Details of Five Star Living

An afternoon bouquet of roses.

As I said before, I'm getting used to this hotel living again. For the most part, I travel very low brow. The Red Roof Inn has been my friend for many years and while I enjoy nights (and days) at the Halekulani in Waikiki, it's rare that I splurge to stay there.

Every once in a while, I Priceline my accommodations and land nice hotels are heavily discounted rates only to complain that I'm getting nickel and dime'd on Internet fees, parking fees, water bottles and the litany of fees that accompany a la carte living.

At the Kampala Serena, I'm surrounded in luxury. From the linens to the pillows to the bedding and everything else. All my desires are cared for. I need a car to take me to the airport tomorrow? Mike is only too happy to arrange a complimentary car to take me in the morning, but he also insists that the driver take me an hour earlier to tour their other facility: the Victoria Serena Lodge near Entebbe. Very generous.


Thank you, Frankline.

After a long week of training and judging, I'm surprised and delighted to find an arrangement of fresh pink roses in my room. It's a nice and unexpected touch.

Soon after, one of my attendants rings the doorbell to ask if she can "turn down" the room for me. She's someone that I haven't seen all week as the turndown has been done while I've been elsewhere in the city. She's quick, efficient, friendly and has my curtains drawn, slippers and a floor towel laid out, throw pillows put away, sheets pulled down and fresh bottles of water and clean drinking glasses laid out before my ten minute Chris Rock clip is finished on YouTube.

I didn't notice it earlier in the day but there's also the note from Frankline Nyakundi, Rooms Division Manager apologizing for any inconvenience they will cause me by moving the Business Center to one of the lounges while they renovate that room - in January 2011.

I'm going to miss the leather-wrapped clock, the room service and at-will ice service. I leave tomorrow for another hotel in another country and I've remembered the most discomforting thing about Five Star Living: leaving.

Daylight Kampala

On the road back to Serena Hotel.

The ride back to the hotel for a few hours rest was a bit unnerving. After a week in Kampala, I hadn't really been out and about in the daylight. Near the Equator, the daylight stretches to seven o'clock but I still haven't seen Kampala in the daylight, other than the morning commutes. To see Kampala in the daylight was surprising indeed.

Details of city life popped out at me - even though the Sheraton venue is about a kilometer from my hotel. Seeing the details of the city not shrouded in nighttime creates a yearning to see the rest of the city. To walk the streets, meet more of the people and maybe even take a spin on the back of a Boda Boda.


Ladies ride sidesaddle on the Boda Bodas.

4th UNBC 2010 - The Finals

Emma Kotongole bring his stuff into the hall.




Judges Rita and Sokia prepare themselves.




Ashley, Clare, Julius and Rita waiting to begin.




First Up: Agatha begins her presentation.




First Ugandan Champion Peter and two baristas.




Sensory Judge Julius samples Rachel Bahika's Tropical Paradise.




Sokia and Roberts present their technical scores for review.




Clare advocates for more Matoke.




Peter agrees for more Matoke.




Some kind of Indian chicken - really spicy.




Beef, veggies, rice and chapati.




Competition is over, the banners come down.




Emma and Agatha eye Technical Judge Sokia warily...




Roberts and his daughter.

The Happy Contemplations of Room Service

Another dinner arrives via Room Service.

Room Service is starting to be something that I could get comfortably used to. After another long day of competition, scoring, scheduling, writing new Spro menus and coordinating everything else, I'm not in the mood to venture out to eat - even though it's Friday night and pumping out in Kampala City.

For a moment, I swing by The Lakes restaurant to see what's on the menu. The night manager greets me warmly and we chat for a moment. He wants me to sit down for dinner but I'm worn out and in need of a good bathe, I ask him if I could order off the menu and have it brought to the room. He kindly agrees to accommodate my request.


Soup of the Day: some sort of seafood consomme thing.

After a bathe and some surfing the 'net, my tray arrives and I'm treated once again to the luxuries of room service in a five star hotel. Glass bottles of Coca-Cola Light, Rosenthal German china, silverware, linens and a pink rose.

The soup is a bit fishy tasting but nice and crisp. The Ugandan beef steak starts out a little tough and chewy but smoothens out once I get into it. Of course, the filet side is nice and tender. The steak comes with a side of gravy and my own very favorite: a serving of steamed rice.


Ugandan Beef T-Bone Steak with rice, chips and veggies.

Soon after, I'm sitting around, having enjoyed a nice steak dinner in my bathrobe. I'm satiated, fed, happy and contemplating a cigar...



Not bad looking this Ugandan beef.

4th UNBC 2010 - Day Two

The Venue.



Judges sampling cappuccinos.




Vuvuzela...




Two barista champions Peter and Roberts debate tech scores.




Head Judge




Star Cafe makes a showing at the small expo.




Sensory Judges Michael Kijjambu and Richard Mukasa.




Ashley crunches the scoresheets.




Nothing makes me sadder.




Edmund Kananura takes a break from judging.




Competitor Mark Okuta after his performance.




Beef, rice and chapati for lunch.




Clare advocates for a higher tech score.




As Sensory Judge Rita Kyamuhangire watches.




Reigning Champion Roberts and UNBCC Chairman Edmund with the finalists: Salim Seruwu, Agatha Komukama, Mark Okuta, Joseph Kyeyune and Rachel Bahika (absent: Emma Katongole).

Happy Thanksgiving!

A basket of laundry warms the arrival to my room.

It's Thanksgiving Day in America and I'm finally sitting down to dinner after a long day judging the 4th Annual Uganda Barista Championship. Thousands of miles away are friends and family celebrating the massacre of Native Americans across the United States. And I'm missing out on all of the fun...

Okay, that's not politically correct: they massacred the Indians. I mean, that's not P.C. either. Terrible.


Room Service brings Thanksgiving Dinner.

Reminds me of a Native American friend who's traveled to the other side of the planet to do pretty much the same thing I'm doing here in Kampala: judging a barista competition and escaping the gluttony that is American Thanksgiving.

I asked him once what his family does to celebrate Thanksgiving. His answer: "We don't."

It must be odd to celebrate a "holiday" that celebrates the massacre of your people - kind of like Cambodians celebrating the founding day of the Khmer Rouge, Italians celebrating December 21 for Stalin's birthday or Filipinos celebrating their independence marking the loss of their sovereignty (oh wait, we actually do celebrate that).


Bombay Prawns - Tiger prawns in a spicy coconut sauce with rice and an order of chips, with a Diet Coke.

Political incorrectness and genocide aside (save for the mass executions of large poultry known as turkeys), it's been a relatively quiet holiday for me in Kampala. Actually, it's been a normal workday here. No reveling. No stuffing of the turkey. No stuffing of the tummy. No football and no slouching comatose on the sofa.

No turkey at all today, save for the Chips & Fried Chicken I had for lunch.

Somewhere out there, my family has gathered (sans me) for Thanksgiving lunch. It's my little niece's first T-day and I've chosen to fly to other side of the world and say hello via video chat. It's a shame but I did get to eat my Tday dinner of Indian style prawn coconut curry and rice while making ridiculous faces at my niece while my mom held her up to the computer screen pummeling her with radiation. Nice going, Uncle...

Well, maybe I can do better next Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all - even those of you who mourn this day. I understand.


Local Mango for dessert.

4th UNBC 2010 - Day One

Another morning breakfast at the Kampala Serena Hotel.

The 4th Annual Uganda National Barista Championship started today with a field of 22 competitors, nine judges, one emcee, a bunch of great volunteers and support people and one newly gunned head judge.

The enthusiasm amongst the baristas is shared between first-time competitors from local universities to new barista competitors and experienced competition baristas. But I'll get more into it later. There's still a bunch of work to be done before bed tonight! Not to mention getting up again early tomorrow for another round.

Tomorrow is Day Two of the preliminary round with the remaining ten baristas, then on Saturday the Finals culminates in the determination of who will represent Uganda in Bogota next June.

Enjoy the pics!



Welcome to the Uganda National Barista Championship.




Judge Michael Kijjambu.




Judge Brenda Alamyo preps the station.




Station One.




Judging Team A: Beatrice Neumbe (S), Clare Rwakatogoro (T), Brenda (T), Michael (S) and Julius Ndyanabo (S).




Listening to their reasons in Calibration.




Striking A Pose.




Barista Brothers - and Simon Waweru.




Julius sips while Faith Asaji scores.




Drinking Rachel Bahika's signature drink.




Competitors and spectators in the audience.




Team Flavour Cafe en force.




Brenda evaluates Simon Waweru's technical ability.




Judging under scrutiny of the television lights.