Day 28 – Friday, February 26, 2010
Friday has been just as uplifting and incredible. We checked out of our hotel and went to a tourist market in old town Mombasa, right next to Fort Jesus. (Yes that is the name). It was owned last by the Portuguese but has changed hands many times. It’s the oldest site in Mombasa, around the 1500’s I believe. It was also used during the slave trade, which is a morbid but historical reference. We didn’t stay there long though as we were told about a market where all the locals go. That was so much fun! It was this tiny street, maybe 15 feet wide, that had cars moving both directions, hundreds of people wandering around, and wares on blankets on the streets in front of shops! You would not come here if you were claustrophobic! They sold beautiful fabrics, shoes, cocoanuts filled with the coconut juice! I thought Danelle was in heaven with all her new scarves in one hand and a coconut in the other! The word busy doesn’t describe that street well enough!
A funny bit about Mombasa I don’t think I mentioned, is that the taxis here are these 3 wheel contraptions that have a one cylinder engine and whine and rumble and can hold a few people. They’re called ‘tack-tacks’ and the drivers are just as wild as every other driver on the road, even though they look like oversized bicycles! Today, to top off the odd sight of a tack-tack, was that in the back of a passing one was a goat! I’m not sure if he was recently bought and about to be dinner, or just along for the ride! Also there are combies called ‘matatus’ that hold easily 15 people, I probably saw one with 25. It is the same size as our vehicle that we can only squeeze 9 people in and feel squished! Matatus are used in liu of buses here, and have routes similar to buses at home. It’s a neat form of transportation, but more than once we have seen so many people squished in that faces are pressed up against the glass because there is no other room. It’s nuts!
Afterwards, we headed to Serena Lodge out on the coast, our 8th hotel for the trip…that’s a lot of packing! I can see why people come here as tourists. It has a beautiful white sands beach, palm trees everywhere, a beautiful room with a bathtub and a shower (what!?!), and even monkeys on the back patio for entertainment. Seriously! Apparently you can’t leave anything outside or they’ll steal it! Karen describes it as follows: Beachfront property is at our disposal for the next day and half, with monkeys as the porters….ha…they’re actually our backyard entertainment. It’s surreal!
Tonight I grabbed a drink from the swim up bar (okay more than one), had a fantastic dinner, took a walk in the surf of the indian ocean, and am about to go off into a beautifully soft bed....i could even have a hot bath if i wanted it! Boy things have changed from the first week!
Summary: Relaxation….for our last few days
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