A Rose By Any Other Name...

The business names and signs in Africa have been a real treat to follow.

There is a definite desire to mimic (rip off) U.S./Western brands. Like here in Nairobi with the "Kobil" gas stations whose logo looks just like "Mobil" with the same blue & red, same font, etc. Another funny one here is the "Heltz" rental cars - same gold & black logo (and interestingly, the Swahili alphabet doesn't have an "R." When speaking English, they use the "L" sound, so for example, in a restaurant, you may be offered "cheese & clackels.") Another funny rip off was in Victoria Falls where I saw signs for the "Palm Restaurant" - same dark green color and logo as in the states, so I was thinking it may be a nice spot to have a farewell fete wtih the Overlanders...until I passed by the small, dirty building, and peered in to see dingy plastic tables and a dog running around. Needless to say, no autographed headshots were hanging on the walls.

The local business names painted on the buildings are even more fun to read. Throughout Tanzania we kept passing "House of Lubricant" establishments -- their version of Jiffy Lube! Another cute one is the "Made in Good Taste Coffee Shops" - Starbucks hasn't infiltrated yet! There was also the "Papa's Plastic Things" store we passed in rural Kenya. How I wish we could have stopped and gone in that one. And perhaps my favorite, is the "God Only Knows Grocery Store" in Zambia -- is that great, or what?!

Other funny signs have included the "No Photo-Graphing" signs posted on the UN Buildings in Arusha, Tanzania. And the "No Over-Speeding" warnings throughout Kenya. I suppose it's a given drivers will speed, they just don't want anyone over doing it (I could fit in on the roads around here!).

Mere