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MT 8 APR 2018

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maltatoday SUNDAY 8 APRIL 2018 39 ing the ruins. Though they are not common on the island, they date back around 1,000 years. For anyone who loves the sea, and sailing boats in general, you must go on a dhow. Though making the journey from Mom- bassa to Lamu on one of these is not recommended, sailing around the safety of the island with a local crew is an experi- ence not to be missed. These boats are made of carefully chosen wood, cotton and man- grove roots with huge cloths as sails and a trapeze made out of a plank of wood to keep the boat balanced and stop it from capsizing - unless you fall off the plank, where you will then be in for a full catapulted capsize. Before you get put off this only happens when crews are made up totally of foreigners as lo- cal sailors know their boats and have some serious sailing skills. Local sailors are mostly fisher- men who can find their way across the ocean in the darkest of nights and can keep the boat steady in strong winds and high waves. I would suggest renting out a dhow for a day to either go on a fishing trip, or a free roam- ing sail around the island. If time is pressing, just go for a sunrise or sunset sail. Other watersports are common around the island particularly at Shela. Donkey riding is also good fun and twice a year you can wit- ness some competitive races be- tween the three main Towns of Lamu. There are also six major dhow races per year, the most exciting and competitive for the locals would be the one on New Year's Day. The island is steeped in tradi- tion with locals speaking four different languages as a result of the various ethnic groups that populate the island and differ- ent culinary and craft skills are passed on from generation to generation. The night life is al- so very popular in Lamu, where locals need very little reason for a celebration – much like the Maltese! One of the best night life spots would be a floating bar close to the mangrove for- est of the Manda island. The people of 'Lamu Tamu' as they say, are generally a very positive and vibrant sort. They are friendly and caring, poor yet rich in their surround- ings. However the small island mentality can tend to send some on a perilous journey through drugs or alcohol ad- diction which the locals have to deal with, without proper rehabilitation facilities. All in all the people are very friendly and befriending a local family is quite easy, and if you are lucky you will be able to share fishing expedi- tions and dining experiences that will show you the true culture of Kenya. Lamu Tamu is definitely my pick for a taste of the Carib- bean at more affordable prices. Travel In Maltese we call it denb il-ħaruf (the lamb's tail) and it's easy to see why. The flowers of the white mignonette grow in long, tapering bunches of off-white florets, and the petals and stamens soften the edges so that the spike looks positively fluffy! White mignonettes attract many insects like bees, bugs, beetles and butterflies and in this way they enrich biodiversity wherever they grows. It is a common plant that at this time of year graces our road sides with its prodigious masses of flowers. But – like many other wild flowers that apparently have the cheek to grow without humans' express permission – the white mignonette is considered a weed and therefore is condemned to fall victim every year to bands of men armed with herbicides and grasscutters. It is sad that in this country so many consider the obliteration of wild flowers as cleaning, upgrading and embellishment. For a few years now, Friends of the Earth Malta has been organising the BeeAware course, a collection of lectures and practical sessions aimed at providing aspiring beekeepers and those interested to learn more about bees and pollinators with practical information, scientific background and knowledge from local beekeepers with years of experience. We believe in supporting local apiculture and building a bigger community of beekeepers, because their work supports the survival of bee colonies in general, and the endemic bee species, Apis mellifera ruttneri, in particular. Bee numbers have been dwindling globally and are threatened by a number of causes; pests and diseases, lack of food sources, pesticides, climate change, habitat loss and changing farming practices. At the same time, we rely on bees for the pollination of our food sources: over 80% of crops and wild plants require the help of pollinators to reproduce and form fruit. 604. WHITE MIGNONETTE Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as for information about how to join us. You can also support us by sending us a donation - www.foemalta.org/donate GREEN IDEA OF THE WEEK 507: Find out more: www.foemalta.org/beecause The Buzz about bees Text Victor Falzon Photo Desirée Falzon destination Getting there Emirates offer regular flights to Mombassa, Kenya, with a stopover in Dubai and Nairobi. Flights departing from Malta on 4 May and returning on 18 May were priced at €1,432, including tax at the time of going to print. From Mombasa you take an eight-bus to the small fishing village on Mowoke and then a 45-minute ferry ride to the island on Lamu.

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