Discovering Iringa

February 13, 2018, Tuesday

What a wonderful day. After the long, grueling bus ride of yesterday, I expected we would sleep in this morning and perhaps not go exploring until the afternoon. Instead, we woke up and 7:00 and after a quick breakfast—not great, but okay—we took a taxi down the hill into town to Hasty Tasty, a small African cafe we had read about. The place was much smaller than I had imagined it, and we were the only wazungu in sight. However, they had press coffee and wonderful little mandazi-like balls to accompany it.

Enjoying coffee at hasty-tasty.

Unfortunately, there was also a very pushy, English-speaking man who decided we needed his company as well. First, he tried to sell us some baskets, which I definitely do not need or want, and then he reappeared with cloth bags. Those were quit well made and one in particular caught my eye. So, I bargained for it and another smaller bag which somehow had become part of a package deal, and while the final price was okay, it was definitely not a “special morning price” as promised. Soon after this deal, John left me to finish my coffee while he walked to the old German boma, the administrative center for the Germans from 1895 to 1917. Once this had all been German territory, and vestiges of that history still remain. I was sharing outside space with two lovely young women who allowed me to take their photo.

The German boma

When John returned perhaps an hour later, so did our unwanted friend. Such folks are almost impossible to shake unless one is really rude, which John never is. So, in spite of the fact that we knew our way to the Neema Crafts Center, he continued to act as if he were our special guide. Neema Crafts provided employment and training for disabled people and has a cafe in which all the wait staff are deaf. (https://www.neemacrafts.com/history.php) We looked at what was offered for sale and then decided since it was too early to have lunch in the cafe upstairs, we would see how far I could walk on the nearby main street.

Somehow, we freed ourselves from our “guide” by the time we reached the Iringa clock tower and were able to walk unescorted down toward the center of town. I was struck by how clean the streets were. None of the dirt and trash which line the streets in Arusha. Also, the sidewalks were smooth and unbroken, which made walking so much easier for me. Perhaps because of the many hills in and around it, there aways seems to be a soft, cool breeze blowing. It was a treat for me to walk along the street and see the many market areas and sidewalk vendors. John stopped to have his shoes shined by a man who was dressed in a very nice jacket and tie. I took photos of the large green park and as many other areas and people as I could. Most of the little shops were too small and dark for good photos, and some people looked uneasy when they spotted my camera, so those photos were not taken.

Getting a shoe shine.

Uhuru Park

Typical view down a side street

Small shops along main street

View toward city center.

We were walking slightly downhill all the way, and I knew I could not return the whole distance uphill. So, John got a 3-wheeler to carry us back to Neema Crafts. I had always wanted to ride in one of these little three-wheel vehicles, and I finally got my wish. I hope I can ride another before we leave Iringa, as they are not prevalent in Arusha.

Back at Neema, we went upstairs—all 16 steps—to the cafe, which was reputed to have very good food. The waiter took us to a table out on the terrace and motioned for us to write down our order since he was deaf. I decided to have chicken curry, while John selected lasagna. The narrow terrace overlooked a peaceful tree-lined street and was a perfect place to have a relaxing lunch. I even treated myself to carrot cake with ice cream.

Lunch at Neema Crafts

View from Neema's terrace cafe

Street scene

After lunch, John fetched a taxi, while our hanger-on tried to engage me in conversation again. He may be a very good person, but people who latch on to wazungu like this are very, very annoying. Fortunately, the taxi came soon, and we drove back to the hotel. After a brief rest, John decided to climb on the huge rocks behind the hotel. The guard/guide at the site took John up to the top, where he had a stunning view of Iringa far below and imaged how the Hehe warriors felt when they spied on the German colonialists they fought against in the late 1890s.

The road past our hotel

Huge rock formation

The way to the top

John overlooking Iringa

Once John returned, we got in still another taxi and went to Sai Villa for dinner.  From the veranda there, we have a wonderful sunset view of Iringa. I was happy because I cannot make it up to the terrace here at the hotel. it is built high up on a large rock formation, and John reports the view from up there is spectacular, too.  I am very glad we came here.