Lamu Retreat

Lamu is a special place for me. I enjoyed dearly the little retreat I had at Lamu, a cool Swahili town on the Indian Ocean coast.
It took 8 hours of a bus ride and a ferry ride to Lamu. When I saw Lamu looming from the horizon in the dusk, I had fallen in love with Lamu Island. When I landed at Lamu town, it was already dark. The streets were still lively with street vendors laying out their evening session, restaurants just open for Ramadan meal and locals and donkeys strolling around. I was walking through the deep narrow alleys and already fascinated on the first night.
Lamu town is a living throwback to the Swahili culture that once dominated the entire Indian Ocean coast. The winding streets, carved woods and traditional houses evoke the everyday sights and sounds of another age.
Sun rose above the horizon while I got up to the airy top-floor balcony at Casuarina Rest House. I watched sun rise and people start their day at the landing jetty and fishing boats getting ready to pull off the port. I was eager to explore the town under the sunlight. Compared with Mombasa, Lamu is more laid back, culture is richer and people are more mellow.I went back to the maze of alleys and winding streets where locals started their another day during Ramadan. I bought some pastries in an the only open bakery store. While I was eating some bread on the beach, I received " stares" from locals. Eating in the public is considered so " out of place" during Ramadan.
I spent most of my second day at Shela and Shela beach. Shela is an ancient Swahili village full of characters. Shela beach is a spectacular dune-backed beach. The sea water was so warm!I took a morning walk from Lamu all the way to Shela. There were very few people on the beach. A boy holding a donkey followed me along the way. There are some upscale beach front homes and resorts lining along the beach which offer work opportunities for locals. I walked with a local guy who was heading to a beach front home for some labor work. He told me the owner of the property was coming for vacation with his friends and he was hired to do some work around the house. He also pointed out a couple of luxury houses are owned by the same white person who owns an upscale hotel. It sounds that white person is the biggest employer in town and everyone looks up to him.
It was high tide coming back from Shela. I had to wade through the water. Dhow (sail boat) is a local attraction. I turned own an offer for Dhow ride back, instead I took a donkey ride back to Lamu. I treated myself a western style meal at a water front restaurant under amazing moon.
On September 5th, I returned to Mombasa where I bought a ticket for Dar es Salaam. Thus I wrapped up Kenya and moved on to Tanzania.