Random Images

I haven't written up my shopping expedition yet, so I thought I'd post a few random images.  First off, people really do carry things on their head around here!  You can also see school children at recess in the background

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Look at any spot of open land and you'll find corn growing.   Maize is a huge part of a Rwandan's diet and it does my Midwestern heart good to see so much corn!  It is everywhere in the city (like this shot below, right outside our hotel).

Besides corn (and other crops as well) there are flowers, trees, shrubs, you name it.  So many plants and most I have no clue what they are; like this one on the left.  The one on the right reminds me of the plant in "Little Shop of Horrors."

 

There is a lot of construction going on in the city: houses, government offices, you name it.  But what floored us in this picture is that everything is being done by hand; no power tools whatsoever.  Also, most of the buildings are poured concrete like this one.  According to our security briefing, they don't use much re-bar so if there is an earthquake (which does occur around here) the buildings pancake. 

Of course, this house above is for the rich folks.  Coming back from Akagera we went through several small villages.  There was building going on there as well, but using self-made mud bricks, this like home.