Tanzanian weekend

I can’t even count how many spine labels I’ve put on books this week. Suffice to say we’re making progress but there are still rooms full of boxes full of books. There is plenty to do.

Friday night we decided it was time for a treat so we hired a driver, Ernest, and went into a highly recommended restaurant, Blue Heron. After a brief glimpse of Arusha rush hour traffic, Ernest found us a cut through which, while traffic free, was very bumpy. One of the guide books we brought along has a blurb about the dangers of driving in Tanzania and says that if there were more paved roads, there would probably be MORE fatalities. The dusty bumpy roads offer natural speed control…to a degree.

When we arrived at Blue Heron, it looked a bit like we were trespassing into someone’s yard. A bit unsure of ourselves, we started in the gift shop. There were some neat things but overall it was just clutter. But at least we ran into one of the proprietors who helped us find a seat outside. All of the seating is outdoors but the upper level is more secluded and more covered. The lower level, where we sat, was like sitting in someone’s garden at a lovely table under an umbrella. A fountain gurgled nearby and lanterns flickered all around.

The food was astounding. Mom and I shared a pizza and chicken dish. The pizza was cooked in their outdoor brick oven and had basil, mozzarella, prosciutto, and salami. It was supposed to have mushrooms but the delivery has only just come and they weren’t cooked yet, so the added the salami instead. This pizza put Minneapolis pizza to shame. The salami was definitely local and cured in small batches, nothing like the pepperoni we’re used to. The crust held the pizza but was crisp and yielding. It was delicious. The chicken was also fabulous, with the perfect amount of garlic and spice along with veggies and parsley potatoes on the side. The actual ice cream was forgettable, but being our first since arriving made it taste great in spite of itself.

Most of Saturday was spent relaxing and waiting. We were trying to make plans in town but some locals have a very different concept of “appointment” than we Americans do. Finally we heard back and so Macon, Katie, Mom, and I headed towards town. In a rough building on a side street we found Lodi, a Filipino seamstress living and working in Arusha. After another quick trip further up the side streets we found ourselves at her favorite fabric shop. There were a dizzying array of colors and patterns available. I picked out two, an airy lined pattern of burgundy on cream and a heavier blue and black. After we returned to Lodi’s home/shop Katie, Macon, and I were measured. Hopefully I will be coming home with two custom skirts! She also offered to alter the skirt I brought as a pattern, as I bought it in a hurry before the trip and it is a bit too big.

By this time we were all hungry so after a short and slightly terrifying walk we arrived at Vama, an Indian restaurant with great reviews. Mom was a bit wary but I convinced her that we would find something suitable. We had a bit of a fright when the power went out just as food arrived, but we were planning to just make it work. Thankfully the lights came on after only a minute or two because curry is not a great food to eat in the dark. At least I wasn’t wearing white!

After a delicious meal, Mom has decided that she likes Chicken Tikka Masala! To be fair, that is a purely English invention but hey, it’s a start. She insisted that it be “not spicy” and got her wish. The waiter had obviously met a few other timid westerners in his time and was very accommodating. I had a “mildly spicy” chicken korma that was really good. We also had plain naan and rice. It was a good introduction to another cuisine for Mom. A bit odd for the middle of Tanzania but apparently they do a lot of trading with India, probably because of the Zanzibar spices.

Very tired when we got home, plus Mom had to help me wage war against the spider living under my bed. It decided to venture up into my sheets. I knew there would be a lot of bugs here, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. I have a fair few various bites but so far not too bad. It’s been no worse than a Minnesota evening, and at least here I have a mosquito net. Now if they only had a spider net as well…