Basketball - 18th July 2010

One of Bruno and Nadine’s friend is playing at the divisional league basket ball - so we go to watch a game in circle sportif. I am so glad I bought my sunhat and sunglasses as we watch  the game in the full glare of the sun. Very soon I realise that something is not right with me.  I feel like I will faint - very embarrassing and I don’t want people to think I am too delicate!

The basketball boys and the game goes on...

Instead of falling with a thud I sit in Nadine’s car with the door open. I cannot stand and my tummy does not feel right - something bad is cooking!

I am introduced to a series of people who are standing while I am sitting on the floor - simply silly! I feel that I need to lie down but do not want to be in bed all alone while others have fun :(

Le chalet and jet skiing on Lake Kivu!

We go to Le Chalet by the Lake Kivu - so glad I stayed. I had to see the lake during the day before I leave Goma. I try to show that I am fine - I am feeling pretty rough inside and know that something has hit me hard.

Hotel Nyira and UN Party - 17th July 2010

I tried to have a lazy Saturday morning and wake up later than usual - our devoted neighbour playing the radio full volume put paid to that ! I decided to go to the office and do some work, check emails etc. Christine got lost trying to find WCS’s office and I tried to help her out using my parrot green house as a landmark - I could not imagine someone else would want to paint their house in the same colour - I was wrong - which meant my directions were useless. 

I was hungry and went to the Mamba Club for lunch hoping that Christine would join me. No news of Bruno - I guess he is working on his application. I had a wonderful fish and cassava fufu lunch with sombre and peri peri sauce. Does not my lunch look delicious? Yum!

My lunch at Mamba

Bruno invites me to join him to Hotel Nyira where they have free wi-fi Internet - wow! Like Pret-a-Manger in London!  We meet Heather, Carlos and two new people working here. Heather loves my African looking kaftan dress - I am chuffed that they love it!  At least I am not looking so scruffy like I did when I went to the charcoal markets. Carlos and the others start chatting and I feel that I should not leave Bruno and Christine - that would be a bit rude! We agree to meet at the UN party tonight (I can guess that Bruno is not too keen!).

The gardens at hotel Nyira are kind of wild, yet tamed - amazing. I take some pictures here. Bruno and I stay on and check things out on the Internet while Christine goes home to see Poo Poo the dog. We realise very soon that there will be a wedding ceremony at the hotel with bright pink and white decorations. I get to see a Congolese wedding!

Bruno still carries on with his work in deafening music - some dedication! My brain would cease to operate. I try to drag Bruno out to go to the party...eventually we pick Christine up  and go at around 9:30pm. The place is by the lake Kivu...as we enter the house pretty candles lead the way to the fun house. There is s proper bar to order drinks and a ‘gamla’ full of Heineken. Someone’s leaving do - just another excuse for a party! This seems surreal to the real Goma - the streets are cobbled with volcanic rock and people struggle to get by and here we are having gin and tonic overlooking the lake.

Katoyi and La Joie Market - 16th July 2010

Katoyi and La Joie market - the last two to survey. We go by car this time but Balwomwe parks away from the market so that people welcome us. We start with a stall where for the first time a man is selling in a stall. He has a few kids playing around his ankles. He is very co-operative and I carry out the interview. I hear loud oriental music coming from next door and his kids are peeking though the cracks of the wooden shop to see something. At the end of the interview I am so curious that I peek though too - I see a whole room of people watching a Chinese movie (not translated!) in the middle of Goma - amazing!! I step outside and see a small cinema that is showing all sorts of movies - mainly cheap action movies - 50cF for entry – any takers?

Ramy checking out the movie listings and...the next movie - anyone?

We finish Katoyi. A few interesting moments when two women start touching my hair saying ‘I love you’. As we pass by car we see a few other shops really scattered around and then a whole congregation of bicycle sellers. I stop to see whether I can interview some in this crowd. All the sellers have about 2 or 3 bags and they are about 25 years of age. I start asking a few questions to one dominant personality. You have to deal with the big guys to get the nod before you can go any further. He seems rather thuggish and I do not like the atmosphere with about 20 poeple circled all around me. He starts to get a bit physical and I have been warned about group behaviours in Goma - things can turn nasty very quickly. Only two days ago five people were killed in Katyoyi in a cruel way (one person being burnt alive while another one had his heart cut out). I will not forget to look in the guy’s eye when he said - you are from London and you will take me there with you - huh! He had a toothpick in his mouth and seemed capable of doing anything. Ramy too was uncomfortable - needless to say that I did not stay to interview anymore. La Joie too was not very welcoming and we interviewed all that we could. I wanted to get back to the office today.

Sake Plantation - 15th July 2010

Trip to Sake to see plantation and charcoal producer. I go with Thierry close to Sake near the border of the Masisi territory. We go to visit a plantation for EcoMakala...Bruno’s project. I love going to field trips and seeing the countryside, the volcanoes, and of course the canopies of Virunga. 

Banana trees in the outskirts of Goma

I start taking pictures of what seems to be a shack covered in a UNHCR tarpaulin - and this lady starts to yell at me. Oops! I have invaded her private home - Thierry soon tells me that that is a shack for the army. I am scared. From nowhere we see these guys in gumboots, a stick appearing and looking at me in a way that is not polite and intimidating. They belong to the army but look like they are ex-CNDP based on what they are wearing. Thierry gives them something small and we are off! On the way we pick up an ex-charcoal producer who will take us to the plantation. 

The shack that caused us pain!

We go through these windy roads through villages, by lava flows and finally get close to the plantation. We go though thick grass that is taller than us. The plantation is basically non existent with small weedy trees - I notice Thierry taking out his camera in anticipation and then puts it away very quickly. 

Mother and son near the WWF plantation

I decide to interview the charcoal maker who used to produce charcoal illegally by the slopes on Nyiragongo. My findings are fascinating and disheartening. The majestic trees of the Virunga are burnt each day to feed Goma.

Meetings - 14th July 2010

I had a meeting (WCS) in town so did not go to the remaining markets. David takes me to WCS and I meet Papi and Deo. Both are interested in my research but are somewhat stuck in old views about charcoal production. I get some contacts to get some data/information for my research. I walk back to the office. 

Two army officers in the background while Goma carries on as normal

UN base near the airport

The police and army are really concentrated around circle sportif - where their headquarters are. I have not been to a city that is so dominated by the army, police and UN armed forces.

Sick Day - 13th July 2010

Feeling rather sick! I stayed in the office to do desk work. 

Alanine Market - 12th July 2010

Alanine Market. Pictures of cycle transporters - two to three sacks of charcoal on bikes! Off again today to hit the charcoal sellers with Ramy at Alanine market. It is smaller than the others but we get to interview quite a few traders. I think I am getting better at asking difficult questions around illegal taxes and the involvement of the rebel groups. The women are pretty candid about it and it seems like this is a part of the economy of charcoal. I am starting to understand that the underground economy is the dominant economy. As we think we are finished interviewing all that were available we come across some charcoal sellers on bikes. I find out that one of the bike carriers is also a charcoal producer and we start interviewing...fascinating to find out all the details while being surrounded by 20 odd people! They all seem calm and rather curious. 

Chukudus

I see some chukudu wallahs and convince them to allow me to take some snaps. The lady next to them selling oranges seems to be a little peeved - she wants me to take a picture of her as well!  Shabbash...I take a few. I always like playing back the pictures I have taken and people just love seeing themselves!

World Cup Finals - 11th July 2010

I take a rest from the markets today and Ramy and I try to input what we found on a spreadsheet. The internet is slow and we grumble about it - but as they would say in Ghana - ‘das how it iz! 

Mamba Club!

Today is the World cup finals and we plan to go to the  Mamba Club. Gigi - Bruno’s friend is here and is leaving DRC for good. Before we head to the  Mamba, they both educate me on French Rap tunes (Marseilles vs Paris).I love the atmosphere at Mamba. We all gather around tables put together. What an atmosphere - I support Spain while we have a few silly billys going for the Dutch.

I am surprised that we have such a big screen and this is Goma - people would not think that this is such a happening place. Spain wins - yeeaaahh!!!

Visit to Virunga National Park - Rumangabo - 11th July 2010

Visit to Virunga NP - Rumangabo. This is my first trip outside Goma city and I am quite excited that I will be able to visit the headquarters of Virunga and there is also a chance that I might see Emmanuel de Merode who is a key person for me to interview. We all are squashed in the poshest of 4X4s that belong to WWF. Bruno, Christina, Thierry, myself and two more from the office. On the way we are to pick up the lawyer who is a key figure for the meeting with Bruno and Emmanuel. The moment I see him stepping into the car my face lights up like a christmas tree - he is wearing a turquoise satin silk shirt with a pair of prussian blue trousers - fantastic!  Christina sees my face and knows it all. As we approach the borders of Virunga I see trees that move a wave inside me - the sacred trees of Virunga. The sky is pretty dusty so we do not get a good view of Nyiragongo and the other volcanos and hills :(  We started climbing to approach Rumangabo and then I could see a sea of trees that merge into the distant mist - a breathtaking view. As we arrive Bruno gets into the full swing of his meetings while Christina and I join a group of visitors to see two baby orphaned gorillas. On the way we see blue monkeys and a colobus look looking at us with its majestic black coat and white tuft on its tail. The gorilla babies are adorable and look like babies in a gorilla suit. I love the chest beating dugu dugu dugu dooo! 

Virunga National Park

Bruno lets us know that Emmanuel can see us for a few moments and Christina and I wait.  As our lawyer approaches I am tempted and take a few sneaky pictures of him. He notices (help!) and ask  me - Why are you taking a picture of me? - You should rather take pictures of those monkeys he adds - yikes!! Christina comes to the rescue and it’s re-assuring that it was the monkeys I was pointing my camera at - phew! (I try to hide my giggling).

Colobus Monkey at Rumagabo - sorry I do not have a zoom lens!

I get to see Emmanuel and ask a few crucial questions - I am so pleased!!  On our way back  Bruno stops at a park ranger station while I take the liberty to hop out with him and guess what I see? Nyiragongo puffing up smoke in rage! I take my camera out and snap snap snap and the sky changes from a blue to a coral as the sun starts to set. We arrive in Goma and seem to drop off the lawyer in the middle of nowhere in the city - I am slightly obsessed with our shiny dressed lawyer.

A park rager at Rumangabo

Rumnagabo Headquarters

Niyiragongo Volcano puffing

With the picture of the trees and the expanse of Virunga in my mind - we go out for dinner at a pace called Anna’s bar near the lake. I have tilapia fish and rice - my God; do I get an enormous fish?  They all say it’s petite! I meet Nadine, Harper and Rachel. We get into a huge debate about the NGO sector and its impact on the economy - we stay quite late and decide to hit the Mamba Club for the world cup finals tomorrow.

Virunga and Mosque Birere Market - 8th July 2010

Virunga and Mosque Birere market are my targets today. I have decided to go by foot rather than car. This not only helps with the logistics but also enables me to see the city a bit more. On the way to Virunga (towards the sight of Nyiragongo volcano) the lava still exists on the road and remains solidified after the 2001 eruption. So many sights and sounds - ladies selling dried fish, furniture stalls with a sea of velour covered huge seats that are far too pretentious for my liking. 

Dried fish near Virunga ( most probably from lake Edward in Virunga National Park)

Fancy sofas for sale

We finally see a charcoal stall and start with my interviews. My eyes keep going to the two goats tied in the dark store struggling to munch on banana leaves - they were so cute! I hope they are kept for the milk. You also see that in these stores people keep leaves and vegetables in the dark as a cold storage to keep things fresh away from the sun. As we move into the market one of the charcoal sellers was braiding their daughters hair while she was asleep - adorable. It seemed to follow a cute theme.

The bicycle charcoal traders

After a few interviews we moved to Mosque Birrere - one of the largest depots for charcoal. As we approached a huge mosque appeared - hence the name of the market. We were not allowed to speak to the sellers - first we have to speak to the Association of Charcoal Traders. 

After the interview with the charcoal trading association at Mosque Birere Market

I followed a Ramy and another guy that ushered us down a narrow alley and then into a dark wooden shack with wooden benches and a table. It was thrilling to be able to convince them to speak - contrary to what I thought; they were welcoming and wanted to be interviewed.

My feet after they met charcoal in the markets!