Soda Pop

Tanzania is light years ahead of Canada in its soda pop. First, it is all made with sugar cane and not corn syrup, which means even basics like Coca-Cola taste better here. Second, most places don't have diet pops - which pretty much gives you a free pass at having the full-sugar kind every time. Third, pop comes in glass bottles which (a) makes it taste better; and (b) makes it seem fancier and a definitely less childish.

And the flavours - sooo good. Here are the highlights:

Bitter Lemon - a lemon soda that is not sweet at all, but highly refreshing, and a great accompaniment to a meal. I go with Bitter Lemon when I don't really feel like pop, but want something beyond water.

Stoney Tangawizi - a ginger beer that, like Bitter Lemon, isn't too sweet, and goes great with food. My current pop-of-choice.

Orange Fanta - similar to orange cola in Canada, but better. Nothing better than sitting out in the sun on a hot day and sipping a cool Fanta.

Passion Fanta - passion fruit flavoured Fanta. See picture above. Delicious.

The bad side, which I guess I should mention, is that pop is so plentiful and cheap here (often cheaper than water), that people probably drink way too much of it. The ratio of soda pop to dentists, actually, is way off. I may be coming back with a mouth full of cavities.