Goma

This is a tourist entry. At the north end of Lake Kivu, 2 ½ hours by speedboat, lies Goma – the site of the massive refugee camps after Rwanda’s genocide, and home to one of the world’s full-time active volcanoes.

Our journey, in the cool sunshine of the early morning, is uneventful. The boat is modern, with about 70 seats in the interior. Unfortunately we weren’t allowed to sit outside: I think I understand why, as the boat goes really fast.

When we arrive at Goma we drive up a really rough farm track to reach the main road, which, much like all the roads in Goma, is also something of a farm track. This takes us along the edge of the lake where hundreds of women are doing their laundry while small boys are playing in the water. A timeless view at any waterfront in Africa.

Then into the town. With one or two exceptions the buildings all seem half finished or seriously dilapidated. This, combined with the swirling dust of the road and the lack of anything which you could consider modern, gives it an almost quaint atmosphere of a frontier town – 1880s style.

The hotel – called the Cap Kivu – is in complete contrast. It’s got a beautiful snack bar at the edge of the lake, a fountain graced by real live crested cranes, and looks really attractive. Inside the floors are marble and the rooms are large.

BUT. And this is where the Congo lets itself down every time. The shower system seems to rely on a lethal system by which you, the guest, are supposed to stuff naked electric wires into a socket, and presumably hold it there while the water gets hot, because if you don’t hold it it falls out. So, in effect, there’s no hot water. Very strange when the owners have spent a fortune building the place.

But there are other things are clearly much more important. The hotel wants to distinguish itself from the frontier town atmosphere of “anything goes” so there’s a helpful list of do’s and don’ts, (in French and English, no less), which includes the normal requirements to register with the front desk, and the need to hand valuables into the reception.

And then:

1. Customers of the same sex can not share the same room.

2. Any customer with a woman must submit an identity card which proves they are married.

So, there may be a lot of killing going on round here, but at least we don’t have to worry about immorality.

By the way, this is blog number 150!