Our Private Kenya (1): Paradise Lost Park and the Kenyan Freedom Fighters

One of the pleasures of travel is the unexpected, and my time in Kenya provided me with plenty of opportunities to see and learn about things I had never known about before. And to go to places that I didn't even know existed.

That delightful situation continued with the recent safari, written about in some of these posts. Four discoveries, in particular, made me stop and re-think some of my ideas and preconceived notions about Kenya (and about Africa). Sadly, all of these did not happen when I was accompanied by everyone in our safari group, so I'm recounting these experiences for them as well as for anyone else who might be interested.

The first of these took place in our first week in Kenya. Andrew and I had not yet been joined by the others, and our safari excursions this first week were just the two of us, with Charles, our driver extraordinaire. And to demonstrate why I use that term, let me describe how I learned about this first very special place, known to very few people who are not native Kenyans.

It so happened that a few weeks before our safari - after our itinerary was "set," so to speak - Charles had had occasion to take another client about, and she particularly wanted to go to Paradise Lost. The name refers to a private "resort" or "park," often used by local Kenyans (especially on week-ends) as the site for picnics, games, horseback- and camel-riding, and such family-focused activities. And while the origin of the name is a little obscure to me (just as is the reason the words are used for another private resort, not connected with this one and located near Mombasa, on the coast), I suppose there's some connection between the word "paradise" and the usual meanings associated with it, and the privacy connected with the resort not being a very public place ("lost").

Such speculation aside, however, I'm happy to report that this Paradise Lost is one of the most intriguing places I've ever visited. First of all, it is spectacularly beautiful, overlooking a large lake that is used for many recreational activities. The resort takes up about 54 acres, and it's located about 8 km from Nairobi, off the road to Kiambu (in fact you can see Kiambu Town on the other side of the lake).

Aside from the beauty of the place, however, Paradise Lost is special for the non-Kenyan visitor for a couple of other reasons. First of all, there is the almost unbelievable charm (and little bit of scariness) of walking through the dense forest (the Kenyans prefer to use the word "forest" instead of "jungle"). There are paths, well marked, but the walking is still a little rough. And I can imagine that the paths might be very difficult to maneuver on a week-end, when so many of the Kenyan people are crowding into the park. We didn't have that problem, however, for Charles had blocked out time for us to see Paradise Lost as we embarked on our Thika safari, and as we arrived - very early in the morning - we were the only people there. Quite a treat!

So the forest is special, as you can see from these photographs and the larger set of pictures in the album A Kenya Secret: The Paradise Lost Park and Historical Site.We were intrigued as we walked deeper into the forest and could hear the first sounds of the waterfall (shown above). We kept on, never guessing that the waterfall itself would be so special. And as we approached, well, it's hard to describe just as lush and green the surrounding plantings are. The waterfall itself, which you can walk behind, is magnificent. So high and stately. Truly breath-taking.

What came next, though, really surprised us. As he had spoken with us about Paradise Lost, Charles had made several references about the park and its caves being the place where the "freedom fighters" were able to hide, especially after they had conducted raids or otherwise engaged in their fight for freedom. We heard what he was saying, but we weren't very clear about the implications of the term.

Finally it dawned on us. Charles was referring to what, in America and Western Europe, had been referred to (and taught to us as students) as "the Mau Mau rebellion" or "the Mau Mau uprising." Once we figured this out, we were just a little embarrassed to have taken so long to "get it." After all, as Americans, hadn't our own ancestors had a some experience with "freedom fighters" as well?

The story, as we learned it, was particularly interesting, and especially in light of this new way of thinking about it. The Mau Mau "uprising" had, yes, been an uprising, a rebellion, but to Kenyans, it was an event at the beginning of their national history that is as monumental as our own American Revolution. We even learned that the term "Mau Mau" is not some sort of tribal or rebel group name, as many young people in the West were taught back in the 1950s. The words "Mau Mau" are an acronym of a Swahili phrase, Muzungu Aende Ulaya, Mwafrika Apate Uhuru, which means something along the lines of "let the Europeans go back and let the Africans be free."

Apparently because they were hidden away, the caves seem to have been forgotten about after independence in 1963. Some 2.5 million years old, so the archeologists say, the caves were re-discovered by workers in 1996, with archeologists from the National Museum of Kenya finding some human remains 8000 to 12,000 years old, and rock artifacts from the Late Stone Age.

So the visit on into the forest, the walk along the forest path, and finally the climb into the caves was a very special, private treat for these non-Kenyans. As for being inside the caves (one of which is shown here), well, that is a different story since I'm not much for going into such enclosed spaces, and through such narrow and confining openings in the rock. But once we were inside, I was amazed at how big the caves are, and how much room there is inside. Indeed, we were told that the freedom fighters after a raid or other fight would easily slip into these caves behind the waterfall and completely elude the British troops looking for them, who had no idea where they might have gone. For the visitor to Paradise Lost, that story makes absolute sense.

Charles Ombongi Masese Completes SMR Africa's First Scholarship Program

SMR International has announced that the winner of SMR Africa's first training program has completed his courses. Inaugurated in 2010 with funding from SMR Africa - SMR's African affiliate - the program enables African students to learn ICT and KM skills.

Charles Ombongi Masese of Nairobi and Nyanguru Village, Kisii was the first SMR Africa scholarship winner. He used the grant for computer training, attending a seven-month program of nine courses, each with 4 -8 class meetings. The program is offered by Hansons' College of Professional Studies, Nairobi.

At the completion of the course, Masese was awarded a certificate from Hansons' College, certifying that he had completed training in a wide range of Microsoft Office programs, including Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Access, as well as training in searching the web.

Completing his studies, Masese was introduced to knowledge management and KM principles through attendance at lectures and programs at various organizations in the Nairobi area and at an international conference at Egerton University near Nakuru.

Masese noted that he is pleased to have this training in ICT and KM.

"This is one more communication tool for me," Masese said, and he expects to put what he learned to use in his business, C&G Driving and Safari Services.

As a driver for tourists who come to Nairobi to visit attractions in the city and the surrounding area, Masese is now positioned to arrange exceptional safari excursions. By using his new skills for searching the internet, as taught in the courses he attended, and combining these skills with his experience as a tour driver and his vast knowledge of Kenya's birds and wildlife, Masese can focus on his clients' particular travel interests. With this training, C&G Driving and Safari Services can now offer clients a better safari experience than they might find elsewhere.

"Taking these courses has been great for me," he said, "and I hope to use what I've learned to move my business forward. I'm very pleased that I know how to use these tools. Now I'll be able to build my client base, especially with clients from overseas."

The Hansons' College certificate was presented by SMR President Guy St. Clair in Nairobi on Christmas Day. In his remarks, St. Clair announced that SMR Africa expects to continue its support in ICT and KM training, and noted that interested parties can contact Nerisa Jepkorir Kamar (nerisaj@gmail.com) for further information.

For more information about C&G Driving and Safari Services, contact Charles Ombongi Masese directly at charlesomasese@gmail.com.

Beautiful Singing

Anyone who knows me knows I am a big fan of good singing, and one of my favorite baritones (for a long time) has been Thomas Hampson.

On Monday night, here in New York WQXR's Jeff Spurgeon hosted a conversation with Hampson. In the program, Hampson shared some of his ideas about the role of music in our lives, especially the high romantic songs of 19th-century favorite composers (including Mr. Guy's particular favorite, Gustav Mahler).

Even more special, Hampson spoke about and sang selections connected with his current focus, American songs. It was truly a splendid hour. Quite properly, even my belowed Ned Rorem was represented, with a lovely Whitman text. I couldn't resist pulling out the sheet music and attempting (only an attempt!) to sing along with this very beautiful song, which was a big part of my repertoire so many years ago.

Thank you to WQXR for making the program available:

The FOGs Safari: Mt. Kenya National Park

Although Mt. Kenya was given a little attention in the Flat Stanley series, like many of the other places visited on the FOGs Safari, there's more to say. First of all, even though Mt. Kilimanjaro is more famous, for Kenyans their own mountain seems to be the one they talk about the most (and Mt. Kilimanjaro is, properly speaking, in Tanzania, although it looms large over and is a great feature of Kenya's Amboseli National Park). Mt. Kenya is also renowned as a great challenge to the expatriates drawn to Kenya over the years, and taking on the training required for climbing the mountain and then making the ascent seem to be favorite adventures for the many Westerners who come to live (or even to visit) Nairobi. The mountain and its challenges has even been the drastic setting for a very unsettling novel by Anita Shreve (A Change in Altitude, published a couple of years ago).

Andrew and Charles and I had no such grand illusions. We simply wanted to see the mountain and, if we could, climb a little, starting with our vehicle and then getting out and walking as far as our limited climbing skills would allow. Truth to tell, we were primarily interested in the views from the mountain and to see as much of the undergrowth and any blooming wildflowers as we could. Nothing very spectacular in mind and that, in fact, is what we got. We had a very good guide (who also works as part of the Kenya Wildlife Service rescue team, so we felt pretty safe). And aside from the baboons, there's not much to worry about with respect to the wildlife.

The mountain was first noticed by Westerners back in 1849 (although, as I've mentioned before, the Kikuyu, Meru, and Akamba communities always considered Mt. Kenya to be the home of their gods). One interesting feature is the forest (the Kenyans say "forest" instead of "jungle") on the lower slopes of the mountain which give way to a bamboo forest a little higher up (for some reason I never thought much about bamboo in Africa - no particular reason, just didn't). Higher up, where we could not go of course, there are the barren peaks and the glacier, beautiful to see from afar. As I say, we specially enjoyed the views and the wildflowers. Some of our photographs from our expedition up Mt. Kenya can be seen here.

Flat Stanley Goes to Kenya (14): At the Equator and Saying Good-by

Finding yourself at the Equator certainly seems an appropriate way to wrap up a safari, so here are three of us, Mr. Geoffrey, Mr. Andrew, and Mr. Charles, basking in the equatorial sun with Stanley somewhere around Eldorat in Western Kenya, on our way back to Nairobi.

After three weeks together, it's time to say good-by to our terrific adventures in Kenya (and our brief venture into Tasmania). We've seen more than we can possibly share, but we're going to do our best, both with these stories about Stanley's adventures and, coming up, photos and perhaps a few more comments about some of the places we visited and the animals we saw that weren't included here. Mostly, though, what comes next will be just the pictures, for Africa is so beautiful and the wildlife and the views so spectacular that we can't stop with just what's been presented about Stanley's safari.

For folks who were not with us when we started these posts, here's the Flat Stanley connection, as described on the back of the book about his adventures (Flat Stanley: His Original Adventure, by Jeff Brown, published by HarperCollinsChildress, 1964): "Flat Stanley is an ordinary boy. At least he was, until the night his bulletin board fell off the wall and flattened him. All of a sudden, Stanley can slide under doors, mail himself across the country in an envelope, and fly like a kite!"

Mr. Guy and Mr. Andrew brought Stanley to Africa because Cindy Hill, a good friend in Los Altos, California, mailed him to them. When Stanley arrived at the St. Clair/Berner house in New York, he politely asked to come to Kenya, as his friend JT in Mrs. Nix's Class at Alpine Elementary School in Longmont, Colorado would be very happy if Stanley could visit Kenya and go on safari. So we hope these posts and photos will be useful for Mrs. Nix's class and her students. We all had fun, and we're very grateful to Cindy for asking us to bring Stanley along with us. He was a great travelling companion, and we all learned a lot from him, and from each other.

All the Stanley photos are online at the Flat Stanley in Kenya album (including quite a few that we couldn't get into the blog posts) and as we sign off from this adventure, here are some more photos, just to wrap things up:

The FOGs Safari Group: Mr. John Neral, Mr. Richard Huffine, Mr. Andrew Berner, Mr. Charles Ombongi Masese, Ms. Nerisa Jepkorir Kamar, and Mr. Guy (Mr. Geoffrey Onyango Opile took the photo, so he gets a separate picture below).

Mr. Geoffrey Onyango Opile

Good-by, Stanley. Let's do it again sometime.

Flat Stanley Goes to Kenya (13): The Elephant Orphanage

Flat Stanley had some wonderful times in Africa, but it seems the Giraffe Center (described last time) and the Elephant Orphanage made him the happiest. Yet describing the elephant orphanage is a real challenge because I become very emotional thinking about how the elephants were orphaned, and what wonderful work the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is doing to save them and then to rehabilitate them to prepare them for their return to the wild.

So the story of the orphanage is a touching one, and the idea of rescuing these babies after they have lost their mothers is certainly an idea that appeals to everyone. Whether the mothers have died in childbirth, in an accident, or - hard to believe in this day and age when poaching is so strictly outlawed in Kenya - when the mother has been killed by poachers for her tusks, learning about these orphaned babies and their care tugs at the heartstrings. Many parents bring children to see the babies, and when the attendant providing the commentary is as knowledgeable and well-versed as the gentleman who spoke to us on our visit, everyone goes away with a new understanding about the everyday life of the babies as they prepare to cope with going back into the wild. 

There's a certain sense of ceremony to visiting the Elephant Orphanage, starting with the entrance of the little ones, as shown in the photo above. The "procession of the orphans" (it might be called) begins with the babies and the well-trained attendants coming in from the forest quite a distance away, and of course that only enhances the anticipation (and, yes, Stanley was as excited as everyone else, jumping up and down as the elephants got closer to those of us who were watching as they came into the enclosure to be fed).

It was a great privilege to introduce Stanley to the Elephant Orphanage. I've visited several times, and written about the orphanage twice (here and here). Each time I've visited I've become a more attached to the animals, and I am really impressed with the success of the work that is being accomplished. On this occasion, I was pleased to introduce Mr. Andrew, Mr. Richard, and Mr. John to the orphanage as well, since I knew they would be thrilled to see the elephants and, of course, be amused to see the youngsters enjoying themselves and showing off for the visitors (as in this wresting match - all in fun - between two of the "kids"). 

Flat Stanley Goes to Kenya (12): The Giraffe Centre

The Giraffe Centre was a new experience for Stanley. As he prepared for the safari, Stanley had talked a great deal about how much he likes giraffes, and he was really happy he was going to see them up in the wild. Like many of us, he had a hard time expressing just which animal is his favorite, but as he and Mr. Andrew talked about the giraffe (which is Mr. Andrew's favorite animal), it seemed to me that the giraffe was going to be for Stanley as the elephant is for me. I don't think he realized, though (or perhaps Mr. Andrew and I didn't tell him) that he would have the opportunity to visit with giraffes up close, and in person.

It all happens at the Giraffe Centre in Lang'ata, a suburb of Nairobi. Back in 1979, Jock Leslie-Melville, a Kenyan citizen of British background and his wife Betty built an extraordinary home there and set up a trust to save the endangered Rothschild giraffe. They brought several of the animals to their home (it's now a luxury hotel called Giraffe Manor) and the Giraffe Centre is the educational institution formed to teach young people about giraffes and wildlife in Kenya.

We had a great time at the Giraffe Centre, including hearing a very fine presentation by a young educator who taught us a much about the giraffes. We came away knowing more than we ever expected to know about these beautiful, gentle beasts. And the best part was getting to know them first-hand.