Saturday, January 17, 2009

Day Five: A Light Show.

Cyangugu, Rwanda – Given that I’ve just spent the past couple of days working – editing long manuals that will be used to govern and manage KCCEM – I figured I wouldn’t have many stories to tell.

I could talk about the food, but that will wait for another day. This is an African country where there is no shortage of things to eat, and where flavour is important. Unlike last year, I may just come home heavier, rather than lighter.

After a last-minute invitation to go out with the team to a local dance club, I figured I could write about the nightlife and the traditional Congolese dance, ndobo, that is prevalent in this part of the country. Unfortunately, that opportunity fell through due to a lack of communication, though the beats resounding from next door had my leg a-twitching in my sleep all night.

While waiting, though, I decided to step outside in an attempt to take some long-exposure photos of the lights on the hills across Lake Kivu. For whatever the reason, I climbed out my window (I have a door) and onto my balcony. The storm clamouring for attention over the mountains was one of the most spectacular light shows I have ever seen.

It was like paparazzi in the heavens as several flashes a second lit up the sky for an hour, non-stop. For the most part, lightning bolts weren’t visible, though one could occasionally see one jumping, kamikaze-style, to a nearby cloud. Instead, as though filled with giant flashbulbs, the sky silhouetted – in various shades of grey – the swollen clouds and arrows of rain that fell to the earth in the distance.

Yet, where I stood, the stars in the sky smiled down like a million twinkles in your eye.

2 comments:

ShannonWoodhouse said...

D,

Can't wait to see all the photos, you're descriptions have me drooling already!

S

Walewander said...

You had me at 'paparazzi in the heavens' Hope things continue to go well. BTW, with tomorrow being Barack's inauguration - it is also "Send Out All Negative Press Releases Day" since nothing in the world is going to covered except the happenings in D.C.

Cheers!