Field Trips

So the last two days we got our share of field trips around Nairobi and it was wonderful....
Thursday morning we went to the Railway Museaum which despite being poorly kept up is really interesting because of the importance the railway has had on Kenyan history. While the museaum itself was very small, it was really fun because the guide was absolutley determined we would have a good time. Much of the efforts he put into this consisted of him convincing us to climb onto different artifacts in the museaum and the courtyard: the seat president roosevelt sat in on the front of a train to shoot buffaloe, an old bicycle that attached to the tracks, trains of all shapes and sizes. So I found myself amazed that he was walking a group of 15 of us on the roof of a 100 foot train, musing that this would never happen in the United States! But I definitely preferred it like that.
This morning we had a more Western museaum experience when we visited the Karen Blixen House. Karen Blixen was a colonialist who tried to plant coffee in Kenya but who really is famous for being the author and lady in Out of Africa. So while the museaum consisted of the house of someone who in the scheme of things did not do anything too spectacular, it was a beautifully kept colonial house and garden. So we spent a wonderful morning walking throughout the house and arounds the grouds - which was definitely a much needed peaceful break in the crazy atmosphere of Nairobi.
This afternoon we had our final field trip of the week, when we went to the open air market behind Adam's Arcade to practice our numbers by bargaining. I actaully wasn't interested in buying anything so I just walked around with my juice looking at everything offered and enjoying the hectic yet familiar atmosphere of a favorite haunt two years ago.
So all in all the last part of the week was an amazing excusion to different parts of the city and it only causes me to look forward to this weekend when hopefully I can get out and explore Nairobi even more!!!