Scenic Prisons of the African East

I realize that some of you (*cough* Mum *cough*) feel that I’ve been a bit of a hater about Kenya and our life here. While I’m not admitting to total Hater status (that right is reserved for Hubby), I do realize that I haven’t shared a lot of the nicer aspects of the prison… err… campus on which we now temporarily live. It really is quite a pretty place to be stuck, if the truth were to be known.

Take for example the exquisite and lushly landscaped grounds. I could honestly show you a hundred photos and still not cover all the wildlife, flora and fauna to be found. Everything from trees, flowers and even cacti are used lavishly throughout the grounds. Our neighbors across the scary fences get cool landscaping benefits from living next door to the Campus too.

Isn't this the coolest tree?!

Doesn’t this plant look like it’s about to attack someone? I mean if Poison Ivy were around, she’d love this thing and make it the center of her evil plant family. Maybe use it to maim innocent by-standers who tried to hurt her precious vegetation. (Ahh, the great joining of super villains, their modus operandi and random blogging. What could be better?!)

Heck even some of the architecture isn’t bad. Archways and window frames sheltered by local greenery are the rather pretty and scenic norm. Many of the buildings almost seem to have been designed to fit into the hilly scenery rather than the other way around. The whole effect is really rather easy on the eyes.

Well that’s not entirely true. The campus is picturesque as long as you avoid the Crayola orange brilliance of the Potato People’s building. Potato People, BTW, are like Pod People but more potatoe-y. Oh, and they have their own PP research center here on the campus.

Ok now for my favorite part! (Dad, you’re going to love this when you come visit.) We have these giant birds that hang out around the back of the campus. I’m positive that they’re somehow related to carrion birds like the vulture. Their wingspan is simply amazing. And if you get up close enough, you can hear their freakishly weird almost Moo-like song.

See! Not everything about Maximum Security Prison Nairobi is bad. Hubby and I take nice leisurely walks around the campus and are now enjoying the outdoors-loving side of us we never knew existed. It almost makes us want to get plants and greenery for our as yet unselected apartment.

Don’t worry, gardening Devoted Readers, we likely won’t actually do it. After all, my black thumb has killed one too many plants… Although a new country, a new beginning. A new string a dead…err… alive and kicking plants?

PS: Do any of you know what type of bird this actually is? Really Big Mooing Bird just doesn't sound quite scientific to me.