i had a free weekend in kenya, so i jumped on a very inexpensive flight from nairobi to kisumu, kenya’s third largest city, on the shores of lake victoria. the climate is much more hot and humid than in nairobi, and the predominant ethnic group in this area are the luo people, who have their own language and customs. kisumu is a nice, mid-sized city which was fun to wander around. i did not encounter any other tourists. i wandered all around the city for 2 days – the expansive market area, the downtown business district, and along lake victoria south of the city, where there is an impala sanctuary, some fishing villages, and a place called hippo point which is where everyone goes to relax on the weekends and watch the sun set over lake victoria.
in past decades kisumu was a major trading center and port, but barriers to trade between the countries of east africa have unfortunately atrophied these connections. another interesting thing to see near kisumu which i didn’t have a chance to visit is a unique rock formation called kit mikayi. this site is believed to be sacred by members of the legio maria sect, a pentacostal offshoot of catholicism unique to the luo people of kenya who believe that christ reincarnated as an african man.
at the fishing village at the end of the road to the south of kisumu, i picked out a fresh raw fish and had it fried it front of me, lakeside, which was amazing!
