Monday, May 7, 2012

Adding Some Atmosphere



Alex was in Kenya about 25 years ago when he was in the Navy.  My son also got to Kenya as a port of call during his Navy days.

Both Alex and my son, John, told me that  before they got off their respective aircraft carriers and into port, they had to watch a movie and get a very intense lecture about the rate of both AIDS and other nasty STD's in the population, and particularly in the prostitute population.  It scared both Alex and my son enough to resist the temptations of the quite beautiful women who met them at the port to solicit a "date"..  (My son's best friend at the time, Crazy Pete, exercised no such restraint, and grabbed 3 prostitutes as soon as he got on shore.  Poor Pete spent the next four months talking to the Chaplain about eternal salvation, and on his knees praying that his blood tests would come back negative.  I guess all the prayers worked because Pete is still alive, and happily married now.)

 As you can see from the photo above, it's not just the women who are good looking.  (I'm just saying...)

While Alex was there he had the chance to take a "Photo Safari".  The safari included a couple of nights camping in the bush but with tents and accommodating people to set up camp, cook, and serve the guests.  The days were filled with driving through the beautiful country and seeing all manner of wildlife in its natural habitat.  Alex saw and took photos of a lot of the sights. 

 In the evening, everybody sat around campfires drinking beer and socializing before going to sleep in the luxurious tents that were provided.  As dusk approached, about 10 native men approached in full costume, including spears and sheilds and Alex was delighted!  He thought the men were the "entertainment" for the evening and looked forward to the tribal dance or whatever these guys were going to do.

Alex approached one of the safari organizers and told her how cool it was to have these guys in costume adding some atmosphere!  He also asked when they were going to perform.

The woman smiled at Alex.  Then she gently explained to him that these men were Maasai warriors and they were there to protect the guests from being eaten by wild animals.  Alex swears he heard a lion roar at that moment. 

But we all know how he exaggerates.