Connecting African Culture Through the Seas
The Amazing Journey of Bill Pinkney Imagine leaving your life and the familiar touch of soil beneath your feet to sail across treacherous seas around the globe with only a …
It’s hard to believe when you look around at the number of people and buildings in Nairobi, that this is an “accidental” city not much more than 100 years old. Instead of beginning as an ancient settlement or as a market town on a historic trade route, Nairobi was set up as a work camp at Mile 237 of the Mombasa to Kampala railroad in about 1899. Since then, it has grown into one of the most exciting, cosmopolitan cities in Africa.
From the glittery high-rises of the hectic CBD, to the swank suburbs that radiate from the center, to the gritty neighborhoods that ring the city, you’ll find thousands of opportunities to shop, dine, and get immersed in local culture in establishments that reflect the international melting pot that is Nairobi.
You’ll find Lebanese eateries and sushi joints alongside restaurants serving Kenyan nyama choma, plus a healthy dose of trendy coffeehouses and gastropubs that display young Nairobi’s love of upscale gastronomy. Culture vultures can find more concerts, art exhibits, and museums than you can shake a stick at, including the fantastic National Museum and the Karen Blixen Museum, which memorializes the early 20th-century writer who was depicted in the movie Out of Africa. Shoppers can find numerous ways to spend their cash, from the trinkets at the Maasai market, to the handmade beads at Kazuri Beads factory, to the swank designer boutiques at Westgate Mall.
But Nairobi is not all malls and fine meals. This city of more than 3 million is home to one of the largest slums in Africa, an alternately terrifying and exciting place known as Kibera. Adventurous types can see how the other half lives via guided tours here. And if you’re really more interested in animals than people, you don’t even have to leave Nairobi to see them: Nairobi National Park, the AFEW Giraffe Centre, and the Sheldrick Trust for elephants are all within easy commuting distance of major tourist areas.
Safety: Despite the terrorist attack on the Westgate mall in 2013, Nairobi is overall a safe city. No longer known as “Nairobbery,” crime can be avoided simply be avoiding bad neighborhoods (primarily Eastleigh) and practicing basic common sense.
The Amazing Journey of Bill Pinkney Imagine leaving your life and the familiar touch of soil beneath your feet to sail across treacherous seas around the globe with only a …
Culture vultures, Nairobi welcomes you. Whether you prefer concerts, art exhibits, concept shows or something else, there are an infinite number of ways to get “Kenya-fied.” Make a stop at any one …