Commuting in the forest!

A few days ago London treated commuters with an unforgettable trip to work (again). We had less than a finger of snow on the ground, but the most expensive transport network in the world (at least for its users) could not cope with it and collapsed. I vividly remember one of the messages by the tube's staff on my way to work in the morning. A surprisingly long message advising commuters on the problems in the network ... over a minute of problems ranging from severe delays to suspensions in every single tube line!

Far away from the daily commuting into and out of Kibale National Park (above). A bumpy ride along muddy roads on a pick-up track. What a pleasure compared to London!

Paradise comes at a price

This is Kibale, in Uganda ... just a couple of hours away from Fort Portal and the perfect camp site. Surrounded by kilometres of preserved rain forest and thousands of wild animals. Home of over 30 types of monkeys and ... of course ... chimps!

But paradise comes at a price ... and while the mist rolling into the valley at dusk, covering the tranquil lake, is an unforgettable show, facilities are far from those of a 5+ star hotel.

Although we were quite lucky, after all, and the boiler (to the right) was up and running from 5 o'clock in the morning. A pair of nice sandals, the head torch, soap and a clean set of clothing and you can enjoy the first warm shower since Kampala. That is paradise ... truly!

Fewer words and more pictures ...

Slight change of strategy: fewer words and more pictures ...

Still in Uganda ... along the many clay-red roads taking us to Kibale Park. So much rain has the surprising effect of bringing out huge trucks and road rollers to repair the muddy roads. It seems easier to work with the softer clay on a rainy day (despite how sticky they become) that having to break into the ground during the hot and dry season.

And Fort Portal is no exception. An old British fort built to defend one of the Kingdoms in the region from neighbouring tribes.

Why is Uganda an exciting destination?

In the last few days since I started to write about Uganda, I have noticed a drastic fall in the number visits to my blog. While I have not made my mind about the reason or reasons why, I have several theories:

• The www has collapsed (following the earthquake that left half of China Internet-blind) and I am the only person (together with a minority of smart individuals who remained loyal to my posts) in the entire world with access to the web
• The muses have left me, and my writing is even worse than I thought it was
• I have been thoughtless of my readers (as if I was a writer of renown fame!) and have not posted anything in the last few days
• Nobody is really interested in reading about Uganda (hence Venice was a better topic to talk about)

So here I am, at the lounge of one of the many indistinguishable airports in the world (which today happens to be in the Nordics), trying to make good the 3rd of the bullet points above: not having posted for a few days. And since I doubt the first reason above is true, and you can only hope for the muses to eventually return, I will do my best to 'hit two birds with one stone' by addressing the last of my points: why is Uganda an exciting destination?

I guess by now you will be already bored of the post, and perhaps thinking of clicking away, so I will be executive and brief in my reasons:

• How many Ugandan people do you know (compared to Italians)?
• How many times have you been to Uganda compared to Italy?
• How much do you know about Uganda anyway?

And I could continue for ever: wildlife, uncountable ethnic groups, tribal encounters, massive cultural differences, over 29 different languages, a challenging infrastructure ... in short, a fabulous destination.

I just hope that, those of you who keep on coming back to read about Uganda, enjoy the trip with me ... and now I need to go before a miss my flight!

See you ...

An architectural beauty ... despite the 'building materials'!

According to most guides and websites Kampala is a safe city ... compared to Nairobi, that is. And actually it felt (quite) safe to walk around, except if you did it at night. Then the streets are poorly lit and holes everywhere in the pavement become deadly traps. So much so that when a friend and I went out for dinner, we were forced to come back to the hotel in search of our torches!

However good fortune kept us away from danger during the few hours of the day we spent in the city. And at night, armed guards everywhere kept an eye on us (us=tourists) as long as you greet them warmly as it is customary in the country. And I mean 'everywhere' ... including most of the city's ATMs, where armed guards spend the night and protect your back while you get some cash out of the ATM (in exchange of a small tip!).


In any case, although a short visit, we had time to see a few of the city highlights including the buildings of the Buganda kingdom (in the pictures), one of the 4 kingdoms in Uganda until the unification of the country as a British protectorate.

Kampala

Our first impression of Uganda ... green and red. Green from the vegetation everywhere, and red the colour of the clay-like ground all around us. It is warm and humid (it has been raining heavily for the last few hours) and the truck taking us to Kampala has not got many mod-coms ... actually, it hasn't got any!

I love the small markets along the road. The smells of the fruits and vegetables, the colours of people's clothing, the sounds of people calling prices and trading goods ...


After just over an hour we arrive in Kampala, the capital city, where four-or-five-storey buildings replace the small mud-brick huts we were getting used to. Most of the roads are paved and jammed with traffic, so it takes us an extra hour to get to our hotel ... not without a few near-accidents with boda-bodas (motorbike taxis carrying up to 3 people and a baby!) and minibuses (covered with Japanese characters and crammed with people desperately holding to the sides the best they can).

Arriving in Uganda: if only we had wings ...

First day into the trip. We are flying from Nairobi (Kenya) to Entebbe, a few miles away from Kampala (the capital of Uganda). It is mid-October, the beginning of the second rainy season (the shortest one of the two) and all of us on board the small propellers-plane are hoping that the black clouds in the horizon are not an advance of the things to come.

It is a bumpy ride (actually, a very bumpy ride) and after just over an hour in the air the captain makes an announcement in one the many African languages spoken in the region (Swahili? Luganda? Ateso?). It is a long (and to me unintelligible) message and the news, judging by the rapidly-losing-colour faces of my fellow travellers, are probably not great.

I wait for the English translation for a few seconds (there must be one, surely) ... then a few minutes (perhaps not?) ... and after a while I smile to the lady at my side and ask: "Excuse me, do you speak English? Any idea of what was the message about?" Two deep dark eyes stare at me, intensely, purposely, as she answers: "Nothing serious really. We still have fuel to come back to Nairobi if we fail to land in Entebbe".

If we fail to land? Is that an option? Because in Europe we are used to planes that land successfully! But as I am articulating my thoughts the plane turns right and dives into the dark mass of clouds. The firmament disappears as the bumpy ride becomes the closest thing to a 'roller coaster' (a 'jet coaster' for my Japanese friends) that I have experienced recently!

And suddenly we can see the ground through the tiny windows in the fuselage, closer and closer ... until we touch down (a few times actually!) and start slowing down along the runway. I can understand now why humans, unlike birds, chose to evolve as earth-loving-creatures!

There I was, waiting for my luggage in Entebbe's airport. After days of preparation and several vaccinations. Armed with my malaria tablets (once more), my walking boots, and hungry for a new adventure ... welcome to Uganda!

From Venice to ...

A few years after Jules Verne gave us Around the World in 80 Days (see my first post in December 2006 relating to this 1872 novel) an equally prolific and visionary writer gave us an even more incredible journey. This time however, it was not a trip around a still mysterious world in just 80 days ... but a trip in time, a trip into the future!

In 1895 Mr Herbert G Wells, an Englishman, wrote The Time Machine. Possibly his first successful science fiction novel, it was however neither his first book nor the first time he flirted with the idea of travelling in time. Nonetheless, time travelling was the next logical step in a 19th century world becoming ever more smaller on the back of all the technical developments in transport and communications. So, imagine the possibilities ... not just being able to travel around the world in just 80 days, but travelling back and forth in time at will!

My apologies to those of you still reading this post (on its 3rd paragraph already) expecting an answer to how to travel into the future. But I am afraid I do not know the secret behind travelling into the future. However, I am taking the liberty of borrowing Mr Wells' time machine to, guided by Mr Verne's curiosity, jump back in time and share with you a truly unforgettable trip into the heart of Africa. A land of friendly and diverse peoples, wild animals, exotic plants and breathtaking landmarks. A country still looking for its place in today's world, and on the edge of changing for ever.

Late in 2006 I found myself with some time to spare and, literally, a whole world of possibilities ... What to do? Where to go? And then, I can not remember when exactly or how it happened, but the answer came to my mind: Uganda, the pearl of Africa.

Politically stable after years of civil war. On the banks the famous lake Victoria and (one of) the source(s) of the White Nile. The limit between the East African savanna and the Central and West African rain forest. Cradle of the first human societies and home of the endangered mountain gorillas ...

So I packed and left for one of the most remarkable trips I can remember. A trip to discover a new part of the world, sub-Saharan Africa.

In the next few weeks I will be re-tracing my footmarks in Uganda with you. From the relatively civilised Kampala, to Bwindi Impenetrable Park close to the border with Congo and Rwanda. So, if you fancy the idea of such a trip from the comfort of your home ... then just come back here for more!

Venetian cuisine ...

There are probably as many types of eateries in Venice as there are blogs on the web. Depending on the time of the day and what you fancy to eat, you can choose from a long list of ristorantes, trattorias, pizzerias, osterias, gelaterias, enotecas, wine bars, cafeterias, take-aways, Chinese restaurants, etc. etc. etc. And as we experienced ourselves, both the price as well as the quality of the food varies tremendously (although not necessarily proportionally or even in the same direction).

As we were close to Piazza San Marco on our second day in Venice, we decided to have a quick bite in one of the many ristorantes in the area. The travel-guides we were consulting were (as I mentioned in one of my previous posts) factually accurate but awfully noncommittal in relation to where to enjoy some tasty food in Venice. So we were 'forced' into one of the many indistinguishable eateries in San Marco. Not only were all ristorantes exactly the same, but their menus seemed photocopies of one single original menu (possibly patented by some clever business-man!). Even the prices were relatively similar: €15-€18 per head for this 'tourist menu' allegedly including some local Venetian specialities. So we went into the one eatery with thought looked more appealing - based on what? I would not be able to say - and we ordered not just one, but 'due Fish Tourist Menus, per favore!'

Big mistake! Huge mistake, I dare say. Primo plato: sort-of-ok spaghetti alle vongole (with clams, and not all of them empty). Secondo plato: a mixed salad (ok) and baccala e polenta? 'Cod with a tasty corn-type paste' the helpful waiter said. And since we had seen the same dish advertised in every single restaurant in San Marco, we decided to go for it.

Cod? What cod? Forgive me, but I am not sure if they have ever seen cod in Venice! There were two sorts of paste on our plate. The first (polenta), yellow-ish in colour, was dry and inedible. The second, I guess baccala, was even worse! A mix of a tiny wee piece of mashed-cod (or fish of some denomination) deeply buried in what I identified as mayo sauce (?!?!). Are they trying to poison tourists on purpose? What sort of organised crime organisation thought that getting rid of tourists (possibly one of the main sources of income in Venice) was a smart idea?

So, a few tips when travelling to Venice:

• If you can, avoid any meals at San Marco! All we could find were either expensive ristorantes or very touristic eateries offering mediocre food.
• Flee from 'tourist menus'. Really!
• Follow travel-guide recommendations (if you can find them). Walking around and eating anywhere is not a smart strategy in Venice.
• Or if you want a few ideas, drop me a line and I will mention a pair of trattorias we really enjoyed.

Good luck! And you find a nice place try rissotto or spaghetti nero di sepia. Delicious!

Our humble lodging in Venice ... which obviously wasn't this one!

It is really magical to wander purposeless, to get lost in Venice when the night arrives and the crowds leave. But we all need a place to stay at the end of the day and ours was Ca' San Rocco. I posted this in TridAdviser a few hours ago.

"A good result after a long search ..." (Jan 3, 2007)

Did you think Venice was a 'last year destination'? Well, think again. Venice was fully booked over New Year ... which means there are still sufficient number of people still attracted to this 'old jewel'.

And an 'old jewel' it trully is. The lack of cars (great!), the old beautiful palaces holding to each other as if scared of the water in the ubiquitous canals, the pebbled streets ... a perfect background for a period-movie. And at the same time, its uniqueness (although many Dutch cities may claim a similar honour) ... all this makes of Venice a real 'old jewel' in the 21st century.

Hundreds, if not thousands of books have been written about Venice. Many of them detailed city-guides with long (very long) lists of recommendations ... but this makes it the most difficult to find a nice place to stay. I have to say that Ca' San Rocco was a lucky find in the ocean of information out there.

• Well located -> Ideally close to Piazzale Roma, at easy walking distance to all sights, and sufficiently far from the crowded and overly touristic San Marco.


• Good-standard facilities -> Since the hotel is considered a B&B, it is not star-rated. But the rooms are large and clean and the bathroom is spacious, new and very clean (although we didn't have a bathtub in the room, only a shower).


• Personalised service -> Only 6 rooms! Which means big enough so it feels a proffessionally-run hotel, but sufficiently small for the staff to know who you are. We even got a small gift the day we were leaving!


• Good, simple breakfast -> Nothing too complicated but tasty.

In a city of contrasts and surprises, Ca' San Rocco was a pleasant surprise, and a great choice. And while the hotel was not the cheapest we looked at, we thought it was good value for money (specially considering how conveniently located it is in an over-crowded and overpriced Venice!)

The day I saw at least one Venetian in Venice!

Now that I am back in 'sunny' (right!) London it is time to review my initial thoughts on Venice. Was I right or was I wrong?

The Venetian atmosphere - I loved 'foggy' Venice. The old buildings in the mist were like mirages in the desert, like a dream.

The Italian 'way of life' - Not sure about this one. In fact a friend pointed out to me recently how rare it was to meet Venetians in Venice ... and she was right. Although I think I even spotted two Venetians in the mist! I think, but not 100% sure. We actually saw the same Venetian lady at least 3 times in 3 days. She lives in a small alley in San Polo and every time we walked along that narrow passage I happened to look up and she happened to be there, looking down to the tourists walking up and down. 'Buon giorno!' I would say. 'Buon giorno!' she would reply.

Italian food - Not in San Marco! I think I will dedicate a post to the topic ... but overall we were really lucky and enjoyed most of our meals. Shame that someone came with the idea of a 'tourist menu'! More to follow soon ...

La piazza San Marco - Specially beautiful late in the evening, when the sunset red light brights up the facade of the Basilica San Marco. Although I was wrong in thinking everybody had already been to Venice before. Half the Universe was there last week! Not less than three queues crossed the square making it challenging to know where to queue to visit whatever you wanted to see.

The great Venetian architecture - Superb! I am still amazed of how the old facades practically falling to pieces are so incredibly magic in places like Venice. I was once told (in Rome) that Italians pride themselves for the well cared interiors of their houses, while their facades are in serious need of some well deserved attention?

The fireworks over the lagoon on 31 Dec at midnight - My highlight of the trip ... despite having to fight our way out of San Marco in the wee hours of the morning. Another good example of how to accommodate thousands of people in a space designed for just a few tens ...

As for my favourites?

• Romantic Venice in the fog, lazily floating in the lagoon
• The views over the Grand Canal, with the many vaporettos, taxis and gondolas sailing along the old palaces
• NYE in San Marco, despite the crowds
• Empty Venice at night, when you can enjoy the city on your own (and the not so nice buildings hide in the shades while the beautiful ones are flooded in light!)

Venice: first impressions ...

Having just landed in London I just thought of ... writing in the blog? Not really. Actually I thought of going straight to bed and having a rest. But then I decided that first impressions count, se here they are ...

How was Venice? Gorgeous! Just look at the picture ...

You will have to wait until tomorrow for a bit more of colour about the city, the people ... the answers to how the city messures against my hopes ... but here is another advance ...

By the way, have you ever heard of a 'service charge' (in a restaurant) that is not really a 'service charge'? I am not sure if this is this a new trend I was unaware of ... or perhaps a new creative way to help customers to part company with their savings. Let me expand (so perhaps someone can correct me from my mistake).

We went for dinner yesterday to a nice ristorante in Piazza Santa Margharita, Venice. Quite atmospheric, with a diverse menu, good quality food. At the end of the dinner (as you would expect) I was presented with the bill which, as in many other places in Venice, included a cover charge ('coperto') of €2 per person (not too bad considering other Venetian ristorantes and trattorias) and a 12.5% service charge ('servizio'). As I handed some cash to settle the meal, the waiter asked me in a relatively correct English: 'Do you want the change back, Sir?' (At this, a big smile was all you could notice on his face.)

I was a bit surprised, since the question was both quite direct and possibly unnecessary since both the cover charge and the service charge were included in the bill. Furthermore, the change was an extra 10% on the already inflated bill! Assuming something was lost in translation I naively (and somewhat apologetically) answered: 'Yes, please. I thought the service charge was included in the bill. Or perhaps I am mistaken?'. To which the waiter immediately replied (having lost his until then ubiquitous smile): 'Excuse Sir, but in Italy the service charge doesn't go to the waiters. Do you still want the change back?'

Is this the way it works now? Is the 'service charge' not supposed to reward the 'service' provided by the staff? Since the 'service charge' was automatically included in the bill, not only we are not given the choice to reward or not the service received, but do we need to pay twice for the service? I would have gladly rewarded the cook (since the food was really good) ... but rewarding the service twice? What service anyway? After all it was not that good!

In the end I got the change back ... but I would like to hear if I was mistaken after all!
And in any case, I am glad to say that the trip was superb ... despite of all these small fun things that make travelling one of the best things in life!