Just received another warning from the State Dept that more riots could break out anytime over the weekend. The airport in Entebbe is closed. I was invited to meet a volunteer (PhD in Public Health from Johns Hopkins) this afternoon in another part of town, and I’m desperate for some exercise and need to get out. I’ll be walking away from the center of the violence so feel quite comfortable. Since President Museveni’s response to the rioters was so swift and harsh, he may have deterred any future protests. We’ll see…

Moving from politics to happier topics….Uganda is very green with beautiful flowering trees and bushes and monkeys swinging overhead or frolicking on the grounds of our quarters. The topography is hilly with Lake Victoria and Lake Albert bordering the western and eastern boundaries of the country, respectively. The Albert Nile flows from the north east and turns west above Lake Albert and becomes Victoria Nile. Other lakes dot the middle of the country, making for a truly beautiful place.

The capital, Kampala, is very crowded. The British never bothered to develop a city plan , concentrating their efforts more in Kenya. Consequently, development has been random and less than appealing. There are wealthy sections in the hills overlooking the capital and east of downtown. There may be more, but I haven’t discovered them yet. In contrast, there are shanties with corrugated roofs, which look like a good wind could easily level them, right down the road form the hospital. Mud and garbage surround these roadside “businesses” and homes which encroach onto the sidewalks. Shoes, food stuffs, and even wooden coffins are sold there. With the extremely high accident rate, I can see where the coffins could be a hot commodity.

I happened into this area accidently when walking back from a shopping mall several days ago. The farther I walked, I realized I was going in the wrong direction. Happily, a woman was kind enough to guide me back to where I wanted to be. Rich or poor, everyone seems willing to help.