30 pound carboys of water.  But it appears that for washing clothes it’s more efficient to bring the clothes to the water.  Many roadside streams have drying clothes blossoming on the grass.

 

The fields are worked mostly by hand (womens’ hands) – they are impressionist paintings with their bright clothes and ebon features punctuating the rich green fields.  Many of our conversations with locals suggest that while the women work, Dad is downtown converting that work to rounds of beer.  The day parthenogenesis becomes reality, the males of this world better watch out

  

We noted that the genocide is a constant background shadow in Rwanda.  Reconciliation trials are still going on (in Tanzania).  for many of the convicted lower level perpetrators it means 2 to 5 years in a work gang fixing roads/building houses/painting schools etc…with time off for good behaviour.  We do like many aspects of the new Rwanda.  Don’t waste resources with guys rotting in jail – get them out doing something worthwhile.

As we drive along we note strange things in trees.  They look like rolls of carpet.  Turns out they are wild beehives.  The farmer puts one in a tree, waits for it to be occupied and honey stored…then removes the hives, smokes out the bees and harvests the honey.  But these are African Bees, not docile domesticated honey bees.  Climbing a tree to steal a hive could be very unpleasant!

 

Liz and Dick love food markets.  Martin took us to a big one.  Interesting food, friendly people, very safe – we shot a number of photos from the hip..although market people didn’t seem as concerned about the camera.

Following are a number of photos – we loved the colour and vitality of the market and Rwanda in general.

 

There is, however, one issue we have with African cuisine – red meat.  The beef is like shoe leather and the lamb a candidate for a new synthetic polymer.  As we write this we are in Cape Town where we ate at our favourite restaurant last night.  After days of salivating over perfect prawns, delectable fish of infinite variety and the best calamari every – Dickie tried the lamb.  We actually sent it back.  Restaurant was charming – much friendly discussion, tastings by kitchen staff.  All agreed that it is a cultural difference.  What they think is “firm and flavourful” we find “tough and inedible”.  They did cancel the bill – the foregoing tirade was prompted by the following shot from the Rwanda market …. apologies ….PS the pork is great!

Next post – the gorillas!

Rwanda – Gorillas #1

On the drive into the park we see the Sabyinyo Mountain – which means “old man’s teeth” as you can see in the profile!

 

 

Arrival at the office at 7:30am – waiting to find out which family we will hike to…..this guy looks good to Liz – nice and close (and docile)

 

 

There are 7 families of gorillas – 8 tourists will be allowed to approach each family (tough to base a tourist industry on 56 people/day). Trackers are following the families – they can be anywhere from 1-3 hours of hiking away, and are on the move.

Check back to that photo above – we are about to climb a mountain. Covered in jungle.  To sit with a 450 pound, very protective male AND take pictures of his wives – makes sense to us.

This hike has loomed large for months now – it can be a tough trek and (obviously) we are worried about Richard’s back.  We have this conversation with Martin on the drive up and he assured us he would speak to the rangers and attempt to get us with the group visiting the closest family.  Of course “closest” could mean anything!

Martin returns from the office and announces success – we are to visit the Sabyinyo family – which is about an hour away through the bamboo forest.  That’s very exciting because the Sabyinyo family has the largest silverback gorilla in Rwanda at its head – Guhonda.

Liz and especially Dick are the oldest members of our group (thanks Richard). Regrets about not training more for this challenge are fretted over.  Our team is assembled – Liz, Dick, “D” (the head guide – whose real name is Diogenes – in green), Richard, Job (Liz’s porter) Simon(Richard’s porter).  Remember these characters – they will appear in starring roles later in this drama.

There are 6 others in the group (4 x 35 year old males and a nice couple from San Francisco) and porters – and of course a guard with an AK47.  It’s the buffalo factor again (and we did step over a lot of dung so they are there)

We set off like some “Tolkeinesque” Fellowship of the Gorilla

The first hour is easy.  A walk through the tilled fields, then we climb over the stone wall that defines the park boundary and then into the bamboo forest.  Other than the fact that everyone walks under overhanging bows that whack Liz in the forehead, it’s a walk in the park.

Then we get close and life comes partially unglued for Dickie.  We’re moving up a 45 degree slope covered in thick brush and vines (we’re also at 7,000 feet and oxygen is a little thin).  His snow boards disguised as orthopedic shoes (with their flat bottoms) aren’t working (should have brought the hiking boots – too late).  Then 140 pound Simon starts hauling 200 pound Dickie up the slope.  We make it to the final resting stop where everything except cameras are left with the porters. The “D” grabs Richard (who he is calling “Silverback”) and literally propels him up the last climb up the mountain.  And we’re there – 10 feet from the last surviving mountain gorillas – it is magic.

(Liz would like to report that she bounded up the 45 degree part like a gazelle – however Job was a great help and a lovely gentleman from Kenya was very gallant in those last few metres – sorry about clawing your hand to pieces, William!)

Sucked up a lot of O2 and recovered quickly – then we went on to have one of the most memorable times of our lives.  Following are some photos (mainly of Gohunda the silverback) and 3 videos (the videos are pixelating and I don’t know why so not trying to fix them now and hope someone can help – Robin! – when I get home/Liz) – we’re uploading this the night before we leave for Namibia so will likely add more photos to another posting when we get home.

 

We watched him climb down to greet us (see video below)

 

Walked over and then sat down – that was pretty much it!  (“D” kept saying - “he wants jiggy jiggy” – of course we all know what that means.  But in the end, the most action was the farting! – I think you can hear it in some of the videos!

 

 

 

 

Adolescents and black back males hung around…..

   

 

Here is a really bad photo of Richard and Liz (but quite good of Guhonda!  considering D grabbed our camera and we were 10 feet away we think it’s beautiful!)

 

And here are a few videos (repeating my problem once again with the pixelating – hoping to fix it later)

 

First….Guhonda coming down to greet us – you will hear Diogenes calling to him – apparently to assure him we are not a threat (well, that’s what he said he was saying – perhaps he was saying “it’s your turn to take care of these bloody tourists)

 

 

And here is Liz and Guhonda……

 

 

And here is a baby – doing its Cirque de Soleil audition!

 

 

More gorilla commentary later – including hotel and how we booked/etc – but now we’re off to Namibia – probably not many postings until we’re home mid March