Lac de ma Vallee

Hello all! I have been busy and lacking topics to write about... PLEASE let me know if there is something you'd like to hear about in Congo. I do need to do another animal/bird post. For now, vacation has finally begun and we (teachers staying at TASOK over break) went on an outing near the Bonobos sanctuary to a place called 'Lac de ma Vallee,' a restaurant and walking area. The bus ride was very adventurous as the dirt roads have dealt with a lot of rain in the past few weeks, but we made it! First we walked to the eating area, where we looked over the lake through the beautiful flowers to a small shrine on the opposite side which we would later pass on the walking path. (Yes, I realized as I was taking the pictures that many of you have been sitting under 4 feet of snow freezing your bums off for months. I am sincerely very sorry that I can't send you some African heat and green but the photos will have to do.)

 After getting the lay of the land, we ordered our food (Chicken kebab with French Fries for me, 17,000 congolese francs which on today's exchange rate is $18.38) and 7 of the 17 teachers/kids who had come set out on the 6km walk around the lake. Most of the man-made lake and it's surrounding path lies to the left of this upper photo, so when you pass the shrine you are nearly back to the eating area for your food.

This was the view as we began the hike, looking back on the eating area and the kids of our party enjoying their paddle boat rentals. Aside from the squeaky boats, the quiet was perfect!

 

About 1/3 of the way around, we came upon what we guess to be some kind of fish farming area where food for the fish is put into pieces of bamboo and put in the water for them to eat (we may be totally wrong!) I thought it looked cool, kind of creepy but pretty. Then, I had my fellow hikers take the requisite "Ellen was actually there" picture:

We continued the hike and ate the lovely chicken, then headed for home.. I was very taken with this sign as we were leaving, the pastel 'Primus' painting. Primus is one of the big beer brands here but their paint didn't quite stick for this one billboard. (The logo is read, yellow, white and blue, not traditionally pastel) So cool! Overall a very pleasant outing!