Blue Canoe: November 2010

Time slips away unobtrusively while your eyes, mind and soul revel in the immersion of culture. Can it really be only seven days?

Paper and crushed plastic bottles. Who invented plastic anyway?

Red soils, dusty walks and smokey air, shining spotless black leather shoes despite that.

Dark eyes and brilliant smiles.

Yes please.

Warm breeze, soaring storks and vultures overhead.

Pink, red, yellow, purple, white, Canadian indoor house plants growing lushly in the open air.

Hibiscus and trumpet flowers, climbing vines, and more tree species than a western forester can name.

Cellphones, billboards,signs.....

kagillions of cars, matatus, taxis, and boda bodas.

No Ns and Zs here, just learners with their un-helmeted passengers onboard racing in and out.

Do not venture out in front unless you wish to become a pancake. You’re just not there.

Ugandan food:

bananas. ripe bananas, unripe bananas, mini bananas, plantains..... Lots of these in many forms this week.... steamed matoke in banana leaves too. Fried sweet bananas.

paw paws, and pineapples, and mangoes, (all rumored, but not tested yet.) I’m looking forward to them all,

Pumpkin (steamed squash), peas, beans, yams and Irish potatoes, crunchy cooked dark green kale-like tasty stuff with onions and shredded carrots mixed in.

Rice and pink g nut paste (that’s peanut sauce) at most meals.

Baked and fried chicken from skinny chickens, they’ve got to be free range.....

Beef and pork, tilapia and Nile perch from Lake Victoria.

Did you know it’s one of the largest lakes in the world?

Expat food of every kind. Not to mention expats as well. Ethiopian, Turkish and Italian food was delightful too.

Little and large restaurants and bars around every corner around here.

Tusker, Nile Special, Bell and one more forgotten label......

Streetside maize roasting over charcoal, and big full tubs balanced on shoulders.....it’s grasshopper season. A delicacy they say.

Today we can count to ten in Acholi, the nilotic language we’ll hear in Gulu.

Also lots of other phrases, verbs and even greetings, which we have practiced repeatedly, tongue pressed to the palate to get the tones right.

However, overnight it all disappears from the brain, at least until we have to buy our food at the market rather than order it from a menu.

Electioneering. Today, a loudspeaker blasting the president’s rap, which is meant to attract the interest of young voters. Those under 35 are 65% of the population of course.

New recruits heads being shaved, shouting orders, marching all day long in the vacant grassy area across the road.

Last night a visit to a private hospital (no problem, just accompanying a friend), and there it was discovered that Donuts, cookies, ice cream and coffee can be purchased.

It must be time to leave the city. Rather, roll away from the city.

Lots of firsts this week. “Muzungu, how are you?”

(white lady...not a slur, just a friendly greeting noting the colour of my skin)

How to load a mosquito net around your bed. Not much buzzing in the ears though.