Sunday, July 6, 2014

Summer time Africa style June-July 2014

Work has kept Aly very busy this spring and summer, though we took an afternoon in June to have Aly's Admin team over for some food, drink, bocce ball and even squeezed in some dancing.  It was a fun way to celebrate our 1st 3-months in country and to thank the team for all the hard work they've done so far...
Buddy teaching the game of 'Bocce'
Bernard and Harriet before their game

Everyone so focused on winning
Bosco saying 'hey, what can I say...'

Dodos with the ball and Janvier and Bosco celebrating their
good tosses
Sam offers a high-five to his team mate Ildephonse

Aly's team--L-R--Sam, Theogene, Bernard, Marcelin,
Suedi, Aly, Harriet, Ildephonse, Esperance,
Janvier, Bosco, Leonard and Jean Paul
Our daily lives are pretty consistent these days, we're getting into the swing of things, with lots of work and some play, fitting in as much exercise as possible, reading when we can, playing brain games with friends and enjoying our time in Rwanda.  Our shipment arrived in mid-June so Buddy has been kept busy unpacking things and drilling holes, hanging pictures and helping Aly organize.
Aly and our new friend, Jacky

Mema, Buddy's former Country Director when they were in
Gabon together back in the 80s--it's been that long
since they've seen each other--a fun reunion!  He was here
for a conference
Buddy took a day trip in Rwanda with a group of people to visit a local tea plantation a couple of hours northwest of Kigali. Tea is one of the biggest exports from Rwanda and their black tea is some of the best we've ever had!  The group got to see how the tea made it from the fields to a cup.
Sorwathe Tea Factory
sorting the tea

tea leaves on the conveyor belts to be heated and steamed
on the tour

sorting and packaging
Buddy and a cup!

stoves and wood that dry the tea
view of the plantation and vicinity

more views
and more

and more
More shots from the trip of traveling to and from and around the tea plantation...
in Kigali on the way
heading out of Kigali

publicity...wonder if they get free beer or free milk?
now this is really catching a lift!

village women
transporting lumber

tea pickers
millet or sorghum drying

bringing in their tea pickings
a small market--do you see any of your old clothes here?

views on the way back
a bicycle taxi











At the end of June, Aly went to Senegal, on the west coast of Africa, for a work conference for 9 days with all the Directors of Management and Operations in the Peace Corps Africa Region.  Leaving home at midnight on a Friday, arrival time in Saly, Senegal 7pm (9pm Rwanda time)...that was a LONG day of travel!  The conference was superb and the attendees and presenters were fabulous!  The hotel where we stayed was lovely with too much food and lots of drink and good times after sessions.
a corner shop in Senegal
outside La Riviera restaurant in Saly

inside La Riviera restaurant in Saly--seating for 30 of us
a small beach front art gallery

beach front restaurant
on a sunrise walk outside our hotel

the beach at our hotel
fishing boats from our hotel

the hotel grounds
beautiful swimming pool

La Lamantin Hotel in Saly, Senegal
our rooms (4 to a rondaval--2 up and 2 down)


Director's of Mgmt & Operations in Africa
and support staff from HQ
these arches are the furthest point west on the
African continent outside Dakar, the capital of Senegal
looking at the arches
need anything to snack on or to drink?

locals swimming in Dakar
street side grilled fish in Dakar
downtown Dakar, Senegal
shopping in Dakar





Dakar and the ocean
Goree Island, 2 kms from Dakar, where the Atlantic
slave trade started
Back at home...we are feeling settled and comfortable.  Aly works full time M-Th with 1/2 days on Friday's (that's about 50 hours/week of work!!) and Buddy works full time around the house, supervising the house and garden help, reading as much as he can and taking care of our gardens and our hens (you can take the boy off the farm, but you can't take the farm out of the boy!!!).  We have lovely flowers in bloom, thanks to his cutting everything way back shortly after we 1st arrived and we're reaping benefits in our daily salads and veggie dishes from the veggie gardens.
some of our herbs outside our kitchen for cooking!
some of our veggies

the girls
blues, purples, mauves, reds, yellows, greens...lovely...

our entrance flowers
Heading into town, going shopping...
downtown Kigali
downtown Kigali











Just to show you a bit of what we might find in a local super market...

see that Jiff?  $20/jar!  whew!!!
Buddy was found in the cookie isle

fresh 'white' bread...we have lovely wheat/grain as well
small generators, about $1000 US ea

$4/can of Pringles!  yikes!!!  we'd rather have 3 beers!!!
same price
a view from downtown

under construction--the new Convention Center
3 kms from our home
part of the new Convention Center






Happy 4th of July--from your Colorado and Texas friends!!!
our flags...view from our dining room window
Here's to the rest of the summer!!!  Enjoy...

9 comments:

  1. Thanks for the update, I've been wondering and then...voila! You have been mighty busy, but I appreciate the effort for providing a sight for sore eyes, you guys, and all your entourage; great photos; travels, garden ... keep up the good works!
    Love from MN!

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  2. Nice photos and grammar! I didn't see Gravy anywhere, though...

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  3. It was fun catching up with you both via cyber space. Your new lives sound exciting and adventurous. We are in Crested Butte for a couple of months...too hot in Denton in July & August. fred & Susan

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  4. What a lovely group of photos! Nice to see both of your smiling faces:-)

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  5. I wish I was there!!! Thank you for the updates and I can see that you are having a good time.

    Love you,

    Fi

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  6. Loved the update. Looks like you've settled in beautifully. Think of you two often! Love you guys. Terri and clan

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  7. Love all your photos, thank you for introducing me to Rwanda! I love hearing about your daily activities and getting a peek through your camera into what you're seeing everyday. Enjoy! Penny LaJoie

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  8. Wow, great pics! Thanks for sharing your adventures with us. It's interesting to see how other people live, it's so pretty there. I know you are loving it. Keep the posts coming....look forward to your next update. Love and miss you here in Texas!!
    Brenda Woods

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  9. Good Day! Tomorrow is our Bunco for Breast Cancer and it won't be the same without you there but looks like things are great there. Thanks again for sharing your experience. Beautiful!
    Brenda Woods

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