A Stolen Hat
Trip Start
Nov 05, 2006
1
100
182
Trip End
Jan 14, 2008
Kabale,
Uganda
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Tilapia Stands
As we approached Kabale, we stopped at some roadside fish stands to pick up dinner. The stands sell fresh tilapia, which properly prepared is delicious. As many of you know, we took cooking classes throughout S.E. Asia and as this would be Laura's groups' first cook night she decided to raise the bar on future dinners. So with 10 pounds of fresh fish in tow, we headed into Kabale to finish the shop for the evening's dinner. This was where we experienced our first instance of the desperation of poverty. As Laura finished the shopping she approached the truck, arms laden with vegetables. Just as she was about to get on the truck, a local boy sprinted by and stole the hat right of her head! Laura has a big heart though, and after some initial irritation she decided that he needed it more than she did to keep warm. It really was quite cold.
Once we arrived in camp, Laura's group set to work. Preparing fish in a manner we learned in Vietnam, they stripped banana leaves to wrap the fish and cook them over the fire with loads of garlic and ginger stuffed inside the pouches.
So while they worked away the rest of us had cocktails and cocktails on an empty stomach is bound to encourage strange behavior. When banana leaves are stripped away from their stem, the remaining stem is reminiscent of a cane. When one of the truck mates walked up with the cane and handed it to Konny (who doesn't drink) and said "Hey, you Germans are into kinky s___, why don't you cane Al," Konny didn't miss a beat. So, while we all looked on, Konny caned Al and the question of "would it hurt?" was answered and captured on film. It hurts!
German Discipline
Dinner was amazing and Laura's group was awarded the "best dinner of all time" by our driver.
