A Respite at Lake Kivu

After a hauntingly sad day near Kigali, visiting memorials to the Rwandan genocide, I found myself at Lake Kivu.
I felt as if I had visited to different planets in the same day. Isn't she just beautiful?

Lake Kivu forms the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, just at the town of Goma.
Goma sadly is so often in the news for all the rebel fighting with M23.

Lake Kivu is one of Africa's Great Lakes and was absolutely beautiful.

Although it felt a bit surreal, to bask in the warmth of the sun, listening to the waves, and knowing I could hop, skip, and a jump and I'd be in Goma.
We passed a huge contingent of UN peacekeepers heading into Goma.  It was a quick reminder not all in the Great Lakes region is calm.

The lake near the town of Gisenyi.

Scenes of the Rwandan county side. Not so bad from a moving vehicle, eh?

An apostolic church.

Nearing Volcanoes National Park.

My first glimpse of the Rwandan volcanoes!

As part of the healing process since the genocide, Rwandan women, usually in community groups,
have been making peace baskets, seen on the lady on the left's head, to bring gifts and signs of respect
to others when they visit.  They have become popular with visitors for the healing they symbolize and
the income they generate for villages.

A sneak peak of the next post!  Volcanoes here we come!!

For more information on the fighting in the Congo and about Goma.
For more information on Lake Kivu.

Snapshots from the road: Land of a Thousand Hills

Recently I traveled to the stunningly beautiful country of Rwanda.

It was my first time and I was just in awe of its stunning beauty in the landscape.

The capital, Kigali.

It's nickname, land of a thousand hills, was an understatement and well deserved.

The landscape is a never ending up and down, of gorgeous drops and curving roads.

The mountain lover in me was so ecstatic.

While driving, we passed at least three brides in the bridal march within an hour.  

It was such a joyous scene (although she looks kind of nervous in my shot!).

On a sobering note, heading east, toward the border with Congo-Kinshasa, we passed the Nkamira Transit Camp.

The camp--not too far from the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and its infamous city of Goma---

is a transit camp for refugees fleeing the violence in the DRC.

A football match.  In 2012, the UN reported that the camp's population had surpassed 11,000 refugees.

It was sobering to see so many lives impacted by the M23 rebels in the DRC.

It was a sobering thing to see the day after visiting several sites in Rwanda in which thousands lost their lives in the genocide.

For more information on the fighting in the Congo.