TWO KENYA VISITS

                                  Two Different Interesting Visits

Our first stop on a full day of Nairobi sightseeing was the Karen Blixen home. She was the main character in both the book and movie, Out of Africa. She bought and occupied this home in 1917. The outside of the home was in the movie, but the movie inside scenes were filmed elsewhere. Much of the original property has been sold. The grounds were lovely and contained some of the biggest cacti I’ve ever seen. Some stood thirty feet tall and measured fifteen feet in diameter!

            A docent on the grounds gave us a tour of the house and told us some of Karen Blixen’s story. Danish by birth, she lived in Africa from 1914-1931 returning to Denmark after her failed attempts of establishing a coffee plantation---neither the soil nor altitude were right to grow coffee. She wrote under the name of Isak Dinesen.

            Her home, now a national museum, has been restored and was an independence gift to Kenya from Denmark. There are some, notably the dining room table, original furniture. Floor to ceiling bookshelves dominate one room. She was a headstrong and wise woman. A Danish suitor visited her often for a few days at a time, but they never married. She had numerous medical problems, many of which were ill defined and leave many questions unanswered.

            On another day we saw the train at the railroad museum used in the film Out of Africa.

At an ostrich farm, a guide told us, “On this farm all eggs are incubated. The display behind me shows the gestation of an egg from two weeks to maturity. The ostrich is only ‘in season’ during September and October. A female will lay 10-15 eggs.

             “The male of this species makes a shallow nest in the ground about a meter wide. Several females will lay eggs in the same nest so a nest frequently can hold 45-50 eggs”

            This fact amazed me.

            An adult ostrich reaches maturity in three years and lives only about five years in the wild. An adult weighs 140-290 pounds and measures 6-9 feet tall. Being very sociable birds they get lonely if isolated. This stress alone can cause death. They are the largest bird in the world and mate for life. They are native to Africa and do well in arid and desert climates. They have very strong and powerful legs.

            The docent continued, “The shell of an ostrich egg is thick and tough enough to stand on. By the way one egg will make the equivalent of a 24-egg omelet.”

            A commercial ostrich market is emerging. The meat is gaining popularity because of its very low cholesterol content. Nearly all of the ostrich has a commercial use. The skin of course is used for leather goods. The feathers make fine dusters. The eye lashes   make   paint brushes.     The skeleton and nails are used for several things including piano keys. Because the ostrich can distinguish color, scientists are studying the use of the cornea for human transplant. 

THE BRITISH MUSEUM

                             Introduction to a Fabulous Museum

            On one visit to the British Museum we arrived on a Sunday a few minutes after opening. The first order of business was lunch in their restaurant. It was delicious and reasonable. The guidebook was right stating this was the place in London to have lunch.

            The British Museum, built in 1753, is the largest classical building in England and houses 90 galleries with 2 ½ miles of exhibits. It is the world’s oldest museum and displays an extraordinary collection of artifacts representing every aspect of international cultural history. Some of the most notable displays include the Elgin Marbles, Lindow Man, Rosetta Stone, and Egyptian Mummies.

            Sir Hans Sloane, a physician and collector, born in 1660, devoted his life to scientific enquiry. At his death in 1753 his collection numbered over 79,000 objects.  He wanted his things to be given to the government for all of mankind. A lottery was held to raise money to establish a museum. Montagu House, a 17^th century mansion, was purchased for that purpose and the British Museum opened to the public in January 1759 for ‘studious and curious persons’.

            The museum has never charged admission. The new museum collected enthusiastically and many items were donated including numerous items Captain Cook had collected on his voyages.

            The Rosetta Stone, acquired after Napoleon’s defeat in Egypt, is one of the museum’s greatest treasures. Dating back to 196 BC, this stone was found in a wall of a building about to be demolished in a place called Rosetta. A young army lieutenant realized it was important and saved it. It provided the key to deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics.

            In 1816 the museum acquired the Elgin marbles. In 1799 Lord Elgin was appointed Ambassador to Constantinople. Concerned about the destruction of classical Greek ruins he assembled a team of artists to record what survived and later obtained permission to remove carved stone sculptures from the Parthenon in Athens, Greece.  The sculptures arrived in London in 1802 where Elgin displayed them to the public.  Fourteen years later, in financial difficulties, he sold the marbles to the government who placed them in the museum.

            There is soooo much that can be said about the British Museum that this is just an introduction. It is huge and one can spend a very long time there. If possible it’s wise to take it in small doses over several visits. There is just so much to see, and don’t over look the fabulous book store. No matter what, it should be at the top of everyone’s to do list when visiting London.

            The British Museum is one of 300 museums in London, and one can’t visit them all, but the British Museum is a must see.