Saturday August 28, 2010 – The Imbabazi orphanage and a trip to Gisenye

Saturday August 28, 2010 – The Imbabazi orphanage and a trip to Gisenye



Today we decided to take an excursion. After breakfast the girls and I loaded up in the car with James and Jen for a day trip to the Imbabazi orphanage and Gisenye, on Lake Kivu. Imbabazi is about 45 minutes away on the tar, and then 7 slow km on a bumpy murram road. The Rwandan countryside is very much like the in south west Uganda – hilly and solidly cultivated with houses and small village centres along the road. Also lots of police apparently so we stick to the 60 km per hour speed limit, a waste on the good tar road. We drive past our landmarks – a big rock cliff-face that looks like an elephants head, or the map of Africa, an abandoned refugee camp from the genocide – ragged disintegrating tents and broken down sheds, and turn onto the side road by going under one of the arbours that cross over many of the roads here. The land up to the orphanage looks really productive – people are setting out beds for potatoes and spraying onions and cutting eucalyptus – even the small kids are busy carrying water jugs and huge piles of eucalyptus leaves – they look like walking bushes. We are as always surrounded by cries of “muzungu” and “give me money”, as well as “ama chupa” meaning give me your empty water bottle. But more of the adults smile as we go by – it continues to be amazing what an entertainment we are.
Imbabazi is the continuation of an orphanage started by Ros Carr, a larger than life American woman who loved in Rwanda for over 50 years after marrying and British adventurer and moving out here. Once divorced she set up a pyrethrin farm, then when artificial pyrethrins came on the market she re-invented herself as a commercial flower farmer and the orphanage still continues in that business. Ros was a good friend of Dian Fossey and an absolute legend, she appears in many books about Rwanda during this century. She left Rwanda for a few short months in 2005 and when she came back her house had been stripped of everything of value. At age 80+ she started again, and started to collect the traumatized orphans that were wandering the roads aimlessly. Up to 400 children passed through her care, some reunited with families but others settling into the dormitories she built on her property. The Imbabazi trust continues to care for and educate Ros’ orphans as they grow older.
A young American woman named Devon has just started working here as an assistant manager, and gives us and another group of tourists that shows up the tour. The gardens are impressive, especially given the fact there has been no rain for 3 months. In season they would be spectacular. Green lawns, beds of flowers, rocky paths, and trees and plants brought to Ros from all over the world by her friends. The original house is still there (and was used in the movie Gorillas in the Mist), and Ros was buried on the property. We also tour the orphanage – part of which was once the pyrethrin drying sheds and has in fact been re-constructed to it’s original purpose. There are only about 25 orphans here now, most are boarding at secondary schools, but during term holidays there are almost 100 who are based here. They are trying to create income opportunities on the farm, such as the flower sales, and are looking at developing a dairy and bee keeping. Keeping 100 children fed and clothed and in school fees is not cheap!
Then back up the bumpy road, and another 20 minutes or so, mostly downhill to Gisenye. Sarah has been talking about getting car sick on the windy roads, but so far it seems to be simply discussions about the possibility rather than actual nausea. Jen and James are warned to look out for green-ness, but all continues to be well. We turn left and travel along the eastern shore of Lake Kivu where there is the very large Bralira brewery, source of Primus and Mutzig and maybe several other of the local beers. They draw methane from under the lake and use it to power at least part of the factory. According to the guidebook the grain waste is fed to the local fishes, not sure it they could be classified as a local “beer-fed” specialty. Large wooden canoes with what look like outriggers are pulled up on the shoreline, and they are hordes of splashing and screaming kids playing in the water. Our destination is a hotel/restaurant called Paradis, which turns out to be a lovely place with tables out near the lake on a small rocky peninsula. We have lots and lots of time to admire the view and to watch the myriad of herons, kingfishers, sunbirds, and mousebirds that abound. There is a small island offshore, and various boats that proceed out into the lake, either by oar or by power. Unfortunately it is so hazy there isn’t much of a view across the lake, apparently from Gisenyi the glow of the active Nyiramgamo volcano can be seen at night. Lunch is served on wooden trenchers and is excellent – James and I order local Tilapia, which is grilled over charcoal and served as the whole (gutted of course) fish.
Once fed we backtrack to the main road and turn into Gisenye to see the fruit bats that roost in trees along the beachfront. There is a long stretch of sandy beach and pubic waterfront – there is a wedding taking place with awnings and tents and lots of white linen, a party of some sort with a big sound system which has accumulated a large crowd of local people lining the fence and enjoying the music, and lots of kids swimming and enjoying the water. We admire the squeaking bats up in their trees, get swarmed by the craftsellers, who also kindly tell us that I have not left my car in a good place and there are thieves about who might take our baggages, and dip our toes into the water before loading up for the trip back to Musanze. We can now all say we have walked and sat by one of Africa’s limnic, or exploding lakes and survived. The drive back included a stop at a crafts shop, where James is the big buyer purchasing a stick similar to the ones children use to herd cattle (a cattle bopper we name it) and a carved wooden antelope, black in colour with white striping. We decide it must be meant to be an okapi, although some of the statues, especially the ones with young, look rather like hyenas in the company of small pigs. James gets a major ribbing for his purchase on our return.
Elizabeth’s sewing is ready – her purse and pants look great and the fabric choices work well. And they have even made a similar small purse for Sarah, which sends her into second heaven – she is so excited. Now she has a purse to put her purses into. Whatever! Back to MGVP where Jan and Mike have had a quiet and well appreciated day to themselves, and Jan has even baked a superb banana bread for us all.
Dinner tonight at the Muhubura – a local hangout where Dian Fossey apparently ate and stayed. They have a long verandah overlooking the road, and this is a common spot for the gorilla expats to get together, drink beer, and catch up with each other. We’re joined by max and Jacques, who run the Rwnadan cycling team and have the enormous Boerbull dog, and Katie and Glenn from Karisoke Research station. A long wait, a good meal, and lots of interesting conversation. I chat for a while with a Rwandan who is working as a judge in Musanze – he tells us there is discussion about a law that would specify a maximum of three children – he thinks it might eventually happen. Family is important here, but there is no doubt the country is severely stretched by its massive population. Sarah is having a whale of a time with these social evenings – drinking her pop and sneaking other people’s beer, and telling various people they are either funny or she loves them. Mike is in the funny category, and Jan is her best buddy, especially after giving her a gorilla badge (which she carefully tapes onto her shirt every morning) and nail polish this morning. I like the walk home in the dark after dinner – the outline of the monkey puzzle trees against the sky is truly unusual, and there were even stars out tonight. It looks like the rains are not quite ready to come.