Beware the Tuna Bruschetta

On Tuesday evening we took a cruise on the Nile – we had a great evening and enjoyed the sunset. We were served food and drink throughout the evening. One course consisted of three types of Bruschetta: Tomato, Avocado and Tuna.

As I don’t eat fish, I did not consume the latter. However, the others did in variable proportion. Ever since the rest of the family have suffered with bouts of tummy upset. It’s a real shame that caused Anita to miss out on White Water Rafting, and the children a day of Safari. The only food we have eaten differently in the last few days was the Tuna Bruschetta. We think it might have been left out too long! 

Golden rule when travelling a distance – avoid fish dishes – as for me it’s a rule which is very easy to keep. 

Seeking Shade

The rains have yet to come. Some say they should have come already. What little rain has come has simply humidified the hot air. Each day seems hotter than the last. Even the Tanzanians are complaining about the heat and the sweaters are disapearing.  

Today we are in town and it’s baking – so finding shade is a must. One place which offered shade and some good food is Kuleana’s. Here in the shade you can get Pizza – Tanzania Style and Fresh Fruit among other things.    

I can’t believe I actually want the rains to come. I like heat but day after day we get what would amount to a record breaker back in the UK. 

Street Food – Mwanza Style

I thought I’d post a little about the street food options in Mwanza. The photos below were taken surreptitiously and so are less composed but show some of what’s on offer here in town.

Popular foods include Chipsi Mayai (a Potato Chip Omlette), Mandazi & Vitumbua (types of donut), Popcorn, as well as barbecued foods of many kinds such as Cassava Root, Mishkaki (spiced skewers of goat or beef), corn on the cob, sausages and goat ribs.

Today we were in need of some lunch so stopped at one of the street barbecues – and ordered some goat ribs (delicious), we were shown to a table in the adjacent cafe and ate this with rice. We also had some Vitumbua later on (also delicious). In the local markets you can sit down to Chai (spiced tea) and Chapati (flat bread). I have also seen a guy selling crushed sugar cane juice (though this is much more common in Zanzibar).

Chipsi Mayai Stall

Corn on the cob barbecued across the road

Chipsi Mayai Stall near our compound you can also buy eggs and chips separately

Chipsi Mayai – stall

Chipsi Mayai (a Potato Chip Omlette)

Barbecued meat – we had the goat ribs – very tasty

Our Street Food taken into the adjacent cafe and eaten with rice

Barbecued Cassava

Mishkaki – spiced skewered meat (goat or beef)

Barbecued Cassava Root – tastes like a cross between Chestnuts and Potato

Pop Corn and Peanuts

Vitumbua (African Donuts) – delicious

Mishkaki

Corn on the Cob

Corn on the Cob

Popcorn

Freshly Squeezed Sugar Cane Juice (in Zanzibar but seen in Mwanza too!)

Cassava Root

Chai and Chapatti

What’s Changed?

Life here is certainly different as this blog has recounted over the months but I thought that I might summarise the big differences of life as an expat teacher as we approach the end of our 5th Month in Tanzania.

Boy’s Night

Thursday evenings is the night of a weekly gathering of the male members of staff and some spouses for a meal and a few beers.
It’s a weekly ritual which has taken us to a wide variety of restaurants, bars and hotels across the town. Each week a different person chooses a venue for the following week. We have been to many places across town including.

• Ryan’s Bay
• Kingdom Hotel
• La Cairo Hotel
• Villa Park
• The Joint
• Isamilo Lodge
• You Long
• Diners
• Talapia
• Rich Man
• Yatch Club (not a typo that is how it is spelt)

Tonight it was the Pigeon Hotel

Numbers have varied from as low as three to as high as thirteen as it was at the Pigeon Hotel this evening. It’s been a good way to get to know colleagues and the town at the same time.

Food is not overly expensive ranging from as low as 8000 TZS (£3) in the local bars up to 16000TZS (£6) in the more upmarket establishments. With a coups of beers prices tend to be about 15-25000TZS (£6 £10) all in,

Typical of many Tanzanian eating establishments the food can take over an hour to arrive which can be a little annoying as can be sorting the bill out after with the odd attempt to add in extras which keeps us all on our toes.Having said that the food has generally been nice and  it’s a good night out.

View from the top of the Pigeon

 

View from the top of the Pigeon Hotel

 

Papa’s

Today was a Bank Holiday here, so courtesy of a colleague we headed out of Mwanza this afternoon for our furthest trip yet into the wilds of North Western Tanzania. We headed an hour up the road to a restaurant on the Lake called Papa’s. Seemingly in the middle of nowhere this Lakeside eatery has a fantastic view of Victoria and serves locally sources and ethically produced food.

There was a choice of Set Menu or  A La Carte I opted for the former the rest the latter. Of the three courses only the dessert disappointed (rather dry coffee cake which barely registered coffee). The starter of Spiced Pork and main of Pork fillet with mango glaze, roast butternut squash and sautéed greens was delicious and had to be the best meal I have had in Tanzania. The others had the A La Carte which was more varied, some liked it (Chicken and Chips, Steak and Chips) others didn’t (Marguerita Pizza, Steak and Chips!). Personally I would recommend the Set Menu even with the cake element.

Boat at Papa’s

Papa’s

Agama

 

Being Introduced To Dinner

For those of you who are vegetarian this story might be shocking. For me it has been a surprise.

Bug Proof?

T Minus 76

Having just come down into our kitchen to make a morning ‘cuppa’, it struck me that we need to change our habits, as we leave our relatively sanitised UK life for life in the tropics.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Split Second Story

A submission to the Weekly Photo Challenge: Split Second Story
Each week of the year my church ( St Mary’s Bletchley) donates, packs and delivers a Food Parcel to many needy families from across the city.
At Christmas we add a gift parcel donated by church members and local community.
This photo is from Christmas 2011 (over 50 families supported), each year there are more and more families referred to us by Social Services across Milton Keynes.