Nairobi, Kenya

And miles to go before we could rest.  But finally we got to our hotel in Nairobi, Kenya... via Detroit and Amsterdam.  I guess 30 hours of airports and airplanes explains our shell-shocked look...

Yes!!!

And roses for the ladies at our hotel...

The next day, Jan went with the group to walk around Nairobi and visit the National Museum.  And they saw lots of storks.  I stayed back and recharged.

We went for a 'Braai,' in the evening, the African version of a barbecue, sampling various meats, including crocodile, cooked over open fires.  The braai we did in Zimbabwe several years ago featured face painting and beating on drums.  This was a more sedate affair where we were able to get to know our fellow travelers over some good food.

We visited a giraffe sanctuary, where orphaned and injured giraffes are taken care of, hopefully preparing them to be released back into the wild.  And learned the differences between the three main types of giraffes, which I have now forgotten.  We handled a leg bone of a giraffe.  It was very dense and very heavy, as you might expect with those spindly legs holding up these tall animals.

Smooching with the giraffes!  Or maybe it was the treat in our mouths that attracted them.

Some artwork by children at the giraffe sanctuary.  From the sanctuaries to the schools to the gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Congo, children are taught to love and respect the magnificent animals indigenous to their countries.  This, and tourism, has provided opportunities for people so that they are less likely to poach these animals in order to feed their families.  It starts with the children!

On the way out of Nairobi, we visited Karen Blixen's house and museum.  Blixen wrote the popular book 'Out of Africa,' which was also made into a movie.

On our last trip, to Norway and the Baltic States, we had lunch one day in this hotel where, among others, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Karen Blixen stayed back in the day.  Small world!

And an impromptu visit to a bead factory on the way out of town.  Jan got a nice bead necklace and some other little trinkets.

While the others toured the bead factory, I sat outside and talked politics with our driver, Amos.  My take-away from this conversation was that here in Kenya, despite heated and contentious elections, everybody is friends again shortly after the election.  They don't take the election or results personally.  Current President Kenyatta's father was also the first President of Kenya.after having been it's Prime Minister.  And the opposition leader's father was once Kenyatta's Prime Minister.  The powers that be!