The Day Before the Gorilla Trek...

Our excitement is growing since today is the day we leave to head for the Volcanoes 

in Northern Rwanda where the Mountain Gorillas live.  But before we leave we
ready the house for a retreat group that will use our house while we are away.  One of B's staff members has been leading a small group--of 11-and while we are gone they and their pastor and his wife will be here for a day and a half.  So, we got the house ready for them and then we waited for B to come home from work and we took off about noon. 

Leaving town we caught this truck with single mattresses in action.
These trucks are very common and we still can't figure out how they get so
many mattresses on one flat bed.  I hope to get a side shot one day! 

Leaving the city behind we head for the hills.  We are just
starting the climb through the mountains here, shortly after
leaving Kigali.

 This guy seemed really lopsided and i thought he
would tip over on every curve.  We finally passed him!! 

 Just a picture to show you the foot paths that run
 throughout the mountains that people use to reach their homes.

 We call them dollies or wheelbarrows!
Can you imagine....pushing this up a mountain?

 Not sure what they will be doing with all of these bricks
but it will take a lot of workers to put them all into place. 

Around 2 o'clock we hit this spot... and now we can see 

the volcanoes. 

This is Sabyinyo and it is the view from our "hotel".

All of us in the lobby being greeted and served "African Ginger Tea" 

Not my 'cup of tea'... but with enough sugar and milk... 

 Tapestry in the lobby.

Our room--or cottage...

 Very cozy.. but quite chilly.  I even left my jacket on.

These are 2 volcanoes "behind" us.  I believe they are 

Bisoke and Kalisimbi 

Different angles of the cottage

 

Nelda checking out the volcanoes and the fire pit!  

We are waiting for the dancers.  

Volcanoes, Gahinga and Muhabura are to the right of Sabyinyo

And they appear and change the landscape! 

These were young dancers from the community...

and they were so alive and so much fun! 

The girls were pretty and graceful but...

the boys were hysterical..  After each huge dance they would do

they would say " VERY GOOD" or "VERY NICE"

with a sort of Indian / British Accent.  And then flash a HUGE smile! 

They had us all laughing and totally enjoying their performance. 

Of course, no one else would join them when they asked... so 

This giant iron gorilla sculpture was great.
He was chewing on Bamboo.  Looks like
they are forming a new family.. Ha!
Check out that hand on Kristi's shoulder.

 We had a nice dinner and then headed back to go to sleep early to
get ready for tomorrow!

The sun was simply beautiful on the volcanoes. 

I had no idea that volcanoes could be "green".  I pictured them with lava rock

all around... but these are covered in flora and fauna!

Did i mention how cold it is here???  Note the coats and fleeces.
Seems so strange to be cold in Africa. View to the North.

View to the Southwest!

Amy captured these awesome "skyscapes" of Sabyinyo!!!

And so we retired.... thinking about what it will be like tomorrow

seeing and being very close to a Gorilla family in the wild.

love,

margie