21st Aug

21st August

We went to the ‘old town’ in Mombasa. This area of Kenya is the oldest part of the country in the sense of buildings and it is right next to fort Jesus, a shipping fort built by the Portuguese, so called because it is a big stone fort in the shape of Jesus on the crucifix.
We spend over two hours walking through the fort and the town, in the blazing sun! Mombasa is just a beautiful part Kenya, the people and the place. There are lots of open markets, with vendors selling food, clothing and goods. Ok the vendors do make a big show of trying to make people visit their stalls or shops, but if you say no, its no and hey will leave you alone. There is not the type of desperate in your face, over your shoulder, standing in front of you hassle to buy like in Nairobi. Also there is scope for bartering, which isn’t aggressive like in Nairobi!
We had a really cheap meal in a Kenyan cafe in the town centre. The staff here were hilarious, the place was full of girls working their Saturday jobs and bored shitless, honestly, i have never been served by such a watt-less group of individuals in my life. Made us giggle thou, don’t matter what country ya in –if ya working a boring job, ya working a boring job and its gonna show in ya face and ya actions. It is actually nice to eat in the eateries catering for Kenyans rather than tourists, cos the food is generally cheaper and your really get a feeling that you are immersing yourself in Kenyan life. Although being told that the ladies toilet was for ladies and being ushered out of the stall and pushed towards the gents toilets made me feel at home. Un believable, minus my Kenyan top (mens of course) i essentially look like a Kenyan teenage girl (ok or teenage boy). The people here really stick to the clothing that their gender would wear. Ive seen some women here that would pass for drag kings but no one batts an eyelid at them, but me in my wicked African tops, gets ushered to the gents, they are having a laugh.

However, What was just simply refreshing to see and completely changed my opinion was seeing, Muslim women actually Muslim people, walking free, undisturbed, with no feelings of distain, distrust from other non Muslims. In England I hate to say but there is an underlying hate towards Muslim people. After nine eleven Muslims received a bloody hard time. All were made responsible for the atrocity and the necessity for them to wear religious attire has questioned and singles them out for hate crime. Also, hate crime from Muslims particularly Bangladeshi Muslims is on the up. Gang warfare is rift especially in east London, where the Muslim community don’t do themselves any favours. After being in receipt of so much abuse after the last few years, I too am weary of Muslims and I guess actively get myself into debts regarding controversial religious issues, one of which being the debate regarding the Burka, I initially didn’t think the attire really had a place in English society and would really like to think that women were given a choice in wearing the clothing that didn’t involve pressure to conform to their elders cultural beliefs (although maybe Muslim women argue that they choose to be covered and that they do not receive any pressure from members of the family, a part of me believes this but most of me thinks that pressure can be wordless cultural phenomena). I also seem to have a problem with the observation that I have made especially in East London that many Muslims seem to want to convert everybody to their religion and disregard anyone who isn’t Muslim. I have had sweet shop owners not serve me, refuse to place money into my hand, not look at me. I have had Muslim boys screams hate at me, women turn away from me and Muslim boys spit at my back or at my feet. This has caused me to be weary seriously weary. BUT here in Mombassa things are so bloody different, makes me think that the English Muslims may have a confused thought patterns and ideas of Islam. In Mombassa muslims –black, white Asian, Arab, all live side by side. Non Muslims hang with Muslims and people of other faiths. They share shop space, work together have stalls with each other. There is respect for all and everyone. At certain times, some shops close, other non Muslim shops remain open. Honestly, things are so different, the men were traditional clothing, the women wear clothing varying from western clothing and a head scarf to a full body covering burka outfits, and nobody butts an eyelid.
I went into shops and bought items from Muslim men and women and was shown genuine kindness and respect. Muslim women gave us directions. People stared at us but that was because we were out of towners and the girls are white. We walked unaccompanied in Mombassa town. One Muslim man even advised me to wear my bag on my front so as not to get pick pocketed. Nobody screamed abuse at me, despite me wearing a man’s top and men’s shoes, I looked like a pure Kenyan boy, but no bother. Pure bliss and so nice to see.
Maybe some of the Muslims and non Muslims alike in the western world could maybe take a trip to Kenya become enlightened. All this hate is boring and seems created and perpetuated in London/UK as oppose to being an institutionalised aspect of Islam.