Le paysage Burundi est beau!

1-22-09

Today, we made up for the day we “lost” this week. Our trip to Kubuye was FANTASTIC! The countryside of Burundi is quite mountainous and absolutely beautiful. And all along the roadside we observed a steady stream of people walking, dressed in bright colors, and scores of bicycles being pushed, loaded with all kinds of goods. I took about 10,000 photos in my mind, and 300 with my camera.

I’ll write more about the day in a later blog. Right now, I’m beat!

10-23-09

TGIF! We administered our final exams today. So it’s a red letter day. We look forward--in a few hours--to the customary Friday evening dinner out with the other missionaries here in Bujumbura.

I want to add a few words about our trip to Kibuye.

Within a 10 minute drive from the campus, one leaves Bujumbura, and begins a long, steep climb into the mountains. The road is paved, and in quite good condition by African standards. But it is mountainous the entire four-hour trip to Kubuye, and the road is windy.

The views across the countryside range from “beautiful” to “spectacular.” Many of the hillsides are farmed. The many crops grown here include: rice, beans, coffee, tea, palm trees (for palm oil), bananas, papaya, mangoes, avocados, corn, as well as various garden vegetables and common fruits.

All along the roadside, one sees people of all ages walking, usually barefoot and carrying goods, usually on their heads. In addition to the crops I have named, their loads include: timbers, grass, water, and charcoal.

There are comparatively few cars and trucks on the road. The primary “vehicle” (and there are more pedestrians than vehicles, by far) is the bicycle. Occasionally one sees the bicycle used for transportation (often with two or more persons on board). But it is more often used as a “beast of burden.” The loaded bicycle is then pushed. Some of the loads must exceed 200# (and some of the hills are very steep).

A constant stream of people and bicycles line both sides of, and intrude onto, the roadway. Our driver uses the horn, as much or more than the gas and brake pedals, in negotiating passage of our Toyota van through “the (foot) traffic.”

What a fascinating experience!