Why Uganda?

From Entebbe to Kampala.... green and clean!

So far Uganda wins! It's a country whose natural beauty and cool vibe are undeniable. When you arrive in Uganda, you swing in a lazy arc over the expanse of Lake Victoria and settle into the Entebbe airport neatly arranged on it's shore. It's the scene where in June 1976 the Israelis in a "not so neat" raid stormed the jetliner held by the PLO. This created significant diplomatic confusion though ostensibly saved the lives of over 100 hostages. Idi Amin, though generally his custom, did not send a Christmas card to the Israeli government in that year. Today, the Jetliner has been bought by some enterprising Ugandan and turned into a restaurant. Would you like the assault rifle fries with you RPG burger? I'll stop there...

The scene of the 1976 hijacking

Pictured above is the view from the hotel where I attended a meeting. That's Lake Victoria in the distance beautifully bordered in the leafy green of banana trees and other assorted botanical unknowns. Kampala is mostly a mountain with all kinds of up and down bits paint brushed lush and green. In fact the hour drive from Entebbe into the bustling city of Kampala is notable because of the green...really green but also the almost complete absence of any garbage. It's a battle not yet won in Nairobi that one just becomes accustomed to. So as commonplace as it is in Nairobi, here it's absence was quite remarkable. Uganda is also the gateway to the Gorillas and a more reasonably priced experience than coming in from the Rwanda side. I will be traveling to Uganda on a regular basis so look forward to taking that in soon.

Fresh Matoke while a "banana" is closer to a potato in many ways.

Kampala is bustling with activity. Though reportedly as many as 5 million souls pass time in the city, it still feels like a small town. The streets are generally a lane in each direction with commercial activity being a proliferation of small village market shops competing for a few shillings here and there.

Kampala roadside market

There is a nice vibe to the hustle bustle. People seem to be living in peace. There's a relatively stable government, (expected to be re-elected in February). The incumbent, Yoweri Museveni of the National Resistance Party appearing on billboards looking more like a grandfatherly farmer than politician. Little has changed since 1986 although 2006 elections were in the Supreme Court's words "marred by intimidation, violence, voter disenfranchisement, and other irregularities" however - the court voted 4-3 to uphold the results of the election! Hmmmmm..........

Yoweri Museveni

National Resistance Movement

26 January 1986

There is an excellent climate and ability to live in some comfort at a low cost with conspicuously absent; the ubiquitous desperation that accompanies poverty in the larger cities.I should be careful with my comments about relative comfort as the comparator is the city slums of sub-Saharan Africa and not the breezy tree lined streets of Bel Air California.

Matoke is everywhere being a reasonably priced though challenging food to cook. I shared a plane seat with Ruth and was "taught" how to prepare it properly. Here's what Ruth told me:

Matoke are peeled using a knife, wrapped in the plant's leaves (or plastic bag) and set in a cooking pot atop the banana stalks. The pot is then placed on a charcoal or wood fire and the matoke is steamed for a couple hours, water is poured into the bottom of the cooking pot multiple times. The stalks in the bottom of the pot serve to keep the leaf-wrapped fruits above the level of the hot water. 

While uncooked, the matoke is white and fairly hard; cooking turns it soft and yellow. The matoke is then mashed while wrapped in the leaves or bags and often served on a fresh banana leaf. It is typically eaten with a sauce made of vegetables, ground peanut, or some type of meat (goat or beef). It seems like a lot of work but quite delicious.

On my way for a swim yesterday (there's a fantastic public outdoor pool a block from my house) i heard music coming from this little shop. I poked my head in and saw a man seated at a piano. "Can you drum" he asked? "Hells ya!!" I responded enthusiastically (though the more accurate response would have been, just barely) but I jumped on the kit and we tapped and and jammed to some funky jazz. Afterwards we hugged, smiled and promised one another to do this again soon.

Leaving the pool after my swim I came across the painting pictured alongside and am currently negotiating a reasonable price for it's surrender with the artist. It's tittled Ecstasy by Bezalel Ngabo and is about 1 meter by 2. It's a powerful piece that really captured my attention. All of his work can be seen if you click the link. Inside the mind also really appeals to me. 

The point for me is to remember to get out from behind the TV, smart phone, Laptop etc and go enjoy life. You never know when you might find yourself Jamming with some cool jazz cats on a sunny Saturday somewhere in Africa. Life just happens if you let it
 

 

Thanks for reading Layno