Weekend Getaway!

Walking along the shores of the Indian Ocean

in front of the Bahari Beach Hotel, Mombasa

This past weekend, we enjoyed three nights away from Nairobi with our kids at the Bahari Beach Hotel, a small German resort on the coast of Kenya. With only a few weeks left in our kid's summer vacation, we were glad to get away and enjoy some fun in the sun.

Riding Tuk Tuks in Mombasa, Kenya

Along with riding Matatus, the local mini buses, we enjoy taking tuk tuks when getting around Mombasa. A tuk tuk is a little three-wheeled taxi motor bike. Given the way that people drive in Kenya, this style of public transport is a thrill!

Making castles in the sand at Nyali Beach, Mombasa

The high winds of this time of year can churn up the ocean, but our kids still had a great time digging in the sand and swimming in the hotel pool. It is wonderful to see how well Tristan, Emma and Ava look after each other. This was Ava's first time really swimming in the pool. She left her floaties behind and bravely swam with the big kids. We had lots of pool competitions and games, Emma still reigns as our family speed boat in the water!

Beach Babies!!!

North Coast (Kenya)

Enjoying some Fun in the Sun on March Break

This past week was our children's March break vacation from Rosslyn Academy. We enjoyed four days away at the Indian Ocean, just North of Mombassa town on Nyali Beach. The drive from Nairobi to the coast use to take as much as twelve hours with traffic jams and road construction, but (if you can get out of the city earlier enough) the trip can now be done in less than six hours.

Vervet Monkey

One of our favourite vacation spots in Kenya is the Bahari Beach Resort, a popular German vacation spot, built on a spectacular coral cliff side. The low slung Makuti roofed complex (banana/palm leaf coverings), form a relaxing atmosphere. We had a great few days swimming, building sandcastles, reading, chasing monkeys, and playing games.

Tristan burying Ava in the sand

Ava taking her turn at burying her big brother

Camels on the Beach

Unlike beaches in Atlantic Canada, one of the unique features of East African beaches are the camels. You can hire a camel for a short stroll or a day long beach safari. Our kids took a short walk about a km up the beach.

Tristan and Ava on a beach walk

Emma camel riding

Ava leading the way

One of countless fishing dhows

that are scattered along the coast

It was great getaway! This week our kids are back to school and we are back to work. Thank you so much for keeping our family in your prayers. We are hoping to have some new content edited and up on the Podbean and iTunes podcast list soon. We'll post a link on the blog once they are ready.

God bless!

The Five Kennys

Lamu Town

Approaching Lamu Town by Dhow

On Tuesday, we sailed into Lamu town from our second hotel on Manda Island. We enjoyed a great morning of wandering through the beautiful stone town.

Aaron and Charles making their way down a steep street

Our hostess at the Peponi hotel had warned us that Lamu town is a "rabbit warren" of narrow alleys that branch off in every direction. Although she provided us with a hand drawn map of the main sites, she did not venture to try and capture the complexity of this old stone town. We met a friendly young Swahili man named Charles, who agreed to be our guide for the morning as we explored the town.

A man working on the makuti roof of his home

Erica and our friend Charles checking out

an original hand dug Swahili well. Fresh water is,

and has always been, a precious thing in Lamu.

We could fill our blog with photographs of the amazing carved doors and coral and plaster walls that make up the maze of narrow streets and thin alleys that make Lamu town such an incredible place to explore.

The markets of Lamu are filled with local produce, grains, fish, wood carvings, Arab relics, fabric and jewelry. There are also many wonderful artisans who have opened their own studios and workshops with their unique brands of Swahili art.

Aaron in the crowded vegetable market

(a lot nicer than the nearby crowded fish market)

Two young Swahili girls in the narrow streets of Lamu

Back on the docks, to meet our boat at the jetty,

we met teams of donkeys loaded with wares for the local merchants

"A man without a donkey, is a donkey."

Swahili Proverb

The Masai watchman back at our hotel on Manda Island

A huge baobab tree over shadows a mosque

and nearby lodge on Manda Island

Exploring Shela, Lamu

Erica visiting with the Ali in a doorway in Shela

On Tuesday morning, we enjoyed some time of exploring Shela and chatting with several of the local characters, including Ali Samosa, renowned for his wonderful hospitality and his wife's great culinary skills -- Ali makes a living by inviting visitors home for supper!

Shela Village

Lamu Island is famous for its incredible wood carved doors

Nearly every house and room has detailed lintels and doors

created by local artists over the centuries

Behind the ornately carved doors are secret gardens and beautiful Arabic styled homes and courtyards. Exploring this community is a delight of one surprise after another.

Erica on the Shela waterfront built from fossilized seashells

Looking out the door of our room.

Fishermen crossing the Lamu Channel with a lanteen sail.

Aaron on the veranda of our room at Peponi Hotel,

over looking the Lamu Channel.

Lamu Archipelago

The towering pillar of Mnarani Mosque

in the ancient Swahili village of Shela

on Lamu Island, Kenya

On Sunday afternoon, we arrived on Manda Island within the beautiful Lamu Archipelago on the coast of Kenya for a three day holiday. With its six main islands, surrounded by mangrove forests that grow out of the sea, white sand beaches and tropical waters, Lamu has been called the jewel of Kenya. This was our first journey to this ancient Swahili centre, that dates back to the 7th and 8th centuries when the pre-Arab tribes of the Bajun people established the earliest known settlements. The great stone towns that exist today were cut from the coral reefs by the Arab settlers who established trading ports in Lamu in the 16th century.

A Lamu Dhow Eye

Arabic dhows have been the principle source of transportation along the coast of East Africa for centuries. The small dhows that you see around Lamu are called kijahazi and are used today by fisherman and as local ferries. They are powered by the wind by large triangular sails called a lateens. The hulls, according to local sailors, are often dug out from a large mango tree. Distinctive of Lamu, are a number of interesting ornaments on their dhows from a sky blue nose carving with white scroll work, to the bright "dhow eye" that is suppose to bring luck to the sailor. These dhows eyes are found throughout Lamu as a good luck charm on shops and houses alike.

Shela Village

We stayed our first night in the medieval village of Shela with its wonderful maze-like streets and alleys, along an incredible untouched beach. There are no cars or modern roads in Lamu, donkey or dhow are the only two options for getting around besides hiking and swimming. We had a great time exploring the village and getting to meet some of the locals.

Donkey Riding

A fishing dhow returning to harbour

Walking the beach at sunset

Sunset over beautiful Manda Bay,

Lamu, Kenya