Destination: Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

Bonjour from my 13th African country -- Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)!  I will admit my
American ignorance:  when I was first confirmed for this trip and people inquired where I will be going I simply replied "Congo" as I thought "1) they will not know what I mean by DRC and 2) to state Democratic Republic of Congo is way too long ..." It was not until my arrival and in discussions with my colleagues that I realized Democratic Republic of Congo and Congo are two different countries!  This is the blessing of travel - you are constantly being educated outside of what you know and learn in your home / comfort zone.  Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Congo are neighbors, with the DRC being the larger of the two countries and Republic of Congo to its west. The flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is blue with a yellow star to the top left corner. The flag is split diagonally by a red stripe with a thin yellow frame.  The color red represents the sacrifices of the national heroes, while the yellow represents the country's opulence and wealth; the star is a symbol of hope and ambition for the country and the blue field represents peace and harmony.

When I first heard about this area of the world I was about 10 or 11 years old.  The only girl in a neighborhood full of boys, I was excited when our new neighbors included another female - Sele.  She was older than me, about 13 or 14, taller, thin, beautiful dark, smooth skin and she was always smiling.  She was 1 of 3 siblings, from Zaire (now DRC), adopted by an interracial American couple.  We were instant friends and would spend hours talking on our porch or at her dining room table trying new dishes she would cook for her family.  She and her brothers would describe their country, the food, the dances and I would listen closely, imagining every detail as I never thought I would see that region of the world for myself.  23+ years later, here I am, in Kinshasa.  Today I am learning even more about DRC from colleagues and people I meet in the hotel lobby, at the pizzeria or at the bar having a drink.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT DRC:

• DRC is the ancestral homeland for over 200 ethnic groups!
• DRC is quite large measuring almost 1/4 the size of the United States.  
• There is only approximately 300 miles of paved road in DRC.  Many goods, therefore, are transported via air.
• DRC's wealth can be attributed to its natural resources, which includes but is not limited to:  oil, diamonds, gold, silver, coal and timber.
• Based on a recent study conducted by WHO, only 2% of the country's population is infected with / being treated for HIV/AIDS.  This is lower than even the Washington DC area (at 3.2%, CDC) in the United States! 

BONOBOS:

When you are in DRC you must visit Lola ya Bonobo.  Founded by Claudine Andre in 1994, Lola ya Bonobo is the world's only sanctuary for orphaned bonobos.  Lola ya Bonobo's mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and then release the bonobos back into the wild where they will hopefully replenish the population in the forest areas of DRC where they are becoming extinct.  Interesting facts about bonobos:

• Bonobos are only found in one country - DRC.
• Bonobos are becoming extinct, rapidly.  In 1980, 100,000 bonobos were reported living in DRC.  Today only approximately 10,000 - 20,000 remaining.  One of the reasons bonobos are becoming extinct is because of the bush meat trade.  Their meat is considered a delicacy for which they are being slaughtered.  Another reason is that female bonobos only give birth every 5 - 6 years.  Deforestation is also a contributor to these animals becoming extinct.

• Humans share 98.7% of our DNA with bonobos!  Their brains are highly developed, they also have five fingers on each hand and are able to walk long distances standing up right, walking on their two feet.  Interestingly, during our visit the guide communicated in French with responses from the bonobos!  In one example the guide threw sugar cane for their dessert.  One of the closes bonobos caught the sugar cane and while he peeled the skin away the guide yelled "bon appetit!" to which the bonobo looked up, gave a toothy smile, nodded and then went back to the sugar cane!

  

  4 year old bonobo male enjoying a snack.  In the bonobo nursery a local woman will always be present while bonobos are awake.  Orphaned bonobos in the nursery need a female presence or they will cry in loneliness and agony.

  
  

  

  Look at that expression!

  
  

  

  One may wonder what this male bonobo is pontificating :)

• Very unique in the animal kingdom and to bonobos is that the FEMALE bonobos are in charge!  HBIC haha If a male bonobo becomes aggressive, the female bonobos surround him and block him from hurting the bonobo to which he is showing aggression.  The males can even be punished for 'bad' behavior which is usually a hard bite administered by one of the females.  If one female is having an issue with a male in the group, she will let out a loud cry and the other females will come running!  During our visit one of the male bonobos had a plastic bottle which one of the females wanted.  He ran up the hill to get away with the bottle, she let out the 'war cry' and before you knew it the male bonobo gave up the fight and gave the bottle to the female bonobo!  Smart male! haha

• Bonobos are very peaceful and interestingly have never been seen to kill one of its own.  How do they keep the peace?  They "make love, not war" - literally.  To diffuse tension, anxiety, stress or irritation bonobos engage in sexual contact, rubbing their genitals together.   This as well as sex occurs indiscriminately, regardless of age or sex.  

Enjoy photos from DRC and our visit to the Bonobo sanctuary below:

4 year old bonobo quenching his thirst

"Bonobo Beach"

Mid-hiking photo op during visit to Bonobo ya Lola

Part II of my adventure will be detailed in the next blog entry:  Destination:  Where to Eat, Dance and Play in Kinshasa. 

Destination: Utrecht, Netherlands

Usually when I am in Holland for a long weekend, leading to a day or two at the office in Woerden, I stay in Amsterdam.  Holland, Amsterdam, both have quite a bit to offer (Destination: Holland) but this time my friend, Marcel, convinced me to stay in Utrecht.

INTERESTING FACTS about Utrecht:

• In 2012, the Archbishop of Utrecht was created a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI at a ceremony in Rome’s St Peter’s Basilica.  
• It is also the home of The University of Utrecht, the largest university in the Netherlands. 
• In 2015, Utrecht will host the Grand Start of the Tour de France! 
  
  
  
  

SITE-SEEING:  Lombok & City Center

I stayed at NH Utrecht which was conveniently located near the train station and in walking distance of the city center.   After a long flight, shower and a nap I decided to put on my ADIDAS to take a walk around Utrecht.   My friend, Marcel, was going to meet me in the center of town.  I took a wrong turn and ended up walking along Kanaalstraat located in the center of the multicultural district of Lombok.  When I realized I was lost, nowhere near the city center, I advised Marcel of my location and he told me Lombok was a known Turkish, Moroccan and Iranian neighborhood.  There was fresh produce, bread, pastries and herbs being sold on block corners.  It was clear this was a close knit community where families were shopping for fresh food, store owners were outside their shops talking, the scent of fresh bread in the air ... it was nice.  I need to see more of this neighborhood on my next visit ...

I eventually found Marcel and we walked to the city center.  As we walked the first thing I noticed was a tall church tower.  Marcel told me this was the Dom Tower.  The Dom Tower is the highest and oldest church tower in Holland, understandably Utrecht's main landmark, standing at the spot where the city of Utrecht originated almost 2,000 years ago. The Dom Tower was built between 1321 and 1382 and is over 360 feet high (Marcel had the NERVE to suggest we climb the tower - this did NOT happen).  Originally, the Dom Tower was attached to be attached to the main body of the church which was under construction at the time.  However, in 1647 the Dom Tower became separated from the uncompleted nave after a tornado. The tower and main body of the church were never connected  While the tower also experienced damage and destruction was considered, it was decided to restore the tower, which took five years.  As a first time visitor, I cannot imagine the skyline of Utrecht without the Dom Tower.

After gazing up at the Dom Tower, Marcel and I "bumped" into Flora’s Hof nursery.  The nursery, ran by volunteers, is a small, serene escape in the middle of Utrecht.  With benches, beautiful flowers, surrounded by walls etched with depictions from the life of Saint Martin, the patron saint of the Dom and city.  This quiet garden has quite the history! The medieval Episcopal palace stood where the garden now grows.  The palace fell into disrepair and was finally demolished in 1803 leaving a fallow patch of land in the city center - now this beautiful garden.  It is free to visit, so I encourage you to take a book, sit, relax and enjoy the history and peace around you in Flora's Hof Nursery.

 

After a silent walk through Flora's Hof nursery, Marcel and I walked over to the Cathedral. Beautiful!  We walked into the courtyard, Pandhof, which is an idyllic monastery garden hidden between St. Martin's Cathedral and the University Hall. In the middle of the garden is a fountain with a bronze statue of the 14th-century canon (priest) Hugo Wstinc.  It was gorgeous! 

Of course there are the canals.  Since it was nice the entire weekend restaurants opened their doors, placed tables and chairs outside of guests looking to relax, eat and people watch.  Utrecht was easy to walk and I explored the city by foot with my friend walking over 17 miles!

Pedestrian lanes are quite a bit smaller than bike lanes

10pm in Utrecht

It is smaller than Amsterdam but offers shopping, a rich history, breath-taking architect, fun bars and nightlife.  If you are looking to experience Holland, without the crowds, tourists, overly priced restaurants, please visit Utrecht.  Anytime I am able to have a long layover in Holland, I will be staying in Utecht.

Thank you Marcel for walking me around! XO

Destination: Bujumbura, Burundi

Motto:  "Ubumwe, Ibikorwa, Iteramere" Unity, Work, Progress

This is my 12th African country and it quickly climbed the ranks as one of my favorites!  The people are friendly, the weather was quite pleasant (ranging from 75 - 85F but never humid), additionally, Bujumbura can brag about beautiful, picturesque scenery with high mountains and the blue warm waters of Lake Tanganyika. 

HISTORY

Burundi is a landlocked country in the African Great Lakes region of Southeast Africa, bordered by Rwanda to the North, Tanzania to the East and South and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to the West.  The official flag of Burundi comprises a white "X" which divides the field into alternating red and green segments. In the center of the "X" is a white disk, on which there are three red solid six-pointed stars outlined in green.  These stars are positioned in a triangular arrangement and refer to the National motto of Burundi which is "Unity, Work, and Progress". The stars also represent the three ethnic groups in the country - the Hutu, Tutsi and the Twa. The white color epitomizes peace, green stands for optimism and hope, while red stands for the bloodshed of the soldiers in the struggle for independence.

Since independence in 1962 it has been plagued by tension between the usually-dominant Tutsi minority and the Hutu majority.  The ethnic violence sparked off in 1994 made Burundi the scene of one of Africa's most intractable conflicts.  It began to reap the dividends of a peace process, but faces the formidable tasks of reviving a shattered economy and forging national unity.  In 1993 Burundi seemed poised to enter a new era when, in their first democratic elections, Burundians chose their first Hutu head of state, Melchior Ndadaye.  But within months Ndadaye had been assassinated, setting the scene for years of Hutu-Tutsi violence in which an estimated 300,000 people, most of them civilians, were killed.  In early 1994 parliament elected another Hutu, Cyprien Ntaryamira, as president. But he was killed in April alongside the president of neighboring Rwanda when the plane in which they were traveling was shot down over Kigali.  While we were unable to go inside to take photos of the memorial, a police officer allowed us seconds to take photos outside the gates.  Our colleague told us the memorial is of Melchior Ndadaye in the middle, surrounded by other assassinated political representatives during the years of violence.

WHERE TO STAY AND PLACES TO PLAY
Bujumbura is the capital and largest city and main port of Burundi.  It's chief exports are coffee, cotton and tin ore.  Burundi also is known for exporting other natural resources such as cobalt, copper, nickel and sugar.

My colleague and I stayed at the Roca Golf Hotel (http://www.rocagolfhotel.bi/) in Bujumbura. Very nice hotel!  The staff was friendly and attentive, the food, even the buffet, was quite good (though expensive) and the rooms were spacious.  Also, it is on a golf course, which is complimentary for guests staying at the hotel.

If you are staying over the weekend, you absolutely MUST find your way to Bora Bora Beach Club for the day.  Since Burundi is a land locked country, the sand, the water are all a result of
Lake Tanganyika.  Four countries share the Lake Tanganyika: Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia and DRC.  Lake Tanganyika is the second largest freshwater lake in the world by volume and second deepest after Lake Baikal.  From the Bora Bora beach club you can see two mountain ranges:  one belongs to Bujumbura and the other to DRC.  The atmosphere is quite relaxed.  There is a full bar and of course a DJ along with a place set up to dance.

During our stay my colleague and I attended the inauguration of a newly renovated central medical store in Bujumbura.  The renovation was a collaboration with USAID, UNICEF and the Burundian government.  Yes, there were speeches.  Yes, there was a tour.  Yes, the local news was there.  But what was also there were traditional drummers.  The drummers and dancers stole the event!  I have seen quite a few live performances in Rwanda, Uganda and South Africa.  But none of them took my breath away like these performers.  Literally you could feel the beat moving through you as they performed. Their drums are hallowed out tree trunks.  Expertly hallowed out and then decorated for the perfect sound.  I wad told the drummers of Burundi have performed for centuries to celebrate the King, re-growth, fertility and family. Beside performing at major events, Burundian drummers can be found every Sunday at Saga Plage where they rehearse for upcoming performances.

YOU GOTTA EAT!
There is always something to do and there is a nice variety.  We never had to eat at the same place twice, but you will see that there were reasons to visit more than one twice because the food was delicious!

• Baobob:  great place for a fast lunch.  This is a traditional food buffet offering local and regional African dishes.  The food was good and quite reasonably priced.  A must try!
  
  
  
  

• Botanika:  nice atmosphere and food was ok.  I did enjoy lamb couscous.  The couscous was better than the lamb as the lamb was not as tender as I would like it.  Also, there was more veggies and gravy than lamb which was disappointing.  My colleague enjoyed the eggplant while our host enjoyed steak.  Quite a variety of food so large parties could be happy dining here. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Cafe Gourmand: baby Jesus be a temptation blocker!  If you are looking for fresh pastries, cakes, cookies, ice cream -- basically anything to derail your diet, this is the place to go!  Thankfully, we found this place on the last day hours before heading to the airport.  I did enjoy a delicious chicken tikka panini for lunch and then went right for my favorite dessert - a millefeuille.  Worth every bite! 
  
• Fleur de Sel:  owned by a Belgian couple, this is a small restaurant which is quite nice for lunch.  They offer a meal of the day which includes appetizer, main course and dessert or off the menu.  My favorite meal from the menu was the "poulet sauce a la moambe."  So, so good (I find myself wanting this dish RIGHT NOW).
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Havana:  this became our favorite place to watch matches during the World Cup.  You pay 10,000 Burundian Francs to enter but you then receive a 'coupon.'  This coupon may be used to purchase 1 Heinken or 2 Amstels.  This is definitely a sports bar with fast finger food, but they are best known for their pizza.  Relaxed atmosphere. 
• Tandoor:  if you are looking for Indian food, this is the place!  Quite a large restaurant, the menu also has Chinese cuisine as well.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Ubuntu:  if you are looking for great pizza, this is the place!  The wood fire oven pizza is delicious and enough for two people.  The atmosphere is pretty great as well.  For happy hour you pay 10,000 Burundian Francs (approx $6) to enter but in return they give you 10,000 in vouchers which may be used toward drinks.  Also a nice place to be during sunset.  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  Vegetarian lasagna

  I was truly blessed for an opportunity to work, play and learn in Bujumbura, Burundi, even if for only 2 weeks.  I look forward to returning in the near future!  Please enjoy more photos below of Bujumbura, Burundi.

People waiting alongside the road for the President
to pass on his way from the airport.