Our Stay at the Paradis Malahide

From Volcanoes National Park we traveled to a town called Gisenyi. It’s been given another name in this post-genocide era, but most people still refer to it by Gisenyi. Gisenyi sits at the northern end of Lake Kivu. We’d been to the southern end earlier in the year. It must be said that the southern end is much more beautiful and less development than this area but Gisenyi still has its attributes. We stayed at a little place called the Paradis Malahide about 6 km south of the town itself. It’s a quirky little place nestled among the volcanic rocks that line the lake’s shore. Although our accommodations weren’t the greatest given that we were housed in the “apartments” and could hear all of the stirrings of the guests above us, the free standing rondavels offered more privacy and seclusion from the noise of other guests. There is a small, well-maintained beach with lounge chairs under palm umbrellas. The bird life is extraordinary as the place is well frequented by kingfishers, ibises, waxbills, cormorants, etc. The kids had a great time chasing waves and birds. We parents were able to relax and soak up some rays. Evenings are chilly and the staff lights a fire in a huge fire pit in the lounge where visitors gather to have a drink and converse before dinner. Dinner costs extra but breakfast is part of the room package. Breakfast is served out in the “gardens” which have a view unto the lake. It consists of rounds of toast with butter and homemade pineapple spread, eggs cooked to your specifications, true French style crepes, fruit, tea and coffee all served in wooden and clay vessels. It is hands-down the best breakfast we’ve ever had in Rwanda. We felt like kings as the staff just kept shuttling dishes from the kitchen to our table non-stop. Having breakfast served to us in such a setting was indeed akin to paradise. Upon our departure, the owner, Odette, exquisitely dressed in African garb, handed us two packages to take with us. One contained enough crepes for all of us to nibble on in the car and the other was a container of the home-made pineapple spread we had oooh and aahhed over. So you can imagine that we highly recommend the Paradis Malahide. Just ask for the rondavel if you stay there. Above: Bird's eye view of breakfast before the arrival of eggs and crepes. Bates Clan having lunch in the gardens of Paradise.

Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge

While in the Virungas, we stayed at a lodge called Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge in Kinigi. Upon arrival we met the owner who also happens to be a member of Parliament. We were immediately served with spiced tea while checking in. This hit the spot given that the temperature was quite cool and the elevation so high that we felt like we were among the clouds. Each “room” is a little cottage unto itself complete with fire place. Needless to say we availed ourselves of the fireplace quite early in the evening. It’s always surprising to muzungus that one can freeze one’s butt off in Africa, but it’s something we experienced both in Namibia and now in Rwanda. We rather enjoyed it though because the temperature in Kigali is relatively constant year round and so we felt like we had a taste of fall weather, at least temporarily. The lodge also served some of the best soups we’ve ever had. This too hit the spot as the heating in the dining room consisted of hot coals in terra cotta pots placed strategically around the tables. In the afternoons, we were treated to a performance of dancing and singing by a local troop of youngsters. The “star” among the group was a small boy with a big voice, what we like to term the “voice of Africa”. His showmanship was remarkable for one so young in age. It was clear that he loved what he was doing and did it well. The kids were even able to get the muzungus to participate and dance along with them.

Located within a 10-12 minute driving distance from the entrance of the Volcanoes National Park, with attentive service and quaint little cottages nestled among an explosion of flowers, we felt like this little lodge was worth the expense. Additionally, the variety of birdlife kept Gus and the girls busy for hours on end photographing the different species attracted by the flora. There was even a volleyball net and ball provided by the staff and we got to exercise our cold muscles with a bit of a 4 man game. Annie was too interested in the birds to play.

Reid's Dream Machine

Another view of Reid's Dream Machine. Reid claims that the modelof Rover he'll eventually acquire will be even better equipped than this model! The list of accessories Reid is citing would probably cost the equivalent of the GDP of some of the world's smaller countries. He'd better find another job if he thinks we'll ever swing this.

Golden Monkey Tracking in the Virungas

The kids had the week of Oct 15-23 off from school so we headed north to a part of Rwanda we hadn’t seen before—the Virungas. The Virunga Mountains contain a number of extinct as well as active volcanoes. They are also home to the endangered Mountain Gorillas and the rare golden monkeys. Although Augustus is just old enough to visit the gorillas, the girls aren’t so we opted for the hike to see the golden monkeys. There are about 2 or 3 groups that have been habituated to humans and one can get really up-close with these guys out in the wild, although touching is not permitted.

It’s advisable to head to park headquarters and pay in advance because reporting time in the morning is 7 am. It’s also very chaotic as most of the park patrons are there for the gorillas and the guides spend a good deal of time trying to organize the groups before heading out to their respective start points. Our start point was a little village about 8 minutes away from the headquarters. We walked through a number of potato fields toward the forest. Having rained heavily the day before, it was quite muddy. Emma had rubber boots and faired the best. It was also quite cool and we were glad of the several layers of clothing we had piled on. We entered the bamboo forest at the edge of the cultivation where a sizable rock wall has been constructed to keep the buffalo from intruding on the farms. We could already see the monkeys foraging for vegetation in the tree tops from the entry point. When we got into the bamboo thicket itself, we could see the little guys were just everywhere. Hikers are allowed to spend an hour within observing the troop. We got to see them jumping through the trees, grooming each other and foraging for their favorite delicacy, tender bamboo shoots. Apparently, consumption of the bamboo shoots is somewhat akin to consuming alcohol—our guide likened it to drinking beer.

Because we have a resident visa, we were able to pay a reduced admission of $65/person. The fee for non-residents is $100 US. For a family of five, that’s quite a chunk of change just for admission. We were in a group of about 20 whose nationalities varied from European to Australian to American. We also stayed in a cool lodge (blog post to follow on that) as arriving from Kigali for a 7 am rendez-vous is virtually impossible, although some do. So, it was a nice outing for the kids and they got to enjoy a rarity that may not exist within the next 50 years. Was it worth the expense is debatable, however. I’m still trying to justify spending that kind of money in a place whose average per capita income is around $900US /year. Reid says it’s all part of the redistribution of the wealth burden that we muzungus must shoulder! Not sure, though that the wealth is reaching those who are in need of it most, unfortunately.

Emma's Class Field Trip--Akagera National Park

Emma’s 5th grade class went on a field trip this past Thursday and Friday to Akagera National Park. Akagera is located in the eastern portion of Rwanda. It is home to an amazing variety of birds and some big game. Akagera suffered greatly during the genocide and the ensuing violence, so it hasn’t got the sheer volumes of wildlife that other parks in East Africa are noted for. It is also a victim of human encroachment as the population of Rwanda continues to rise and arable land becomes more and more scarce.

Reid volunteered to go along even though our little Toyota Rav 4 is not the most spacious vehicle around. It’s a good thing too since one of the parents backed out at the last minute. So, 13 kids and 4 chaperones crowded into 3 vehicles and made the three hour trek to Akagera with tents, sleeping bags and cooking gear shoved into every nook and cranny of each 4 X 4.

When the class arrived, it was pouring rain, but it subsided after a short while enabling everyone to make camp. Meanwhile back in Kigali, the moms were praying fervently hoping the kids weren’t being subjected to the torrential downpour complete with hail that was buffeting Kigali. Fortunately for the kids, they weren’t. Here, Annie, Gus and I spent an exciting evening running back and forth between the kitchen and the dining room as we retrieved pot after pot to catch the leaks from the roof. By evening’s end we counted 10 pots positioned on or around the dining room table.
After a morning breakfast of Dutch pancakes provided by the father of one of the boys in the class who incidentally owns a completely outfitted LandRover Defender, the kids went on a game drive through the park. The kids spotted giraffes, zebra, wart hogs and some sort of gazelles. Emma indicated that while the quantity and variety of game couldn’t match our Namibia experience, it was really fun to go camping with the whole class as a field trip.

By the way, Reid returned really envious of Johan’s Rover and is even now making plans to get his hands on one and outfit it with all the accoutrements---awning, two roof-top tents, refrigerator, winch, spare fuel tanks, yada, yada, yada…..We haven’t heard the end of it since his return!

Pictured above are the kids on Johan’s Rover at the entrance to Akagera.

Do You Live on Bourbon Street?

We’ve been having coffee at the Bourbon Café for a while now. The Bourbon has several locations in Kigali as well as in the US—Boston & D.C., I believe. I have been meaning to find out how such a name was selected. I mentioned in an earlier post that there is even a sprinkling of New Orleans memorabilia throughout the African décor. So, I finally asked while paying my bill the other day. I explained that I was from Louisiana and that New Orleans, the city that is host to the famous drag, was in my state. The manager thought that Bourbon Street was in San Francisco. Unaware of whether or not San Francisco does have a Bourbon Street (Scott can you help me out on that?), I let him know that THE Bourbon Street was a New Orleans icon. The staff then asked me if I lived on Bourbon Street. Well, I guess I turned about 10 shades of red on that one. NO, it isn’t exactly residential and I proceeded to describe the type of businesses that ply their trade on Bourbon. Now it was their turn to be shocked. It seems like the story is like this (at least according to the manager, I’ll have to do some fact checking on this I am sure): When the Belgians first colonized Rwanda, the type of coffee they brought along for cultivation was called “Bourbon”. In fact, the café is not just a café, it actually serves the coffee grown and produced by the Bourbon cooperative of coffee farmers. The packaged coffee produced by the cooperative can be found in just about any of the supermarkets around. It is exceedingly expensive, however, and that is perhaps due to the fact that most of the crop is destined for export.
So there you have it: Bourbon Street meets Bourbon Café, Kigali Rwanda (and the ensuing shock on both sides. Mom, please send me some tourist info on Bourbon Street so that I can give to the manager and enlighten him).

Here's what Wiki has to say about Bourbon Coffee: Bourbon coffee is a type of coffee produced from the Bourbon cultivar of the Coffea arabica species of coffee plant. Bourbon coffee was first produced in Réunion, which was known as Île Bourbon before 1789. It was later taken by the French to mainland Africa and to Latin America, and is now one of the two most popular Arabica coffees grown worldwide, the other being Typica coffee.[1]

Bourbon coffee is usually produced at heights between 1,000 and 2,000 meters (3,281 – 6,562 ft) and gives a 20-30% higher yield than Typica, but produces a similar quality of coffee.