This entry is from Old Town in Mombasa. Kristen and I had a great few days of relaxing in a very nice beach side resort, but I'll try to post photos of that place later (I can only post 5 pics with each post). These are more interesting though.
It was Sunday while we were here, so there was very little going on. Normally, this area is a bustling street market. There was some of it going on, but only a fraction of what one would find during the week. Narrow, winding streets characterize this part of town, but that is shown very well here. We got a tour from a local guy (everyone in Kenya wants to sell you something) that was very interesting, and I'm sure we wouldn't have wondered off in these neighborhoods without him.
I liked this scene. The tangle of old electric wires was everywhere and so were the mosques. This tower contains the loudspeakers where the call to prayer is announced 5 times per day. 
This is a very old door. Many have been sold or have disintegrated, but now there is a government effort to maintain them (for what that's worth). These doors were very elaborately designed and were built solidly to, as I read somewhere, "protect the modesty of the woman who kept the home". Old Mombasa is mostly Muslim and there must have been 7 mosques in a relatively small neighborhood. The doors were of 3 different designs: Portuguese, Indian or Arab. I believe the one here is Indian.
Matatu! We rode them all around Mombasa. They're actually cheap, very efficient and the driver/money collectors were all very friendly and helpful. I'm a Matatu convert now. I may get one when I return to NYC and start a new trend.
No comments:
Post a Comment