Rwandan is a fascinating country and still very much developing. However, although the people are lovely and extremely friendly, sometimes you just have to get away from the poor living conditions, the rubble and dust, and head for the fleshpots.
This we did last weekend, for some well needed r and r. We headed for Lake Kivu where the rich Rwandans and Umuzungas from the west go when they want sun and some modern comforts. Although the town of Gisenyi where we landed after an hour’s bus ride is grubby, grotty, and crowded with people hustling and selling all kinds of stuff at the roadside, the lakeside is a different world.
We tried to book into the Malahide Paradis, a small rustic African hotel right on the side of the lake near a bunch of picturesque ‘dug-out’ fishing boats, where they lash three together with outriggers and fish for tilapia in the lake. The ‘rooms’ are roundawels, circular traditional huts. The restaurant has a closed area with fire pit, and an open area on a promontory overlooking the lake, with many attractive flowering shrubs, a small beach, and is famous for sundowners and watching the sunsets. I went there in 2007 for lunch on my own, and sat, like Shirley Valentine, right on the edge of the lake. It was magical and so peaceful. However, it was full and we booked for the second night.
We decided to push the boat out (pardon the pun), and booked in for the first night at the Serena Lake Kivu right on a lovely private beach, a mile from the Congo border. It was outrageously expensive but once ensconced in the beautiful bedroom overlooking a sparkling pool, with the lake beyond, we went back to reception and booked in for two nights and cancelled our booking with the Malahide.
The soft bed, lovely plump pillows, HOT SHOWER, satellite TV, and service, made us decide to sod the budget and we stayed for three nights. On the first night, Friday, there was a traditional music and dance show, with the famous Intore dancing - wild, frenetic and energetic to pounding African drums. The contrast to where we had been staying previously bared no comparison. We felt like millionaires.
But the icing on the cake was champagne for breakfast. This was proffered at the end of the meal and was absolutely delicious. But it came at a price – GUILT! How could we sit here having champagne when 95% of Rwandans would probably never even taste the stuff. I tussled with my conscience, but made the case that we had done our good deeds, and would be doing more, and anyway we were adding to the economy of the country. However, I felt this was a lame excuse for our largesse in the circumstances.
But it was good, and I got to eat bacon for breakfast- something I had obsessed about since being here. It was divine. We swam and sunbathed and I finished reading my novel.
On the second day we decided to eat out for tea and two NGO wives who had come over the border from Congo with their children and were using the Serena’s beach for their Sunday r and r, recommended the Bistro, about 15 minutes walk down the road. What a find. Instead of the usual African evening fare of rice, matoke, beans, fish, chewy meat, strange veggies and a buffet that had been put out for hours, we found a lovely little restaurant overlooking the lake and above a nightclub. It had a simple but enticing menu, and freshly made pizzas all at a cheap price. We chose a table in the open air but soon felt the cool breeze from the lake. Then over came a man who spoke to us in French and then English welcoming us and asking if maybe ‘madame’ was a little cold. I said, yes, and he went and got me a blanket which he placed around my shoulders. I was impressed with the service in what was not an expensive place. Then he introduced us to the owner, Jean-Pierre who has been living in the UK since he was 16, having escaped from the genocide in 1994, but had recently returned home to open the Bistro, and had recently taken on a partner – the charming attentive man who meeted and greeted.
He told us he had trained as a chef and had even worked under Gordon Ramsey. He was an enigmatic character with short dreadlocks and a smiley face, full of charisma. He had a house in Chard, Somerset, where his wife had recently returned to give birth to their 4-week-old second son. We said we wanted to see some hot springs we had read about in the guide book. He promptly offered to take us there the next day and duly picked us up from our hotel the next afternoon in his Nissan Patrol.
The hot springs at the side of the lake, down a rough path, come from the volcanic activity that is ever present in this region. The Virunga mountain chain that houses the Mountain Gorillas, are all volcanoes and one is still active, and they even extract methane gas from a plant in the middle of the lake. We could see the boiling hot water bubbling and steaming in little pools, where little boys lounged and laughed. I paddled into the water lapping the side of the lake and it was lovely and warm and was dying to have a swim. But as I had not brought my swimsuit, and would have been embarrassed anyway in front of a Rwandese family and Jean-Pierre it was probably best I had not – this is a very conservative country and displays of flesh are best kept to upmarket hotel swimming pools.
He then took us to see the Malahide and said if we ever wanted to stay anywhere in Gisenyi to call him first as he could get preferential rates. Contacts – that’s what it’s all about when you are travelling and we exchanged business cards. I always take mine everywhere I go. You never know if you can help someone now or in the future, or if they can help you. Next he took us to a very noisy bar, the Tam Tam, also alongside the lake, that he owned. In 2007 I had called in to this bar for some lunch as I was very hungry. It was very run down and tatty and just closing. But this young entrepreneur had flattened the building on the site and made it into a bar that was now crowded, with booming music and young people. And he was selling beer and sodas at realistic prices, just like his Bistro, and fast food.
We fancied a ride on the lake, but the prices quoted by the Serena were over the top. He got us a 40-minute ride along the lake up to the Congo border for £10 for just the two of us. We tipped the captain £2 as he did a good job, though we had to jump into the water on beaching. Just as well I had my tatty travelling sandals on!
Our time in paradise had come to an end all too soon as we headed for the next stage of our adventure – and back to reality.
I WAS AWAKE FOR MY OPERATION!
(Sun 04/03)
Me and Sir Jimmy Savile
(Thu 03/11)
What not to wear!!!
(Wed 15/06)
Rwandan adventure Our sponsored child
(Mon 06/06)
Rwandan Adventure - Lunch Was Alive!
(Mon 23/05)
