Christmas in Nairobi

Dan and I spent the morning of Christmas Eve shopping - first at a stall, (actually a blanket on the ground tended by an lovely older lady) who made beaded and other jewellery.  She had the nicest selection of all the stalls around and I bought several items for myself and to take home as gifts. She even made me a necklace to suit a top I wear, not too long and matching nicely. She also made Dan a necklace of black twine and beads. We then got Zoe's Christmas present, a tricycle. She had been  riding around the shop for days trying them out, but of course didn't know she was going to get one! We had lunch at the Java Cafe at the YaYa center, I had a delicious guacomole,cheese, tomato sandwich on a baguette. Their lemonade is also delicious, previously I had lemonade and ginger which was very strong, this time I had one with passion fruit, not quite as strong!

There wasn't a lot of evidence that Christmas was nigh, a few lights on hotel windows and some shops had decorations. There was a unique Christmas tree in Nairobi, perhaps used all over Africa. I wanted to get one for the apartment but Dan said no for this year as we were leaving the day after Christmas. It is made with some kind of tree trunk wrapped in banana leaves, the branches are also wrapped in banana leaves, and decorated with beaded and other ornaments.



Nairobi's unique Christmas trees

We really didn't have a lot to do, quite different from the Christmas Eve panic that manifests itself in Western countries, so before we returned to the apartment, we dropped in to the Nairobi Wildlife Park again, this time to go on the Safari Walk. It is basically an educational centre donated by the European Union so that African schoolchildren  can learn about the wildlife and protect them.

The animals are fenced off, but are in their natural habitat and just a few of each. There is a path that winds around the different areas and through a treed area, and makes for a good walk. We had started out just meandering, but then a guide seemed to attach himself to us, and was actually very helpful, telling us all about the park. We saw the rare white rhino, male and female lion, 2 albino zebras (very rare), and an ostrich, which we fed with leafy branches. We were let into the leopard area so we could see a leopard way up in the tree. We couldn't get a good photo as the leopard was so well camouflaged. The highlight of the walk was petting a cheetah. Our guide convinced the keepers to let us into the enclosure and pet them, which of course we did. The fur was not as soft as Wolfie's when I scratched him under chin (they are in the cat family after all!), and he was very patient with us, realising that his food was not us, but being held by a keeper. It was quite unbelievable, and so unexpected. We really lucked out with our guide. However, we had to say goodbye, having to get back to the apartment to get ready for the Christmas Eve service. 





Sign says "Warthogs and children have right of way"





Tea-time for ostrich





Keeper, where is my lunch?
Will I have to resort to white meat?



In the evening we went to the All Saints Anglican Cathedral for their Christmas Eve service of Lessons and Carols. We had been invited by the cellist in the string group I played with in the Mall (see Nairobi Dec. 11-26) whose brother is the organist there. The cathedral, a traditional Anglican stone building with a wooden ceiling and pews, was very full, and it was obviously well-loved and attended. The service was enhanced by the installation of flat-screen TVs attached to the support columns. It enabled us to hear well and see the readers at the lectern. The choir sang beautifully, and had two fine sopranos, one, the soloist in the traditional processional "Once in Royal David's City", and both in "O, Holy Night". The service was nearly 2 hours long, but I was glad to be there. It's good to have an Anglican church pretty much anywhere in the world, especially at Christmas time. Zoe was very patient, but able to come and go when necessary. There were other children to play with outside who found the service lengthy! Afterwards, I went to thank the organist, who is the head of the Nairobi Conservatory of Music, and we had a chat about Gillian's trip to Nairobi in July with her string students from St. Ignatius College in San Francisco.

At home after getting Zoe settled, we had lots to do, wrapping up  the presents ( mostly for Zoe). For a tree, we used a standing lampshade with leafy branches, and hung the ornaments I had brought from the States. Each of my grandhildren has their own Christmas tree at my house, and gets an ornament every year, so I brought Zoe's. In addition I had seen some lovely zebra ornaments at the Talisman craft shops, and bought a set for her and for Kate and James.



The Western Christmas tree by the pool



Christmas Day! Zoe is beginning to put it all together. At her school, they had a nativity play, and she was an angel (literally and figuratively). She learnt some carols, mainly jingle bells, but didn't quite realise the meaning of presents. However, she learnt quickly and had a great time opening them. It was so lovely to be altogether, although of course I missed Kate and James.

However, I had given them a Christmas party before I left, with games and stocking stuffers, so that was a good time for us all.  

The hotel we had booked for a Christmas lunch was north of the city, and on the way we stopped at the Memorial for the victims of the American Embassy which had occupied a corner block on a very busy street. The building was totally razed after the bombing in 1998 and the site is now a moving tribute to those who died, mainly Africans going about their business in the city. The garden has a fountain and a memorial wall surrounded by trees and benches. There is a small information center in the back. 

The American Embassy Memorial Wall

We drove on to the Windsor Hotel and Golf Club. It is the premier place for conferences and golf. Originally built in the 30s, it has 2 wings of Victorian style 3-storey accommodation. The central building has a dramatic staircase leading up from the foyer, and the main reception rooms. We had pre-lunch drinks in the clubhouse (cooler, it was so hot outside) before going to our table on the terrace. The large umbrella over the table shaded us from the burning sun. The heat is dry, so as long as one is in the shade and not moving around much, it is quite pleasant.

As a good Englishwoman I selected the roast turkey with all the trimmings, but there were many other dishes more suitable to the climate.  The Christmas pudding was  brought to me, as I hadn't seen it on the dessert table. It was two tiny mounds of pudding, which actually was very delicious, and a huge mound of what I thought was creme fraiche, but turned out to be solid Devonshire clotted cream. I saved some of it for the fruit salad I had later. A friend of Elisa who worked for the Swedish Embassy joined us for lunch and it was very enjoyable sitting there, which we did for quite some time. 



The Gingerbread House at the buffet.





The languid afternoon slipped by and we knew we had to get back to get ready for our flight to South Africa the next day. It had been a really enjoyable Christmas day with my family, out in such a beautiful spot,  lovely lunch and atmosphere. Bliss.

On our way back Maina, our driver, mentioned that the Masai Market was open in the city location (it moves around during the week to different locations). There had been many references to the Market, and I was eager to go. It was near closing time so wouldn't be a long stop. Zoe was asleep in the car, and Elisa stayed with her. Little did I know what Dan and I were getting into!

We were not prepared for the bombardment of the vendors when we walked in. I think that business had been very slow on Christmas Day, it was nearly closing time, and here were 2 unsuspecting tourists. They were like bees around a honeypot. I was not afraid, but overwhelmed by all the chattering, offerings and deals that were heaped on us, each one talking louder than the other. All our pleas to let us walk around to see what the vendors were selling fell on deaf ears, and we could hardly move. I clung on to Dan's arm, and finally said in a very firm voice that if they didn't leave us alone, we would leave immediately and not buy anything. I think they realised what I meant, and enough left so we were able to walk around a bit, with a few of them trailing behind. Dan was very good at negotiating, and we did purchase some lovely items, but as I told them, we would have bought a lot more if they had let us look around without being hassled. It makes for a good story.

A truly memorable Christmas Day, never to be forgotten.