Jinja (Nov. 19-20, 2011)

One very rainy weekend, Tan and Pan travelled north to Jinja...

... and noted the differences in architecture between Uganda's largest town and Masaka (eg. this Hindu temple in Jinja)...

... before going in search of the Source of the Nile River.

After much walking in the rain...

... the Alexes successfully reached the Eastern bank...

... where they stood and looked out across to the Western Bank...

... and also marveled at man's attempt to tame nature.

The Alexes were initially respectful of the weather and stayed on firm-ish ground...

... but the temptation to dip their feet in the Nile...

... was simply too great.

(The bird agreed.)

The Alexes then visited a small memorial garden that marks where some of Ghandi's ashes were scattered...

...before taking one last look at the River Nile and heading back to Masaka.

                                   The End.

Addendum: We had fantastic Indian food in Jinja and got to meet the chef herself - a hilarious, opinionated, and motherly woman who immigrated to Uganda from India with her husband in 2006. Or, as she tells it: "My husband made this mistake of moving to Uganda in 2006. And I followed him because he's my husband and you know, Indian culture..." Cue awkward laughing. The two run the restaurant we ate at. She taught us how to 'properly' eat the food with 'real' garlic naan (which, according to her, is different than the naan found in the UK and in North America). This was probably the food highlight of my time here, so far.

A brief history lesson: From what I've been told, many people from India had settled in various parts of Uganda (particularly Jinja) and set up businesses until the expulsion of Asians by Idi Amin. Under the current government, Asians have been invited back and many have returned and reclaimed family businesses.

Jinja also has a gen-u-ine main street that consists of decent little coffee shops (of course we stopped in one for a cuppa), pubs, restaurants and various little shops filled with crafts, knick knacks and art. Also of note: I had a fried egg and bacon sandwich for breakfast -- and it contained real breakfast bacon, my first taste of the wonderful, wonderful product in over 3 months. As we entered Jinja, we crossed over the top of the Owen Falls Dam, which provides (or doesn't provide, given the low water levels) electricity to Uganda. We shook our fists at the dam -- it was a break from griping about bad government and business deals that have resulted in the current power situation.
Tourist note: Jinja is also the place to go for apparently amazing white-water rafting and bungee jumping.

Tan and Pan rating: neat vibe, great food, the Nile River. Well worth the visit and the time spent folded into matatus for 5-6 hours one way.