East African geography

From Wikipedia: The Nyabarongo is a real source of the Nile, beginning from its congruent with Mukungwa river, 20 kilometers North-West of Kigali, it flows southwards to meet the Akanyaru river, and then it becomes Akagera, the great river that defines the border with Tanzania.

Heading to the Nile

We cross over this river on the way out of Kigali heading to Gitarama. Lovely to think about it heading to the Nile River.

Lots of public transportation in Rwanda!

These white vans are the Rwanda version of Car Rapide in Senegal. They pack as many people in as possible and don't go until they're full. If people get off, the vans wait until more people get on.
I take the shuttle, a 25-person-or-so mini bus, to Kigali. The shuttles leave at least every 15 minutes and cost 900f francs (about 500 francs to the dollar).
I discovered last week that I can get picked up and dropped off right in front of my house.

My primary form of transportation

Taxi motos are the easiest form of local transportation  for me, both in Kigali and Gitarama. When I had my embassy security briefing, the officer warned us to take "real" taxis and not moto taxis. Then he turned to me and said, more or less, "Well, since you live in Gitarama, do whatever." No taxis in my town!
The drivers are generally very courteous and drive carefully, and passenger helmets are mandatory. It costs me between 40 and 60 cents from one end of town to another in Gitarama.

Neighbor's house

Rwanda, at least the parts I have seen, is unbelievably lush and green. I've also read that it's the most densely populated country in Africa, which I find hard to believe given this scene.
This house and mine are owned by the Catholic church, I gather, and are on the edge of town in the diocese of Kabgayi. So beautiful but so lonely...And my neighbors won't be back until March, I hear.
The good news is that we are on the main road, so from my window, I have an ongoing parade to watch.

Road to church complex

This church complex, Diocese of Kabgayi, houses the church (of course), a school, a convent, a hotel and restaurant, and some other buidlings I haven't sorted out yet.
Rwanda is overwhelmingly Catholic, a big change from Senegal, which is about 95% Muslim.

Shrine outside Catholic church complex in Kabgayi