City Mouse/Country Mouse

There are many things I like about the city of Kampala, but I was really troubled by what I saw on our last trip there.

I know what I saw occurs on a daily basis, but maybe the light at the intersection was long enough that I really pondered this situation.

Obviously, it was long enough, because I even took photos.

Every 15 to 20 feet on the sidewalk, I saw one of these...




























They had a girl/slave driver (my word) "watching" over them, but not really. She makes them hold their hands up to receive begging money, which I'm sure she takes all of.

There were too many of them.

One is too many, but you get the idea.

This one little boy (picture below) was nodding off continually, but he made sure to stay in the sitting position so he wouldn't get caught sleeping.

Children NEED naps, but the "watcher" would not allow it.

Soon after I took this picture, she came and shook him and showed him where his hands should be.

UP! Ready to catch spare change.

What a life!

What a terrible life!





























Where can he go from here?

I really needed something to make me smile after seeing those children.

Then I saw her!

Notice how they purposefully stretch out the hips on mannequins...

Now that this "lady" was trying to cheer me up, I started looking for other things to make me happy.

Like this cell phone ad...

Or this man crossing the street wearing a woman's silk robe.

Then we got further out of town, and I saw a truck carrying a ridiculous amount of un-stacked chairs.

Then I saw a mother truly watching over her child, the way one should.

Happy times!

And who doesn't think it's funny to watch a monkey eat a mango?

Then...

You know what this means?

No, of course you don't, but I'm going to tell you.

This hippo pool is only 2 hours from our home. We were getting closer...

I never get tired of this sight.

Lugbara-style huts...almost there.

No more city life for now.

Ahhhh! Rural Uganda. You can smell it in the air.

I won't tell you what it smells like, but you can definitely smell it in the air.

(I'm really kidding. It's not that bad.)