Our neighborhood

So yesterday I brought the nice camera out with me on our way to the market, and tried to take pictures of the ordinary things around us.  The variety of pictures is slightly limited because I tried to ask everyone permission before taking their picture, and about half the people declined.  I know, I'm never going to be able to be a good photojournalist if I allow myself to not take pictures of most potential subjects, but so be it!  In case you didn't know, as I had not recalled, Muslims do not allow their pictures to be taken.  There is a small but noticeable community of devout Muslims around here, although you will not see that represented in the pictures!

So first of all, I will present of overview of the general geography.  Gaba Road is a tentacle coming out of Kampala, until it goes straight down into Lake Victoria.  The actual traffic stops a short distance before that, and a road comes out to the side, making an L.  We live perhaps a quarter mile down that road, which might be called Gaba Close.  The area between where the traffic stops and the water is a busy market area, where vendors lay their wares out along the side of the street, and nearer the water there are tent-like shelters to provide cover for dozens of fruit, vegetable, and produce sellers.  On the actual quays are fish sellers and firewood.  At the junction of the L and slightly up Gaba Road, there are many little shops crowded together.  Once you turn at the L, the shops spread out and are interspersed with schools, other small alleys leading in, and some neighborhoods.  As the road starts to climb a slight hill, the shops become much farther apart and there are more residential buildings, although they are mostly off the road behind trees.  A couple of "blocks" up (of course there is no grid to provide real blocks) is the turn off to our apartment, which is a short brick route -- I am not sure if it is just a driveway or THAT is what is called Gaba Close!  You pass three houses and a small banana grove on the right, and just meadow on the left, before our apartment.  So these photos are walking out from our building, down the road into the village, and into the market.

 As you walk out of the gates to our apartment, this is the house next door.  It is a very nice house by Ugandan standards.

 This is at the top of the driveway, looking back towards our apartment.  The meadow-y area is on the left, the swept courtyard to the houses on the right, and Lake Victoria straight ahead.

 This is out on the main road going by our house, looking toward the village.  I never fail to smile at seeing Lake Victoria right out beyond us.

 This is a little boy on the road, to give a better idea of the road itself.  The very very main roads, such as Gaba Road itself, are paved, but this is the condition of a pretty good secondary road.

 Entering the village area, this is the shop where we have our copies made.

 Entering the village area.

 A woman roasting maize to sell as a snack.  Sometimes I was naughty and used my telephoto to snap a very quick picture of someone who didn't know I was doing it, but at least she doesn't look Muslim.

 This is one of the high schools.  In our short walk to market, we walk directly by three different schools, and I know of at least four more that are just a short distance off the main road.  This is also one of the tallest buildings in this area; almost everything is a single story, and only a notable few go above two stories.  They are not getting the population for all those schools by  building UP.

 Examples of some of the ordinary little shops.

 More ordinary shops.  these ones are both internet cafes.

 Looking back on the village area, towards our house, just to give an idea of it.  This is one of the huge holes that the cars always try and drive around, meaning they are suddenly swerving way over to where you thought you were safe walking along.  Luckily, they are also going very slowly at that point, given the condition of the road.

 This is our local supermarket, where we can buy things like eggs and jam and toilet paper.

 This is the L junction.  TTo the left the road decends to the market, and to the right it becomes a real road going into town.  These are all the boda-bodas hoping that someone wants a ride.

 If you look up the street you can see all the taxis (mini-busses) waiting to collect passengers.  This is our main mode of transportation.

 Along the road.

 Someone grilling meat, one of the many many roadside snacks available.

 This is how to buy clothes: sorting through these giant piles arranged on tarps.  Some of the sellers have a theme, like men's pants, and other times it's total luck.

 More food options.  These are grilled bananas, which I think are excellent.  Behind the women, a small alley leads off filled with other shops.

 Now we are looking down towards the water, and the market itself.  You can see some umbrella-like coverings for the fruit stands.

 One of the last buildings before the market itself.  It sells plastic goods below, and I assume the people live above.  THis is not at all a typical building for the area, both in the living/shopping quarters, and how small it is.  I always think it's cute, though.

 They load everything, but everything, onto the boda-bodas.  In this case, dozens of live chickens.

 Turning to the left, we enter the vegetable area.  There are about four rows like this, and they extend for about a block.

 Here you can buy some "Irish"!

 A view down the general aisleway.

 Beansand grains ready for sale.  We bought some peanut butter here, and shopkeeper didn't want his picture taken but invited me to photograph his wares.  This is how most dry goods are sold, in these giant rolled-down bags.

 You can buy dried fish in the central area of the vegetable rows, although fresh fish are sold by the water.  I got some scolding wagging fingers for taking these pictures, although I didn't think it was possible that the fish themselves would be insulted, and I carefully excluded any humans.

 Fish.

 This row has bananas in many shapes and sizes.  We bought our bananas here, and received permission for this portrait.

 We've walked out of the vegetable area, and are in the fruit-y-ish area across the street.  These are the famous matoke, the staple food of Uganda.

 Oops, pictures out of order.  This is back in the vegetable area.  This nnyabo (respectful title for a woman) permitted her picture, and wanted the champion tomato-bargainer in it too.

Back on the other side of the road.  This is the stand where we always get our fruit: watermelon, papaya, mangoes, and pineapple.  About as much as we can carry for around $5.  This gentleman remembers us and lets Emerson do the ordering and paying, and he carefully selects the best fruit for us.... so we keep coming back!  By then our backpacks were too full and heavy to add more, so we headed back home again.  Goodbye!