Day 24: Kigali Genocide Memorial and Kimironko Market

Another splended day in the manicured suburbs of Kigali. For the first two nights in this rapidly modernized city, I slept in a 6-bed dorm in a 2-story house converted into a youth hostel. Now that the weekend has approached, prior bookings from other travelers have relegated me out of the dorm and into a one person tent on the lawn.

I'm rather happy to be sleeping in a tent tonight because the experience is still novel to me.

So far the hostel here hasn't given me any magical experiences or crass comical moments like in Uganda. But like I've mention in the previous blog post that this current solitude is beneficial for some reflection and writing time.

Today I went to the Genocide Memorial in Kigali, where more then 200,000 bodies were buried in mass graves. Memorials are always a sombering experience and I feel like I'm lost in words to describe them.

Afterwards I walked down the road to catch a matatu to go to Kimironko Market for the typical sensorial market trip. Visiting a market is a must for every major city or town I visit.

The main reason why I went to this market in particular is to check out the traditional fabrics. Lots of mzungos come here to see a lovely, svelte, and attractive Rwandan woman name Josephine to get custom made pants, hoodies, and blazers from these colorfully enchanting fabrics with geometrics shapes and color schemes.

Slimming my way through the narrow paths of the squared market, I found a line of seamstresses and sewing machines on the outer edge of the market. I said "Josephine" and a husky woman grabbed my hand to lead me to Josephine's stall.  The alley of fabrics hanging up to 15 feet above me was visually overwhelming, as well as a neck sore.

To purchase fabric and make them into an article of clothing will cost about $10 USD. Not bad. I planned to get a pair of pants and a hoodie done.

As evening approached I went back to the hostel to settle into my tent next to a hill of ants. I stayed at the hostel for the rest of the night to drink as much water as I can because my lack of thirst leads me to consitent dehydration.

So it's a night for me...No party tonight and anything crazy.

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