Mombasa

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We could not find a reasonably priced beach location nearby to Mombasa, so we asked the airport taxi driver for a recommendation and he took us to the New Palm Tree Hotel. Many places jack up their prices by over five times between Christmas and New Years time!

We needed some rest time, to get over some cold and flu symptoms. W.. and N.. had both been harbouring cold/flu like symptoms during the Safari and E.. finally succumbed to it in Mombasa. We ended up spending lots of time in our hotel room and the wonderful roof garden / courtyard.

Walking around the old town part of Mombasa is similar to Stone town in Zanzibar. The Swahili influence is very strong, and Fort Jesus, that was built by the Portuguese in their vain attempt to hold on to Mombasa has survived the many changes of occupiers. The Portuguese burnt down the old town every time they lost and retreated to Goa in India. The British finally got control of the fort. The Fort had to defend itself from the town and also from the sea. So, it was built with strange angles, something akin to the angles on a Stealth Fighter, so that defenders on any wall could shoot at those attacking another wall. The Omanis laid siege to Fort Jesus on many occasions, sometimes upwards of 33 months, and it fell many times.

Mombasa is a lot more laid back than Nairobi. The people are friendly and the streets are full of life. After dark though, most of the streets do empty.

Most streets have street vendors and shoes were a common theme. There'd be shoes neatly polished and lined up in rows about many pedestrian ways. Mombasa is known for a set of giant tusks (artificial, not real) that were erected to mark the visit of a young Queen Lizzie. Turns out she was in Kenya when her dad died, and she became the new Monarch.

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