What I missed (and didn't miss) about Dar es Salaam
After six weeks of vacation, it was time to go back to
Bongo. Of course, this required some adjustments. Here's what I missed…and
certainly didn't miss about Dar.
What I missed:
1.
The weather in August
Coming from 90 degree plus hot and humid
North Carolina summer days, the winter in Dar es Salaam was a welcome change.
80 degrees, a sea breeze from the Indian Ocean, hardly any rain. This is the
place to be during most winters, and summers for that matter.
2.
Food
Pineapples and coconuts. Mouthwatering,
even though the pineapples seem to be smaller at this time of the year. Add to
that the small shops that sell hummus and babaghanouj, and voila, there's your
vitamin intake: inexpensive, but very nutritious, not to mention very
delicious.
3.
Concerts at Coco Beach
It's kind of nice sitting on your balcony,
drinking a beer, and hearing the African rhythms coming in with the sea breeze
from nearby Coco Beach. I can think of people who don't like this so much,
simply because they seem to live within a few blocks of Coco Beach, but not me.
4.
The Indian Ocean
People are blessed to be living here,
especially on the peninsula. But even (or especially) beyond Dar, it's just an
incredible presence. I have already written about Tanzania's beaches and their
staggering beauty, and the same still holds true. I love watching the ferry
heading to Zanzibar chugging past my house every day.
5. Mambo!
Just the simple greeting from strangers as
you're walking down the street. This is (or should be) understood by anybody
here, white mzungus included.
What I didn't miss:
1.
Traffic
Too many people driving blindfolded, too
many people who won their driver's license in the lottery, too many people who
would be better off with horse and carriage.
2.
Food
All right, so this was the same item on 'things
I missed'. But the fact is, people still undercook the meat (fit only for
certain creatures of the Serengeti) and overcook the pasta. It's all a matter
of taste, I guess. It sure isn't mine.
3.
The complete absence of the term 'customer
service'
Whereas anywhere in the west, people will
greet you in a shop or a salon, here people still look at you as if you were an
intruder razing their houses. I seriously wonder what the store owners (if
indeed they are one and the same) would think about the ensuing absence of
business this attitude entails.
4.
Being a mzungu
Of course, the pin wheel hat here is sold
separately. Here is the mzungu, so here
is an opportunity for us natives to rip you off while doing the minimal (or no)
work for it.
5.
The fake Maasais
These are the ones guarding the parking lots,
usually at some shopping center. Frankly, I still don't know what their
function is, because I'm not aware of any real work they're doing. Wait, they do guard the parking lots, so let's hit the reverse button here. More about them later.
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