Fun things to do in Sudan

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Molochiya is a traditional dish found all over the Middle east. In Egypt they use rabbit as the meat, but in Sudan they prefer to use mutton,the fattier the better, like the sheep's tail.
The basic ingredients are onions fried and then boiled with the meat. Salt pepper, coriander and garlic are added.
A large bunch of Jew's mallow is then brought, stripped of the leaves which are washed and dried, and then chopped finely with a mezzeluna. When the stew base is well cooked, the molochiya is added to the stew and cooked for a short time. The end result is a slimey green stew, which tasted delicious. It is much appreciated, especially in the hotter months.
Some people make it but leave the leaves whole and then use a mufraka . a stick with a small moonshaped end, to break the leaves down to mush. It is also customary to add a handful of fresh dill leaves and a teaspoonful of bicarbonate. The end result is a brighter and more viscous mixture which is then poured over a bowl of kisra, or even rice.

This is eaten as a lunch dish.

It tastes much better than it sounds!

See video to find out how the leaves are prepared

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hey dude, hope this ain't late but port sudan has got some of the diving in on the red sea if not possibly the best in th world. here is a link that may help you in you you diving excursion. http://www.scuba.co.uk/Travel/Red_Sea/Sudan/sudandiving.htm

nb: pictures scanned from a post card.

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I just attended an international reception where a local folklore group performed. The group of singers and dancers are very interesting. One of the group introduced the various instruments they use- from different kinds of drums and stringed instruments, gourds floating in water , and different sized pieces of wood which are beaten like a xylophone. The music played and dances performed cover different areas of the country with the various tribal traditions. These included dances from the Nuba mountains, from the Zande in Southern Sudan, Nubians from the north, stick dancing from the the east, Sufi drumming and twirling, as well as from the west of Sudan.
The audience participated by clapping and then even got up and joined in the dancing. To see Arabs from Saudi Arabia, Finns, Africans, Lebanese, Italians, Cypriots, Sudanese men in jellabiyas, and other Europeans all dancing together and having fun, made me wish such occasions were more common.
So, visitors to Sudan should try to see some of the local traditional dancing by attending such performances, attending wedding parties or going to see the Dervishes in Omdurman. Not many countries have such diverse music and dancing.

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If you find yourself landing here unexpectedly with KLM or some other airline, you might as well make the most of it. Wave at the ground staff and security guards. You have about 1 hour with nothing to do, so be friendly. All the ground guys waved back.

Well, it entertained me.

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Weddings are usually held at weekends [Thursday and Friday evenings], but it is not obligatory. Also during the Eid days they are very common as families congregate to celebrate the Eid, which means more family can attend.

When there is a wedding the outside of the bridal houses will be decorated, usually with lights, and a tent will be erected near the house for the guests to sit in. The bridal couple sit on a decorated dais [the 'kosha'].The groom may also wave a sword around and be carried o the shoulders of his friends.

Although invitations are issued if there is a reception at a club, in towns, it is still common for people to welcome anyone who comes to the tent or private house, so don't be embarrassed. Hopefully some will say 'et fadul, marhaba' = come in, welcome.

You will probably be given a soft drink and a plate of food, and can sit and listen to a group playing and watch [even join in] the dancing.

Women wear brightly coloured tobes and lots of gold. Older men often to prefer to wear national dress. little girls may wear imitation wedding dress. Tthe whole scene is very colourful.

For a fun, week long adventure, buy a train ticket in Khartoum to Wadi Halfa......the northern most city in Sudan, right on the border of Egypt. It is a two-day train journey and prepare to get dirty, but what a wonderful experiece it is. You take the train up to Atbara along the Nile, and then on to Abu Hamed, where the Nile turns west. From here, the train cuts straight through the nubian desert up to Wadi Halfa. Be sure to sit next to a window to see the Nile, and the ocean of desert that you will cross. Along the way, children in the villages will run along side the train and hope you throw out a little gift for them. It is fun to watch them race to the cookies or ball or whatever you throw out.

Once in Wadi Halfa, take a couple days to stay in one of the many small hotels. Be warned that most of the places have a row of beds in a courtyard where everyone sleeps together. You are not going to want to sleep inside....I promise. I would say there is little to nothing to do in Wadi Halfa. See the lake, meet all the neat people travelling overland from Egypt, eat local food, and smoke shisha. After a few days, take the train back to Khartoum, and clean up.

This is a tough trip and is not for the person looking for comfort....it is an adventure beginning to end. But, if you are reading about travelling in Sudan, I highly doubt you are looking for comfort.

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1. Ozone cafe nice place to chill out and meet local as well as expats location Khartoum 2
2. Omdurman souks..nice souvenirs and gift shops
3. Hilton hotel...poolside restaurant and also Shee-Sha!!!!
4. Little India Restaurant for those who fancy some true indian dish..location Khartoum 2
5. White Nile River

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Outside Khartoum there has also been a lot of development in the past decade. from being flat , desert landscape, there are now towns on both sides of the road, including the new industrial city of Giad.
The Gezira province still produces most of the agriculture in the country, irrigated by canals
With the increase in traffic, the roads have become more dangerous, but there are plenty of places to stop and refresh yourself with food and beverages.

However, all this development inevitably brings negative factors too. Everywhere you go polythene bags are stuck on trees and fences, or litter the roadside.