Exploring - Paradaise Lost

New Year's Day

There are many interesting places to visit and explore right around the Nairobi area.  We found this place just outside of town.  It is called Paradise Lost.  As far as we can tell it is a privately owned park with picnic facilities, a small (very brown) lake, camels, donkeys, horseback riding and a fairly impressive waterfall.  After driving in on the very long, muddy, bumpy, one lane road we walked around exploring the trails.  Luckily we all wore our "gum boots" so we could stomp around in the muddy puddles without worry.  The red soil here gets all over everything and stains pretty badly.

Near the lake there is this sweet little structure where you can rent a boat or have a beverage.  We opted for the latter.  There is just something a bit disconcerting about boating in water that you cannot see into - especially here in Africa.

Both girls have been so excited about starting horseback riding lessons.  As we were not set to start until school began, the girls jumped at the opportunity to get on horseback - even if it was for just a short spin around a field.

After all of that, we were very hungry.  We headed to Diamond Plaza.  A giant indoor mall full of Indian stores and restaurants. There is a huge, established, Indian presence here in Kenya (many of them Kenyan born.)
At a vegetarian Indian restaurant here we discovered a snack food called Bajias.  Not sure if I am spelling this correctly, but it is extremely tasty!  They are fried potato slices that are coated in a very light batter along with some fresh herbs.  Then you spoon a kind of salsa which is spicy, has grated carrots and is very fresh tasting; the perfect addition to the richness of the deep fried potatoes.

Our boots were totally covered in goopy red  mud after our adventure day.  The girls helped me scrape the caked-on mud off our boots.

Happy New Year Everyone!