Dar es Salaam

It's 7pm. Living in the city has its merits, and one of them is in the evening. The moment you leave your home and walk the streets, depending on the area and the wind direction, a beautiful aroma wafts through the concrete pavements and uneven roads. The spicy mixture of bbq grilled chicken, beef kebabs, and the likes can literally induce hunger even after a meal.

The small metropolis of Dar es Salaam is known for the amazing local cuisine which comprises mostly of BBQ food. Most restaurants have their precious grills on the city's sidewalks, as plastic tables and chairs dot the entrance to their heavenly kitchens. During the day time, enjoying fried beef kebabs along with a 'mix' of potatoes, lentils dumplings, and coconut chutney is the norm, together with a steaming cup of spiced tea.

Aside from the food, and on another note, the city that was known for its paltry buildings and ancient structures is slowly evolving as the skyline changes. Taller buildings are now cropping in place, although they lack the architecural design or color to complement the modern era as in other parts of the world. Due to the design of the city, not much expansion can be done within the city center itself and what used to seem as long distances back in the days, having lived in the West for many years, everything seems much closer around the city. In fact, it is no surprise that a 20 minute walk is enough to move from one end to the other of the city center itself. The disadvantge of having such huge (new) buildings within a stones throw of each other is the immense dust that flies across the dotted skyline as they are constructed mostly of stone and cement. Overlooking the negatives, it is certainly much needed space as the city gets overcrowded.

As far as technology, and ofcourse we include the business conglomerates and rich people in their safe havens that extend towards Oyster Bay and beyond, even the street hawkers and farmers seem to be on a roll with cell phones buzzing in their pockets as they stop their carts and baskets to answer demanding calls. This is as far as technology goes. Internet Cafes sprawl on various streets but speeds are ungratefully slow even though they register 100mbps on the flashing icon in your system tray. I was surprised that the cafes are almost full, especially in the evenings when the peak time reaches its climax as the cafes advertise competetive prices for their customers who are getting used to tapping information of the world from semi-private stalls.

Overall, the lifestyle here is extremely laid back. Work usually begins around 9am and runs through to about 1pm. A two hour lunch & nap is almost mandatory as the afternoon wears on with shops opening around 3pm and closing a little after 5 or 530. As the summer heat intensifies over the next few weeks, it is a city that leaves much to the imagination, and that imagination is now flourishing as we complete the decade mark of the next century.

It is a city that is truly a mixture in the global world; the new blends in with the unrelenting old, but with a hint of apology and politeness, people seem to be adjusting their lifestyle. I would not be surprised if food delivery from these restaurants begins in the next 5 years, but as of now, it's a luxury which is far below a cell phone, or as they call it here: a mobile phone.