Keld Bach Photography

Scene from the fruit and vegetable market in Nakuru, Kenya. Image scanned from a colour slide taken in 1977.

The Jumaa Mosque is one of twelve mosques in the little town Malindi by the Indian Ocean in Kenya. Non-Muslims are not allowed to enter the premisses, but from the seafront I had this pleasant view. The pillar tombs in the foreground are the remains of the original old mosque. However, this mosque has a rather bloody past as it was used as a haven for slave trading until the mid-1870s. Image scanned from a colour slide taken back in 1974.

Two fishermen landing the day’s catch in Malindi by the Indian Ocean in Kenya. Scanned from a colour slide taken in 1974.

A typical alleyway in Lamu town, Kenya. There are no vehicles or even roads on the small island of Lamu. Only narrow alleys and paths. So the only means of transport are either to go by foot or by donkey. About 3000 donkeys are at your service in Lamu, and they even have a sanctuary for old and retired animals. Image scanned from a colour slide taken in 1974.

Beautiful wood carvings are a traditional hallmark of the little Kenyan island of Lamu. Doors,
furnitures, panels, etc. are all made out of solid Mbambakofi hardwood, which is a member of
the Mahogany family of woods. Image scanned from a colour slide taken back in 1974.

Where I stayed during my first visit to Lamu Island, Kenya. Not a luxury place at all, but good enough for someone travelling on a limited budget. And it’s my towel hanging up there, as I had just returned from a refreshing swim in the Indian Ocean. Great times indeed.
Image scanned from a colour slide taken back in 1974.

An old house, typical style of the Swahili culture, at the island of Lamu, Kenya. Image scanned from a colour slide taken back in 1974.

Traditional dhows at Lamu Island, Kenya. During low tide the dhows are being maintained, loaded and/or unloaded. They have been used for trading, transportation and fishing for centuries, and can easily cross the Indian Ocean to Arabia and India during the Monsoon. Besides a fast growing tourist industry, Lamu benefits from the export of Mangrove poles, oil seeds and various grains, and the dhows on returning home, bring back silks, spices and porcelain from abroad. Image scanned from a colour slide taken in 1974.

A traditional sailing boat at Lamu Island, Kenya. Image scanned from a colour slide taken in 1974.

The east coast of Lamu Island consists of huge sand dunes and wide beaches stretching some 10 kilometres to the south. You will need a pair of solid shoes to walk about on these dunes, as the sand is much too hot for bare feet or even sandals. Image scanned from a colour slide taken in 1974.