Category: Heart of darkness

Gitega

Burundi’s second largest city resumed the role of political capitol in 2019. Bujumbura remains the economical capitol. Gitega is a smaller and much more pleasant city with asphalted tree lined roads and less scruffy buildings.

Our first morning has us in a private guided tour with th curator. While small and basic the guide brings it and the history of Burundi to life.

Our main reason for coming here is to see the Gishora dancers. Situated on the site where kings of Burundi reigned they have preserved the original royal dwelling which are thatched roof huts.

This has been a designated world heritage site since 2014. In my travels I have seen many “cultural shows” and generally I am not a fan. Typically they are lame and contrived. They appeal to the western tourist who feels warm and fuzzy about ticking the ‘’cultural sensitivity” box but in this case boy was I wrong! African drums beating persistently and menacingly, these guys delivered a high energy, spine tingling performance as my photos attest.

Finally a drive out to the impressive Karere Falls completes a long but highly satisfying day.

Heart of darkness

Buj

Burundi’s largest city of 3 million people graphically illustrates the parlous state of this impoverished nation one of Africa’s poorest. This is a country where the average wage is around $1 per day. It is a country where long queues form outside of fenced off petrol stations because the country chronically experiences severe petrol shortages. The dusty potholed roads of the city are choked, with people notwith cars. Queues sometimes 100 people long line up for seats on the few minibuses that still run. The downtown area is dirty, run down and impoverished It is easily the worst African city I have seen. It reminds me of bigger versions of the dusty most rundown backwater towns I travelled through in places like Tanzania in 1986 as a backpacker.

Motor bikes and cars form long queues in front of service stations which have no fuel

Sadly the actual topographical setting should be idyllic. Beautiful Vedant mountains lush with vegetation cascade down to the shores of Lake Tanganyika which is like an inland sea. Buj is like a blight on the landscape. Our first stop today is the Stanley – Livingstone meeting place monument. Dr David Livingstone the Scottish doctor and missionary has always been a hero for me. In 1869 when news from Livingstone to the outside world dried up they sent Henry Morton Stanley’s to find him. Against the odds he found him and uttered the iconic phrase “Dr Livingstone I presume”. That happened at Ujiji in Tanzania in 1871. Stanley returned home but not before exploring and mapping the mighty Congo River and a substantial portion of what is now DRC. Stanley became a great explorer in his own right.

This monument commemorates their second meeting when a severely ill Livingstone stood before Stanley. Stanley returned to the west and Livingstone died shortly after around Zambia.

A quick detour to the monument celebrating Burundi’s independence in 1962 completes the tourist sites here.

Children are patiently waiting for the gift of sweets from one one of my fellow travellers

Our bus, complete with aircon. All you had to do is force open the windows

Outside of Buj we drive 2 hours to our next destination. The road is a winding mountain road with green all around. Fields of bananas, tea plantations and redolent eucalypt forests are all around. The lushness of the vegetation is a revelation.

Heart of darkness Uncategorized

One night in Addis

It is 1 am local time in Dubai and God only knows what time back home. Sixteen hours of flying and even more transit time has me lining up for security like a discombobulated somnambulist. Throw in some wine and a sleeping tablet and I am heading to my first class lounge ready for bed rather than the free food and wine I had hoped for. It’s amazing what a hot shower does and refreshed I am ready to sample the culinary delights and an impressive array of high end Bordeaux wines.

One more flight gets me into Addis Abbaba early afternoon and after checking in I hit the ground running. I ask the taxi driver to take me to the museum. I want to renew my acquaintance with Lucy as the fossilised remains of prehistoric Australopithecus Africensis is known. Sadly, on arrival it is closed indefinitely for renovation. As a fall back I visit the church of St George and the Holy Trinity Cathedral. Neither disappointed.

Holy Trinity Cathedral, The tomb further above is that of the late Emperor Haile Sellassie

I rate Ethiopia as one of the best countries I have visited with a culture going back to biblical times In my short stopover the changes here from 20 years ago are striking. The centre of town is dazzling with newly built luxury item shops. All around, though the streets are being dug up and buildings destroyed to make way for new construction, not a pretty sight.

A final 2 hour flight brings me to the backwater of Burundi and a quiet night at our hotel on the shores of Lake Tanganyika with its mellifluous name of Bujumbura.

Heart of darkness Uncategorized

Heart of darkness

Central Africa has long fascinated me. My first adventure in Africa was a 2 month backpacking journey in East Africa in 1987. Armed only with a Lonely Planet guide and an onwards ticket to my next job in UK, I travelled extensively through Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania and Kenya. It was the latter LP guide with histories of all of Africa’s countries that ignited my interest in countries such as Congo, Central African Republic, Rwanda and Burundi. At that time they were administered by crazy, corrupt, violent dictators leaving them as “no go” zones. The region is still a hotbed of corrupt leaders, perhaps a bit less violent, militias and Islamic insurgents still with DFAT recommendations “Do not travel”. The difference now is that some travel countries offer trips there and this is what I am about to embark on.

I became an avid reader of books about the 19th century era of African exploration. In particular the source of the Nile was a particularly British obsession. The story of the famous Scottish missionary and doctor, David Livingstone had me enthralled. Books about the Congo River such a Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and Henry Morton Stanley’s classic “Through the dark continent” had me wanting to replicate his journey sailing down the full length of the Congo. Those ambitions are now beyond reach as decrepitude in the failed state that is Congo has absorbed any of the long haul boats down this mighty River.

My main reason for booking this trip was to go through eastern DRC, an almost mythical land of massive lakes, jungle, mountains and gorillas. Sadly an unpublished rebel campaign throughout January and February has transformed our holiday itinerary into a war zone.

We have been rerouted to the other side of the border travelling along western Rwanda. I am sure it will not disappoint.