Mombasa: A hallowed land, sanctified by countless, and abhorred by a few

Far and wide, with a hazy horizon, and a diminutive figure-of hustle and bustle, of the Nairobi town-nestles an enchanting, Mombasa Island.

Tucked away on the far south-east coast of Kenya lies Mombasa, a cosmopolitan realm built on a Swahili and Arabic amulet.

Adjacent, pristine sandy beaches dotted all along the shorelines, with sky-blue waters.

The island is hemmed in pellucid salty waters-in superfluous; besides, plenty of picturesque views. And on its ragged, scorching terrains, a series of channels and canals intertwined with the mainland to form an innumerable of waterways. But you better punter on this, with you last buck, the existence of these severed links, in between the mainland and the Island, for instance, have had a paltry disturbance on its immaculate ecosystem.

Temerariously, it boasts its redundant of antiquities. And as aforementioned, it actually has grown-in a spontaneous fashion-to become an embodiment of tranquil ambiance, both in regionally and globally. As a matter of fact, everything in there seems to cooperate in an in a tandem fashion and also, in a sort of hush-hush mode.

And of nobleness, the affable motifs of the residents, and their culinary skills are especially exquisite and exotic.

Actually, their welcoming warmth is akin that of a brooding hen. It’s so heartwarming to an extent of making you implore for more and more.

Moreover, their savory culinary cuisines will definitely make you drool more.

Nonetheless, this complaisant loophole, for instance, was severally used against them. Later, it haunted them. And I mean dearly. In fact, it demonstrated in black and white-how credulous they were, to these aliens.

Something to write home about, the Indians, the Portuguese and the missionaries, who were the first explorers of the island is that, soon after their respective arrivals, they were instantaneously enchanted with the place.

In that, there were innumerable of engrossing factors that had made them too. They include: Firstly, the favorable climatic conditions and secondly, the availability of loads of untapped resources, readily available for exploitations.

More or less, an influx of these explorers, especially in the coastal region, was greatly enhanced by their painstaking explorations. Particularly, this was made possible by their ownership of some of sophisticated gadgets and equipment. And this, in turn, led to the opening up of the interior and thus, gobbling up land around its limits.

The aboriginals-of course, the locals-had for a period remained in solitudinously. However, the arrival of these extraneous individuals onto their Island, in a way; reincarnated a cloud of pallidity on their innocuous faces. Henceforth, they were in a sort of sixes and sevens, bewildered, and deluded. 

Nevertheless, it was not all doom and gloom. On their trails, in fact, they left behind a thread of indelible influences, marks and architectural adroitness, which have up to this date continue to reminiscent a magnificent mastery of workmanship-in retrospect. 

Notably, the existing relics and monuments, they had unilaterally built, have up to this day and age, continue to be an oasis of admiration unto hordes of people, of within and of without-architecturally!!

To mention but a few, they include Fort-Jesus and the infallible, Old-Town.

Particularly exceptional to be built was the Fort-Jesus. The fort itself was built to withstand an avalanche of onslaughts and incursions of the enemies. The facades of the fort, for example, were entirely fortified and erected aloft. This component, in particular, did dwarf and petrify lotta arch-rivals at the time. And the way it stood out, stoutly, with strands of biceps jutting out, akin that of a b0dybuilder, was especially mindboggling!

Also, the vantage position at which it sat on, was strategically and carefully bethought. This, for instance, became in handy, particularly in the spotting of the enemies, and also during the espionage missions.

Old-town on the flipside, though, was a strategic commercial hub (both in trade and slavery). Its antediluvian city and nook and crannies were arranged, in a sort of rows and columns, dotted with retrograde relics and monuments. In fact, they were in a perfect match, in retrospect.

During its heydays, it used to be a beehive of activities. Those naifs slaves to be exported abroad, were first to be drawn from the interior, then critically frisked, and thereafter assembled together in bundles. In precautionary tactics, they were kept in vaults. These vaults were extra toughened, of course, to minimize any unnecessary escapes.

Nowadays, the town is still impeccable! This is despite a myriad of shifts that have defined its sole existence, from furtive annihilation to pompous beautification. Hitherto, it remains undefiled.

Amigos, life's a soothing breeze in Mombasa. As an old adage goes, ‘when you go to Rome, do what unto Romans do.’