"Where the earth spills fire..." Goma by Maggus

Until the recent eruption in 2002 Goma was a comparably wealthy town on the north-eastern shore of Lake Kivu at the border to Gisenyi/Rwanda. Former President Mobutu had his residence in this neighbourhood.
Most sheds which resemble scandinavian/canadian style in the background have been set up by the UNHCR. This impression is quite striking.

Goma cathedral

The lava flood increased the ground level by approx. 2-3 Metres. Most basements were destroyed leaving whole blocks in the city centre defunct.

Near the Lake Kivu

Near the shore of Lake Kivu where the lava entered the water one can see the remnants of the fromer presidents estate. Only the walls of the gate (also made of volcanic stones) were spared.

• Pros:Amazing contrast between nature and city. One can feel that this is a geophysical hotspot.
• Cons:Misery and poverty of the locals, police hassle and rip-off
• In a nutshell:Come with one of the NGO, which have a laisser-passer at each checkpoints or have a local friend to accompany you