| My first thought upon arriving in Lamu, the pearl of the | | | | you feeling more guilty than satisfied. |
| Kenyan coast, was where have I taken my 7-year-old | | | | Our full-day excursion on a dhow, the age-old Arab |
| kid? Dusty, dirty and it smelled, horribly. | | | | vessels that grace the Archipelago's shores, was |
| Lamu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural | | | | about more than learning to fish with a line tied to block |
| significance, is steeped in the Swahili culture that once | | | | of wood. No pole. No reel. The journey from Lamu to |
| dominated the East African coast from Somalia to | | | | Manda Beach, only a few kilometers as the crow flies, |
| Mozambique. And despite my first impression, it doesn't | | | | was a lesson in navigating a channel at low tide. Our |
| take long for this backwater town to get under your | | | | lunch - fish, vegetables and rice cooked on an open |
| skin. | | | | fire - was a reminder that simple means can result in |
| Narrow streets, storied buildings, and elaborately | | | | delicious fare. The mangrove, home to the large crabs |
| carved wooden doors set the backdrop. Donkeys, the | | | | on offer at restaurants up and down Kenya's coast, is |
| town's sole means of transports, provide local charm. | | | | teeming with bird life and provoked many a whisper, |
| But what sets Lamu apart from the beach resorts | | | | "Mom, look, over there." |
| further south are the people: courteous, welcoming and | | | | On our last day in Lamu, we arranged a donkey ride |
| warm. While one should be aware of small tricks, as | | | | through a local boy. For my daughter, riding a donkey |
| of yet, there are few 'beach boys' here. | | | | with a burlap bag for a saddle was one of the |
| We spent the first afternoon wandering the | | | | highlights of our family trip. But the adventure will just |
| settlement's bustling streets, stopping each time | | | | as surely be remembered by the exchange that took |
| something intrigued. Watching locals play Mancala, a | | | | place when my daughter's newfound friend appeared |
| board game, was fascinating; their skill only wholly | | | | at our hotel bearing a gift, ice cream. While my |
| appreciated after we had our first go at Count and | | | | daughter happily shared the bag of cookies she had |
| Capture, as the game is often referred to in the West. | | | | saved for the flight home, she decided that old |
| Shopping also proved hard to resist. Kikoi, the striped | | | | baseball caps and t-shirts would make a better trade |
| and plaid fabric worn by men, line shops throughout the | | | | and should be packed on all future trips. |
| 'old town'. And while you may be able to buy the | | | | While the initial impact of Lamu may be strong, scratch |
| material and get a beach cover made for less than | | | | the surface and pour on. You can't judge a book by its |
| the EUR5 we paid, negotiating for change may leave | | | | cover, you know. |