13 August -- Mombassa to Malindi (by David)

OK…I’m keeping this one short, I promise!

After breakfast, we checked out and met our driver for the trip to Malindi. Before heading out of town, we stopped at a shopping center to change money and to check email and post our blog notes. We found a very reasonable cybercafé. I was very happy to hear from my nephew, Riley. (My ONLY family member who has taken the time to email and or respond to our postings in the blog….thank you very much! Thanks Riley!!)

The drive to Malindi took about an hour and a half. Passed an enormous sisal farm with the pointy leaved plants stretching out in all directions.

We checked into the Driftwood Club, which we absolutely loved. A very charming place, right on the beach, consisting of maybe 20 cabins connected by a series of sidewalks. Great bar overlooking the Indian Ocean and a single swimming pool. Boatloads of Italians here, a few Germans and quite a few Brits.

Just after lunch, we toured the Gede ruins….fascinating place from the 12 – 16th centuries. Lots of Asian, European and Arabic influence and trade. Lots of cool carved arches, columns and amazing deep and wide wells. Everyone was constructed of coral and a kind of mortar. Archeological digs found skeletons buried facing East (Mecca) which indicates they were Moslem. They also found beads, pottery, ivory carved knife handles, oil lamps, scissors, etc. The ruins consisted mostly of the foundations and walls of wealthy merchants and mosques. There were also several very unusual tombs with pillars and some that looked like gigantic, above ground tombs with monster-sized tombstones.

After our guided tour, we visited the two small museums and watched while our driver and guide hand-fed the colorful monkeys.

I went jogging barefoot on the beach after we got back while Roger snoozed. Dinner was a “to-order” stir fry, where diners could choose among prawns, fish, beef or chicken, along with dozens of veggies and an equal number of colorful spices. Delish! Very nice, cool ocean breeze while we dined.

Told you this one would be short!