even congo wouldnt take me

so the last week in rwanda i decided to head over to lake kivu in eastern rwanda and cross into congo. i had met some americans working for an agricultural NGO called one acre fund (http://www.oneacrefund.org/) near cyangugu and arranged to stay with them and see cassava cultivation. i was generously welcomed to the home, bird-watched, swam in the volcanic lake, and enjoyed great meals at their expense. all in all a successful two days i must say.

bike taxi to the lake

bus ride through the rwandan teafields

after two days with the one acre fund folks i headed to the congo border with 35$ in rwanda francs in my pocket, the established visa price. at the border i approach a group of pakistani UN peacekeepers and ask about ATMs on the other side. they ask what i'm doing and i say vacation. they laugh and say they are heading out of a mission and i'm going on holiday. at the checkpoint i was told that the visa is 50$ and i said no it's not. they ask where am i staying, and i respond how am i to make reservations without internet or phone numbers? next they say i don't have the right stamp in my passport. after a heated argument where i complain that i'm willing to come to your country to spend money and you are making trouble, i am asked to return to rwanda with the escort of an armed policeman. thank you, congo!!!

the view of congo from my hotel room

rwanda dinner. cassava ugali, upper right, is a sticky dough used to sop up stew. sardine stew in a tomato sauce and cassava leaf greens.