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Lanzarote

Posted on September 13, 2011 @ 5:17 pm by massimo | Filed under: advertisement,africa,architecture,bargain,blog,cheap,flights,holidays,illustration,island,news,people,wordpress

A friend of mine lives in Las Palmas, Canary Islands. He recently wrote me about Lanzarote, an island of contrasts -according to him- where  long ocean beaches coexist with the lunar atmosphere of the National Park of Timanfaya.  Harsh in some ways, this island can surely surprise me with its beauty that now I wish to discover. Meanwhile I’m only browsing the Web and searching among heaps of  low-cost deals, I found out that these cheap flights to Lanzarote are really worth checking! The island is the easternmost of the Canary Islands and is about 170 km from the African coast. My friend wrote that probably  the first thing I’ll notice -as an architect, is the elegance of Lanzarote buildings: white traditional style buildings never exceeding a certain height, with green or blue shutters.  It is the result of a plan strongly supported by architect Cèsar Manrique, who wished to preserve and protect the natural heritage of the island. Manrique,  born in 1919 in Arecife, after living in Madrid and New York, returned to his beloved island in 1968 and began a series of works, with the sole goal of harmonizing the landscape in the artistic creation. The otcomes of his work are scattered throughout the island and make it a unique place in the world. His house, Taro de Tahiche 5 km from Arrecife, was carved out of a solidified lava flow: it is the result of  a game of surprising contrasts that includes the blinding white of the structure and the black volcanic rock. My summary representation of Taro de Tahiche relies on a photo found on the Internet; it’s  just a personal reminder until I’ll be able to pay a visit to my friends in Lanzarote…

last minute!

Posted on September 8, 2011 @ 10:16 am by massimo | Filed under: africa,art,bargain,blog,fashion,flights,fun,holidays,illustration,kenya,lamu,people,travel,wordpress

I am quite an organized fellow when it comes to plan my trips. Since I’m going to be “on the road” usually for long, I always try  to arrange as many details as I can before leaving: booking in advance  is a must for me. Off course many people simply let their customary life-style go on:  late deal holydays is a perfect choice!  I know that a last minute rush to get organized can be fun and exhilarating and, I have to say, I experienced this special frenzy a few times when booking my flights as little as 24 hours before travelling! I suppose that my last last-minute flight happened a couple of years ago, while departing the  pictoresque Manda airfield (Kenya). Actually my first plan included a bus trip to Mombasa. I would left the island within a week so spending a few days more by the beach. Travelling by bus in Africa is a time consuming process, everybody knows, a bit demanding too but quite enjoyable to me. Yet some sudden news from home made my plans changed:  I had to hurry, in order to attend to my exhibition opening that had been anticipated. Fortunately enough the local air carrier had a vacancy on their Nairobi flight next day.  A lovely and imponderable last minute chance which made me feel suddenly happy and brazenly lucky!  The day after I found out that the plane was not exactly crowded: perhaps ten passengers all in all, and, among them a lovely red hair woman I had met a few days before…

 

an African bargain

Posted on August 22, 2011 @ 11:17 am by massimo | Filed under: advertisement,africa,bargain,blog,fun,holidays,illustration,kenya,people,travel,wordpress

For us Westerners, born and raised by the concept of “fixed price”, bargaining may seem a strange practice at first, or more benevolently, a waste of time. On the contrary Africans think that every bargaining is a challenge to immagination, a friendly way to “duel” with the customer, to value his ability and patience. Despite our different ideologies both of us look forward to get the best value: actually  a holiday deals is the golden rule of everybody who travels on the cheap. But even travellers who have no definite plan but not going home soon, need to bargain. So who cares if an hotel room deal or some souvenirs purchase turn into a time consuming process? The very thing is getting the right price, and even more important, being positively influenced by the local habits. How could I forget, for instance, the never ending deal I had in Mombasa with The Hydro Hotel indian owner some 30 years ago? How to forget his lethargic manner, purposely “provocative”, that included scores of apparently inconsistent questions and ended with a cup of chai sipped togheter, after he had appreciated my skills and before fixing the room final price: 18 kenyan shillings a day. A great price! So when I went back in Mombasa Old Town in 2009, I could not escape the feeling of paying a visit to the old and lousy Hydro Hotel which, I found out, was not changed at all. I climbed the stairs  and reached the same wooden desk at the reception, as in dream. The young clerk listened to my story, laughed a lot and said that the old baba retired just a few years ago…

Illustration Friday topic is: influence

books

Posted on June 15, 2011 @ 2:32 pm by massimo | Filed under: advertisement,africa,blog,books,flights,island,kenya,lamu,news,people,wordpress

Sitting on the terrace of the house in front of mine there is a blonde middle-aged woman who reads. Every night, before leaving my book on the big bench made of gray wooden planks and slowly going  to bed downstairs, I rest a moment to look at her… In the clear …

safari

Posted on June 10, 2011 @ 10:05 am by massimo | Filed under: advertisement,africa,animals,another green world,blog,cheap,fun,holidays,kenya,news,wordpress

Kenya wildlife is the main attraction to many visitors. The country offers a wide selection of National Parks were it is easy to watch wild animals. Young travellers really on a shoestring might think to avoid them at first, due to the cost of lodging there. Moreover you need a …

migrants

Posted on June 7, 2011 @ 4:14 pm by massimo | Filed under: advertisement,africa,another green world,blog,fear,holidays,island,mediterranean,news,people,politics,wordpress

A Malta holidays presents an opportunity to discover a country and a different culture only a short distance away from Sicily. The island strategic position, in between Europe and Africa, half way Gibraltar and the Middle East made it a perfect stronghold for the consecutive colonizers. The Phoenicians, the Romans, the …

Lamu night life

Posted on June 6, 2011 @ 5:51 pm by massimo | Filed under: advertisement,africa,beach,blog,fun,holidays,island,kenya,lamu,music,people,travel,wordpress

You might ask what on earth there is to do on an Islamic Island at night? The answer could be join a full moon party, a must almost for every tourist!  The party happens at the Shela beach and usually music is played by small  portable music systems. The local boys, …

african carved doors

Posted on June 4, 2011 @ 5:02 pm by massimo | Filed under: advertisement,africa,blog,cheap,fun,island,kenya,lamu,news,travel,wordpress

Lamu, Kenya’s oldest living town, was one of the original Swahili settlements along coastal East Africa. The town was first attested in writing by Arab travellers during 15th century. Lamu’s years as an Omani protectorate mark the town’s golden age. During this period, Lamu became a center of poetry, …

ablution

Posted on May 24, 2011 @ 11:21 am by massimo | Filed under: africa,blog,cheap,fun,holidays,illustration,island,kenya,lamu,news,people,travel,wordpress

The road trip from Malind to Lamu is a time consuming one. I found out that the road conditions have not changed much after 25 years. My second trip to Kenya dates back to 2009 and actually the very reason to get back,  was my need to compare the changes: changes …

boat people

Posted on December 28, 2008 @ 11:48 am by massimo | Filed under: africa,another green world,beach,blog,illustration,island,news,people,politics,travel,wordpress

Someone told me on the Vietnamese boat people who had landed on Pulao Kapas’ beach many years before.  I came across the boat’s wreck a few days later. The boat’s left over, nearly completely buried by the sand, really struck me. I stopped and stayed by that unplanned and …

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