Some Trains Lead To Rome

From Venice (you can read about my experience by clicking on this link), my next destination was Rome, which I caught by a cheap high-speed train from Mestre to one of the two main trains stations in Rome. As I have already mentioned, high-speed train travel in Italy is cheap and comfortable, even more than in Germany.

In Rome, even relatively modern infrastructure is crumbling

The same though, can not be said for public transit in Rome. I was quick to notice that the ruins were not the only crumbling bits in Rome. In fact, with a lot of restoration work ongoing, it can be said that the ruins are in a far better state than the roads which have potholes here and there - but do not be mistaken, they are not like the potholes in Nairobi which at just the right speed, will ruin your tyres and suspension.

The pavements too were uneven here and there. In contrast to the state of the roads, public transit was still largely working, save for the regular bus that would miss its schedule and the heavy traffic around the city.

As for the ruins, Rome is the capital of ruins in the world, from the famous Colosseum to the less frequented aqueducts on the outskirts of Rome. Most of these attractions tend to be quite busy during the day and only offer some breathing time in the morning and as the sun sets in the evening.

There’s not much to be said about the restaurants and clubs of Rome, save the fact that it can be a pricey city given that it is also the capital, besides being a popular tourist destination. The popularity of the city to tourists is expected given attractions such as the Vatican - which unless you have some spiritual attachment to, does not offer much return for the time you spend queuing to get in.

A not so common view of the Colosseum

There is not much to be said about Rome, as you can tell from my review, but it remains popular.

Though all roads may lead to Rome, sometimes one has to take a road or rail out of the city. It therefore happened that on a Friday, I took a BusCenter bus headed to Florence, pronounced Firenze by the Italians.

Lots of tourists around the The Trevi Fountain. The other bit about Rome is that it’s teeming with tourists, like yourself

Be sure to check back next week for a comprehensive review of my visit to Florence, the Renaissance City. Alternatively, if you are brilliant enough you can get the book on Amazon to read about my entire trip all in one place.

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Beers in Kenya: A sober opinion

I have had a short beer swigging stint in my life. It has however been long enough for me to share my opinions of Kenyan beer. Interestingly, over the course of sharing such opinions with other drunkards connoisseurs, I have found that we all have different views as to what beer is the best, which one makes you too drunk, or which one gives a free, extra hangover for every hangover you get from it.

For starters, like everyone else, I discovered that beer isn’t as sweet as it looks like in those adverts that show golden barley swaying in breezes, happy men smiling and toasting chilled, foaming glasses of beer as a deep voice does some narration in the background.

Beer is bitter! Now, it turns out beer is intentionally made bitter. See, beer shares the same ingredients as bread. The major difference is that bread isn't fermented. Bread is sweet, so why isn't beer sweet?

The bitter story of the downfall of Mumias Sugar company

Have you heard the bitter story of Mumias Sugar?

Regarded by many as Kenya's most successful sugar miller, Mumias Sugar Company was a disaster waiting to happen.

Many pointed out how Mumias Sugar Company was a fortress in the wreck that is Kenya's sugar industry, only unaware that it was just a matter of time. As the old wise men said, "Ukiona cha mwenzako cha nyolewa, tia chako maji".

The proverb means that if you see your neighbour's head getting shaved, your head will soon be undergoing the same - you'd therefore better wet your head for a smoother shave, otherwise you will be forced to undergo a painful, dry, shave.

But what ails Kenya's sugar industry?

The Kenya sugar industry is under legal siege. The typical Kenyan issue of coming up with laws to tackle a problem is evident here.

Many of Kenya's sugar factories are owned by the government, and have slowly declined under mismanagement and corruption. The appointing of political cronies and trib…

Beers of Kenya. The Ultimate 2019 Guide

Four years ago, precisely in 2015, I wrote about beer in Kenya in what has gone on to be my most popular post this year with more than 5,000 people reading it. It seems that there is a lot of interest in exploring beer in Kenya, which is understandable. The brewing sector has grown since then and we now have lots of options, which means it is time for another review.

Back in 2015, Kenya had one major brewer - EABL/KBL, challenged by Keroche and Sierra which is more of a small volume craft brewer, and arguably Kenya’s first craft brewery. It had also been joined by Brew Bistro which mostly sells its malted stuff at its outlets in Nairobi and later by Sirville, a bar located at Galleria Mall.

Sirville was later sold to Brew Bistro and converted to the latter for a while, before shutting down in what is alleged to be a tax dispute.

Kenyan products: The art of punishing your consumer

Peanut butter used to taste so good, but you could not afford it on the pocket money that you got back in school. A few years later, you have your first real job and your first "disposable" income. You buy your first real tub of peanut butter , probably the first in your life. You feel proud that Dominion peanut butter is manufactured in Ruiru, a town that you visited in your campus days to withdraw your pocket money , it was the nearest bank ATM to your campus. This was before Equity bank became a mainstream bank and decided to open an ATM in your campus, and before M-Pesa meant that you could withdraw your pocket money next to the kibanda where you had your one meal of the day.

The peanut butter though is a far cry form the peanut butter you remember. It does not taste that good, and turns into some sort of stone barely before you are a third way through the jar. The stone is not a kind that you learned about in your Geography classes though.

Dejectedly, you decide not …

Dennis Kioko

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