Sunday, September 13, 2009

Here We Go Again.

[Editor's Note: This post is incomplete and will be continued. It's been so long since the last posting, that I decided it's better to get it out there in pieces than wait for the complete package. Besides, the situation with our house changes so much every day that I never know how to summarize recent events.]

Dear Everyone,

Sorry it's been so long. I know the whole point of this is to stay in touch, but I have my reasons for the delay. No, really.

Starting with the last week. We had an awesome trip to Gisenyi, in the northwest corner of the country. It's right on the shores of Lake Kivu, which is not only enormous ("the sixth largest lake in Africa," according to the hotel website), but quite beautiful, as it's in an area that is largely composed of volcanoes, again at 4800 feet elevation. Looking around reminds me alternately of photos of Alpine lakes in Austria and of photos of Hawaii. I hope someday to tell you if it looks like either of the places but in the meantime those of you who have spent time at either can look at photos of Lake Kivu and tell me if the inverse is true.


Incidentally, the first photo was from our hotel room. The second was lunch at a hotel just across the border in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. A crazy place that was literally under siege in a civil war less than a year ago. The last was at dinner at a place called Paradis Malahide, a beautiful rustic inn.

The lake is cool but swimmable and clear and lovely. The sand on the shore is volcanic and contains little porous black pebbles and shimmery soft chips of mica or some soft glassy mineral that shimmers in the sun. Zoe loved stirring up the sand in the shallow water to make sparkles. She did not love swimming in the lake or the pool, unfortunately. She's determined recently that she doesn't like swimming or getting her head wet. We think it's because the water is so cold at all the pools we've seen here. None are heated and the weather here is very mild. We got her a neoprene short wetsuit as her swimsuit, but it's not really enough I guess.

More later. Following this post will be the beginnings of a post started several weeks ago to try to update on the politics of our house.

4 comments:

  1. Just caught this whilst trying to catch the 'History of Rome' podcast hoping it would be uploaded on Sunday night. Unfortunately not, but since I have started a workout schedule in earnest (see facebook)maybe I can listen tomorrow while inelegantly and inexpertly lifting heavy objects repeatedly. Anyway as one who has been to the Alpine lakes -mmm sort of, but looks kind-a-tropical -but very beuatiful none the less.
    Sorry to hear your house woes. Unfotunately as the 'Oyebo' as they used to say in Nigeria [European/American] its often assumed that you have cash [and relatively speaking they are right] and won't mind forking it over to save hassle. Also its assumed you are likely to have stroke. I faced a similar situation on a river ferry in Nigeria once in the middle of nowhere...
    I really hope things work out for you tommorrow... Thanks for the Audio Book -just started and already hooked.

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  2. Checkout the videos I posted on Facebook by way of experiment -do they work?

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  3. For what it's worth, I had lots of ear infections as a girl. I didn't get over disliking my head/face in the water till I learned to scuba dive in my 30s. I was a committed floated & comfortable in the water though. My parents kept me in/around it so I never feared it, but I didn't go under much till recently.

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  4. that's committed floater. apologies.

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