A Bus Ride From London to Germany
Jan 24, 2008
I picked my passport at the German Embassy in Central London. I now had a right of passage into Germany across the English Channel from Dover. <br>After a short while in a mammoth ferry that carried people, buses, cars and big trucks, I crossed into northern France, entered Belgium, the Netherlands
By Joe Nam
I picked my passport at the German Embassy in Central London. I now had a right of passage into Germany across the English Channel from Dover.
After a short while in a mammoth ferry that carried people, buses, cars and big trucks, I crossed into northern France, entered Belgium, the Netherlands and headed for Germany by bus.
All along, I was comparing what I saw with parallels in Uganda. The roads, the street lights, the services and the people’s mannerism. To say Ugandans are getting a raw deal in life is an understatement.
The ‘Bazungu’ have built their homeland into a pleasant habitation. When I saw the multi-lane winding roads, the well-tended farmlands, the houses, the healthy cattle and sheep, the children with chubby cheeks, I began to understand why thousands of Africans perish in make shift boats every year, trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe. Generally, life in Europe is far much better.
I was not jealous at what I saw. I was annoyed because I knew we could make Uganda a pleasant place to live in. If we left the vice of corruption and lowlife thinking and concentrated on real issues — trading with Europe and the world as equals.
There is no magic about European advancement save for the fact that they know how to put their priorities right.
By midday, I was in Cologne and took time to view the Magnificent Dom Cathedral.
Built in curved stone, this structure whose construction started in 1258 took 600 years to complete.
In the thick of World War II, the Dom was spared by allied bombers whilst every building around it was reduced to rubbles. Divine providence is one of the popular theories advanced on why it was spared. But it was more to with politics that the Dom was saved.
Destroying the Dom would be a loss not only to Germany but the human race, given it’s cultural significance. Besides, the Americans knew that (West) Germany’s cooperation would be invaluable to win the cold war against Russia, so total destruction of Germany would serve the interest of Communist Russia.
The Dom is now a world heritage sight protected under international law.
By late afternoon, Dr Uwe Singer of InWEnt must already have been anxious to see the safe arrival at Bonn of the 10 people he invited from Africa.
Inwent is the Foreign Ministry arm through which the German government trains foreign nationals on key skills to do with development. I took a bullet-train to Bonn and arrived in time to take a short nap before we toured one of the famed German Christmas markets in the evening.
It’s fun to be at the open air evening markets during Christmas. It’s their version of our ‘tto-ninyira’. When in these markets, one is spoilt for choice on what to eat or drink. There is just too much variety. There is no difference between young and old, everyone comes to enjoy.
During our five day stay in Bonn, our host took us to the Christmas Market at Cologne one more time.
A live band was playing that evening, I thought about Julianna Kanyomozi, the lady on the stage crooned somewhat like her. We also went to river Rhine to view Cologne by night. With the outings, the candle lit dinners, stories about our respective countries, we truly were enjoying classic German hospitality, things could only get better.
The learning at Inwent went on without a hitch. On the final day however, my African friends looked rather homesick and were all too eager to return home. I connected to Berlin instead. I looked forward to visiting Berlin because I would be a guest of the new Ugandan Ambassador to Germany Nyine Bitahwa.
We had spent many memorable moments together in Uganda at his country home in Bushenyi during which time I got to learn bits about Ankole’s intricate politics in which Nyine is a major player.
Relaxing in the warmth of the Ambassador’s house in Berlin, I was surprised when Bitahwa, whose family was still in Uganda, put on an apron and went to prepare supper in the kitchen. “I am a very good cook you know,†he told me over supper as we began to discuss the coming visit by the German President Horst Kohler to Uganda in February.
“The Germans are keen about helping Uganda, but I sometimes wonder if we are ready,†he said.
With Bitahwa, one should expect non-stop talk on serious issues. We were soon discussing development, business, investment and missionary work.
Bitahwa is arranging for young Ugandan missionaries to work in Germany and help bring Christian revival in the highly secular German society.
“Did you know that German missionaries Ludwig Krapt and Rebmann watered the seeds of East African Revival in the 19th Century and in the 1930s,†he said. “Well it’s about time we sent them the harvest.â€
During my stay in Berlin, I viewed the Bundestag (German Parliament), the Bradenburg Gates, remnant of the Berlin Wall, The Jewish Holocaust Museum, the Berlin Zoo and a number of interesting places.
Of particular interest at the Berlin Zoo is the Ankole Long-Horned Cow which is displayed alongside wild animals. The Embassy of Uganda Staff and Charge-de-Affairs Vasta Rwankote were all very courteous. In every way, visiting Europe was a dream come true.
It’s quite an experience seeing what you read in books or see on TV with your very eyes.
The writer travelled to Europe courtesy of Kenya Airways
I picked my passport at the German Embassy in Central London. I now had a right of passage into Germany across the English Channel from Dover.
After a short while in a mammoth ferry that carried people, buses, cars and big trucks, I crossed into northern France, entered Belgium, the Netherlands and headed for Germany by bus.
All along, I was comparing what I saw with parallels in Uganda. The roads, the street lights, the services and the people’s mannerism. To say Ugandans are getting a raw deal in life is an understatement.
The ‘Bazungu’ have built their homeland into a pleasant habitation. When I saw the multi-lane winding roads, the well-tended farmlands, the houses, the healthy cattle and sheep, the children with chubby cheeks, I began to understand why thousands of Africans perish in make shift boats every year, trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe. Generally, life in Europe is far much better.
I was not jealous at what I saw. I was annoyed because I knew we could make Uganda a pleasant place to live in. If we left the vice of corruption and lowlife thinking and concentrated on real issues — trading with Europe and the world as equals.
There is no magic about European advancement save for the fact that they know how to put their priorities right.
By midday, I was in Cologne and took time to view the Magnificent Dom Cathedral.
Built in curved stone, this structure whose construction started in 1258 took 600 years to complete.
In the thick of World War II, the Dom was spared by allied bombers whilst every building around it was reduced to rubbles. Divine providence is one of the popular theories advanced on why it was spared. But it was more to with politics that the Dom was saved.
Destroying the Dom would be a loss not only to Germany but the human race, given it’s cultural significance. Besides, the Americans knew that (West) Germany’s cooperation would be invaluable to win the cold war against Russia, so total destruction of Germany would serve the interest of Communist Russia.
The Dom is now a world heritage sight protected under international law.
By late afternoon, Dr Uwe Singer of InWEnt must already have been anxious to see the safe arrival at Bonn of the 10 people he invited from Africa.
Inwent is the Foreign Ministry arm through which the German government trains foreign nationals on key skills to do with development. I took a bullet-train to Bonn and arrived in time to take a short nap before we toured one of the famed German Christmas markets in the evening.
It’s fun to be at the open air evening markets during Christmas. It’s their version of our ‘tto-ninyira’. When in these markets, one is spoilt for choice on what to eat or drink. There is just too much variety. There is no difference between young and old, everyone comes to enjoy.
During our five day stay in Bonn, our host took us to the Christmas Market at Cologne one more time.
A live band was playing that evening, I thought about Julianna Kanyomozi, the lady on the stage crooned somewhat like her. We also went to river Rhine to view Cologne by night. With the outings, the candle lit dinners, stories about our respective countries, we truly were enjoying classic German hospitality, things could only get better.
The learning at Inwent went on without a hitch. On the final day however, my African friends looked rather homesick and were all too eager to return home. I connected to Berlin instead. I looked forward to visiting Berlin because I would be a guest of the new Ugandan Ambassador to Germany Nyine Bitahwa.
We had spent many memorable moments together in Uganda at his country home in Bushenyi during which time I got to learn bits about Ankole’s intricate politics in which Nyine is a major player.
Relaxing in the warmth of the Ambassador’s house in Berlin, I was surprised when Bitahwa, whose family was still in Uganda, put on an apron and went to prepare supper in the kitchen. “I am a very good cook you know,†he told me over supper as we began to discuss the coming visit by the German President Horst Kohler to Uganda in February.
“The Germans are keen about helping Uganda, but I sometimes wonder if we are ready,†he said.
With Bitahwa, one should expect non-stop talk on serious issues. We were soon discussing development, business, investment and missionary work.
Bitahwa is arranging for young Ugandan missionaries to work in Germany and help bring Christian revival in the highly secular German society.
“Did you know that German missionaries Ludwig Krapt and Rebmann watered the seeds of East African Revival in the 19th Century and in the 1930s,†he said. “Well it’s about time we sent them the harvest.â€
During my stay in Berlin, I viewed the Bundestag (German Parliament), the Bradenburg Gates, remnant of the Berlin Wall, The Jewish Holocaust Museum, the Berlin Zoo and a number of interesting places.
Of particular interest at the Berlin Zoo is the Ankole Long-Horned Cow which is displayed alongside wild animals. The Embassy of Uganda Staff and Charge-de-Affairs Vasta Rwankote were all very courteous. In every way, visiting Europe was a dream come true.
It’s quite an experience seeing what you read in books or see on TV with your very eyes.
The writer travelled to Europe courtesy of Kenya Airways