text:
Ruvo di Puglia

Ruvo di Puglia (Rìuve in ruvestine dialect) is a city in the Land of Bari, in Apulia, southern Italy, on the Murge plateau. It is one of the major cities of art in Apulia and one of the fundamental tourist stops in the region. It is part of the Alta Murgia national park, of which it houses an operational office.

Districts and areas
Orienting yourself in Ruvo di Puglia is very simple. Its structure is in concentric rings.

Countryside
In the Ruvestine countryside there are large crops of vineyards, olive groves and almond groves in the areas adjacent to the urban center of Ruvo. Moving away from it, the natural areas increase more and more, such as Scoparella, Cavallerizza and Polvino forests. Beyond Scoparella forest begins the territory of the Alta Murgia national park, made up of large hills without vegetation that makes it look like the Siberian tundras, except for the temperatures, which in summer reach 35° C (95° F). Winter in these territories it is raw, and snowfalls can easily occur which can block the passage. In addition to this, however, there are lots of woods and pine forests, farms and the so-called "Jazzi", places dedicated to grazing. Among these we remember the Jazzo del Demonio, inside the Scoparella forest, near a large millenary oak with the background of the aqueduct bridge, making this Jazzo particularly beautiful, calm, peaceful and wild, thus becoming a camping destination.

Hamlet
Calendano – It is 6 km away as the crow flies and is mainly made up of private villas with swimming pools, but there is also the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Calendano, an ancient sanctuary in the center of the hamlet, where there are also bars, tobacconists and restaurants. Furthermore, the wooden statue of the Madonna del Lunedì dell'Angelo is kept in the Sanctuary and carried in a procession on Easter Monday that closes the Holy Week of Ruvo di Puglia.

Understand
Ruvo di Puglia is in the Metropolitan city of Bari in the Apulia region and is the third largest municipality. It is a city of olive oil, an important wine producer and one of the major industrial and research centers of the region.

The city of Ruvo presents itself as an artistic and cultural city, full of food and wine and religious events, but also of excursions on Alta Murgia national park, among its large forest such as the Scoparella, the Cavallerizza and the Polvino, in addition to the large presence of farms. The ruvestine urban center is made up of the historic centre, with its squares, its alleys and its winding streets, with a few small squares that rise between one glimpse and another. The buildings are built with limestone, common in the Apulian areas, and volcanic stone for the flooring of the main arteries of the historic centre.

Prehistory, the arrival of the Greeks and the Roman age
Some artefacts of worked stone date the first settlements in the Ruvestine countryside to the Middle Palaeolithic while some remains of villages confirm the presence of man since the 6th millennium BC. However, during the Bronze Age the territory was inhabited by the Morgetes, a people Ausonic, then expelled by the Iapygians with the advent of the Iron Age. The Iapygians settled in the Land of Bari giving rise to the Peucetians lineage and Ruvo was founded as a hilltop village now located between the municipal pine forest and the church of St. Michael the Archangel. The countryside around Ruvo in the Peucetian age was very vast and also had a port, called Respa, near Molfetta. Between the 8th and 5th centuries BC, the Greeks peacefully colonized Ruvo which from that moment took the name of "Ρυψ". Around the 4th century BC the village experienced its moment of greatest splendor by conducting commercial exchanges with most of the Italic populations, including the Etruscans, minting its own currency and boasting a population and a territory never reached again (Ruvo's polis (City-State) of the Greek age included Molfetta, Terlizzi, Corato, Trani and Bisceglie). Ruvo established itself as a thriving polis of Magna Graecia and its wealth consisted in the trade of olive oil and wine and in the flourishing production of pottery. The Greek city of Ruvo ended up becoming protected by Athens, as shown by some coins, but also an ally of Taranto. The defeat of the Greek Taranto in the war against Rome marked the end of the Hellenistic age in Apulia, thus making Ruvo enter the orbit of Romanization with the name of Rubi. Later Ruvo played a fundamental role for the Roman Republic and for the Empire, first being assigned the Roman citizenship, then the title of municipium and finally becoming the station of the Via Traiana. In 44, according to legend, Ruvo saw the rise of its own diocese at the behest of St. Peter, who appointed St. Cletus as the first bishop, who in the future would become pope. However, in the imperial age the ruvestine territory underwent a decrease as Molfetta, Trani and Bisceglie rise, thus losing contact with the sea.

Medieval Ruvo
In the fifth century the flourishing Ruvo disappeared under the blows of the invasions of the Goths which reduced the city to a pile of rubble for the first time. Ruvo, refounded on the slopes of the original hill, was first conquered by the Lombards and then fell prey to the Saracens. It was in this period that the ruvestines decided to equip themselves with a wall with towers and four doors: Porta Noè (now via Veneto), Porta del Buccettolo (via Campanella), Porta del Castello (Matteotti Square) and Porta Nuova (corso Piave). In the 11th century the fortress of Ruvo entered the county of Conversano and suffered further violence due to internal struggles for the management of power, which conflicts led to the second destruction of the city. However, it was under Frederick II of Swabia that Ruvo finally recognized a cultural and economic growth, a period marked by the construction of the Romanesque-Gothic cathedral and in the territory between Ruvo and Canosa of Castel del Monte. However, the foundations of the cities of Corato and Andria also date back to this historical moment, whose territories further diminished the ruvestine territory. From 1266 Ruvo became a fief and entered, together with the whole of Apulia, among the dominions of the Angevins. Despite this, the period of peace and prosperity Ruvo fiefdom was enjoying faded again. In 1350 the city was razed to the ground and sacked by Ruggiero Sanseverino. The Ruvestines were thus forced to rebuild the inhabited centre, the walls and also decided to build the Torre del Pilota (Pilota Tower) 33 m high (108 ft). The Crown of Aragon dominion succeeded the Angevin dominion.The clashes for domination over the Kingdom of Naples between France and Spain resulted in the famous Battle of Ruvo, in which the Spaniards led by Consalvo of Cordova defeated the French troops of Jacques de La Palice stationed in Ruvo. During this battle the city was razed to the ground for the third time. The same fief also saw the thirteen French who clashed against as many Italians in the Challenge of Barletta starting from its wall.

The Carafa: Counts of Ruvo
In 1510 Oliviero Carafa bought the fief of Ruvo and the city experienced a negative historical period. Most of the historic Ruvestine patrician families became extinct, and only in the 17th century new noble families arose that knew a particular and flourishing economic condition. The walls were further strengthened, but despite the long period of peace, the population was suffocated by the oppression of the Carafa and by the tyrannical government of the same who transformed the Pilota Tower from a defensive tool to a prison for the opponents.

Between the end of the 16th and 17th centuries, or in the era of the counter-reformation, various associations and congregations arose that are still operating today, especially in the care of the rites of the Ruvestine Holy Week. However, in this dark period of Ruvo's history some illustrious men stood out, among which the most famous is undoubtedly the doctor Domenico Cotugno. In 1806, under the Napoleonic rule, feudalism was abolished, thus concluding the dominion of the Carafa which had lasted three centuries. Among the Carafa family of the Counts of Ruvo was the hero of the Neapolitan Republic of 1799, Ettore Carafa.

From the unification of Italy to the present
After the dominion of the Carafa, the liberal uprisings also touched Ruvo, but failed miserably as in the rest of the South. However, in the early 19th century, Giovanni Jatta was particularly distinguished. He was elected by the Ruvestines as the city's lawyer, and won the case against the Carafa family, obtaining lavish compensation. He was among the protagonists of those archaeological excavations that brought to light the numerous finds of Peucet, Greek and Roman period preserved in the Jatta museum. In the period prior to the unification of Italy, Ruvo was the seat of a Carbonara sale called "Perfetta Fedeltà" which included the patriot and lawyer Francesco Rubini who was responsible for organizing the Risorgimento uprisings also in Ruvo. In the post-unification period Ruvo, albeit slowly, knew the signs of progress also thanks to the ruvestine deputy and agronomist Antonio Jatta, who pointed out to the government the numerous problems of Apulia and the province of Bari. Fundamental milestones of progress were marked in 1905 from the arrival of electric lighting and in 1914 with the diffusion of public water. During the First World War 367 Ruvestines fell on the battlefronts. During the fascist twenty years, other works of public benefit were carried out, such as the reclamation of the quagmire and the creation of the sewer in 1938. Some Fascist manhole covers with the Fascist coat of arms alongside the coat of arms of the municipality of Ruvo di Puglia can still be seen. After the Second World War Ruvo distinguished itself in the cultural sphere, above all thanks to the works of the painter Domenico Cantatore, but also in the economic sphere with the flourishing vines and olive groves.

By car
From the north (Pescara and others): coming from the Highway Autostrada Adriatica A14, exit at the Molfetta tool booth, follow signs for Ruvo in the direction of Terlizzi.

From the south (Bari and others): coming from the Highway Autostrada Adriatica A14, exit at the Molfetta tool booth, follow signs for Ruvo in the direction of Terlizzi.

From the countryside: coming from the Strada Provinciale 231 (SP231) in direction to Ruvo. There are four exit directly to Ruvo city centre.

By bus
The Provincial Transport Company (STP) runs the Molfetta-Terlizzi-Ruvo and Trani-Ruvo sections. In addition, the Ferrotramviaria SpA company runs bus routes that retrace the railway route by road, from Barletta to Bari and vice versa. The Marino and Flixbus companies run bus connections from large Italian cities such as Naples, Rome or Milan directly with the city of Ruvo.

Squares
The historic centre is enclosed by large Corsos, in addition to the presence of squares such as Piazza Giacomo Matteotti, the largest and most fascinating, but also Piazza Dante Alighieri, with its centuries-old pine trees and fountains, Piazza Felice Cavallotti and Piazza Giovanni Bovio.

Corsi
The Corsi of the city of Ruvo surround the historical centre. They are large commercial streets, similar to large boulevard avenues, of a total number of seven, overlooked by important commercial and restaurant activities, allowing leisure and entertainment in the ruvestine nightlife. In particular, in the summer, the various the different bars and nightclubs organize themed evenings which enliven the lives of young ruvestines and elsewhere. The Corsi were built in the mid-1800s, following the demolition of the medieval walls in 1820. Important palaces of the nobility or families of the ruvestine upper class overlook them, such as Chieco Palace or Testini Palace. Unfortunately, none of the many noble palaces that overlook Corsi can be visited inside. On the other hand, they create a certain atmosphere which makes Ruvo's corsi more similar to Parisian Boulevards than to simple commercial streets of an Apulian city as it is. Furthermore, they are made up of large sidewalks, often even 7-8 m wide (22-26 ft), which overlook both sides of the Corsi, and are shaded in summer by the presence of large trees such as the limes of Corso Cavour, which create a unique and refreshing. The city also has two other Corsi such as Corso Piave and Corso Antonio Jatta. The first is the smallest, and looks more like a normal road than a Corso. It is characterized by the large number of commercial activities, and at the end of it overlooks the Ruvo Hospital, the Rest Home, the Baroque church of St. Archangel Michael and the Municipal Pinewood. The second however, is the continuation of Corso Cavour which continues for another half kilometre, and is called "il rettilineo (the straight line)" by the inhabitants of Ruvo. It is characterized by its large linden trees, which give continuity to Corso Cavour. On the other hand, it is not overlooked by large commercial and restaurateur activities such as those of Corso Cavour, making it more of an access road to the city. At the end, there is the long Viale Ugo Foscolo of the cemetery, 1 km (0.6 miles) long, characterized by large cypresses, in addition to the branches for Via Vecchia di Bisceglie and Via Molfetta.

title: Ruvo di Puglia


text:
Rwanda

Rwanda is a relatively stable East African country, and easily accessible from Kenya and Uganda. It is known as the land of a thousand hills, but is also a country rich in flora and fauna and stunning natural beauty in its scenic rolling and breathtaking green savannah. The country hosts some rare species of animals like the silverback mountain gorillas as well as unique birds and insects in the tropical forest of Nyungwe. Rwanda is relatively easy, safe, and simple to travel around.

Cities

 * – the capital city

(Cities were renamed a few years ago when the administrative structure of Rwanda was re-vamped. The former names refer to old provincial capitals. Expect people to use either name listed to refer to these cities.)
 * (formerly Byumba)
 * (formerly Cyangugu)
 * (Huye)
 * (formerly Kibuye)
 * (formerly Gitarama)
 * (formerly Ruhengeri)
 * (formerly Kibuye)
 * (formerly Gitarama)
 * (formerly Ruhengeri)
 * (formerly Ruhengeri)

Understand
Rwanda has come a long way since the civil war and the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi devastated this small country. Shake off your memories of tragic history and expect a warm and friendly welcome to the beautiful country now that this country is modernizing. It is a fast-growing country in Africa in terms of a lot of categories. It is sometimes called "The Singapore of Africa", due to both countries' similarities in geography, politics and modern history.

History
Hunter gatherers settled the territory in the stone and iron ages, followed later by Bantu peoples. The population coalesced first into clans and then into kingdoms. The Kingdom of Rwanda dominated from the mid-eighteenth century, with the Tutsi kings conquering others militarily and centralising power. The Tutsi and the Hutu shared a common language, religion and culture, and originally referred to different social classes, though Europeans would later introduce the concept of them being different ethnic groups during the colonial era.

Germany colonized Rwanda in 1884 as part of German East Africa, followed by Belgium, which annexed it in 1916 during World War I. Both European nations ruled through the kings and perpetuated a pro-Tutsi policy. The Hutu population revolted in 1959. They massacred numerous Tutsi and ultimately established an independent, Hutu-dominated state in 1962. The Tutsi-led Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) launched a civil war in 1990. Social tensions culminated in the 1994 genocide, in which Hutu extremists killed an estimated 500,000 to 1 million Tutsi and moderate Hutu. The RPF ended the genocide with a military victory.

Rwanda has begun to recover from the genocide, and since the accession of Paul Kagame as president in 2000, Rwanda has adopted market-oriented reforms and emerged as one of the fastest growing economies in the world. However, concerns remain on human rights due to the authoritarian nature of Kagame's rule.

People
The population is young and predominantly rural, with a density among the highest in Africa. Rwandans are composed of three ethnic groups: the Hutu, Tutsi and Twa.

Climate
Although Rwanda is located only two degrees south of the equator, Rwanda's high elevation makes the climate temperate. The average daily temperature near Lake Kivu, at an altitude of 1,463 m (4,800 ft) is 22.8°C (73°F). During the two rainy seasons (Feb–May and Sep–Dec), heavy downpours occur almost daily, alternating with sunny weather. Annual rainfall averages 800 mm (31.5 in) but is generally heavier in the western and northwestern mountains than in the eastern savannahs.

Holidays

 * 1 January - New Year's Day
 * 1 February - Heroes Day
 * Good Friday - variable
 * 7 April - Genocide Against the Tutsi Memorial Day
 * 1 July - Independence Day
 * 4 July - Liberation Day
 * 15 August - Assumption
 * Eid al Fitr and Eid al-Adha (Islamic holidays that vary with the lunar calendar)
 * 25 December - Christmas
 * 26 December - Boxing Day
 * 25 December - Christmas
 * 26 December - Boxing Day

Tourist information

 * Visit Rwanda

Visa requirements
A passport is required to enter Rwanda though a certificate of vaccination is not required unless coming from a yellow fever endemic country. Citizens of Burundi, Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda can enter Rwanda visa-free for up to 6 months. Kenyan and Ugandan citizens may use an ID card in lieu of a passport to enter Rwanda. Benin, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Guinea, Haiti, Indonesia, Mauritius, Philippines, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Singapore citizens can also enter visa-free for 90 days. Additionally, citizens of member countries of the La Francophonie get visas on arrival for free for 30 days.

Visitors from all countries who do not receive visa-free entry are now eligible for visa on arrival for $50 USD (as of Feb 2024). Payments for the visa may be made on arrival in both cash as well as credit card. Citizens of Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa countries will receive visas valid for 90 days while other visitors will be granted visas valid for 30 days. Commonwealth citizens (UK for example) receive a free 30 day visa on arrival.

The East African Tourist visa ($100 USD as of Feb 2024) allows for multiple entry travel between Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda over a 90 day period. Note that exiting any of these three countries will invalidate the visa even if the 90 day period has not yet expired.

Visa applications and payments for both the standard visitor visa as well as the East African Tourist visa may also be made online on the government website. Within a few days you will receive an email with the letter of visa acceptance, which you should print and bring to the border entry point.

By plane
The Rwandan capital is also easily accessible (3 hr by road) from the Goma airstrip in DRC.

By bus

 * In Uganda, many bus companies make the 8-10 hour journey from Kampala in Uganda to Kigali, using the Gatuna border crossing. As 2015, it costs FRw 8,000 from Kigali to Kampala on Horizon. Jaguar charges FRw 6,000-8,000 - early buses are cheaper. The most reliable bus company is Kampala coaches, Jaguar and Ontracom from Rwanda. From Musanze, local matatus run up to Cyanika border crossing close to Kisoro.

 * Tanzania has one open border with Rwanda, but this is a far more difficult way to enter Rwanda due to the remoteness and lack of roads in western Tanzania. A bus runs from Mwanza to Benako (both Tanzania) and from Benako buses run onto Kigali. Another town to consider on this route is Ngara (Tanzania). Several buses run from Dar es Salaam via Morogoro and Dodoma (they all leave Ubungo bus station around 06:00-07:00) to Kahama daily. You will have to spend the night in Kahama and then get a minibus or shared taxi on to the border. From the Rwandan side of the border, there are minibuses to Kigali.

 * In Burundi, there are two ways to enter from Rwanda, and security in the border areas varies. For the intrepid, there is a daily direct service from Kigali to Bujumbura operated by Yahoo Car, and a "luxury" service operated by Belvedere Lines. If there are security concerns on the Bujumbura - Huye - Kigali route, it is also possible to go along the road bordering (but not entering) DRC. You will probably have to do this in a series of minibuses via Cibitoke, Bugarama (Rwanda) and Cyangugu (Rwanda). With both of these routes, check the security situation with your embassy (the Belgian embassy has the best information).

 * For Democratic Republic of the Congo, much of the country remains off limits to many tourists due to instability, though Goma and Bukavu can be visited easily from Rwanda.

By train
There are no trains in Rwanda, although as of 2023, there are plans to connect with the Tanzanian rail network.

Get around
Short distances can be travelled either on foot, or by taxi-velo (bicycle taxi). Taxi-velos are widespread, and are relatively inexpensive but not allowed in urban areas. A taxi-velo driver will cycle, and the passenger will sit rather precariously on the back.

Motorcycle taxis (taxi-moto) are also popular, especially in Kigali, a normal journey will cost from USD1-2. If you look like a foreigner and are walking on the main road, drivers will probably come up to you to offer a ride. Most of the drivers speak only very basic English or French, if they speak any.

Taxis are less common, and are best found at taxi stations, by waiting at the taxi sign at bus stops, or by calling them. They are significantly more expensive, even short rides cost FRw2,000, and longer rides can be FRw5,000 or more.

Slightly longer distances, indeed the whole country, can be travelled by Matatu (or Twegerane, literally let get closer). These white minibuses are found throughout East Africa, and are crammed full of adults, children, and bags. Modern Coast has regular coaches.

Car rental is available from various suppliers. Driving standards are reasonable. Roads between all of the main towns are good. Other roads may be dirt, with some requiring a good four wheel drive vehicle. Speed limits are low, usually 40km/h in town and 80km/h on main roads. There are frequent police speed checks and check points where documents/insurance can be checked. The police setup mobile speed cameras in some places. Fixed speed cameras are present in numerous locations around the country and some red light cameras are in Kigali. Slow moving trucks are a problem and there are limited overtaking possibilities as all roads outside towns are single carriageway. Allow extra time for any journey.

Talk
Kinyarwanda is an official language and the main spoken language in Rwanda. It is also spoken in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo and in southern Uganda. Kinyarwanda is a tonal language of the Bantu language family, closely related to Kirundi spoken in the neighboring country Burundi and much more distantly related to other Bantu languages such as Swahili.

In addition to Kinyarwanda, Rwanda's three other official languages are English, French, and Swahili. While French was the former language of administration under Belgian colonial rule, since the civil war the Rwandan government has moved away from the Francophone sphere of influence and switched the primary language of education to English in 2008. As a result of this, older people who were educated in Rwanda tend to have some knowledge of French, while the younger generation will have better knowledge of English. Complicating this is the large number of returned refugees who were educated in neighboring countries. Those educated in nearby Anglophone countries (Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya) tend to know English while those educated in the Democratic Republic of Congo or Burundi will know French. Swahili was made an additional official language in 2015 and a required subject in the school curriculum as a result of its membership within the East African Community. Swahili is also widely spoken among traders and returned refugees from Kenya, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

See
The Ethnographic Museum Rwanda, in Huye, is a good source of information on the cultural history of the country and the region.

The Kigali Genocide Memorial in Kigali provides good insight into one of the world's greatest tragedies.

The Nyamata Genocide Memorial, in the town of Nyamata, 40 minutes south of Kigali, is a worthwhile complement to the Gisozi Memorial Centre. The memorial is in a church where over 10,000 people were killed during the 1994 genocide.

The Ntarama Genocide Memorial, 20 minutes north of Nyamata memorial, is also worth visiting. Like the Nyamata memorial, this site was a church before the genocide, and was nationalised to serve as a memorial after thousands of people were killed within its walls. Ntarama also has a peaceful memorial garden and wall of names in the back of its compound.

The Nyanza Genocide Memorial, near Kigali, is the site of four tiled-over mass graves holding the remains of thousands of Tutsis who were executed after the regiment of UN guards protecting them were killed.

Do

 * Touristic boats lying around.jpg

Rwanda has 3 national parks:

Money
The currency is the Rwandan franc (French: franc rwandais, Kinyarwanda: Ifaranga ry'u Rwanda), denoted by the symbols "FRw" or "RF" or "R₣" (ISO currency code of RWF (sometimes displayed as FRw, and possibly RF or R₣). In the Kinyarwanda language, it is also called the amafaranga.

Coins in Rwanda come in denominations of 1-, 5-, 10-, 20-, 50 and 100 Rwandan francs. Banknotes in Rwanda come in denominations of 500-, 1,000-, 2,000 and 5,000 Rwandan francs.

The smallest-value note is a FRw500 note, which is the smallest note in physical size, as well. There are also notes in denominations of 1,000, 2,000, and 5,000, with the larger notes becoming slightly larger in physical size. There are no generally-circulated notes over FRw 5,000, which can be cumbersome since a FRw 5,000 note is roughly equivalent to US$3.75. Since few places in Rwanda accept credit cards, visitors will need to carry a large amount of cash if travelling outside of Kigali, especially if staying longer than a few days.

Coins valued at FRw100 are commonly used. However, smaller coins (FRw50, 20, 10, 5, and 1) are generally not accepted by street merchants and smaller restaurants and hotels. The only place to obtain smaller coins is through a bank or a large store, such as a supermarket. It's common for most businesses in Rwanda, including currency exchangers and gas stations, to round transactions to the nearest FRw100.

You get a slightly better exchange rates by bringing US$50 bills or higher (year 2006 or newer) to exchange for Rwandan francs.

There are ATMs all over Rwanda. Depending on your bank, this can be a much cheaper way to get francs because the ATMs use a much better exchange rate than the money changers. Mastercard, Visa, Union pay, Amex cards, Diners club, JCB card are accepted at Access bank, Bank of Kigali, Equity bank, I&M bank, Ecobank, Kenya Commercial Bank, GT Bank.

Eat
The local "Brochettes" (kebabs) are delicious and are available in most bars and restaurants, as well as ubiquitous vendors along the roads. Small bars will primarily serve goat brochettes, and goat liver brochettes are often of higher quality to the locals. Zingalo is goat intestine, sometimes also served as a brochette. Some locals prefer this and it could be brought to you without asking at very "local" places. So, if you prefer not to eat zingalo, try to see whether other diners seem to be enjoying the spiral looking treat and specify you do not want it when you order ("OYA zingalo"). Some restaurants also serve beef and fish brochettes, and a few will serve chicken. Brochettes are usually served with french fries ("frites") or fried or grilled ibitoke.

If Rwanda has a staple food, it is ibitoke (sing. igitoke). Ibitoke are starchy, potato-like bananas, which are not sweet like plantains. While plantains are available in Rwanda, they are not seen as particularly Rwandan food. Igitoke/banana are served boiled in sauce, grilled, or even fried. You can also refer to them as matoke, which is usually easier for foreigners to pronounce. The sweet bananas in Rwanda are delicious but considerably smaller than the matoke bananas. If you want this type of banana, ask for small banana or sweet banana.

In urban areas a local buffet known as "Melange" is sold at lunchtime. This consists of a buffet of mostly carbohydrates such as potatoes, bananas, rice and cassava accompanied with some vegetables, beans, and a small amount of meat or fish with sauce. Rwandan buffets are not all you can eat. You may fill your plate only once, and with practice you'll be able to stack your plate high like the locals do. Prices range from just over USD1 to USD5 or even USD10 depending on the grade of the restaurant and the variety of food. Most of the upper segment buffets (USD3 and above) also offer a salad buffet. Many of the cheaper Melange places are unmarked. Expect to find one at many bus stations.

Kigali has a much better range of restaurants than the rest of the country including Indian, Chinese, Italian, Greek, French, Ethiopian and multi-cuisine restaurants. An evening meal is typically around USD10.

Drink
In most shops you will find milk, water, juices and soft drinks. In most bars the choice is limited to their offering of about 5 different soft drinks and 4 different beers, Turbo King, Primus, Mützig and Amstel. Primus and Mützig are available in small and large sizes, whereas Amstel is available only in 330 ml bottles. Rwandans are known for their fondness for large beers and when you order Amstel, it is common for a server to bring out 2 bottles at a time. Bralirwa in the west of the Rwanda produces most of the beer and soft drinks available in Rwanda. Inyange produces juices and soft drinks.

There are also local banana beer preparations called Urwagwa, normally brewed at home and available only in plastic containers but now also sold in bottles at some shops and bars. You can also buy a canned version on this drink under the brand Akarusho, produced by the Rwandan enterpreneur Sina Gérard.

Sleep
Accommodation is usually fairly basic and significantly more expensive than neighbouring Uganda and Tanzania. Very basic accommodation will cost US$8-20.

A few nice hotels can be found in Kigali, the most famous of which is the "Hotel des Milles Collines", as featured in the film Hotel Rwanda. Film buffs hoping to stay in the film set will be disappointed though, as the film was produced in South Africa. The hotel was renovated several years ago and maintains a good standard and a high price. Most hotels in Kigali cost above are in US$50 per night, although there are a few bargains if you look around.

There is a relatively inexpensive guesthouse and conference centre run by Catholic nuns called Centre Saint Paul which is in the centre of Kigali. It's located behind the church by the same name across from the roundabout. Accomodations are spartan; It has twin beds (with a mosquito net) and a small desk. Some rooms have an en suite bathroom. To make up for it, is a well-manicured garden.

Lake Kivu: Kibuye:

There is a fairly inexpensive hotel called Home Saint Jean (phone number: 0252 568 526) in Kibuye. They have dorms and private rooms.

The Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel in Kigali is a good place for backpackers.

Stay safe
Tourists are usually welcomed warmly in Rwanda, and the country is largely considered safe for visitors. The possible exceptions are certain places along the Congolese and Burundian borders. Rwandan troops have been rumoured to be involved in the civil war that still plagues the northeast of Democratic Republic of the Congo, mainly due to the presence of Interahamwe who fled after the 1994 genocide. Gisenyi and Kibuye are considered safe, but the border situation can change at any time: check travel advisories and local sources for further advice.

Gorilla trekking near to the DRC border is generally considered safe, due to the large and continuous Rwandan army presence.

Visitors should follow typical precautions - avoid poorly-lit or deserted places, avoid flaunting expensive jewelry, keep a close eye on wallets/purses when traveling through crowded markets, etc. The Rwandan police maintain a visible presence in larger towns, though often don't show much enthusiasm for their job. Begging and aggressive panhandling is fairly rare compared to other places in the developing world. Usually a firm but polite "no thank you" is enough to be left alone. Raising your voice even slightly will almost certainly end the conversation.

While travelling in matutus (taxis) in the countryside, don't be surprised if the matutu drives through several police/military check-points. This is done to check IDs, car registration and insurance, so it would be wise to bring at least a photocopy of passport with you everywhere you go in Rwanda.

Stay healthy
Rwanda is located nearly on the equator, and experiences hot weather year-round. Precautions should be taken against sunburn, dehydration, and heat stroke. Sunscreen may be difficult to find outside of larger supermarkets and pharmacies - fair-skinned visitors should bring their own.

Tap water is not drinkable. Bottled water is widely available for around FRw 1000. Pay attention when purchasing bottled water from smaller kiosks, as they may "recycle" old bottles by filling them with tap water. Always make sure the seal around the bottle cap is unbroken. Avoid drinks with ice, as the ice is almost certainly made from tap water.

Pharmacies stocked with over-the-counter medications, Band-Aids, etc. are found throughout the country. The staff are well-trained, though English may not be spoken to a high proficiency.

The following is an excerpt from the US State Department's Consular Information Sheet on Rwanda updated on 1 Dec 2006:

Medical and dental facilities are limited, and some medicines are in short supply or unavailable. Travellers should bring their own supplies of prescription drugs and preventive medicines. In Kigali, Americans may go to King Faycal Hospital, a private facility that offers limited services. There is also a missionary dental clinic in Kigali staffed by an American dentist. An American-operated missionary hospital with some surgical facilities is in Kibagora, in southwestern Rwanda. Another hospital with American physicians is in Ruhengeri, near the gorilla trekking area, and a Chinese hospital is in southeastern Rwanda in Kibungo. There is also a very good hospital near Lac Muhazi, where even people from Kigali go to. The US Embassy maintains a current list of healthcare providers and facilities in Rwanda. This list is included in the Consular Section’s welcome packets for American citizens. There are periodic outbreaks of meningitis in Rwanda. Yellow fever can cause serious medical problems, but the vaccine, required for entry, is very effective in preventing the disease. HIV/AIDS is high among adults at 9% or 1 in 11. '''Practice safe sex. Avoid intravenous drug use.'''

As in most sub-Saharan Africa, some lakes have schistosomes, parasitic flatworms causing bilharzia, although the accounts differ of which lakes and how dangerous exactly is swimming in these lakes.

Cope
Office Rwandaise du Tourisme et des Parcs Nationaux (ORTPN), Boulevard de la Révolution no 1, Kigali Tel: +250 576 514 or 573 396

Embassy of the Republic of Rwanda in Canada 53 Gilmour Street, Ottawa, ON K2P 0N8, Canada Tel: +1 613 569-5420 120-22 Seymour Place, London W1H 1NR, UK Tel: +44 20 7224 9832
 * Embassy of the Republic of Rwanda in the UK

1714 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009, USA Tel: (202) 232 2882
 * Embassy of the Republic of Rwanda in the USA

Respect
Rwanda is a very conservative society, and most people dress modestly, especially women. Wearing shorts or tight skirts and skimpy tops is likely to get you stared at twice as much as normal.

It is unusual for a couple to make public displays of affection, even though many men walk hand in hand with male friends. Also, Rwandans will generally never eat or drink in public, apart from restaurants. Rwandan women are rarely seen smoking in public or out in bars unaccompanied.

Although there is no smoking ban in most public places like bars and restaurants, generally it's not encouraged. Sometimes people may complain of being disturbed with people's smoking.

Rwandans are very private, reserved people and loud public confrontations (shouting matches) or obvious displays of emotion (such as crying) are also frowned upon. If you feel you are being overcharged by a trader, quietly persisting with the negotiation (or your complaint!) is likely to produce results much faster than an angry outburst.

It is also impolite to make eye contact with an elder.

Rwanda is still recovering from a civil war and genocide in which over 800,000 people, perhaps a million, mostly Tutsi, were killed. Many Rwandese lost relatives and friends. Remember to be sensitive to this sad fact when dealing with Rwandese. Most people today are trying to forget the tribal divisions and would rather be referred to as Rwandese than Hutu or Tutsi. It is considered impolite to ask someone about their ethnic origin. There is not much political discourse in Rwanda, unlike in many neighbouring countries such as Uganda and Kenya where people talk freely about the government and political issues, people in Rwanda will be uncomfortable if asked about their views or even if seated at a table where national politics is discussed.

Emergency numbers
All emergency numbers are toll-free
 * All emergencies: 112
 * Traffic accidents: 113
 * Corruption report: 997
 * Police conduct complaint: 3511

Internet
Rwanda has an excellent mobile phone network covering almost the entire country, and international calls can be made easily.

Local SIM cards are readily available everywhere, even in remote towns. The main provider is MTN (coverage map), followed by Airtel which merged with Tigo. Mobile phones can be purchased or rented from major shops in Kigali.

Rwanda is among the top three African countries in terms of internet connectivity, with an ever-growing fiber optic network. There is high speed 4G LTE wireless broadband in major cities.

Most towns have several internet cafes and Wi-Fi is available in higher end hotels.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Rwanda


text:
Rwenzori Mountains National Park

Rwenzori National Park is in Western Uganda.

Understand
Rwenzori National Park is a mountain range in south-west Uganda bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is 120 km (75 mi) long and 48 km (30 mi) wide, covering almost 100,000 ha. Margarita Peak is the summit of Mt Stanley at 5,109m above sea level, and the third highest peak in Africa. The Rwenzori Mountains are the highest mountain range in Africa (Mt Kilimanjaro and Mt Kenya are volcanoes), and home to six of the ten highest peaks on the continent. The region's glaciers, lakes and unusual fauna make it one of Africa's most beautiful alpine areas, according to UNESCO. Climate change is apparent here, by the end of 2006, its ice cap has retreated from 6.4 km² (2.5 sq mi) a century ago, to less than a 1.28 km² (0.5 sq mi).

History
For political reasons, the park has been off-limits for long periods but Uganda has been stable in the 2010s. Tourism is picking up, though it still attracts fewer than a 1,000 visitors a year, compared to 50,000 to Mt Kilimanjaro and 25,000 to Mt Kenya.

Landscape, flora and fauna
Up to 2100 m is generally inhabited and cultivated, with mixed harvests as bananas, potatoes, yumyums and coffee. (The coffee-enthusiasts can find local coffee beans at the Sunday/Wednesday morning market in Kilembe.) 2100-3000bm is forested with heavy underbush, trees rarely exceeding 30 m, and bamboo forests. If lucky you may see monkeys and chimpanzees, but larger animals are very rare. 3000-3800 m is still forested, but with increasingly distinguished flora, trees with hanging moss. The alpine zone starts from 3800 m, and snow cover from around 4,900 m. They are the only place in Africa that has yet round snow, despite their closeness to the equator.

Climate
The Rwenzori Mountains are definitely alpine, however equatorial they may be, this is rough. Expect rain in all seasons, and avoid the rainy season (March-June, September-October). It is muddy, wet and windy, and weather changes in minutes. All the guides and most clients wear rubber boots (aka gum boots or Wellington boots) for the majority of the hike, through the alpine section, and hiking boots for the rainforest and mountain summits. Although it is possible to rent equipment, this is not high quality stuff. Bring your own warm sleeping bag, rubber boots, and waterproof, high quality mountaineering clothes. You will need it. If you go for the less exhilarating community walks from Kilembe, some warm underwear, jacket, and ordinary shoes will do.

Get in
The Rwenzori Mountains must be walked with a guide and porters, provided by the duopoly of Rwenzori Trekking Services (RTS) and Rwenzori Mountain Services (RMS). They have completely different camps and routes. Both own their camps, but RTS also own its track. RMS is the original operator, locally owned, with their Central Circuit Trail in the middle of the park, mostly running along the bottom of valleys before heading up to the summits. They claim the shortest and easiest route to the summit of Mt Stanley, but it allows less time for acclimatisation, and the camps are definitely showing their age, being built decades ago by the Ugandan Tourism Board.

RTS was established by an Australian in the 1990s, and operate a circuit out of Kyanjuki to the south. They have eight camps and are generally better reviewed online based on crew training, food quality, organisation, and the condition of the camps. RMS operate a circuit from Nyakalengija. RMS also arranges one-day walks from Port Fortal across the ridge to Bundibugye, far less extreme walking, but you supposedly never really get the feeling of crossing the ridge, forested as it is.

Third alternative is the Rwenzori Community Walks, arranged by Backpackers in Kilembe, 12 km west of Kasese. They arrange one and two-days walk at a fraction of the price, also they run a number of community development projects from the profits. Here you can also arrive in the morning and get everything organized, or make a phone call one day in advance. It is easy to arrange transport from Kasese til Kilembe, there are also a few buses. If you drive, the backpackers is in the far west end of Kilembe, across the scary bridge and half a mile more. Safe parking.

Fees and permits
The park permit fee is USD34 per person per day. Before booking check whether this is included in your package with RTS or RMS as it varies. This isn't a cheap place to hike, expect to pay at least USD$1,500 for a 7 day trip.

Get around
Everything has to be carried into the mountains, the track is too difficult for pack animals. A typical ratio is six porters per client, with each porter carrying 50-litre plastic drums weighing 22-25 kg. As the hike continues, and there is less to carry, porters start to return back along the track. Clients typically have a personal porter who carries up to 15 kg.

See
Some of the most unusual scenery and fauna to be found anywhere in the world, with Giant Heather trees, everlasting flowers, Giant Lobelias, Giant Groundsel, and many other weird and wonderful plants.

Eat
You won’t go hungry. An example of the RTS breakfast is porridge followed by a cooked breakfast of omelette or pancakes. A packed lunch is provided with a sandwich or potato salad, fruit, and fruit juice. Mid-afternoon tea, coffee and hot chocolates with biscuits is available. Dinner could be mushroom soup followed by large cooked meal, usually pasta or rice with vegetables or meat, though no dessert.

Drink
Water is taken from the camp streams and boiled to ensure it is safe to drink, though the crew often drink straight from the streams. The water is a somewhat unappealing colour at some camps thanks to tannins in the water, but is fine to drink. The only issue is that boiling water can take some time to cool, so there is a bit of planning required to ensure that your water bottles are cool when needed.

Sleep
The RTS camps vary a little but follow a similar format, with several four or eight bunk huts, complete with mattresses, a dining area, a kitchen, and separate sleeping quarters for the guides (close to the clients) and porters (usually a little way away). There are decent squat toilets and less decent sit toilets (at some camps), and paper is provided. Your crew can provide hot water for washing, and some of the lower camps have streams or waterfalls just about warm enough to wash in. There are solar powered outside lights at most camps, handy when going outside to use the toilet in the night, less so for enjoying the stars. Some of the camps have solar lights inside the bunk rooms. From Bugata Camp onwards there are stoves though they seemed as likely to smoke you out as to provide significant heat. The camps work on a first come first serve basis in terms of room allocation but you are likely to have a hut to yourself.

Stay safe
The main challenges are the...
 * Terrain, with extensive sections of bog with thick and often deep and liquid mud to navigate, many steep sections on slippery rocks and mud, and basic wooden ladders to climb up and down. Around a third of the track is thick mud, at least 20 km worth.
 * Altitude, with RTS from the entry village of Kyanjuki near Kilembe at 1,620 m above sea level you head up ~2,100 m in two days, and can end up 5-6 days into the hike at Margherita Peak, the 5,109 m high summit of Mt Stanley. The RMS circuit heads up even faster toward the summit.
 * Weather, the early sections are hot and humid, but after Mutinda Camp it starts to get alpine and significantly colder, while the weather can be variable throughout, with rain likely at some point most days, usually mid-afternoon.
 * Entry level mountaineering is required to reach the summit of Margherita Peak, with crampons, an ice axe, and harness, and basic instruction provided by the crew before heading toward the summit to ascend, traverse, and descent fixed and temporary ropes, and cross two glaciers
 * This is one track that is much harder than it looks on paper. One group of eleven people ended up split across four different camps as various members couldn’t make it any further.

title: Rwenzori Mountains National Park


text:
Ryazan

Ryazan (Ryah-ZAHN, Russian: Рязань) is a city in the Russian Federation, the center of Ryazan Oblast.

Understand
With its 539,000 people (2018), Ryazan is the 3rd largest city in Central Russia after Moscow and Yaroslavl. Neither the size nor the proximity to Moscow (200 km) helps to upgrade the city's image: Ryazan is totally provincial.

As an industrial center and a transport hub, Ryazan is not a major tourist destination. But its history and several attractions make the city a good weekend escape from Moscow.

The city was founded in 1095 AD, but its initial site was completely destroyed by Mongols in 1237 - Ryazan was the first obstacle on their way to conquering Russia. Years after the new Ryazan was built few dozen kilometers away from the destroyed site.

By plane
Ryazan's local small airport Turlatovo doesn't operate regular flights and is being used for small aircraft and training. So, the closest air terminals are Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo and Vnukovo of Moscow. From those airports Ryazan can be accessed by train, by bus, or by car/taxi.

Of Moscow's major airports, the closest to Ryazan is Domodedovo. A direct bus between Ryazan and Domodedovo runs several times a day. As of summer 2016, the travel time is 3-3½ hours; the fare, ₽600. The schedule (in Russian) can be found at Domodedovo Airport web site.

The Ramenskoye (a.k.a. Zhukovsky) airport, SE of Moscow, which opened in 2016, is fairly convenient, as it is near the Moscow-Ryazan railway.

By train
Ryazan is an important transit rail hub. There are 2 train terminals in the city (Ryazan-1 and Ryazan-2). Most trains proceed to the east and arrive at the larger Ryazan-1 terminal, while those going to the south stop at Ryazan-2.

An ordinary ride by elektrichka from Moscow's Kazansky Rail Terminal (Казанский вокзал) takes almost 4 hours.

A faster and more comfortable option is to take an express train from the same terminal. The ride takes a little less than 3 hours, the cost depends on the class of the car. There are 3 express trains daily, going in the early morning, midday and evening.

Except Moscow, elektrichka commuter trains from Ryazan proceed to the city of Kolomna in Moscow Oblast and to Michurinsk (the 2nd-largest city of Tambov Oblast).

Ryazan is also a major stop for many long-distance trains going from Moscow to the Southern Russia and Volga Region. A few trains proceed to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Key destinations are:

Domestic

 * Orenburg
 * Samara
 * Sochi
 * Ufa

International

 * Almaty
 * Bishkek
 * Karaganda
 * Tashkent

By bus
From Moscow buses to Ryazan departure from Vykhino (Выхино) metro station. The buses leave 1-2 times per hour starting from 06:30 to 19:30. The price is comparable with elektrichka, or even cheaper. Other destinations accessible by bus from Ryazan include:

 * Gus-Khrustalny (F Sa Su M - 1 daily)
 * Ivanovo (1 daily)
 * Kasimov (6-10 daily)
 * Kolomna (9 daily)
 * Lipetsk (2 daily)
 * Murom (1 daily)
 * Oryol (1 daily)
 * Vladimir (1 daily)

The Central bus terminal of Ryazan is outside the city center, so you will probably need to get around by local bus, trolleybus, or a taxi. There is also the second and less important Prioksky terminal, serving bus routes to suburbs, e.g. Solotcha.

By car or taxi
Ryazan is about 200 km from Moscow by M5 federal road. As elsewhere in Russia, the road conditions differ greatly from a 4-lines highway to narrow bottle-necks with usual traffic-jams. Depending on traffic situation the way from Moscow may take from 2 to 6 hours (beware Friday evenings and Saturday mornings in the summer).

Being unhurried, you may visit on your way to Ryazan the historical cities of Bronnitsy and Kolomna located on M5 road within Moscow Oblast.

If you're hiring a taxi from Moscow to Ryazan, use only certified providers.

Get around
You can get around the city by taking a minibus, a taxi or a bus. The public transport system is represented by ancient trolleybuses which are pretty slow.

See

Drama Theater - beautiful old building

Puppet Theater - prize winning director Valeriy Shadskiy

Do
Take a 3-hour boat trip from the Kremlin embarkment along Oka-river and back. With Russian pop-music and spontaneous dances on the top deck.

Visit bee and honey museum and horse-breeding institute in Rybnoe.

Go next
Konstantinovo - the estate and museum of Sergey Yesenin, a famous Russian poet. Great views of Oka river and beautiful rural scenery. About 50 km from Ryazan via the town of Rybnoe.

title: Ryazan


text:
Ryazan Oblast

Ryazan Oblast is a region in Central Russia, which borders Lipetsk Oblast to the southwest, Tula Oblast to the west, Moscow Oblast to the northwest, Vladimir Oblast to the north, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast to the northeast, Mordovia to the east, Penza Oblast to the southeast, and Tambov Oblast to the south.

Cities

 * — Ryazan is one of the older cities of Russia, which has its own kremlin that served as a major fortress on the border of Tatar and Russian lands for centuries
 * — a large town that has gone back and forth between being Russian and Tatar—to which its mix of minarets and onion domes is testament
 * — once known (with some pretence) as an "Italy in Ryazan," Solotcha is a quiet town in the suburbs of Ryazan and home to the Solotchinsky Convent, which dates back some 700 years
 * — once known (with some pretence) as an "Italy in Ryazan," Solotcha is a quiet town in the suburbs of Ryazan and home to the Solotchinsky Convent, which dates back some 700 years

Other destinations

 * - the home village and museum of a famous Russian poet, Sergey Yesenin

Talk
Russian will come in handy, especially outside of Ryazan.

Get in
The capital, Ryazan, is a 3 hour train ride from Moscow

Drink
Be sure to try some of the local mead (медовуха myohd-uh-VOO-khuh)

title: Ryazan Oblast


text:
Ryde

Ryde is the largest town on the Isle of Wight.

Understand
Ryde is in the north-east of the island. With grand Georgian and Victorian houses, it rises up from the 1/2-mile-long pier and into the hills behind. The pier was built in 1814 and now houses the high-speed ferry link operated by Wightlink to and from Portsmouth, and the terminus for the island's electric railway which runs to Shanklin. The pier is one of only a few in the country that you can drive your car along and park it at the end for the ferry.

The long high street houses a wide variety of shops and boutiques and takes you down to the Esplanade with its golden sand beaches and wide choice of activities. The Esplanade consists of a ten-pin bowling alley, indoor ice rink, swimming pool, and a nightclub as well as numerous amusement arcades and children's play areas.

Further from the Esplanade, is the Promenade which stretches from the esplanade to Puckpool Park. Along the Promenade is Appley Tower, a Victorian Folly and nearby is Appley gardens.

Get in
By ferry or hovercraft:
 * The Fast Cat operated by Wightlink runs just about every half hour in the summer.
 * The Hovercraft run by Hovertravel also leaves every half hour.

Get around
Island Line trains run a regular service from the Fastcat terminal at the pier head. This stops at: Ryde Esplanade, Ryde St John's, Smallbrook Junction, Brading, Sandown, Lake and Shanklin. This service operates former London Underground rolling stock.

Southern Vectis has a bus terminal at the foot of the pier adjacent to the Ryde Esplanade railway station.

Do

 * Ryde Carnival is on three days in late Auugust/early September. Day 1 is the children's event, Day 2 the main carnival, and Day 3 is the night carnival.
 * Ryde Carnival is on three days in late Auugust/early September. Day 1 is the children's event, Day 2 the main carnival, and Day 3 is the night carnival.

Connect
Ryde has 4G from all UK carriers. As of June 2022, 5G has not reached town.

Go next

 * The rest of the Isle of Wight is all within a short drive.
 * The ferry takes you back to Portsmouth on the mainland, or you can sail from Cowes to Southampton.

title: Ryde


text:
Rye

There is more than one place called Rye:

Australia

 * Rye (Victoria) - A town in Victoria.

England

 * Rye (England) - A town in East Sussex.

France

 * Rye (Jura) - A commune in Jura.

United States of America

 * Rye (New York) - A town in New York.

title: Rye


text:
Rye (England)

Rye is a town in East Sussex that in medieval times was one of the Cinque Ports responsible for England's maritime defence. It stood at the head of a bay, which silted up, leaving the town two miles from the sea. This meant that later industry and development passed it by, so its attractive old town centre has been preserved. In 2021 Rye had a population of 4975.

Get in

 * "Before the Roman came to Rye or out to Dover strode, the rolling English drunkard made the rolling English road...."
 * - GK Chesterton

By train
Trains run hourly from Ashford International, taking 20 min. They continue west from Rye to Winchelsea, Hastings, Bexhill, Pevensey Bay and Eastbourne. Ashford has fast trains from London St Pancras but Eurostar no longer stops there. Change at Eastbourne for Brighton.

is in town centre. It has a ticket office and machines, a waiting room but no toilets. There is step-free access but the two platforms are separated. The station building is by Platform 2; if you can't use the footbridge (no lift) it's a quarter-mile via a staff-assisted crossing to Platform 1.

By bus
Stagecoach Bus 101 runs hourly from Hastings, taking 50 min via Ore, Fairlight and Winchelsea.

Bus 102 runs hourly from Dover, taking 2 hr 20 min via Folkestone, Hythe, Dymchurch, New Romney, Lydd and Camber.

The main bus stop is at the railway station.

Get around
Rye itself is best explored on foot. Use the bus (as above) for Camber Sands or Winchelsea. Bus 313 runs to Northiam every two hours, for Great Dixter House and Gardens.

Rye Hire rent bicycles.

Taxi operators are Rye Taxi Services (+44 7774 633046), Mike's (+44 7496 965050), Village Taxi (+44 7479 012485), Taxiwise (+44 7707 737017) and All7 (+44 7775 377777).

See

 * Town centre is picturesque, with steep cobbled streets lined with timber-framed houses. The Church of St Mary (Episcopal) is 12th century and you can climb the bell tower.
 * Castle Museum is the display area at 3 East St. This is free (donations welcome) and only open Apr-Oct: Sa Su 10:30AM-4:30PM.
 * was built in 1329 and is the only survivor of the town's medieval gates. It can be passed by light traffic, max width 4.1 m.
 * Camber Sands are two miles southeast past the golf course.
 * is just a rickety old shed on the shingle beach towards Winchelsea, but one with a tale to tell. Mary Stanford was the Rye Lifeboat, which put out in a gale at daybreak on 15 Nov 1928 to assist the Alice, a freighter from Riga involved in a collision. Five minutes after she launched came word that the crew of Alice had already been rescued so recall flares were fired, but the lifeboat crew can't have seen them. At 10:30 the lifeboat was seen to capsize, and all 17 crew were lost. The lifeboat was not self-righting as such a boat would have been too heavy to drag and launch on this shore.
 * is a smaller version of Rye and was likewise a Cinque Port. The village was washed away by the sea in 1287 and rebuilt on its present site. Court Hall Museum is open May-Oct. In the churchyard of St Thomas find the grave of entertainer Spike Milligan (1918-2002) with his epitaph Dúirt mé leat go raibh mé breoite, Irish for "I told you I was ill."
 * Camber Sands are two miles southeast past the golf course.
 * is just a rickety old shed on the shingle beach towards Winchelsea, but one with a tale to tell. Mary Stanford was the Rye Lifeboat, which put out in a gale at daybreak on 15 Nov 1928 to assist the Alice, a freighter from Riga involved in a collision. Five minutes after she launched came word that the crew of Alice had already been rescued so recall flares were fired, but the lifeboat crew can't have seen them. At 10:30 the lifeboat was seen to capsize, and all 17 crew were lost. The lifeboat was not self-righting as such a boat would have been too heavy to drag and launch on this shore.
 * is a smaller version of Rye and was likewise a Cinque Port. The village was washed away by the sea in 1287 and rebuilt on its present site. Court Hall Museum is open May-Oct. In the churchyard of St Thomas find the grave of entertainer Spike Milligan (1918-2002) with his epitaph Dúirt mé leat go raibh mé breoite, Irish for "I told you I was ill."
 * is a smaller version of Rye and was likewise a Cinque Port. The village was washed away by the sea in 1287 and rebuilt on its present site. Court Hall Museum is open May-Oct. In the churchyard of St Thomas find the grave of entertainer Spike Milligan (1918-2002) with his epitaph Dúirt mé leat go raibh mé breoite, Irish for "I told you I was ill."

Do

 * Cinema: Kino Rye is on Lion St in a former church.
 * Rye Sports Centre is on The Grove north of the level crossing. It has a gym, fitness classes and pool.
 * Golf: Rye GC is a mile southeast towards Camber. The Old Course is 6284 yards, par 68. The Jubilee is 12-hole, creating two loops of nine, on land reclaimed from the receding sea.
 * 1066 Country Walk is a 31-mile trail from Pevensey via Herstmonceux, Battle and Winchelsea to Rye.
 * Rye Jazz & Blues Festival is late August.
 * Rye Arts Festival is held over two weeks in September.

Buy

 * Jempson's is the main store, next to the station. It's open M-Sa 6PM-10PM.
 * There's a string of commercial art galleries along High St.
 * Rye Market is held in Regent Square by the station on Thursday 9AM-3PM.

Eat

 * Marino's is a fish and chips takeaway at 37 The Mint, open daily noon-9PM.
 * The Fig on High St serves excellent meals and has rooms.

Drink

Further out

 * Hare and Hounds on A268 is a B&B and campsite, tel +44 1797 230483. It's no longer a pub.
 * Camber has lots of self-catering cottages.

Connect
As of May 2022, Rye has 4G from all UK carriers. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * Hythe east is another Cinque Port but has lost its medieval centre. Come here for the safari park and the New Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Miniature Railway.
 * Hastings the next town west is rather rundown. The Battle of Hastings was fought at nearby Battle.

title: Rye (England)


text:
Rye (New York)

Rye is a coastal city in Westchester County of New York. Best known for being home to Rye Playland (also known as Playland Amusement Park) which was built in 1928, the only publicly-owned amusement park in the U.S.A., it has the feel of a charming, wealthy small town along the Long Island Sound. It is the youngest city in New York State.

Waterfront covers 60 percent of the city's six square miles.

Rye has over 454 acres of parklands which are great for hiking and walking.

title: Rye (New York)


text:
Rye Brook

Rye Brook is a village in Westchester County, New York.

title: Rye Brook


text:
Ryfylke

Ryfylke is a district in Rogaland county, Norway. Ryfylke includes the islands, fjords, valleys and uplands around the inner part of the great Boknafjorden.

Regions

Ryfylke is a rural region in Rogaland county, southern Fjord Norway. Approaching from the south, you encounter the famous fjords from Ryfylke. in the south you will first meet Lysefjorden, known for Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) and mount Kjerag in the inner part of the fjord. The Ryfylke National Tourist Route is one of 18 tourist routes established by the National Road Authorities in Norway, running from Oanes (road 13), Lysefjorden in the south up to Røldal in Hardanger in the north (road 520). This route offers a beautiful and lush landscape, with fjords, green isles and skerries, colourful heathlands and tranquil cultural landscapes, screes and boulder fields, towering mountains and sheer cliffs.

Already in the 19th century the wild and pristine landscape of Ryfylke attracted its first tourists, English salmon fishermen went to Suldalslågen river and exploring travellers went along the so-called Discovery Route.

Today it continues to tempt travellers to great outdoor adventures. The highlights and attractions are many. You can fish in the rovers and streams and sheltered fjords, savour fruit orchards in full flower, go on mountain walks or enjoy more extreme sports. Here are many charming villages and small friendly towns that merit a visit, and ferries crossing the fjords invite to a break in the driving.

At Haukalivatnet lake (near Lysefjorden) there is a distinct end moraine presumably created by a prehistoric glacier. This moraine led professor Jens Esmark (in 1824) to formulate the theory of an ice age over Scandinavia and other parts of the world. Esmark believed that climate changes due to the changes of the earths orbit caused ice ages.

Get in
In the summer, tourist boats offer day trips from Stavanger through Lysefjorden and the surrounding waters.

Norled run ferries from Stavanger to Tau, roughly ever 40 minutes in the summer, which take cars, bikes and foot passengers. Most ferries are met by the local 100 bus into Jørpeland.

General information on public transport in the region is available on the Ryfylke tourist information site

Itineraries
Lysefjorden the first fjord when you arrive from the south, is one of the most famous fjord in Norway. The 40 km long fjord surrounded by impressive mountains and cliffs carved out during successive Ice Ages is the dominant feature of Forsand municipality.

For a magnificent view of the fjord, walk to the top of Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock), 600 m above sea level. The walk takes about two hours from the parking lot (paid parking) near the Preikestolen Mountain lodge, the return is 1.5-2 hours. More than 130 000 people made this walk in the summer season of 2010. Season. April - October. You can buy a through ticket for the ferry from Stavanger and then private coach to the mountain lodge from Tide Resier, costs about kr 250, tickets available online, or from a stand at the ferry terminal, or buy on the ferry. Alternately, buy a return ferry ticket to Tau, then take the local Kolumbus bus to the lodge, about kr 100 for the ferry then kr 160 for the return bus ticket. Tickets for the Boreal bus aren't valid on the Tide Resier one, not vice versa, so check timetables before deciding which to book on!

Kjerag mountain plateau rise up to 1084 m above the innermost part and southern shore of the Lysefjord. One dramatic attraction is Kjeragbolten, a boulder wedged into a crack in the mountain. Kjerag also attracts base jumpers and rock climbers. The trail starts from Øygardstølen by Lysevegen Road (closed in Winter, often until June). 10 km hike, climbs 570 m, Good shoes and physical health are advised. Season June - September.

Lysevegen from Lysebotn in the bottom of lysefjorden in east up to Øygardstøl count 27 exciting hairpin bends, open in summer.

The National Tourist Road Ryfylke starts as Road 13 from Oanes by the northern mouth of the Lysefjord and goes 183 km through Ryfylke up to Håra, Røldal in Hardanger, the last part crossing Røldalsfjellet mountains as Road 520 (closed in winter)

Along Svandalsfossen waterfall by road 520 (National Tourist Road Ryfylke) you can follow the waterfall up close while climbing the striking stairs.

Allmannajuvet gorge near Sauda will get a visitor center in 2012. here you can walk on the old mine road and get a guided tour into the dark zink mines.

Go next

 * Hardanger is Ryfylke's neighbour in the north. Road 13 through Ryfylke and Hardanger is one of the great scenic roads in Norway.
 * Sunnhordland is Ryfylke's and Hardanger's neighbour on the other side of Folgefonna glacier in the outer areas of Hardangerfjord.
 * Stavanger and the Jæren flatlands with endless sandy beaches.

title: Ryfylke


text:
Ryuo

Ryūō (竜王) is a town in Shiga, Japan. It is located in south of Omihachiman.

Understand
The name literally means "Dragon King". The city is best known today for its outlet mall and the large Daihatsu car factory, but it was once a stop along the Tosando Road (東山道) which connected Kyoto with the Tohoku Region. The station here was Kagami no Shuku (鏡宿).

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site.

Get in
There is no train station in Ryuo but it can be reached by bus from Omihachiman Station in Omihachiman or Yasu Station in Yasu. Buses also depart from Kyoto on weekends and holidays for the Outlet Mall.

Go next

 * Omihachiman
 * Yasu
 * Konan
 * Higashiomi
 * Koka
 * Hino
 * Moriyama
 * Aisho
 * Toyosato

title: Ryuo


text:
Rzeszów

Rzeszów ([ˈʒɛʃuf]; Ukrainian: Ряшів, Riashiv) is the capital city of Subcarpathian Voivodeship in the south east of Poland and has almost 200,000 inhabitants (2021). It was a private town of the Lubomirski family for centuries. It has a fine old town, two synagogues and some castles.

Understand
The oldest written records of Rzeszów date back to 1354, when the place was granted city rights. The Lubomirski family, the owners of the town, were patrons of culture, arts and science. Under their reign Rzeszów developed quickly and its role and position in the region noticeably increased. Since then, the town has been a meeting point of many European nations from the Byzantine East and Mediterranean West and people from the southern and northern parts of Europe. It is a great example of how a young, vibrant and dynamically developing city is adapted to its historical heritage.

Climate
Snow is common in winter, when night-time temperatures are typically below zero. In summer, temperatures may often reach 30°C (86°F), but averagely stay around 22°C (72°F). Annual rainfall is approximately 500 mm (20 in), among the lowest in Poland. The rainiest month is July, mainly due to short but intense cloudbursts and thunderstorms.

By plane
Four airlines, Poland's national carrier LOT Polish Airlines, Germany's Lufthansa and low-cost Ryanair fly to Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport. Domestic flights operated by LOT connect Rzeszów directly with Warsaw's Frédéric Chopin Airport and other Polish cities with stop-over in Warsaw Airport (Bydgoszcz, Gdańsk, Kraków, Katowice, Łódź, Poznań, Szczecin and Wrocław). International flights are operated by LOT (with stop-over in Warsaw), Lufthansa (Munich), Ryanair ("Barcelona"-Girona, Birmingham, Bristol, Dublin, East Midlands, London Luton and London Stansted). Flights operated by Lufthansa may be connected to many cities all over the world with stop-over in Frankfurt.

Transport to and from the airport
By bus: The airport is connected with Rzeszów city centre by public transport (bus from 'MPK' company), special line 'L'. Journey to/from the airport takes about 25 min and costs 8 zł (under €2) if you pay in złoty, or €3 if you pay in euros (tickets are sold by the driver, price includes the carrying of luggage). Buses terminate at the railway station and depart from the same stop. Generally, bus timetable is synchronised with flights' arrivals and departures and in the case of delayed flight, a bus is waiting for passengers. However, it is strongly advised to check the bus and flight timetable before travel.

Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport - Rzeszów Railway Station timetable

Rzeszów Railway Station - Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport timetable

Be aware of the remarks below the timetable! (kursuje means run / nie kursuje means do not run, others are the days of the week, from Monday-Sunday: [poniedziałek, wtorek, środa, czwartek, piątek, sobota, niedziela].

By taxi: Taxi-drivers Association Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport (STPL) is the official partner of Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport. Can be caught outside the airport terminal or called +48 697 996 077. Travel takes about 15–20 minutes and costs on average 50 zł. They serve for 24 hr.

By car: Parking at the airport is free of charge and open 24 hr. There are several car hire companies.

More flights can be booked from Kraków which is only three hours by train from Rzeszów. Other airports are in Warsaw and Katowice.

By train
The Polish State Railways have train connections from with the majority of Polish cities, but for long distance there is usually one or more changes. Usually, at least one direct train connection exists between Rzeszów and major Polish cities. There are different categories of trains, but the time of the journey is rather similar. There are also direct services to Lviv, Odesa and Kyiv in Ukraine.

The connections and price can be checked on the website, but it is possible to buy on-line only tickets for selected trains (operated by PKP InterCity) InterCity and TLK. Tickets can be bought at the railway station. If you want to pay by credit or debit card, first check is it possible and tell about card's payment to the cashier before you buy a ticket! Alternatively, you should find ATM at the railway station on in the close vicinity.

If you are foreign student you may buy discount ticket for each route (51%) provided you have valid Polish student ID or ISIC student card (€26 and student ID card from your university is not valid and you will be fined).

Check the connections and their price at PKP Timetable.

For detailed information see Poland:By train.

By car
Rzeszów is situated on the European route E40. You can easily get there by car from Kraków, Lublin and Sandomierz or from eastern (E40 - Ukraine) and southern (nr 9 or E371 - Slovakia) border. Rzeszów is served by A4 motorway (from Kraków) and S19 speedway (from Lublin and Slovakia border).

You can also take advantage of car pooling, but the language may be significant barrier.

The road distance from Ukrainian and Slovakian border is around 90 km. From major Polish cities: Gdańsk (576 km), Kraków (162 km), Łódź (283 km), Warsaw (275 km), Wrocław (402 km).

By bus
Many international and domestic connections (see Poland:By bus). It is essential to check which bus station your bus is arriving/leaving from, since there is the and the.

Hitchhiking
It is quite popular to hitch in Poland. General rules for hitchhiking are the same in whole Poland. Prepare the sign with 'Rzeszów' written on it as it is the biggest city in South-Eastern Poland, so everyone will be sure where are you heading to.

Get around
The Old Town in the city centre is small and easily manageable on foot. There are regular bus services from the centre to New Town and suburbs. One-way ticket ('bilet normalny') costs 3 zł (May 2017). Night buses (23:00 - 05:00) cost twice as much. It is valid only for one certain route and for one bus on this route (you can not change buses on the same route). One-hour ticket ('bilet 1-godzinny') costs 4 zł and is valid for all buses. You may also buy a day pass ('bilet dobowy') for 12 zł. Big luggage must be paid extra (1.65 zł). Tickets are sold in small stalls near bus stops (kiosks) and can be also bought from the driver but may cost more. Once you get the bus, you need to validate the ticket in validating machine. If you travel by public bus beyond Rzeszów area you have to buy tickets for the 2nd zone, which are more expensive.

Rzeszów also has a well-developed network of cycle paths, though there is a lack of bicycle parking. It is possible to rent a bicycle from commonly accessible bike stands, however, you have to register on the provider's website before you could use the bike.

Bus timetable and information at  and

Maps can be downloaded from. An interactive map is available on.

Driving and parking in Rzeszów is a nightmare, like in most cities, but in ul. Krakowski, less than ten minutes' walk from the centre, there is a little complex with three free car parks (a McDonald's, a supermarket, and a residents' area).

If you want to visit other towns near Rzeszów, you need to take either above-mentioned bus (if it serves chosen connection) or coach. Coaches depart from Bus Station ('Dworzec Autobusowy') (several carriers, PKS Rzeszów, Veolia Podkarpacie, others), Suburban Bus Station ('Dworzec Podmiejski') or other stops.

Talk
Polish is the only official language in Poland and all signs are in Polish as well. Poles learn other languages in school and now English is the main foreign language, although German, French, Spanish and Russian are also taught. Generally, Poles do not speak fluently foreign languages, but young generation usually can speak and understand English. Older people know rather German or Russian since both were almost only languages taught in schools some years ago. You should not have major difficulties with communication with Polish people, always you will find someone who can speak English and will be able to help you (even if does not know your language).

Landmarks

 * Rzeszów Synagoga Staromiejska.jpg
 * Rzeszów Synagoga Staromiejska.jpg
 * Rzeszów Synagoga Staromiejska.jpg
 * Rzeszów Synagoga Staromiejska.jpg
 * Rzeszów Synagoga Staromiejska.jpg
 * Rzeszów Synagoga Staromiejska.jpg
 * Rzeszów Synagoga Staromiejska.jpg

Do

 * Football: Stal Rzeszów play soccer in I Liga, the second tier. Their home ground Stadion Miejski (capacity 12,000) is by the ring road 2 km south of town centre.
 * Resovia were relegated in 2024 and now play in II Liga the third tier, also at Stadion Miejski.
 * Football: Stal Rzeszów play soccer in I Liga, the second tier. Their home ground Stadion Miejski (capacity 12,000) is by the ring road 2 km south of town centre.
 * Resovia were relegated in 2024 and now play in II Liga the third tier, also at Stadion Miejski.
 * Resovia were relegated in 2024 and now play in II Liga the third tier, also at Stadion Miejski.

Buy
The main shopping areas are on the pedestrianized Grunwaldzka and 3'ego Maja streets. There are several small shopping centres in the city centre.
 * There are many also large hypermarkets in the suburbs, most of which incorporate a small pasaż (shopping arcade).
 * There are many also large hypermarkets in the suburbs, most of which incorporate a small pasaż (shopping arcade).
 * There are many also large hypermarkets in the suburbs, most of which incorporate a small pasaż (shopping arcade).
 * There are many also large hypermarkets in the suburbs, most of which incorporate a small pasaż (shopping arcade).

Budget
All these are in the city centre:

Stay safe
Rzeszów is a rather safe place for travellers. You should be aware of pickpocketing like in any other city. Use your mind and do not start an argument with young, bald men dressed in sweatshirts. Try to not present your liking to football or speedway clubs, since there is an eternal struggle between hooligans sympathising with competing teams. Do not buy 'occasional bargains' from guys wandering around parking places (they sell shoddy stuff, like binoculars). Of course, this is a general remark for whole Poland and nothing makes Rzeszów more dangerous than any other city in the country.

Go next

 * Łańcut is practically a suburb and well worth a visit. It is located 17 km from Rzeszów and is easy accessible by coaches or trains.
 * Further afield are Jarosław and the city of Przemyśl (both are also accessible by train and coaches).
 * Rzeszów is in the middle between the two cultural hubs Kraków and Lviv.
 * If you feel like hiking, head to the Bieszczady range south of Rzeszów.

title: Rzeszów


text:
Saalfeld

Saalfeld is a city in the Saalfeld-Rudolstadt area in Thuringia, Germany.

Understand
It is situated by the Saale River, 48 km (30 mi) south of German cultural capital Weimar and 130 km (81 mi) south-west of Leipzig. The population of the district is 118,000, that of the tri-city area is 58,000 and Saalfeld town proper is 26,800. It is best known internationally as the former capital of the branch of the house of Wettins (known amongst English-speakers as the Windsors) that is today's British royal family.

By car
Saalfeld is located some 40 km off the A4 (Frankfurt–Erfurt–Dresden) and A9 (Berlin–Leipzig–Nuremberg) motorway, respectively. Driving from Erfurt or Weimar takes just over an hour, from Leipzig 1½ to two hours.

By plane
The nearest airports are Erfurt (65 km away), Leipzig/Halle (135 km) and Nuremberg (200 km).

Get around
The town is compact and walkable, but there are also regular buses and taxis running around

See
As well as the medieval town centre, and the surrounding forests and lakes of Thuringia:

Buy
The area is a rewarding place to shop for unique craftsworks made from glass, ceramic and precious stones.

Eat
There are several butchers in the town center who grill and sell the justly famous Thüringer Bratwurst (Thuringia sausage) in the afternoon.

Sleep
There is nearly a dozen hotels and pensions in the area. Except for the high peak season around July, you should be able to just turn up and find a place to stay.

Go next

 * The forests, mountains and lakes of Thuringia are at hand, they are so close you can simply walk there!
 * Rudolstadt (8 minutes by half-hourly train)
 * Jena (40 min by half-hourly train, or cycle along the Saale bike trail) – university city with a historic old town, high-tech research and industries plus student lifestyle.
 * Weimar (50 km north; 1:20 h by train via Jena-Göschwitz) – capital of classical German literature and theatre.
 * Sonneberg (50 km south; 1:30 h by train and bus via Pressig-Rothenkirchen) – base for hiking or winter sports in the Thuringian Forest and traditional centre of toy makers.
 * Erfurt (55 km northwest; 1:05 h by hourly train) – state capital of Thuringia, medieval old town core
 * Mödlareuth (60 km southeast, no viable public transport link) – dubbed "Little Berlin", this village on the Bavaro-Thuringian state border was separated by the Iron Curtain during Cold War.
 * Kronach (65 km south, one hour by train) – well-preserved old town and castle, hometown of Renaissance painter Lucas Cranach

title: Saalfeld


text:
Northern Sámi phrasebook

Northern Sámi (davvisámegiella), the Sámi language used in this phrasebook, is the most widely-spoken of the Sámi languages. It is spoken mainly in northern Norway, northern Sweden and much of the Sámi area in Finland. It is used often in towns such as Kiruna (Giron), Utsjoki (Ohcejohka), Kautokeino (Guovdageaidnu) and Karasjok (Kárášjohka). It also acts as a lingua franca among many Sámi who speak other Sámi languages.

The Northern Sámi has four major dialects: Torne, Western Finnmark, Eastern Finnmark, and Sea Sámi. The standard language follow Western Finnmark Kautokeino sub-dialect. The dialects are mutually intelligible, but there are considerable differences in pronunciation, and to some extent also in the vocabulary. The Sea Sámi dialect has adopted strong influences from eastern-group Sámi languages.

Sámi (also spelled Saami or Sami) is a group of languages spoken by the Sámi people who dwell in northern Europe. Their traditional homeland consists of the central and northern parts of Norway and Sweden, northern Finland, and the Kola Peninsula in Russia. They are now a minority in most of this area.

Because of earlier language politics, not all Sámi speak Sámi and some Sámi languages are extinct. There are nine living Sámi languages. They are Uralic languages and thus have many linguistic similarities and some common vocabulary (including many loanwords) with other languages in the family, such as Finnish, Karelian, and Estonian. The similarities are far from enough for understanding, but help in learning the language. Even the Sámi languages are generally not mutually intelligible, but many Sámi understand the neighbouring languages. There are also loanwords from the unrelated Scandinavian languages of Norwegian and Swedish (and for the eastern Sámi languages, from Russian).

"Sámi" is mostly used as a shorthand for Northern Sámi below.

Pronunciation guide
Like Finnish or Estonian, Sámi is written quite phonetically, with a certain letter mostly pronounced the same way and doubled letters meaning longer sounds. Northern Sámi uses the Latin alphabet with some extra letters, some of which are not found in Swedish, Norwegian or Finnish. The current writing system is from 1979, modified in 1985.

Below are the vowels and consonants, with name of the letter (spelt in Sami) and normal pronunciation with IPA codes. The standard(ish) pronunciation used in textbooks follow Kautokeino dialect but in practice the learners will obtain their teacher's dialect.

Stress is always on the first syllable. In longer words certain syllables get secondary stress which gives spoken Sámi a distinctive, nodding melody.

Vowels
A Á  E  I  O  U

The letter á tends to be pronounced as a long, vivid a in the western dialects and like æ in the eastern dialects. There are short and long vowels in the language, but as they do not change the meaning of words these are never expressed in the written language, and the exact pronunciation depends on the speaker's dialect.

Consonants
B C  Č  D  Đ  F  G  H  J  K  L  M  N  Ŋ  P   R   S   Š   T  Ŧ  V  Z  Ž

(NB: Đ đ in Sámi is a different letter from the Icelandic Ð ð and African Ɖ ɖ, although sometimes similarly looking.)

The letter i is pronounced as a j if it is preceded by a vowel, whereupon it is considered a consonant.

Letters đ, ŋ, ŧ, z, or ž never appear as the first letter in a Sámi word. Letters p, k, and t appear at the beginning of the word only in some, mostly Norwegian or Swedish, loanwords. In such case they are strongly aspirated. For many of these words a more native-sounding version starting with b, g or d (e.g. kirku ~ girku, church) is also in use.

Exceptions: the letter t is pronounced as /ht/ if it is at the end of a sentence, and as /h/ if it is at the end of a word somewhere in the middle of a sentence. Letter d is pronounced as đ if it is between the second and third syllables.

In addition, the letter combinations dj, lj, and nj are palatalized d, l, and n, respectively. Combinations hj, hl, hn, hm, and hr denote very rare unvoiced consonant sounds.

In total there are about 30 different consonant phonemes which is quite a lot for a Uralic language.

Just like in Finnic languages, Sámi consonants can be different lengths. There are three different consonant lengths: short, long, and overlong. Short consonants are easy to pronounce and are written as a single letter. Long and overlong ones are both written as double letters. Pronouncing such consonants may be quite tricky for non-native speakers. In some dictionaries overlong sounds are denoted by ' (for example bus'sá, cat) but the difference is not shown in normal text. So you can't really know that there is more s in the word bussá than in word oassi (part/piece).

Diphthongs
Diphthongs may appear only in stressed syllables. The exact pronunciation of these varies a lot depending on the speaker's dialect.

If a vowel change in the syllable following the diphthong, the diphthong simplifies into a simple long vowel. This is indeed very common! For example: Mun viehkan (I run) → Mun vihken (I ran). Now i in vihken is a long vowel (like in "teen" in English) although its not written with two letters.

Grammar
Being a member of the Uralic language family, Sámi grammar is quite different from that of any Indo-European language, such as English, Norwegian or Russian. On the other hand, if you are already familiar with Finnish, Estonian or Hungarian grammar you'll find learning any Sámi-group language quite reasonable and cosy.

In Northern Sámi, nouns can be declined in six or seven different cases, the exact number depending on whether the genitive and the accusative are considered the same or not (they have different uses, but the forms differ only in a few words). Cases handle things like living in the North, going to the town or working with a friend. Cases are coded into suffixes (i.e. word endings) but they often cause some changes to the 'central consonants' and sometimes even vowels in the word itself. This phenomenon is known as consonant gradation and exhibits perhaps its most extensive form in Sámi languages.

If you are studying the language by reading poems or song lyrics you'll encounter possessive suffixes, one of the iconic features of the Uralic language family. However, using them in normal speech is nowadays uncommon.

Many adjectives have a separate attribute form which you must use if the adjective is an attribute to the noun. There are no rules on how the attribute form is formed from the adjective; you just have to learn them together with the adjective. When used as predicative the adjective follows the noun's case and number.

Verbs have four tenses: present, preterite, perfect, and pluperfect. Perfect and pluperfect are formed in a similar way to English but using "to be" instead of "have". In fact, this is not a coincidence: it is a relic from close contact between Germanic language speakers and Finno-Samic tribes some 3000-3500 years ago! Verbs express also four moods: indicative, imperative, conditional, and potential. The optative mood, mentioned in some sources, is extremely rarely used form of the imperative. In modern-day speech, the potential mood (i.e. something is considered likely) is often used to indicate future tense (logical, as the events in future are always uncertain!) The word "no" is a verb and inflects with the person and mood just like in many other Uralic languages.

In addition to the grammatical singular and plural, the Sámi languages have a third number: dual. So, "we two" is different from "we many". This means that verbs conjugate in nine persons instead of six. The dual is used only for people, never for animals or things.

Northern Sámi has no articles and no grammatical gender. Also rules for conjugation are mostly quite simple and the language itself is fairly regular.

Basics

 * Hello. : Bures. ( )
 * Hello. (informal) : Bures bures. ( )
 * Hello again : Buorat ain ( )
 * How are you? :Mo dat manná? ( ?)
 * Fine, thank you. : Dat manná bures, giitu. ( )
 * What is your name? : Mii du namma lea? ( ?)
 * My name is ______ . : Mu namma lea  ______ . (  _____ .)
 * Nice to meet you. :Somá deaivvadit. ( )
 * Please. : Leage buorre. ( )
 * Thank you. : Giitu. ( )
 * Thank you for everything (when leaving) : Giitu buot buriid ovddas ( )
 * You're welcome. :Leage buorre. :.
 * Yes. :Juo/Jo. ( )
 * No. : Ii. ( ), in spoken language very often: a-a ( )
 * Excuse me. (getting attention) : Ándagassii. ( ) / Gula... ( )
 * Excuse me. (begging pardon) : Ándagassii. ( )
 * I'm sorry. : Ándagassii. ( )
 * Goodbye : Báze dearvan (to one person when leaving). ( )
 * Goodbye : Báhcci dearvan (to two people when leaving) ( )
 * Goodbye : Báhcet dearvan (to more than two people when leaving) ( )
 * See you! : Oaidnaleabmai!( )
 * I don't speak Saami [well]. :Mun in hála sámegiela. ( [ ])
 * Do you speak English? :Hálatgo eaŋgalasgiela? ( ?)
 * Do you speak Finnish/Swedish/Norwegian? : Hálatgo suomagiela/ruoŧagiela/dárogiela ( ?)
 * Is there someone here who speaks English? : Hállágo giige dáppe eaŋgalasgiela? ( ?)
 * Help! : Veahket! ( !)
 * Look out! : Fárut! ( !)
 * Good morning. : Buorre iđit. ( )
 * Good afternoon :Buorre beaivvi. ( )
 * Good evening. : Buorre eahket. ( )
 * (Reply to any greeting above; To you also.) : Ipmel atti. ( )
 * Good night. : Buorre idjá. ( )
 * Good night (to sleep) :Buorre idjá. ( )
 * I don't understand. : Mon in ádde / ipmir. ( )
 * Where is the toilet? : Gos hivsset lea? ( ?)

Problems

 * _____ doesn't work. : _____ ii doaimma.
 * Leave me alone! : Atte mu leat ráfis!
 * Don't touch me! : Ale guoskka!
 * I will call the police. : Riŋgen poliissa.
 * Police! : Poliisa! / Boles!
 * Stop! Thief! : Bisán! Suola!
 * I need your help. : Darbbašan du veahkki.
 * It's an emergency. : Mus lea heahtti.
 * I'm lost. : Lean láhppon.
 * I lost my bag. : Mu lávka láhppui.
 * I lost my wallet. : Mu bursa láhppui.
 * I'm sick / I've fallen ill. : Lean buozus.
 * I've been injured. : Lean roasmmohuvvan.
 * I need a doctor. : Dárbbašan doaktára.
 * Can I use your phone? : Sáhtango riŋget?
 * I need some mosquito repellant / a mosquito net : Dárbbašan čuoikavuoiddas / čuoikaluvra

Numbers
½ - beal

0 - nolla

1 - okta

2 - guokte

3 - golbma

4 - njeallje

5 - vihtta

6 - guhtta

7 - čiežá

8 - gávcci

9 - ovcci

10 - logi

11 - oktanuppelohkái

12 - guoktenuppelohkái

20 - guoktelogi

21 - guoktelogiokta

30 - golbmalogi

40 - njealljelogi

50 - vihttalogi

100 - čuođi

200 - guoktečuođi

300 - golbmačuođi

400 - njeallječuođi

500 - vihttačuođi

1,000 - duhát

2,000 - guokteduhát

3,000 - golbmaduhát

4,000 - njealljeduhát

5,000 - vihtaduhát

1,000,000 - miljovdna

1,000,000,000 - miljárda

Time

 * now : dál
 * later : maŋŋil
 * before : ovdal
 * morning : iđit
 * afternoon : eahketbeaivi
 * evening : eahket
 * night : idja

Clock time
In spoken language the 12-hour clock is normally used, with no formal AM/PM notation, though the time of day can be clarified if needed.
 * one o'clock (AM) : diibmu okta (iddes)
 * seven o'clock (AM) : diibmu čieža (iddes)
 * noon : gaskabeaivi
 * one o'clock PM / 13:00 : diibmu okta (beaivit) / diibmu golbmanuppelohkái
 * two o'clock PM / 14:00 : diibmu guokte (beaivit) / diibmu njealljenuppelohkái
 * midnight : gaskaidja

Minutes and fractions:
 * twenty past (one) : guoktelogi badjel (okta)
 * five to (two) : vihtta váile (guokte)
 * a quarter to (three) : njealjádas váile (golbma)
 * a quarter past (four) : njealjádas badjel (njeallje)
 * half past (one) : beal (guokte) NB! This literally means "half two", time is expressed "half to", not "half past".

Duration

 * _____ minute(s) : _____ minuhta
 * _____ hour(s) : _____ diimmu
 * _____ day(s) : _____ beaivvi
 * _____ week(s) : _____ vahku
 * _____ month(s) : _____ mánu
 * _____ year(s) : _____ jagi

Days

 * today : otne
 * the day before yesterday : ovddet beaivve
 * yesterday : ikte
 * tomorrow : ihtin
 * the day after tomorrow: don beaivve
 * this week : dán vahku
 * last week : mannan vahku
 * next week : boahtte vahku

In the Nordic countries, the week starts on Monday.

 * Monday : vuossárga / mánnodat
 * Tuesday : maŋŋebárga / disdat
 * Wednesday : gaskavahkku
 * Thursday : duorastat
 * Friday : bearjadat
 * Saturday : lávvordat
 * Sunday : sotnabeaivi

For Sunday, the word bassebeaivi (lit. "holy day") or just bassi is often used.

Months
Most Sámi month names describe the cycle of the year from the perspective of nature and the reindeer. Occasionally, you may come across with direct loanwords such as "novembármánnu" (in Sweden and Norway) or "márrásmánnu" (in Finland) for November.
 * January : ođđajagimánnu
 * February : guovvamánnu
 * March : njukčamánnu
 * April : cuoŋománnu
 * May : miessemánnu
 * June : geassemánnu
 * July : suoidnemánnu
 * August : borgemánnu
 * September : čakčamánnu
 * October : golggotmánnu
 * November : skábmamánnu
 * December : juovlamánnu

Writing time and date
When written by numbers, dates are written in the day-month-year order, e.g. 2.5.1990 for 2nd May 1990. If the month is written out, ''2. b. miessemánus'' (literally: 2nd day in May) is used. Notice that month must be in locative case (here fairly simple as -mánnu just becomes -mánus).

Colours
Like many adjectives, some colours have a separate attribute form which must be used if the adjective is an attribute to the noun. For example, when saying vilges beana (a white dog) you must use the attribute form but in a sentence beana lea vielgat (a dog is white), the dictionary form applies. In Sámi dictionaries, the attribute form is usually marked with #.
 * black : čáhppat #čáhppes
 * white : vielgat #vilges
 * grey : ránis #ránes
 * red : ruoksat #rukses
 * blue : alit
 * blue-green : turkosa
 * yellow : fiskat #fiskes
 * green : ruoná
 * orange : oránša
 * purple : fiolehtta
 * brown : ruškat #ruškes
 * pink : čuvgesruoksat #-rukses

Transportation

 * How do I get to _____ ? : Mo mun beasan _____?
 * ...the train station? : ...ruovdegeaidnostašuvdnii?
 * ...the bus station? : ...bussestašuvdnii?
 * ...the airport? : girdingieddái
 * ...downtown? : ...guovddažii?
 * ...the youth hostel? : ...vánddardanvissui?
 * ...the _____ hotel? : ... _____ hoteallai?
 * ...the American/ Canadian/ Australian/ British consulate? : _____ konsuláhtii?
 * Where are there a lot of... : Gos lea ollu...
 * ...hotels? : ...hoteallaid?
 * ...restaurants? : ...restauráŋŋaid?
 * ...bars? : ...báraid?
 * ...sites to see? : ...oaidnámušaid?
 * ...reindeer? : ... bohccuid?
 * Can you show me on the map? : Oaččutgo čajehit dát gárttas?
 * street : geaidnu / gáhta
 * Turn left. : Jorgal gurutguvlui.
 * Turn right. : Jorgal olgešguvlui.
 * Go back. : Mana ruovttoluotta.
 * left : gurut
 * right : olgeš
 * straight ahead : ovddosguvlui
 * towards the _____ : _____ guvlui
 * past the _____ : meaddil _____
 * before the _____ : ovdal _____
 * Watch for the _____. : Várut _____.
 * intersection : geaidnoruossa
 * north : davvi
 * south : lulli / máddi
 * east : nuorti
 * west : oarji
 * uphill : vustolat
 * downhill : mihtolat

Place names

 * America : Amerihká
 * Canada : Kanáda
 * Denmark : Dánmárku
 * Estonia : Estlánda
 * Finland : Suopma
 * France : Fránkariika
 * Germany : Duiska
 * Japan : Jáhpan
 * China : Kiinná
 * Norway : Norga, Norwegian language : dárogiella
 * Poland : Polska
 * Russia : Ruošša
 * Spain : Espánnja
 * Sweden : Ruoŧŧa
 * UK : Ovttastuvvan gonagasriika
 * USA : Amerihká ovttastuvvan stáhtat / USA

 * Copenhagen : Københápman
 * London : London
 * Moscow : Moskva
 * Paris : Paris
 * Saint Petersburg : Biehtára
 * Stockholm : Stockholbma
 * Helsinki : Helsset

Taxi

 * Taxi! : Tákse!
 * Take me to _____, please. : _____, giitu.
 * How much does it cost to get to _____? : Man ollu máksa _____ -ii/-ái/-ui? [e.g. siidii = to the village, guovddažii = to the centre]
 * (Take me) there, please. : Dohko, giitu.

Weather conditions
Northern Sámi has a vast number of expressions for different weather conditions and, especially, for different forms of snow and snowy conditions. The language is also very productive when it comes to various derivative expressions like arvvestit "drizzling", njuohpahat "site where someone has slipped" or borggahallat "to be caught by snow storm by surprise".
 * weather : dálki
 * warm weather : liekkádat
 * warm weather when enormous hordes of mosquitoes are flying : čuoikabálggádat
 * cold weather : galmádat
 * freezing : buolaš
 * milder weather after freezing cold : bivvalat
 * sunny weather : beaivvádat
 * raining : arvit
 * snowing : muohttit
 * snowing wet snow : šlahttit
 * wet snow on the ground : soavli
 * slippery : njuohpa
 * sticky snow (that appears at very cold weather) : buolašsábadat
 * icy : jiekŋa (this is also 'ice' as a noun)
 * windy : biekkus, (windy weather at summertime) jáldu
 * strong wind : ruvaš
 * storm : riđđu
 * blowing snow : borggas / njeađgga
 * There are too many mosquitoes here! : Dáppe lea menddo olu čuoika!

Authority
In Finland, Norway and Sweden the authorities will speak fluent English, so there is no need to communicate by phrasebook. Also, often the authorities will not speak Sámi, while all will know the main language of the country.

title: Northern Sámi phrasebook