Tracy

Random Saturday Musings

June 29, 2019 by Tracy, posted in Africa, Personal stuff

I’ve decided to make a post that reads something like my brain functions. Random, scattered thoughts with no discernable theme or purpose.

Today I woke up to the usual – birdsong and the quite busy sounds of the building guys sweeping up the courtyard. Weekday and weekend mornings alike, it is a gentle and friendly way to wake up. Busy sounds here are quieter than home. No lawnmowers or weedwackers. Even the traffic sounds are softer.

Why do I appreciate the birds here like I never did at home? It started my first morning in Harare and has not lessened in 9 months. This video is from that morning. I was capturing the weaver bird but got a raven on top of the adjacent building as well.

I’ve already been 9 months in Africa, excepting a two week winter interlude in December. Southeast Africa specifically. I have experienced Zimbabwe summer and had a tiny taste if it’s winter. And I survived an unusually hot Uganda summer. Now it is pleasant- even cool on the odd morning.

I am used to power outages. Often at expected times like extreme storms but also just out of nowhere and for hours at a time.

Today I had to go to the ATM. On the way there I passed a man in an Expos jersey. I said to him “that’s an old shirt” He laughed and said “yes it is” A quick Canadianamoment on Tank Hill Road, Kampala Uganda

I just googled it – the Montreal Expos haven’t been around since 2004! **Major league baseball for the youngsters and non-Canadians

After getting money I stopped in at Coffee N Cake for something to eat. Ordered a rolex. I usually go to Holy Crepe and have their crepe rolex so it was time for a traditional one. The menu said it was an omelet rolled up in a tortilla. I made sure it was actually in a chapati before ordering. It was. They say tortilla so foreigners understand. They may be similar but they are definitely not the same thing.

When buying eggs I noticed some say organic and others don’t. I’m pretty sure the unmarked eggs are still pretty ‘organic’ here so I didn’t pay extra for the label.

This cheese has been a favourite since my family was here. I get one of these every week. On my spelt bread it is delish!

I have finally started reading my friend’s book. I ordered the hard copy while I was living with her in Harare. It was at my daughter’s when I got home in December but I didn’t bring it back so I haven’t read it yet. Debbie asked me to review it on Amazon and I want to, so I bought the kindle version this morning. So far I am loving it. It’s like hanging out with her again. You can buy it here: Debbie’s Book

I stopped at my usual roadside shop to reload my mobile money. Had a great chat with Beatrice. She owns this little business across from my work and on my walking route to anywhere in my neighborhood. We started by saying hi as I walked by but now we have great chats whenever I stop by. I also bring her my empty egg cartons. She sells eggs so they are handy for her and I am not adding to the trash pile!

I went shopping wearing my Levis khakis and a tshirt. It was about 22° according to my weather app. Sitting in the restaurant I noticed only one person using the electric fans. He had it blowing right at him from about 3 feet away. I realized I must be somewhat acclimatized because I wasn’t hot at all. Yes, he was a white guy in touristy clothes.

On my walk back I saw these tiny bananas on the roadside. They will never grow up and get eaten. But I am fascinated by the banana enough to have dedicated a post to it! Haha! So I brought these home.

Also on my walk home, this lovely butterfly. It was flitting all over but let me get this photo with my phone.

I planned to walk to my friends’ home to sit in their lovely garden and play with their dog. They are out of town right now. Phil in Burundi, Natalia in Columbia. I’m losing my motivation though, and it’s threatening to rain *queue thunder

I don’t know exactly this became my life. Working in Africa with friends around the globe. But I am so grateful that it has.

Hopefully I will be sharing an exciting update from the job front very soon. At least I am finally getting interviews!

12 Things I Love – The Pas, Northern Manitoba

June 21, 2019June 21, 2019 by Tracy, posted in 12 Things I Love About, Canada

Next in my 12 things I love about series – my hometown. We moved there in 1975 when I was in grade 2, so I pretty much grew up there. And it was a great place to be a kid.

Clearwater lake

I am currently living within view of Lake Victoria, the second largest fresh water lake in the world and a beautiful sight to behold. But in my heart and mind, Clearwater Lake in my home town is the most beautiful and compelling lake in the world. It is clear, clean and where I best find my peace.

I still remember one summer evening in high school, standing on the shore on a little beach across the highway from my home, with my boyfriend’s arms wrapped around me as we stood looking at the sunset. (last year I did a small post about Clearwater)

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Rocky lake

Totally different from Clearwater but also occupying a special place in my heart and those from The Pas, is Rocky Lake. A stunning example of a Canadian Shield lake. Great fishing and great swimming. You can dive into the lake from shore because it is plunges from the rocky sides. No wading in at Rocky Lake. You can pull a boat up to one of the small rock islands throughout the lake and have a picnic, dive in and swim and explore the unique little environments. It isn’t clear because of the muddy, weedy bottom. But the bottom doesn’t matter because you never touch it!

*this is a photo I found online because all my Rocky Lake photos are in Canada. This photo is labled Kumbak Cabins, which is owned by family friends.

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Sam Waller Museum

When I was a girl the Sam Waller Museum was quite literally one man’s collection on display in his basement. When he passed away, the town took it over. Then, in the early 1990s it was moved into the old Court House building that had recently been declared a heritage site. Now you can enjoy Sam’s collection and much more, and explore an old fashioned court building from 1916 all for a nominal donation.

Like many of my cohort, the two headed calf and fleas dressed as bride and groom are my faves.

Sam Waller Museum

Fishing

Not much needs to be said here. The fishing is superb. You can fish in the big lakes above, tiny lakes scattered all over, or even from the shores of the Carrot and Saskatchewan river. Catch jackfish (northern pike), pickerel (walleye), trout and more. This photo is from 2016 when I had just landed my first rainbow trout. It jumped out of the water as I reeled it in. And keeping a leaping fish on the hook without the help of a barb is no mean feat! That’s why I look so happy.

**I caught my first jackfish before I was ten but didn’t go trout fishing until my late 40s.

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Socials

Some placed call them hall parties but in Manitoba they are socials. Usually fundraising for weddings but sometimes for other purposes, they are essentially hall parties. You pay for your admission ticket and it’s a cash bar. There is music, dancing, drinking and occasionally some drunken fights (most often couples hahaha)

Long summer days, late summer nights

My Margaret in Edmonton reminded me of this favourite thing, but I am stating it for The Pas because that is where I first loved it. I am posting this on June 21^st for a reason. This is the longest day of the year at home. Tonight sunset will be at 10:20pm. These nights are great for bonfires, late swims, exploring in nature, drinks on the deck – you name it. It is the north’s compensation for short winter days.

Yay solstice!

Lido theatre

Visit the website below for the full history on the theatre.

I love the Lido (in The Pas it is pronounce lie-do not lee-do) partly because of the memories and partly because of the beautiful interior you can see in these photos.

As kids we would go to the Saturday matinees, get our box of popcorn and a pop and have a great time. They even still played opening cartoons! Now it has been modernized for movies but the unique townscape is still there to enjoy. Lido Theatre

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The Caves

Not really caves, but split rocks, this is a must visit site at Clearwater lake. You can follow the trails for a lush nature walk, or do the local teen thing and venture off trail through the ‘caves’ which are really crevasses between the large stone foundation of the lake. There are also spectacular views of Clearwater. Travel Manitoba Bog

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Dutch Drive-in

BEST.FRIES.EVER. Some argue that Fat Boys have better fries, but it’s the same recipe (same family) I prefer them the way I grew up with them – at the drive-up, from a tray, in a box. Mmmmmmmmmm Get them with gravy.

Otineka Mall

Don’t go there expecting an outstanding shopping experience or West Edmonton Mall sort of entertainment. But when I was really young, we had one mall – the Uptown Mall. And it is a stretch of the definition of mall to call it that. So when the Otineka opened on the Big Eddy Reserve with a food court and everything it was the coolest. And I still have an affection for it.

My parents’ house

My Mum and Stepdad built and live in a somewhat famous house. It is known as the gingerbread house and people have been known to drive by just to see it. It is unique, beautiful and ever changing because Don is always adding, improving and dreaming of what to do next. The gazebo, the garden, Mum’s sew ‘room’ (it’s an entire addition). Even the dog house and a play house that was converted from a boys’ fort to a little girls’ haven when my daughter was little. If you’re really lucky you might get an invitation to visit some day.

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Trappers Festival (well how everybody else loves it)

Okay, I am mentioning the Trappers Festival for everyone else in and from The Pas. It’s a festival in February. In northern Manitoba. Outside. So it is always cold. Really cold. Really really cold. So I hate it. Always hated it. I’m not a winter person. Hence my love for Africa and South East Asia. Haha!

All that aside, it is a pretty cool event with a lot to do. Socials (see above), dog races, trap setting, flour packing etc and even a beauty queen contest.

It has even been available for live streaming the past few years thanks to the efforts of Andy Gordanier, who was like a little brother to me growing up. Hopefully someone will take the reigns next year as he moves on to bigger and better things.

Trappers Festival Website

I hope you enjoy this list and maybe take a virtual tour of where I grew up.

12 Things I Love – Uganda

June 10, 2019June 10, 2019 by Tracy, posted in 12 Things I Love About, Africa

For the second installment of 12 Things I Love About I present my current home Uganda.

Fuegos

If you follow me on Instagram then you already know I love spending Thursday evening at Fuegos Cocktails & Restaurant in my neighbourhood of Muyenga. Every Thursday the same band plays from 8 to 11pm. I don’t actually know their name, but the core group is comprised of the usual – bass guitar, lead guitar, drums, keyboard and lead vocalist as well as saxophone, trombone and trumpet/xylophone players. The main vocalist has such a voice – I swear she is NEVER off key. She also has no problem sharing her stage, so every week there are other vocalists joining her. The food is pretty decent too. The pizza, hummus and Ethiopian are all worth trying.

*I know the video quality is not great in this clip, but her voice is and I love her cover of this Ammara Brown song Akiliz

Pineapple

I heard about the pineapple before I even got here, yet still did not try it until my family visited and bought a few. It seriously is the best pineapple I have ever tasted. So if you come to Uganda – try the pineapple! It will not disappoint.

Uber/SafeBoda/Taxify

Horrendous traffic aside, getting around Kampala is easy. If, like me, you want to avoid paying the muzungu price to the bodaboda drivers that are constantly driving by, there are apps available that preset the price. Uber and Taxify provide cars, which is when traffic is a factor because cars cannot maneuver around the jams like the bodas can.

If you are willing to take a bodaboda (motorbike) then those two apps can also connect you. I usually use SafeBoda because I can load mobile money on my account, eliminating the need to pull out cash.

Sunrise

Also obvious from my Instagram, I love the sunrise view from my apartment. The sun usually appears between the window of 6:45 to 7:15, so I am actually up! Getting ready for work during the week, and usually awake on the weekend as well. While I can’t actually see Lake Victoria from my balcony, up one story on the roof you can. The sunrises over the lake and it is glorious.

Entebbe/Lake Victoria

Yes, you can see Lake Victoria when in Kampala, but it is a much greener and more peaceful experience in Entebbe. Depending on traffic getting out of Kampala (always), it is about a 45 minute drive to Entebbe. There you will find a slower pace, fresher air, and some great restaurants, hotels and beaches. The zoo and the breathtaking Botanical Gardens are also located in Entebbe. *I posted about the Gardens on March 13.

Rolex

No, not a fancy watch – in Uganda, the Rolex is a new take on breakfast to go. Similar in shape to a breakfast burrito, it is something to try when you are here. It is an omelet rolled up in a chapati (Chapati, also known as roti, safati, shabaati, phulka and roshi, is an unleavened flatbread originating from the Indian subcontinent)

I enjoy the rolex in its classic form, but especially love the crepe rolex at Holy Crepe. It is a little lighter because the chapati is replaced by a crepe.

Tusker Malt

I am an ale drinker but, for the most part, east Africa is land of the lager. I was happy to discover Tusker Malt. Tusker is Kenyan by origin but easy to find around Kampala.

Morning tea at work (more food)

Every morning, sometime between 9 and 10 am, we are blessed with some kind of snack for tea. Chapati, samosas, kebab, mandazi, chaps. I tried offals once too (pictured), but it was a failed attempt. This plate shows what I left – I had some of the potato and managed a mouthful or two of both the tripe and tubular intestiny thing.

Independence monument

A beautiful, massive and imposing sculpture located in along Speke Road in Kampala, the Independence Monument has stood since 1962. Depicting a woman unwrapping her child and raising it to touch the sky, the towering sculpture signifies a new born country let free from the bondages of colonization.

I was moved by the sculpture and it’s story, and the lovely square where it stands is enjoyed by locals as a place to sit and relax.

Buganda Road Market

There are several markets around the city of Kampala and this is the only one I have been to, so this is not a commentary on any other markets. I went to this market with Steve on my Free Walking Tour of Kampala and I loved it, so I took my family when they came. There is a great assortment of goods, clothing and touristy items. The prices are reasonable and negotiable and the vendors are not overly aggressive. At least not compared to the markets in Phnom Pehn. There is a restaurant on the second story of one section of the market where we enjoyed some very affordable food. Mum and my aunt had omelettes and I enjoyed some posho and greens, but I don’t remember what my sister had.

The Equator

I did a post about my trip to the equator but want to mention it here as well. There really isn’t much to see there other than the equator, but it is truly a privilege to experience the flower test and to stand on the division between the northern and southern hemispheres.

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Uganda Waragi Gin

It is common, if not the rule, that the better the booze the more expensive it is. Well, in my opinion and that of my family, Uganda Waragi Gin is an exception. It is cheap – possibly the cheapest gin on the shelf, but I like it better than the mid-priced one I was buying before. I can’t recommend the coconut flavoured one, but the regular Waragi makes a great gin and tonic. Add the juice from two or three passionfruit for an added treat.

Of course this list is limited to my experiences, and it is mainly Kampala based. I still plan to post more about my family’s visit, including our weekend in Jinja where we visited the Source of the Nile river and took a horseback ride along the river. I’m not done sharing about this vibrant and developing country.

12 things I Love – Cambodia

June 3, 2019June 9, 2019 by Tracy, posted in 12 Things I Love About, Cambodia

Two years ago at this time I was in Cambodia on my first Accounting for International Development (AFID) volunteering assignment for all of May and June 2017. After mid-June I saw the imminent end to my adventure and decided to post 12 things I love about the country over my final 12 days. I’ve been feeling nostalgic about that perspective altering adventure as I see the Facebook memories, and I daily feel blessed for the course change of my life since then.

I decided to share again these 12 things that I Love about Cambodia. I will also be continuing this as a series as I experience new places. 12 Things I Love will not be hard to come up with for Zimbabwe, Peru, my home town The Pas, my home city of 20+ years Edmonton, or Vancouver Island/Victoria.

Without further delay, in the order I posted them – 12 Things I Love about Cambodia

I love that toddlers can still run around naked, every toddler’s favourite outfit. In the rain on the corner of my Phnom Pehn neighbourhood, here on silk island, wherever. Just innocence running free

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Fruit is everywhere and it is cheap, like these passionfruit. Or in the case of these mangos, free – gifts from my Airbnb host Seyha

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Afternoon rain on a tin roof

These two roosters. Don’t worry, they spend their whole existence in these cages, just part of the day. They seem quite content and health every time I walk by. They crow all day, making me smile even if the immediate neighbours go a little batty! *this picture only shows one, but my post has a video of both – and some crowing! Link: Rooster crow

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The pull tab cap on Angkor Beer. It’ time for Labatts and Molson to catch on to this and bring it home to Canada

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Halfway point for my tribute. I love that everywhere I go I see monk in their telltale orange. Similar to the military at home, I learned that many poor and/or rural boys and young men become monks to get their education. I snapped this while riding because I have been so careful no to take pictures of them in temples. I wanted on picture for my countdown.

Lotus flowers. They are beautiful and pervasive. Okay, the second photo is a fake one from the spa where I was pampered like a queen. But the expanse in the third photo is an example of the fields of them! Beautiful, peaceful and awe inspiring

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The Majestic sugar palm tree, towering over the Cambodian landscape.

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My chauffer to and from work. I do truly miss him. His name is Touch (Tooc, like too) One day of parking in downtown Edmonton costs more than a week of tuktuk rides

The many uses of a moto: photo 1 – 2 lads on a massive stack of cardboard, 2 – dead chickens on the way to market, 3 – passenger sitting on a bale of lemongrass, 4 -mattresses, so many mattresses, 5 – back passenger holding the IV bag of the middle passenger. You have to look hard. I saw so much more but only captured these.

They never EVER see snow. The teacher in my cooking class told me that tens years prior it got down to 15 or 16 degrees and it was so cold! When 15 degrees is the painful low, that is where I want to be!

Last and closest to my heart, my Cambodia family – Vanny, Seyha, Vanneca and Monica (spelled wrong). I still miss these people who welcomed me and treated me like a valued family member.

These things are not about the places I loved. I posted about Koh Rong, the Angkor temples, Udong, Tonle Batte and Phom Tameo and more separately, under the category Cambodia.

Wrapping up My Stylist Experience

May 27, 2019May 27, 2019 by Tracy, posted in Career and work, Personal stuff

A few months ago I introduced my stylist and the process we were going through (see post). Now I am happy to close the loop and let you know how it turned out. This has been an educational and fulfilling process for me and I am so happy that I did it. While I was already comfortable in my skin, I now feel much more confident in my clothes and in my ability to shop and create looks for my body going forward.

At the point of the last post we had finished the consultation phase and Jen was in the middle of planning and sourcing my wardrobe. I know it was not an easy task for her, especially since it was all happening online. No trying on or even just window shopping together. Plus, we had the time constraint of getting everything ordered in time to be shipped to my sister’s address in Northern Manitoba before she came to visit in April with our Mum and Aunt.

Everything I purchased came from Banana Republic and Simons. In the end I spent a little more than I intended to, like every shopping trip I have been on. Not because of any pressure or expectation from Jen, but because I wanted almost every item she suggested.

**I made several attempts to buy from RW&Co but was unsuccessful due to issues with my credit card address (according to the emails) and their customer service was polite but not helpful.

**A shout out to Banana Republic though, who had a similar problem but a great customer service process to resolve it.

Jen built many looks for me using the Smart Closet app with the hopes that I could log in to the same account and go from there. That didn’t work out due to technical difficulties so instead Jen sent me screenshots of the looks using our Google Drive. I did like the app though, so I set it up on my phone and recreated those looks as well as more.

Here are some of the looks sourced and styled by Jen for me:

Pants – Banana Republic Bolero – Maison Simons Top – Woolworths, Acacia Mall Kampala

Top – Banana Republic Skirt – Maison Simons

Skirt – Banana Republic Bolero – Maison Simons Top – Woolworths, Acacia Mall Kampala Shoes – Bata

Top – Maison Simons Pants – Banana Republic Photo – my Mum

To conclude, I wrote this testimonial for Jen. You can find her online at: jendstyle, and on social media- Jen’s LinkedIn and Jen’s Instagram

What can I say about working with Jen. The experience has been fun, educational, enriching and a confidence builder. I also feel like I have made a friend.

I approached Jen in between job postings in Africa, looking for help designing a wardrobe with some specific limitations: business casual with ability to pull together full on business, culturally appropriate for more conservative countries, suitable for warm (very warm) climates and able to fit in two suitcases.

Probably the most challenging limitation was location. I would be in Africa the whole time so Jen would have to find a new way to work with me.

Jen accepted the challenges with enthusiasm. Despite the time and geographic differences she always seemed accessible and attentive. She found ways to use technology to accomplish virtually what is usually done in person – assessing my body type, size and current wardrobe. And the shopping!

She listened to what I said and what I didn’t say to ensure the final result is even more than I hoped for.

I now have a wardrobe I love, examples of several outfits to choose from and the knowledge and confidence to pull together additional looks.

Getting ready in the morning is far less stressful now. It can be quicker except when I have trouble deciding which awesome outfit to wear.

Achieved:
-positive educational style experience
-looks still feel like me
-budget fully respected
-fits in 2 suitcases
-culturally and climate appropriate

Jen was a pleasure to work with. She respected my wishes and insecurities and was well worth the investment. I found her rates quite reasonable for the level and quality of services I received.

5 out of 5! Highly recommend!

An Evening at the Ndere Centre

May 19, 2019May 19, 2019 by Tracy, posted in Africa

It is hard to believe that it has been over a month since my ladies and I went to the Ndere Centre for their Wednesday evening show. It was another recommendation from by friend/boss Phil, and again he did not fail us.

We set out by Uber shortly after 5pm for the 7pm show because Kampala traffic is brutal most of the time, and extra bad during rush hour. Our Uber driver was great, going off the major roads a few times to get us to our destination by half past 6. The route he took us on was scenic and interesting, with the driver giving us some interesting stories as we travelled. The most entertaining/interesting factoid came as we were driving through an upscale residential area – past a former general who is under house arrest. There were armed guards posted outside his gate (tents and all) and on the roof as well! You don’t see that in Canada hahaha

We arrived very early for the show but it was alright. There is a room set up selling crafts, jewellery and clothing so we did a some shopping. And then there are the grounds – spectacular to behold. We explored for a short while, took some photos and then went to sit down for the show.

From their website (link below) here is a some information about Ndere:

“The word ENDERE means FLUTE, NDERE TROUPE, therefore means FLUTE TROUPE.
The flute was chosen as a symbol of:

Beauty:
Because it produces such beautiful and irresistible music which can be manipulated to express different moods, such as love, thoughtfulness, loneliness, sorrow, romance, happiness etc.

Universal Unity:
All peoples of the world have a flute in their cultures. The flute is like the red blood that flows in our bodies no matter our external differences. Ndere Troupe prides in emphasising commonalties and enjoying the rich differences.

Ndere Troupe is a cultural development organisation that was founded in 1986 by Rwangyezi Stephen

The show was spectacular! The talented musicians and dancers somehow keep moving with non-stop incredible energy for two and a half hours. It seemed like the women’s hips were barely attached to their spines, they move them so fast and in all directions. My hips on the other hand barely sway side to side, and with no real rhythm haha!

I don’t have many photos of the show because I didn’t want to watch it from behind a camera. This video is from the opening number. It only got better from here.

An optional part of the show is the buffet dinner, featuring some classic Ugandan dishes such as posho, casava and matoke. They offered a choice of chicken, beef and goat, so I answered “yes” and took all three! Hey, it’s food – I tried guinea pig in Peru and crickets 2 ways in Cambodia, of course I was eating goat in Kampala.

It was an entertaining and enlightening evening which I highly recommend if you are in Kampala for a few evenings.

My final point about the night – the moon!

For more information on the centre, shows and prices, check out their website: Ndere Cultural Centre

Family time in Entebbe

April 25, 2019June 13, 2020 by Tracy, posted in Uncategorized

A couple of months ago my Mum decided it was time to share my adventures and visit me in Kampala, and I could not have been happier to learn she was coming. She invited my big sister and her little sister to join her for the mid-April journey.

They booked their flights together but Ethiopian Airlines had a change in the flights scheduled from Addis Ababa to Entebbe which resulted in them arriving on two separate flights one Saturday. My aunt and sister arrived in the morning, Mum in the evening.

Kampala traffic is something else. Not just during regular weekday rush hours, but also at random times and most assuredly on Saturday evening. My boss, Phil, suggested that I book us a room in Entebbe for their Saturday arrival. This would give my first two guests some wind down time without the 45 to 60 minute drive into Kampala, save me a second trip from Kampala to the airport, and save my Mum the ordeal of a very long cab ride into the city after an extended stay in the Addis airport.

Also on Phil’s suggestion, I booked us two rooms at 2 Friend Beach Hotel for the Saturday night. It was not to be the last time that Phil’s recommendation was spot on and appreciated by my crew.

Janet, Barbara and I checked in around midday and headed across the road from the hotel to their lakeside restaurant for a snack and some beverages. It was a lovely start to their stay and the perfect way to wind down from the travel. Clearly my Aunt Janet enjoyed the view.

I picked up Mum shortly after 6pm while the first two arrivals enjoyed a catnap. Mum settled in, we had a catch up and then we went for a lovely dinner at Goretti’s Pizzeria And Bar (yes, a Phil recommendation!)

We were having such a great time that we decided to stay another night. Phil gave me Monday morning off to make that happen.

Sunday morning my sister Barbara and I took a stroll up and down the lakeshore drive and got some photos.

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We enjoyed a lovely dinner and live entertainment at another restaurant Sunday evening. Janet converted my other two guests to gin and tonic drinkers (I was converted in February while visiting Zimabwe). The entertainer in the restaurant was a hoot. He seemed to be a local fellow, playing a keyboard and singing country and western tunes among others. Nothing like some Kenny Rogers tunes while enjoying food with family!

The next morning we packed up and headed into the city. I assure you all four of us highly recommend 2 Friends for a stay in Entebbe. It is a small boutique hotel with all the amenities you could desire, beautiful rooms, a pool, good food and great service!

Walking Kampala- supplemental

April 12, 2019April 12, 2019 by Tracy, posted in Uncategorized

Here I am in the skirt. That’s my boss and friend Phil.

Muzungus dolled up in African fashion 😁

Walking Kampala

April 11, 2019April 11, 2019 by Tracy, posted in Uncategorized

And man was it hot!!

I re-upped with Steve of Free Guided Walking Tours Kampala at 10am Saturday morning for the ‘no admissions’ Kampala tour. Ron from Chicago was also on the tour with us.

The itinerary is:

Makerere University.
Katanga Slums.
East African Craft Market.
Independence Monument.
Nakasero food Market.
Hindu temple.
City center.
Owino daily Market.
Namirembe cathedral

We met at the university, Steve gave us some history and we got to chat with a history lecturer in his office for a while. This talented painter and ceramics artist also does private interactive classes, so I took his card for my family’s upcoming visit!

We also witnessed some art in the making

We walked through the slums on our way to the market. It was enlightening, not scary or intimidating. Again I recognized the privilege of my birth with gratitude. While chatting with Steve later I asked where I might donate some clothes before leaving Kampala and he suggested we return to the slum when I am ready and we can give the clothes directly to some women. That guarantees they won’t have to pay. What a blessing for me too!

The craft market was very nice. Not horribly crowded. I look forward to taking my family there as well. I wasn’t going to buy anything but fell in love with a maxi skirt. When I wear it I will post pictures!

The independence monument is touching and inspiring. It is huge! A woman, wrapped up representing her bondage but holding her child up to the sky. The child is free of bondage and reaching up in hope! Steve also filled us in on much of the history leading up to independence and beyond.

We saw so many storks. Ron and I were regularly distracted by them. But really, how could we not be!

We checked out a food market, a temple, from the outside of course, and also walked through city centre. My second time with Steve. Here is what the huge matatu stations look like – where I caught my ride to the equator. Insane!!

We managed a matatu ride between markets. And then Steve got the three of us bodabodas for our last destination, the largest Anglican cathedral in Kampala. Yeah, I felt some Anglican pride 🙂 Not being Sunday, we only saw it from the outside.

But the view of the city!!

A quick selfie and I was off for home.

All in all, we spent about 4 1/2 hours roaming the city. It was such an incredible experience. Steve works by tip, so if you take tours like this please keep in mind the time and effort of the guide and that this is their job, and be sure to pay what you can!

One more note, a tip from a cocky northern Canadian, don’t forget to reapply your sunscreen when sweating like you’re in a sauna. Waterproof doesn’t mean it doesn’t wipe off… Doh!

0°Latitude

March 27, 2019March 27, 2019 by Tracy, posted in Africa

The Equator – Been there!

I have stayed in my Kampala hood of Muyenga for so much of my time here. This past Saturday I ventured much further, and I made a real adventure of it.

First, early last week I consulted Trip Advisor for things to do around Kampala. I used the app so much while in Cambodia, so it is a tried and true friend.

I found Free Guided Walking Tours Kampala, who offer a variety of outings and accept payment through tips at whatever the customer can afford and feels appropriate. I will be doing some walking tours in the city, hopefully one this weekend but first – the equator!

Steve, our guide set our meeting point as Cafe Javas right center in a very busy part of the city at 9am (not downtown though per m coworker) I got a SafeBoda to the spot with enough time left to get a caramel mocha and croissant.

You can take the girl away from Starbucks but she will find a way to scratch the itch!

Soon Lucas joined us and the three of us trecked through some very crowded busy streets to the even busier “taxi station” It was a crazy busy massive lot loaded with mini vans, matatus, mainstream affordable transportation in Africa.

*Steve is a young man from Uganda. He lives in Kampala but grew up in the country. Lucas is 20, from Belgium and here on an internship with a company from home*

I chuckled along the way as Lucas and I followed Steve single file like little ducklings. Every now and then someone would shout “Hey Muzungo” at one of us. I read that was common but it doesn’t happen in Muyenga which is heavily populated with muzungos.

We piled in to our matatu. We were the last 3, giving the taxi its full compliment of 12. And off we went on our 70some kilometer journey to the center of the earth (hey, sort of)

We arrived safe and sound to, well not very much other than the equator.

There some shops, a restaurant and the equator to see when you get off the bus. Thankfully Lucas paid the 10 000 shillings to see the Flower Experiment. I’m sharing his videos and you can also find it on YouTube.

There are three funnels/bowls set up, one in the northern hemisphere, one in the southern and one right on the equator. Water is poured in and steadied, the flower is dropped on the surface and then they let the water drain out through the funnel. It spins in opposite directions in each hemisphere but on the equator – nothing!

They are so close together that it seems impossible that such extreme differences exist. The equator is more than an arbitrary line!

After the experiment we popped into a few shops and then back into a matatu home!

I picked up a shirt for my son-in-law and a key chain for myself. The shops had some pretty interesting stuff.

It is worth adding that the washroom at the equator is quite clean. It costs 300 shillings but it is worth it. I discovered after use that the stall to the left had a western toilet that was already occupied, but this clean porcelain international model served just fine!