City of Seven Hills

Kampala is the capital and biggest city of Uganda.  It's a beautiful place, ranked as safer and more friendly than Nairobi or Kigali.  It's biggest drawback is the pollution that dogs most developing countries.  The weather has blown my mind; it is often cool and breezy, especially if the sun is taking a break.  It will storm only for a few hours every couple of days.  Being on the equator, the days are the same length the whole year round.  To tell time in Luganda, you count how many hours it has been since the sun rose (noon is always 6 o'clock for example).

Palace of the Buganda king on Mengo Hill

As you can see whenever you get a good view from atop a hill, the city is a real metropolis and now sprawls over many massive hills beyond the original seven.  Before becoming a British colony in the early 1900's, the Buganda Kingdom ruled ka'mpala, or the hills of the impalas.  Colonization combined several kingdoms that had never been of the same ethnic or linguistic tradition, as well as it divided kingdoms with national borders.  The kings are still around, only occasionally involving themselves in politics, but maintaining a very important ritual role for their people.  Even urban people still define themselves by their kingdom, and it is taboo to marry someone within one's own tribe.

The torture chambers of the infamous late dictator, Idi Amin

Baha'i Temple

Baha'ism is an inclusive, monotheistic religion originating in the Middle East in the mid-19th century.  It has about 5 million followers, and is all about the unity of all people and religions.  The Houses of Worship--there's only about nine worldwide--all have stunning, symbolic architecture.  This one is called the Mother Temple of Africa, and is surrounded by free gardens open to the public.

Four Yalies, our driver Moses, and our liaison Carole

Gaddafi Mosque on Old Kampala Hill

After climbing the mosque's minaret

                                            Gaddafi Mosque is the largest mosque in East Africa, holding about 16,000 with room for more if they worship from the terrace.  (The only larger mosque in Africa is in Morocco.)  Idi Amin initiated the mosque's construction, but the name comes from its financial savior, the other infamous late dictator, Muammar Gaddafi.