Sunday 17th of January – Arboretum Hallelujah

Sunday morning 10 o’clock Katja and Rainer arrived at our gate, we were going to the arboretum. Packed with some drinks and cookies, cameras, books, knife and bags we drove off, while there was still little traffic, although Sarit centre parking was already about to be full. In front of the Arboretum gate there is a car parking (Ksh 50) with three kiosks. At the entrance we read the board with opening hours and regulations of which one was about not making noise and respect other visitors. The entry is free and we saw there where quite some people in the park. While we were looking for the name of the tree species and other notes giving on the signs that were still readable on some of the trees, it became clear that books on tree species where not the most carried in this park, and it obviously was the bible. While we were inspecting huge Australian Araucaria trees a group of women were crying out to above, waving with their arms in the air. When we had something to drink sitting on some tree stubs in the shade, we were requested whether we could move, since one of a group of young men told us it was their spot. We found a very nice other spot in the sun on a dead tree, of there were quite many standing and lying around in this park. We were able to see a lot of interesting and special trees as well as common species and wrongly named trees as the really huge tree named Pongamia pinnata, which it is not. And a lot of people; in groups and single, praying out loud and silent, on their knees with their nose on the ground, sitting or stepping around with a book or with their hands in the air.
When we were almost at the gate we were stopped by a guard, who requested us for Ksh 1000 for photographing. This is an outrageous high amount of money, which made Katja really angry. We were shown the small notice on the other board at the entrance informing that both photographing of weddings as well as private or business will be charged with at least Ksh 1000. Katja called the responsible person as the number of the administration was given on another small notice. They agreed that the charge would be a donation to the park, which we agreed would be Ksh 100 per person.
At my place we enjoyed some coffee and tea, discussing today’s and other issues.
Link to the arboretum
http://www.naturekenya.org/FONArboretum.htm
Pictures
Fried egg tree (Oncoba spinosa) flowers
Lantana; A shrub with weedy tendencies with thorny branches, although it has beautiful flowers and edible blueberry-like fruits.