lunch in gisenyi

on monday it was time for us to go back to rwanda and then kigali. we decided to check out gisenyi - the counterpart of goma on the rwandan side. as I have friends there I called them to see whether we could drop by for a quick visit (also bearing in mind that their house has direct access to lake kivu...)

so after we crossed back into rwanda - for free! - we drove into gisenyi and along the boulevard du lac; which is in fact a cul de sac which ends at the serena kivu hotel which is directly on the shores of the lake next to gisenyi's beach. it was a strange atmosphere due to memorial day - everything was closed and the only people out and about were the children who are too young to remember the genocide; they were screaming and swimming as though nothing was wrong - the few adults that we saw seemed to be coming from somewhere or going somewhere - a cloud was hanging over that otherwise beautiful day.

Roland had explained to me how to get to the house and we drove up the hill towards the brewerey. once we got to the top of the hill you could see the shoreline and the houses at the bottom; there was one that particularly attracted our attention and we all agreed that we would move in if we could; turns out my friends live right next door...
what an amazing house - beautiful garden, full of fruit trees and a gate that opens directly onto some steps into the lake... I mean - what more can you want? it took us all of 10 minutes to get into our bikinis; or to simply strip off the trousers and to plunge into the lake - oh how I have missed swimming in a lake like this! it is simply amazing to be floating in the water surrounded by volcanos and lushness and having the sun shining on your face (and burning your shoulder... yep - the english rose is now pink as a crayfish!)

after a lovely swim and a sunbath/burn we got fed an incredible meal accompanied by fresh grapefruit juice fresh off the tree - I am lost for words - the hospitality and beauty of the whole lunch is indescribable - I'm just so happy to be alive, to know the people I know and to be able to share such beautiful moments with them! well fed and happy we finally clambered back into the land rover and hit the road again - back through the rolling hills along the serpentines, through clouds of dust and hordes of screaming children, villages seamed by beautiful flowers and along mountain crests all the while admiring the country side and getting high on the lush green color of the vegetation until we reached the bend from which you get the first glimpse onto kigali; then down the hill, through the valley - and suddenly there's people everywhere, traffic, noise, business - the city has us back!