Take Me With You...: Uganda

Happy New Year! Well it has been a while. And my sole excuse is WORK WORK WORK! But I am back, relaxed and focused. Ideas are flowing and I am excited about what I have planned for the blog this year! We will continue blogging about my Mother's first visit to South Africa but while my memory is fresh I wanted to blog about my last work trip of the year: Kampala, Uganda.

I managed to escape two weeks of cold weather by traveling to Kampala, Uganda in December. Hopefully you were able to read my first blog detailing some history and my first experience in Uganda (http://publicprivateconfessions.blogspot.com/2013/06/destination-uganda-pearl-of-africa.html)! After my first trip to Kampala I was able to come home and say for certainty that Uganda is a country I would love to visit again! After my second visit I am 80% sure I could live there!

Near the banks of Lake Victoria, Kampala, the capital of Uganda, is a lively city with quite a bit to see, do and enjoy. Before the British, the city was the capital of the Buganda Kingdom, and remains so to this day. The two times I have been in Kampala I experienced perfect weather: 80°F in the day, no humidity (and if there is a humidity you are sure it is going to rain) / 60°F at night - sometimes lower requiring a light jacket or cardigan. But do bring an umbrella because when it rains - it pours! While the rain always brings with it cooler temperature it unfortunately also brings with it mosquitoes so also be sure bring repellent with you.

The local currency, Ugandan Shilling, is normally around 2,500 UGX to $1 which means living is pretty affordable for those toting USD or EUR. And what do I spend my money on? Food and drinks! Every where you go you can hear laughter, see children playing, hear live music, observe business men having coffee while discussing the day's business and late at night you are sure to hear hard bass and loud music filling the streets. An indication that someone is dancing somewhere until 2 - 3am ... on a week night. And then there is quite a variety of places to dine and drink with friends.

Restaurants:

The Lawns (http://www.thelawns.co.ug/) - If you are adventurous and looking to try game meat, then this is the place to try it - everything is delicious! The restaurant is garden style eating with beautiful landscape. Often you will find children chasing the pet bunnies living on the property. Colleagues and I have dined on stuffed chicken wrapped in bacon, alligator in a garlic white wine sauce, kudu and springbok.

Bacon and cheese filled naan

Chicken lollipops

Feta and spinach stuffed bacon wrapped chicken

Looking for variety? Try grilled crocodile, kudu and springbok!

I guess it was good ;)

Shaka Zulu - Local food favorite.

Reasonable prices!

Chicken pillau: spiced rice with chicken, yuca, tomatoes and a spicy sauce for dipping

Luwombo is a traditional Ugandan dish steamed in banana leaves.

Smoked beef - it was DELICIOUS!

Little Donkey - Uganda's version of Chipotle. The food is fresh and well seasoned. While you are here you may want to take enjoy one (or two) of their amazing margaritas! They offer traditional lime margarita but you can also have one made with hibiscus juice which is equally amazing!

You can make a burrito, a salad or have everything a la carte. Enjoy!

Mediterraneo Pizzeria - If you are absolutely craving pizza and a nice glass of wine, this is a place you should try!

Nice ambiance! You will find quite a few expats dining here for lunch.

This pizza was AMAZING!
Fasika - Ethiopian restaurant. If you are craving Ethiopian food, local beer served cold and maybe a game of pool, then find your way to Fasika which is located in Kabalagala.

We ordered all the favorites, of course!...

...it was delicious. And yes, we did finish the tray!

As you browse the menu in the suggested restaurants, look out for these tasty local treats which you MUST try:

Matoke - matoke would remind you of a green plantain. After being steamed for a couple of hours, matoke is smashed and then served with sauce, usually made of peanut (or groundnut), vegetables or meat.
Groundnut - us Americans would refer to this as a peanut but let me tell you .. the way the nut is roasted, with the skin, makes this one of the most amazing snacks! The groundnut has quite a bit of flavor and is addictive! I suggest taking as much as you can home!
Nsenene - this is a seasonal snack in Uganda. Lightly fried in oil and seasonings, this crispy snack reminded me of popcorn. No 'real' taste with the only texture being crunch. This small pan costs 100,000 Ugandan shilling or approximately $33!

Nsenene or 'grasshopper'

Shopping: If you are looking for a place to shop until you drop or to simply find a large grocery store then you should stop by Garden City Mall. You can also find a movie theater, bowling alley and karaoke shenanigans here! If you are need to find souvenirs, check out The Banana Boat for high quality souvenirs. Warning, they are high priced and there is no bargaining but the souvenirs are nice and would be appreciated by any loved one at home.

Places to Dance / Be Entertained:

Jazzville on Sunday evenings offers a night of sexy latin dancing! Hosted by Next Step Dancing, the evening starts at 5pm with lessons in salsa, merengue, zouk, kizomba and bachata. Then open dancing from 7p - 10p and trust me, YOU WILL DANCE! I left soaking wet enjoying the dance sweat! If you are looking for a passionate and friendly group of dancers with whom to learn or simply enjoy dancing, then please find your way to Jazzville on Sunday evenings. You will not regret it! Jazzville also offers live music every night. So sit back, order a drink and enjoy after a long day at work.
Kabalagala. There is not much to say because you will not have an issue finding somewhere to to party in Kabalagala. There are restaurants with live music, lively coffee shops, pubs and lounges. Coming from Bugolobi a taxi ride to the party center will cost about 25,000 UGX one way.

If you are not a dancer but want to observe dancing, then make your way to Ndere Cultural Center! For adults who are not from Uganda, the cost is 30,000 UGX which includes the show and dinner buffet. The dancers are adorned in regional dress sharing tribal traditions through the art of dance. The best night to go is Friday night. Before and after the show local artisans also sell souvenirs at a reasonable price. This does not mean you should not bargain the price - always bargain! The show begins at 7pm. Be on time to ensure you get a good seat!

Places to Stay:

My colleague and I have always stayed at Royal Suites in Bugolobi. The room is a one bedroom apartment with a full kitchen. It is reasonably priced at $150/night. Wireless internet is spotty and not consistent but the hotel also offers a full gym, spa with reasonably priced massages and a nice pool. The restaurant never has everything on the menu so be prepared to ask "What do you have today" versus asking for the menu. Of course, you also have the option to cook.
Down the street are the Dolphin Suites. I had a chance to visit the property while on a dinner date (that is another story *wink*) and truly enjoyed the grounds! The pool is gorgeous! The restaurant is garden style, outside with garden furniture and quite large. The menu is quite extensive and guess what ~ they have EVERYTHING on the menu! I was quite impressed. I ordered chicken tikka masala and it was delicious! I did take a brochure with me as this may be where I say on my next visit. The rooms are clean, large and reasonably priced at $100-$125/night. The other bonus is they offer IN ROOM massages! This is quite a perk for the tired traveler who may be too exhausted to walk to the spa.
Before I advise of the next location, I will admit I have never been there personally. However, my colleague did not have enough great things to say about this resort. Therefore, the next time I venture to Kampala I will be making my way to Munyonyo Resort. "Set on 90 acres in the Speke Resort complex and with a majestic view of Lake Victoria, Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort is Uganda’s leading 5-star resort." 90 acres ... 5-star resort?? Oh yes I can get down with a 5-star resort! There are seven restaurants on the property, a spa, a gym and the staff will also assist with scheduling day trips, safaris as well as recreational activities on the water. Want the good news? Rooms start at $145/night! Learn more on the website: http://www.munyonyocommonwealth.com/

You can surely see how I would truly enjoy two weeks in Kampala! For work I have one more trip planned to Kampala. I plan to extend my stay to make sure I am able to see more in and outside of Kampala. Can you believe I have YET to enjoy a lazy Sunday afternoon around Lake Victoria?! I surely cannot! That is also on my to do list along with a luxury weekend on Munyonyo Resort. Kampala is a busy city filled with so much culture, things to do, places to eat and new friends to meet. If you are looking for an adventurous place to vacation, I strongly suggest Uganda, the Pearl of Africa, as your next destination.

From our hotel, each morning as we sip our fresh squeezed juice, eat croissant and fruit we stare into a beautiful, serene view. If you did not know the history of Kampala, you would not realize that the water tanks seen in the view were used by Idi Amin to drown many of his victims. Unfortunately, when you say “Uganda” many think of the 8 years of terror inflicted upon the people by Idi Amin. It is said approximately 300,000 people were killed during this time: farmers, students, clerks, cabinet ministers, Supreme Court judges, diplomats, university rectors, educators, prominent churchmen, hospital directors, surgeons, bankers, tribal leaders, business executives and shopkeepers who were shot, drowned in water towers or forced to bludgeon one another to death by members of death squads.

View of water tanks in Kampala

But with its location in close proximity to the Nile River, remarkable weather, entertaining nightlife, a variety of places to dine and a rich cultural heritage, Uganda has a lot to offer those in country for work and/or fun.

Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa bordered on the west by Congo, on the north by the Sudan, on the east by Kenya, and on the south by Tanzania and Rwanda. After a visit in the early 1900s, Sir Winston Churchill described Uganda “the Pearl of Africa.” And with stunning green valleys, vast lakes, tall mountains and a high altitude which gives it a cooler climate than other places on the equator, one can understand why. This week the weather has been ideal with temperatures reaching high 70s in the day (no humidity) and low 70s, high 60s at night.

I arrived Monday night, June 10. After traveling over 24 hours the first thing I wanted to do was take a hot shower. I was beyond impressed with the hotel ‘room’ at the Royal Suites in Kampala. The ‘room’ is actually a one bedroom apartment with a full kitchen, a small balcony, a bathroom with tub and shower. On the premises is a restaurant, bar, swimming pool, gym and spa. And for $15 you can enjoy a one hour massage. Add another $5 for an extra 30 minutes! Overall, with a rate of $150/night the Royal Suites is reasonably priced and located in a quiet location surrounded by foreign aid offices, warehouses and restaurants.

Welcome to the Royal Suites

Saturday my colleagues and I were joined by friends and attended a soccer game: Uganda vs. Angola. It was a qualifier game for the World Cup 2014.

The stadium was crowded, fans were passionate and desperate to see their team win. The first half did NOT look good for Uganda with the half ending Uganda – 0, Angola – 1. But with less than 15 minutes to go in the second half Uganda hit one and then TWO goals guaranteeing the win! Needless to say it was quite exciting. We cheered, jumped, danced, some men took their shirts off, some men sprayed neighboring fans with beer and soda but all (with the exception of Angola fans) were celebrating the unexpected (based on the performance in the first half) victory.

My colleague and I before the match

The final score: Uganda - 2, Angola - 1.

On our way out we joined the crowd on the streets walking briskly to our car witnessing dancing in the street, waving of the Ugandan flag and then out of nowhere I look to my right as man is running after another man claiming the latter has his wallet. Seconds later someone ran up to me and grabbed my water bottle and camera out of my hand. I turned and screamed “He has my camera!” But he didn’t. A friend accompanying us to the game had been behind me and snatched the camera out of the would be thief’s hands. I was shaken and later realized I was wounded with a cut on my left hand.

My "I was almost mugged" wound

Everywhere I have been, the countries I have seen, the cities I have explored, the alley ways in London I have walked, the streets of Paris I have strolled, the sidewalks in DC I have stumbled on with fellow female friends after a night out at a restaurant or bar, the exhausted moments on the street while hailing of a cab after dancing until 6am in Cote d'Ivoire ... but it was here, in Uganda, in the midst of a celebration, I was almost mugged! In the car on the way back to the hotel I sat silent thinking “how unfortunate…” Exhausted from the day’s events I enjoyed a drink and homecooked meal prepared by my colleague and by 10p I retired to my apartment, took a hot shower, poured glass of Amarula, tucked myself in and read a book. This upcoming week will be filled with working hard in the day, eating good at night and preparing myself (mentally) for rafting in Jinja. But that is another blog entry … stay tuned and enjoy the photos taken my first week in Uganda, the Pearl of Africa.