The Weather in Bujumbura

 Thirteen years ago--as the world was growing crazy in the aftermath of 9/11-- I was getting ready to go to East Africa and the Great Lakes region to research my novel The Violets of Usambara.  

When the Twin Towers went down, there were those around me who thought I should call of the trip: my sister would send me e-mails daily telling me I was nuts to do so--but I'd bought my tickets and I decided it was now are never.  Actually things went very well--here's the link to my blog about the book and the trip--and tt was the first of several real travel adventures that I've been lucky enough to undertake as the old lady writes books.

That's why I was delighted today when I stumbled upon a report from Patrick de Bellefeuille, weather man for Méteo Media who is in Bujumbura this week, helping train local weather people in a place where weather bulletins have never been broadcast. Some good background in his reporting about a complex and fascinating country. 

 

The photos are two I took on my trip.  The top is  of cattle near Lake Tanganyika, brought down for safe-keeping during a time of some tension.  The botton one is the view out my hotel window. It thought I could recognize some of the buildings in de Bellefeuille's report: things obviously have changed there, but some haven't.