In Rwanda there there has been a perpetual change over the last
twenty years – Rwandans have new flag, administrative regions,
names of the streets, and even official language - it used to be
French brought by the Belgian colonisers and now its English. Why is
that? The country has witnessed the greatest human tragedy that
unfolded in the world during mine and Ieva's lifetime. During one
hundred days of madness in April 1994, an estimated up to one million
people were massacred, often battered to death, in an unthinkable act
of ethnic cleansing. We will spare you all the accounts of atrocities
we heard about. The Hollywood movie 'Hotel Rwanda' tells the story of
the massacre and a Rwandan 'Schidnler' Paul Rusesabagina, the manager
of a luxury 'Hotel des Mille Collins', who saved many lives by
allowing fleeing people to take refuge in this big and centrally
located hotel.
The important and comforting things is that when we look around today's Rwanda, it is unbelievable that such horror took place here. The country is the tidiest and the best organised we have seen in Africa so far. Most houses are made out of brick, with A-top roofs, much more similar to the European ones than mud huts that are dominating the landscape in Tanzania and Uganda. Main roads are excellent. In an effort to keep the country even cleaner, all the plastic bags have been banned and it works - there are almost no piles of rubbish plaguing the streets in all the countries around. Even all Boda-boda (called here moto-taxi) drivers wear helmets and, most importantly, always offer one to their passengers! Also, there was surprisingly very little bargaining going on, while still the taxis have no meters, the fares offered to us where consistently similar and seemed reasonable. The intercity buses leave on time, even if not empty. What we liked the most is the motto of the governmental administration is: 'Your satisfaction is our duty'! It's such a shame that the Belgian administration does not follow this rule of conduct.
Clearly, after the unthinkable happened, the country had a new beginning! The reconstruction was generously supported by the international community and the government has not wasted the historic chance to make a new Rwanda a better place to live. Rwanda calls itself: 'the country of thousands hills and million smiles'. As far as the landscape is concerned, indeed we have hardly ever seen such a mountainous country. Almost all of those thousands of hills are stripped and checked by terraced hills on which vegetables and crops are being grown. No wonder that we ended up calling Rwanda – Switzerland of Africa. As far as million smiles is concerned, while Rwandans seem to be more well-off materially than their neighbours, at the same time they seem more reserved and less spontaneously smiling. Still they have been friendly, they clearly wanted us to feel good, but they were lacking this kind of inner happiness so characteristic to Africans. Is it because of the horrors of the past or just due to highland climate – a bit colder with often overcast sky? Hard to say, though the kids seemed as smiley and easy-going as their Tanzanian and Ugandan friends. We had a very funny situation, while passing on the streets of Kigali, hundreds or so children poured out of school to head home and while they saw us they full of good-natured happiness started greeting us: 'Good Morning Muzungu!', waving at us and shaking our hands. As we waved back and shook hands with the ones that were near us, a kind of general euphoria broke out, the kids jumping with joy, rushed all at us as every single one wanted our hand shake. It must have been quite an unusual spectacle, as we kept on moving down the street, surrounded by hundred of euphoric kids for something like half a kilometer, until we reached the bus station, which was ours and many of theirs destination.
We have not stayed in Rwanda long, neither we have taken many pictures. Nonetheless, it's a beautiful country, with scenic mountain landscapes, where it's just a pleasure to drive and look around. It's main attraction is Gorilla tracking in the Parc National des Volcans on the border with Congo and Uganda. As we saw mountain gorillas already in Uganda, we skipped that one. It's another highlight is chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe rainforest in the South. Hopefully, one day we will come there to say hello to the Chimps; for the time being we wish Rwanda all the best!
The important and comforting things is that when we look around today's Rwanda, it is unbelievable that such horror took place here. The country is the tidiest and the best organised we have seen in Africa so far. Most houses are made out of brick, with A-top roofs, much more similar to the European ones than mud huts that are dominating the landscape in Tanzania and Uganda. Main roads are excellent. In an effort to keep the country even cleaner, all the plastic bags have been banned and it works - there are almost no piles of rubbish plaguing the streets in all the countries around. Even all Boda-boda (called here moto-taxi) drivers wear helmets and, most importantly, always offer one to their passengers! Also, there was surprisingly very little bargaining going on, while still the taxis have no meters, the fares offered to us where consistently similar and seemed reasonable. The intercity buses leave on time, even if not empty. What we liked the most is the motto of the governmental administration is: 'Your satisfaction is our duty'! It's such a shame that the Belgian administration does not follow this rule of conduct.
Clearly, after the unthinkable happened, the country had a new beginning! The reconstruction was generously supported by the international community and the government has not wasted the historic chance to make a new Rwanda a better place to live. Rwanda calls itself: 'the country of thousands hills and million smiles'. As far as the landscape is concerned, indeed we have hardly ever seen such a mountainous country. Almost all of those thousands of hills are stripped and checked by terraced hills on which vegetables and crops are being grown. No wonder that we ended up calling Rwanda – Switzerland of Africa. As far as million smiles is concerned, while Rwandans seem to be more well-off materially than their neighbours, at the same time they seem more reserved and less spontaneously smiling. Still they have been friendly, they clearly wanted us to feel good, but they were lacking this kind of inner happiness so characteristic to Africans. Is it because of the horrors of the past or just due to highland climate – a bit colder with often overcast sky? Hard to say, though the kids seemed as smiley and easy-going as their Tanzanian and Ugandan friends. We had a very funny situation, while passing on the streets of Kigali, hundreds or so children poured out of school to head home and while they saw us they full of good-natured happiness started greeting us: 'Good Morning Muzungu!', waving at us and shaking our hands. As we waved back and shook hands with the ones that were near us, a kind of general euphoria broke out, the kids jumping with joy, rushed all at us as every single one wanted our hand shake. It must have been quite an unusual spectacle, as we kept on moving down the street, surrounded by hundred of euphoric kids for something like half a kilometer, until we reached the bus station, which was ours and many of theirs destination.
We have not stayed in Rwanda long, neither we have taken many pictures. Nonetheless, it's a beautiful country, with scenic mountain landscapes, where it's just a pleasure to drive and look around. It's main attraction is Gorilla tracking in the Parc National des Volcans on the border with Congo and Uganda. As we saw mountain gorillas already in Uganda, we skipped that one. It's another highlight is chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe rainforest in the South. Hopefully, one day we will come there to say hello to the Chimps; for the time being we wish Rwanda all the best!
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