Concluded my first mission in Ethiopia and boarded my flight to Kigali from Addis. I arrived at Kigali international airport, which is very small airport to my surprise, may be smaller than some of the airports, outside Addis, in Ethiopia. No hassle to pass through immigration and it was so easy. At the baggage claim area I met one of the student from Conakry, Guinea. Outside, I was greeted by two young stuff from the organizing committee and directed me to the place where I should wait until the car comes. Jean, organizing committee chair came with a car and drove me to my hotel, Des Miller Collin hotel, the hotel that internationally known by the name "hotel Rwanda". Although the movie has been shot at different hotel in South Africa, but this was the hotel that served as safe heaven for 1268 Tutsis from the Hutu led Interahamwe militia atrocities. However, the hotel does appear as itself in the 2005 HBO film Sometimes in April and the 2007 Canadian film Shake Hands with the Devil which were shot on location in Rwanda. The hotel's manager (Paul Rusesabagina) bribed the Hutu Interahamwe militia with money and alcohol to keep them from killing the 1268 Tutsis that he sheltered in the hotel, which was owned by Belgian airline Sabena during the genocide. In September 2005 this 4stars hotel was handed over from Sabena Hotels Belgium to Mikcor Hotels Rwanda for US$3.2million. BTW, the French 'des Mille Collines' ('of a thousand hills') is another name for Rwanda.
Landing to Kigali international airport.
Outskirt of Kigali from top view
Kigali international airport!
Checked in to my hotel, which
is really in a very good condition.
Since none of my colleague yet arrived, I did not do that much today. I did work on
my talk a little bit and went downstairs to have dinner while watching
soccer game.
Hotel main gate and reception area
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