Kenya - Nairobi (2)

NAIROBI - KENYA

Sent by Simon from Nairobi, Kenya.

Kenya - Nairobi (1)

NAIROBI
Kenya's capital is a thriving cosmopolitan city and the commercial and communications centre of East Africa. Often called 'The Green City in the Sun' has wide tree-fined avenues and tall modern buildings, the skyline being dominated by the towering Kenyatta International Conference Centre, the city lies 5,500 feet above sea level and 160 kilometres South of the Equator.

Sent by Simon from Nairobi, Kenya.

Nairobi /naɪˈroʊbi/ is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also form the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyrobi, which translates to "cold water". The phrase is also the Maasai name of the Nairobi river, which in turn lent its name to the city. However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is surrounded by several expanding villa suburbs. Inhabitants of Nairobi are referred to as Nairobians, and the city is governed by the County Government of Nairobi, whose current governor is Evans Kidero.

Founded by the British in 1899 as a simple rail depot on the railway linking Mombasa to Uganda, the town quickly grew to become the capital of British East Africa in 1907, and eventually the capital of the newly independent Kenyan republic in 1963. During Kenya's colonial period, the city became a centre for the colony's coffee, tea and sisal industry. Nairobi city is also a county in itself. The city lies on the Nairobi River, in the south of the nation and has an elevation of 1795 m above sea-level.

Nairobi is the most populous city in East Africa, with a current estimated population of about 3 million. According to the 2009 Census, in the administrative area of Nairobi, 3,138,295 inhabitants lived within 696 km² (269 sq mi). Nairobi is currently the 14th largest city in Africa, including the population of its suburbs. (read further)

Kenya - Jambo From Kenya

Jambo From Kenya.

Sent from Nairobi by Hary who was visiting the country.

African Wildlife - Lion Cub

Another postcard sent by Aliya from Kenya. Thank you very much.

This is what Aliya wrote : "I regularly see lions in the wild and at night it is common to hear them. The lion maybe the "king" of the jungle but he is harmless if you don't provoke him!"

Kenya - Mount Kenya National Park/Natural Forest

Mount Kenya Biosphere Reserve. Mt. Kenya has two major peaks Batian at 5,199m and Nelion at 5,189m. The area has a variety of different vegetations including the giant rosette plants.

Another beautiful postcard sent by Aliya.

At 5,199 m, Mount Kenya is the second-highest peak in Africa. It is an ancient extinct volcano, during whose period of activity (3.1-2.6 million years ago) it is thought to have risen to 6,500 m. There are 12 remnant glaciers on the mountain, all receding rapidly, and four secondary peaks that sit at the head of the U-shaped glacial valleys. With its rugged glacier-clad summits and forested middle slopes, Mount Kenya is one of the most impressive landscapes in East Africa. The evolution and ecology of its afro-alpine flora also provide an outstanding example of ecological processes.

Mount Kenya straddles the equator about 193 km north-east of Nairobi and about 480 km from the Kenyan coast. It was built up by intermittent volcanic eruptions, mainly 3.1-2.6 million years ago. The entire mountain is deeply dissected by valleys radiating from the peaks, which are largely attributed to glacial erosion. The base of the mountain is approximately 96 km wide. There are about 20 glacial tarns (small lakes) of varying sizes and numerous glacial moraine features between 3,950 m and 4,800 m. The highest peaks are Batian (5,199 m) and Nelion (5,188 m).

Vegetation varies with altitude and rainfall, with a rich alpine and subalpine flora. Juniperus procera andPodocarpus species are predominant in the drier parts of the lower zone (below 2,500 m). Cassipourea malosanapredominates in wetter areas to the south-west and north-east. However, most of this lower altitude zone is not within the reserve and is now used for growing wheat. Higher altitudes (2,500-3,000 m) are dominated by bamboo on south-eastern slopes, and a mosaic of bamboo and Podocarpus milanjianus, with bamboo at intermediate elevations (2,600-2,800 m), and Podocarpus at higher and lower elevations (2,800-3,000 m) and (2,500-2,600 m). Towards the west and north of the mountain, bamboo becomes progressively smaller and less dominant.

Above 3,000 m, cold becomes an important factor, tree stature declines, and Podocarpus is replaced byHypericum species. A more open canopy results in a more developed understorey. Grassy glades are common especially on ridges. The lower alpine or moorland zone (3,400-3,800 m) is characterized by high rainfall, a thick humus layer, low topographic diversity and low species richness. Tussock grasses and sedges predominate. The upper alpine zone (3,800-4,500 m) is more topographically diverse and contains a more varied flora, including the giant rosette plants. There are a variety of grasses on well-drained ground and along the streams and river banks. Continuous vegetation stops at about 4,500 m although isolated vascular plants have been found at over 5,000 m.

In the lower forest and bamboo zone mammals include giant forest hog, tree hyrax, white-tailed mongoose, elephant, black rhinoceros, suni, black-fronted duiker and leopard (which have also been seen in the alpine zone). Moorland mammals include: localized Mount Kenya mouse shrew, hyrax and common duiker. There have also been reported sightings of the golden cat. The endemic mole-rat is common throughout the northern slopes and the Hinder Valley at elevations up to 4,000 m. Forest birds include green ibis (local Mount Kenya race), Ayer's hawk eagle, Abyssinian long-eared owl, scaly francolin, Rappel's robin-chat and numerous sunbirds (Nectariniidae). Other birds include scarlet-tufted malachite sunbird, mountane francolin, Mackinder's eagle owl, and the locally threatened scarce swift. The alpine swift and alpine meadow lizard are near endemic.

Mount Kenya is regarded as a holy mountain by all the communities (Kikuyu and Meru) living adjacent to it. They believe that their traditional God Ngai and his wife Mumbi live on the peak of the mountain and use it for their traditional rituals. (Source)

African Wildlife

Another postcard sent by Aliya :)

Aliya trains Maasai playing cricket and she plays for South African woman team.

Hakuna Matata, Hakuna Shida

Another postcard received from my friend Aliya in Kenya.

This one shows : Masai moran near Loitokitok, southern Kenya (top), Samburu woman with child near Isiolo (center), Maasai boy before initiation - Ngorongoro (down left), and Sister and brother from the Magati tribe near Ruaha, Center Tanzania (down right).

Greetings From Nanyuki

One of the postcards sent by Aliya from Kenya. It shows the town of Nanyuki.

This is from Wikipedia : Nanyuki is a market town in central Kenya, lying northwest of Mount Kenya along the A2 road and at the terminus of the branch railway from Nairobi. It is situated just north of the Equator (0° 01' North). It was founded in 1907 by British settlers, some of whose descendants still live in and around the town. Nanyuki is now the main airbase of the Kenya Air Force. The British Army also keeps a base at The Nanyuki Show Ground (NSG) from where it conducts yearly desert and jungle training exercises on the mountain and in the arid areas to the north. Nanyuki is the capital of Laikipia East District. In addition to a town hall, therefore, it also houses the district headquarters.

Lake Bogoria

Another postcard sent by Aliya. This one shows Lake Bogoria, a saline, alkaline lake that lies in a volcanic region in a half-graben basin south of Lake Baringo, Kenya, a little north of the equator.

This is from Wikipedia : Lake Bogoria, like Lake Nakuru, Lake Elmenteita, and Lake Magadi further south in the Rift Valley, and Lake Logipi to the north, is home at times to one of the world's largest populations of lesser flamingoes. The lake is a Ramsar site and has been a protected National Reserve since November 29, 1973. Lake Bogoria is shallow (about 10 m depth), and is about 34 km long by 3.5 km wide, with a drainage basin of 700 km².

Local features include the Kesubo Swamp to the north and the Siracho Escarpment to the east, both within the National Reserve. The reserve is also famous for its geysers and hot springs.

The lake waters contain large concentrations of Na+, HCO3- and CO32- ions. They originate from inflow from the Sandai and Emsos rivers, and from about 200 alkaline hot springs that are present at three onshore sites: Loburu, Chemurkeu, and a southern group (Ng'wasis, Koibobei, Losaramat). Other springs discharge directly from the lake floor. Lake Bogoria also contains the highest concentration of true geysers in Africa (at least 18 are known). The lake waters are alkaline (pH:10.5) and saline (up to 100 g/L Total Dissolved Salts). The lake has no surface outlet so the water becomes saline mainly through evaporation, which is high in this semi-arid region. The lake itself is meromictic (stratified) with less dense surface waters lying on a denser more saline bottom waters. Although hypersaline, the lake is highly productive with abundant cyanobacteria (Arthrospira fusiformis) that feed the flamingoes, but few other organisms inhabit the lake.

The lake has not always been saline. Sediment cores from the lake floor have shown that freshwater conditions existed for several periods during the past 10,000 years, and that lake level was up to about 9 m higher than its present level of about 990 m above sea-level. At times it might have overflowed northward towards Lake Baringo. At times, during the late Pleistocene it might have been united with a larger precursor of modern Lake Baringo, but this is still uncertain.

The lake area was the traditional home of the Endorois people, who were forced to leave the area in the 1970s and are now challenging their removal at the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights.

Il Polei Maasai Cricket Warriors (2)

Another postcard from Aliya. And another limited edition of only 50 printed.

Elephants At Sunset

Another postcard from Aliya. This postcard shows the African Wildlife Elephants at sunset.

Il Polei Maasai Cricket Warriors (1)

Another postcard from Kenya sent by Aliya. According to her, this postcard is a limited edition with only 50 postcards printed. So, I'm really honored :)

Samburu Warrior

The first postcard received from Kenya, sent by Aliya, a friend I know from Colnect. There will be more fom her. This one shows a Samburu tribe, a Nilotic ethnic group in north-central Kenya that are related to but distinct from the Maasai.

The info on the back of the postcard : Samburu tribe spreads over an area of about 29,000 sq. km. A nomadic Maa-speaking tribe mainly living in Maralal and the border zones of Marsabit District. Unlike the war-like Maasai, whose culture heritage and language they share, the Samburu do not adopt an aggressive lifestyle.