Beer and Money; February 20, 2007

In Belize, it's Belikin. In Barbados, it's Banks. And in Malawi, if you're not having a Malawi Gin mixed with tonic, then you're drinking a Carlsberg 'Green' (the color of the label) or a Kuche Kuche beer - which means 'all night long' in Chichewa.

I do enjoy sampling the 'local' beers of the country I am visiting, even if larger conglomerates may have swooped in and taken control.
Inevitably the beers taste better when you're in the country of origin. Buying a six-pack of the imported stuff outside of the country somehow doesn't taste the same. And that's how it should be. Maybe it's the water. Maybe it's in my head.

The Kwacha: that's the currency of Malawi. I'd bet MK500 (that's about US$3.7) that most of you reading this did not know that. I didn't either. There are 100 tambala to the kwacha and the currency is printed in denominations of 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 kwacha bills.

And things come pretty cheap here - most definitely if you are coming from abroad.
Soda will run you about MK30 and is a distinct luxury and you can eat well for MK400 or even cheaper if you do your research.

I'm not a huge fan of nsima, the pounded maize meal that is boiled in water and salt, but it is the most common food here, and is part of most meals.