How is Uganda is funtastic...let me count the ways

I haven't been to much of Uganda outside of work in Kampala and Kiboga, but the little that I've seen has been AMAZING.

Which brings me to my second topic, how Uganda is fantastic. Uganda bulungi nnyo nnyo.

#1. It contains the source of the Nile.

View from Kayak the Nile / Nile River Explorers, near Bujagali Falls

I have been making my pilgrimage to the source of the Nile in Jinja, a peaceful and slighty-sleepy town (from a different perspective, the 2nd largest metropolis in the country) only 2 hours away from Kampala, just about every other weekend. I go there to kayak mild rapids, work on my self-rescue roll so that I can soon kayak harsher rapids, and lounge about by the side of a beautiful water. Jinja also has a few coffeeshops with the best coffee I've tasted in Uganda - and nice warm (real chocolate, not just "chocolately taste!") brownies to go with. Even when it rains all day, kayaking here is the most funtastic way to pass the weekend.

KTN / NRE campsite

Porch (HAMMOCK!!!) at friends' amazing house

#2. It invented the rolex.

Love...rolex...fresh tomatoes and egg with ??? ...is all you need

Ugandan Rolex does not tell the time, will not last long, and is not made of gold - but still, I'd choose it over a fancy watch any day. The rolex is this country's most celebrated street food. I love it because it's warm, satisfying, and 100% vegetarian. Not so many meat-loving countries put a veggie street food first, so you know it must be good. I'll post the (long-overdue) ROTW for rolex soon, but here's the gist of it:  make omelet, place on chapati, and roll it up.

It's good to be a rolex man

Rare view of a rolex mid-meal, LakeVictoria in background

#3. It builds teamwork and fuel-efficient transport through shared commuter taxis (matutus).

Read my ode below.

#4. Uganda Cranes are just coming into their age.

(Uh huh, like the Pittsburgh Pirates.) On Saturday the Uganda Cranes will be up against Kenya's national soccer team in the qualifying match for the Africa Nations Cup. Uganda is favored to win. Uganda just needs to tie to advance. The last time they were in the Africa Nations Cup was in 1978 - loooong time ago - so it's time. Tune in to see history unfold, or read next week for my report on the match. GO CRANES! HELLO CHAOS!

#5. Passionfruit.

I'm so passionate about this food. Passionfruit is great in a fruit salad, a banana and yogurt smoothie, or as a juice on its own, but I can't help just eating them straight out the shell. Sometimes I slice a banana into the half-shell and mix it up...I call it nature's fruit cup. (Let me know if you think this has a market, and I'll trademark the name and start selling them to Whole Foods...) Here are snapshots from an afternoon on the porch in Kiboga:

Passionfruit, cocoa brownie, good book, and tea - heaven!

Skeletons and guts - I am truly a menace to the fruit kingdom

This passionfruit affair is great now, but I know it's going to be terrible when I try to feed my addiction in the States at $5 a pop. My only hope is to get sick of them before June 2012... Wish me luck.