Nyungwe Forest and Lodge Just Get Better!

Since Bruce had been gone for about 10 days... he didn't have a lot of time to take off... so we decided to go to Nyungwe for just one night and day!  A fast trip...  long drive but worth every minute. 

Huge hedge rows of bamboo along the roadside on the way.

The rice fields near Butare!  I learned last night that the people in the pink and orange cover-alls are prisoners.
They are asked if they want to work... so they aren't forced to... but I'm sure most of them want to get out and do something.  The ones in pink... are those being held but have not yet been sentenced and the the ones in orange are those who have been incarcerated.

I wonder how they keep these irrigated?

Some folks out for a walk with their pigs!
Probably going to or coming from the market.

Stopping to view the valley, the patches of  farms and houses.  It was so hazy when Eva and Mathias were here in Rwanda.  In fact, one of the longest stretches of cloudy, hazy weather that we have seen. 

 But then we arrived at the rain forest...  

We got behind this guy for a long time... but finally passed him.

 We stopped here on our way TO the lodge so Eva and Mathias could do the canopy walk over the rain forest. 

 From this perspective this truck looks like a little toy.

Interesting plants blooming during the dry season.

We had brought lunch with us but had to move the checker set
before we could use the picnic table.  Note:  the checkers
are pop bottle tops!

 Before the hike begins.....  Bruce and i just waited for them since I didn't want to do this the 3rd time nor Bruce the 2nd...

Eva and Mathias meeting their guides!
Yes, they pass out walking sticks that come in very handy.

Their whole group!  

Being taught about the park and their location.

Away they go... Down, Down and Down!

That was the last time we saw them for a little over 2 hours.
But they did emerge...back up and up and up from the hike.

The "after" shot!  They did it!  They had seen the canopy of
the rain forest, walked over  the swinging bridge and climbed back up!  So after catching their breath we were off to 

Nyungwe Lodge where we were greeted with fantastic homemade Passion Fruit Juice!

Our greeter! 

These walls of decorative imigongo are stunning.  Again, if you have missed previous posts... these are designed and made with cow dung and then painted.   

 You can see how big each picture is here...
and you can see all of us!  This was sad though
because Philip wasn't on site to do the
afternoon tea on this day so Eva and Mathias 
weren't able to have this experience.  

But we did have a great dinner ahead of the fireplace!!

I don't know how Bruce was able to stay awake after just arriving from the States earlier in the week.  It takes me forever to recover from that trip!

We had an early dinner before the rest of the guest arrived....so we had the place to ourselves in the beginning....

 But come dessert time and out come the wait staff singing and clapping and carrying this beautiful cake.  The candle was a giant sparkler but by the time we figured out that they hadn't brought this to the wrong table... it had burned out.  

Somehow... they had discovered that it would be our 37th wedding anniversary in a couple of days... so they presented us with this HUGE surprise!
We still haven't figured out how they knew.

After a great nights sleep in a very quiet environment 
we woke up to this... beautiful day!

The cabins / rooms are set right in the tea fields.
 It is stunning!

 The walk way to the lodge, the pool, the spa or other rooms.

 This is looking over or through the fields between the lodge and the rooms.

 Eva and Mathias were waiting for us for breakfast! 

 The view from our table.

Here comes Bruce... up out of the room and onto the
walk through the fields.  

OH, no, the clouds are rolling in.

Eva looking out from the pool area.  The last 
look over the fields before we left in the morning!

As we begin our drive home...some sights along
the way.... the cows.... 

the pigs.... 

and 'them thar' hills!   

 Little patches of tea...

and making bricks! 

 Prisoners-- between jobs.... so to speak,
walking to their next opportunity! 

Something important had come up and Bruce had
to take some calls.  I think....  

I like his new office.  We were here quite a while.
A very restful, tranquil "take me away" kind of place! 

These footpaths cover the hills.  They 
are the interstate system here!  

As we were waiting for Bruce, Eva found
the "head piece"  that the men and women 
use to put on top of their heads to help them balance
their heavy loads. 

Almost home now....

and we've gotten the "green light" to go through the one lane

area.  On the other end ...no doubt the folks on the 

other end have been given the "red flag"!!

No language barrier here!  

The end of another great time in the best place to refresh 

your spirit and totally drink in the beautiful

 world God created for 

us to enjoy. 

love,

margie