The Ugandan Eddie Murphy
03.07.2011 - 04.07.2011
The last days of our trip set in. We head back to Kampala where we spend the last 2 nights in Cassia Lodge, on a hill offering a fabulous view over town and lake Victoria. We even find a piece of Belgium in Kampala. It's called Le Petit Village, and hosts a hotel, pastry shop, butcher,...We buy a baguette there, it's the closest taste we can get to home, together with the excellent chocolate croissant.
Cassia Lodge is also owned by Belgians,, former politician Johan Van Hecke and journalist Els De Temmerman - who at the time of our stay is in Belgium to give birth to twins at the age of 49. We meet Van Hecke the second night of our stay and he's flying home with the same flight as us, to make it back in time for the birth.
On Sunday night Heleen suggests we go to a dance performance at the Ndere centre, an outdoor venue where the Ndere Troup perform traditional dances and music from Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda. The place is sold out, and it turns out to be an excellent night of entertainment. The show lasts 4 hours and we don't get bored. There are costume changes and quite spectacular performing. One of the men is like the local Eddie Murphy, doing stand-up comedy in between performances. Most of the audience is Ugandan, and it's a good introduction to Ugandan humour. They even make jokes about Idi Amin. Obama is called 'Original Black African Managing America'. And there's also a skin colour test which involves audience interaction. THey line up a group of people from Black to brown to white and compare it with how a steak is done, from well done to rare. 
Ugandans are much more willing to participate in the show than Belgians would be. A few women try to dance with vases on their head, like the professionals just did. And when the Rwandan dance is performed, a couple - obviously from Rwanda - joins in. Really nice evening!
The next day we go into town to explore a market. They sell fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, spices,...It's chaotic, and appeals to the senses strongly. Then we come across people who sell the local snack: grasshoppers! I don't try them, but most others do. Lesley is brave and eats one, though she doesn't seem to be too fond of it. THe women have a whole basket of grasshoppers on their lap. They pull the wings out.
We have lunch in the business district, no grass hoppers on the menu there :-) Before heading back to Cassia we visit some souvenir shops to spend our last shillings.
On this last full day Lesley is the owner of 21 new mosquito bites, she sees her malaria risk rising and looks like she's been tortured! I don't attract the mozzies at all, had just a few bites during the whole trip, but the malaria risk is always there despite Malarone pills, Deet spray and mosquito nets.
We say goodbye to Heleen that evening. Our last dinner together in Cassia lodge. We can look back upon an amazing trip, unique encounters with wildlife, and Heleen did a great job guiding us, telling entertaining stories, and sharing her knowledge of the country and Africa. I can't say the group really stuck together, no new friendships formed, but we had our laughs and share some amazing experiences.
Posted by Petravs 04.07.2011 07:55 Archived in Uganda
