Fascinating Interpretations of Different Gestures by Different Cultures

When visiting different countries around the world you have to take caution of the kind of gestures you use. Some have different meanings in different countries so you must be careful not to get into trouble.

While Western culture has become used to the thumbs-up as a positive, informal signal, generally indicating a job well done, there are cultures where a thumbs-up may land you in trouble. In most of Latin America and West Africa, as well as Greece, Russia, Sardinia and the south of Italy, the thumbs-up basically means the same as the middle finger. Also, it’s generally not recommended to use the thumbs-up around the Middle East as an insult out there.

Opening your palm to your target and stretching out your fingers seems harmless enough to most Westerners. Most people would think you’re waving. In Greece, however, the gesture is known as a moutza, and is one of their most traditional manual insults.The gesture is also an insulting one in Pakistan and many parts of Africa. The Japanese use a very similar sign to insult their old enemies, the Koreans roughly translating as ‘animal’.

Curling your index finger towards you in a summoning motion is a gesture used to beckon people to follow you. Beware, however, of using this gesture in the Philippines – it’s a method of
communication considered worthy only to use on dogs, and is actually punishable by arrest. Worst of all, they’ll break your index finger in order to prevent you from committing the same crime again!

While many people assume that maintaining eye contact is a sign of courage and honesty in Zimbabwe it is rude to maintain eye contact. In Lebanon raising a closed fist into the air is making a rude gesture while to nod your head means yes. To signal no, point your head sharply upward and raise your eyebrows.

Impala Hotel

The Nyali Beach Hotel

Nyali Beach Hotel is set amid 20 acres of flamboyant tropical gardens and has been extensively refurbished and modernized while retaining its cultural charm. The hotel, which is one of the first beach hotels to be established in Mombasa, is rated as a 5 star accommodation.

It displays an impression of cool, whitewashed walls and tiled floors. There are ceiling fans, potted palms, cool marble and wicker furniture.The atmosphere is laid back and comfortable. There is a wide variety of accommodations from luxury suites to mature cottages. The main building has spacious older rooms while the Garden Wing rooms are more modern and spiral through the tropical gardens.The Garden Wing has a total of 122 twin rooms. The luxury Palm Wing has 52 rooms close to the sea, most with ocean views. These are spacious rooms with wood floors, satellite TV, radio and mini-bar. All rooms have modern bathrooms, air-conditioning, telephones and 24 hour room service.

HOTEL FACILITIES:
Bistro Mchana- Is a popular restaurant on the ground floor of the main building serves a la carte meals and a daily specialty which includes children’s menu.Mvita Grill- Located right on the beachfront this attractive thatched a la carte grill specializes in seafood. Our resident jazz trio is extremely popular with all guests.

Pool Terrace- Is an open- air terrace with a custom built barbeque area. It gives you a chance to dine as you get entertained by a 5- piece band.

Pizza Place - Beneath the pool terrace and alongside the pool edge is a pasta restaurant and ice cream parlor. A selection of pastas, pizzas and salad bars are served daily.

Parrots Terrace - Situated near the beach, this casual open plan thatched restaurant enables diners the opportunity to enjoy the cool sea breezes and watch the beaches many activities. This restaurant specializes in barbecued seafood.

L’Orangerie - This attractive split level dining room in the main building, serves breakfast and
sumptuous carvery dinners.

Harry’s Bar This air conditioned English style ‘pub’ is open daily from 5.00pm until midnight and from 1.00pm on weekends.

Fountain Lounge: The atmosphere of this attractive open plan lounge is enhanced by views over the pool terrace and serves a variety of drinks including Coffee, Cappuccino etc.

Noon’s Night Club: A modern disco where the resident DJ plays the latest hits as well as the best golden oldies.

Pool Bar: Share a drink with friends and have fun at the happy hour bar which is located by the main pool.

Lanes Bar: You can also choose to have your drink at the beach front, 20 meters away from the sea.

Ngerende Island Lodge

Ngerende island Lodge is a must place to visit for everybody. The rooms are exceptionally clean and the decor is out of this world. The service is excellent and the staff are very polite, concerned with their guests and giving guests a very personalized service. The poo overlooks the river full of hippos and one feels like they are swimming with the hippos. The different dinning places are well thought and very well set up.

Ngerende Island Lodge is located in the Ol Choro-Oirogua Conservancy, which borders the Maasai Mara National Reserve. The lodge is situated in a bend of the Mara river, the lodge on almost all sides. The Conservancy Olchoro includes more than 5,000 acres and consists mainly of open savanna, except along the banks of the Mara River, which are forested and an ideal habitat for wildlife. There are over 140 species of birds spotted at the lodge. To lodge are three pools, where every day crocodiles,hippos and elephants show.

Being in the Masai Mara, game driving is at the core of the offer. Ngerenede offers morning, afternoon and night drives; guided bush walks; sundowners and bush breakfasts; as well as relaxation from massages and aromatherapy; There's also a gymnasium and swimming pool. The resort is ideally suited for the hosting of weddings. The honeymoon suite makes a perfect getaway retreat.

A feature of the Conservation Ranch is an exclusive project to rear the White Rhino so that they can take their place back in the Mara society to which they belong in greater numbers. Over 180 varieties of birds have been spotted within the lodge itself and there are 3 Hippo Pools strategically located around the lodge.

The lodge boasts of seven luxury en-suite tents complete with traditional fire place, lounge area, bedroom and bathroom with a bath tub with stunning views of the surroundings. Each suite has an individual character with a wide canvas openings onto a large verandah, overlooking the Mara River. All suites have a personal room attendant.

Other facilities include:
Swimming pool
Restaurant
Lounge
Bar
Reception
Craft shop
Spa

Activities:

Game drives using specially designed 4×4 vehicles.
Visit the Rhino Sanctuary
Full day game drives to the park or Trans Mara (on request and additional park fee)
Night Game Drive (optional extra)
Guided bush walks
Bird watching
Planting trees in the conservatory
Visit the local school / pharmacy
Bush Breakfast / lunch / dinner, weather permitting
Sundowners

Serena Mountain Lodge

Serena Mountain Lodge is the only ‘tree hotel’ ever to be built on the slopes of Mount Kenya and Floats 2,195 m high on the flanks of the mountain and secreted deep within her largest forest reserve. The lodge offers not only the champagne-clarity of mountain air, the tranquility of the forest and a colourful cavalcade of wildlife but also the chance of scaling the icy peaks of Africa’s second-highest mountain.

All the rooms face the waterhole where you can just sit back and watch whatever is happening
around the waterhole inside your own room.There is also a tunnel that goes underground to see the animals around the waterhole in a more up close and personal. Serena Mountain Lodge is surrounded by a dense rainforest that comes alive at dusk with myriad of sounds that make the African bush so special and exhilarating; and this is just a sample of what to expect on a safari to Kenya.

For those who love to be surrounded by nature, this lodge will be your best bet as it's situated deeply in the forested area. Do not be afraid of the cold weather as a hot water bottle is placed underneath the bedcover to warm up your bed every night.

Just three and a half hours by car from Nairobi, this stunning area is towered over by the rocky peaks of Mountain Kenya and prides itself in having one of the most consistent high records of big game 'visits' and sightings. Elephant, buffalo, rhino and waterbuck are regular sights in the evenings and by day, Kenya safari game drives.

The African safari hotel architecture in superb and has the following particular characteristics:

* 42 total guest rooms.
* 18 rooms with two single beds.
* 4 rooms with doubles beds.
* 2 rooms with single beds.

Guest amenities include:.

* Satellite TV.
* Communication available via telephone, fax and radio.
* Nurse on call 24 hours. Flying Doctors Service is also available.
* Emergency Medivac to hospital from nearby airstrip.
* Daily laundry/pressing service.
* Shoe shining service.
* Binoculars and hairdryers available at reception desk.
* Central safety deposit service available, free-of-charge, at the reception desk.
* Voltage is 240 V in rooms; shaver outlets have both 110 V and 240 V. Adaptors available at the reception desk

Facts About the Nairobi National Museum

Nairobi National Museum is located at the Museum Hill,approximately 10 minutes drive from the Nairobi city centre and is home to some of the most celebrated collections of history, culture and art from Kenya and East Africa.

The Museum was initiated in 1910 by the then East Africa and Uganda Natural History Society
[currently the East African Natural History Society (EANHS)]. The group consisted mainly of colonial settlers and naturalists who needed a place to keep and preserve their collections of various specimens.

Within the national Museum grounds the Nairobi snake park where visitors can view life snakes such as Black Mamba and other reptiles and a birds gallery for birders with the mostly likely birds to be seen any where in the country.There is also a recreated Kikuyu homestead. Visitor will also be able to observe exhibits of fossil from Lake Turkana , geological displays, rock arts from Tanzania and exhibits about topics such as Swahili and Asian culture in Kenya and Masai Mara wildlife. Within the city center is the national archives which contains historical documents, photographs of both President Kenyatta and Moi visiting different countries, exhibitions of handicrafts and paintings.

Today the National Museum of Kenya has responsibility for about 20 regional museums, many sites, and monuments across the country and has a variety of products ranging from Branded merchandise, Castings, Eco-tourism facilities , Hiring facilities among others which are all available at friendly prices. The National Museum of Kenya is open from 9:30 am to 18:30pm.

Safari Park Hotel

Delicious Simple Easter Meal Receipe for Your Family

Easter holidays are here with us and in most Kenyan homes the extended family will be meeting in one of their relatives' home for the unique Kenyan family get together. if not in a home then they will definitely be out on a family Safari and most probably in a family cottage. Either way food will be of paramount importance. Here is a simple recipe to prepare a sumptuous Aromatic Rice and Greek-Style Lamb Shanks Stew meal for your family.

Greek-Style Lamb Shanks Stew
* 1 tablespoon(s) vegetable oil
* 1 teaspoon(s) salt
* 4 small (1 pound each) lamb shanks
* 2 medium onions, diced
* 1 large carrot, diced
* 2 clove(s) garlic, minced
* 1 can(s) (14 1/2-ounce) diced tomatoes
* 1 cup(s) chicken broth
* 4 medium (about 1 3/4 pounds) all-purpose potatoes, each cut into quarters
* 3/4 pound(s) green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces
* 2 medium lemons
* 2 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh dill
* 2 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. In 8-quart Dutch oven, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt on lamb shanks. Cook lamb shanks, 2 at a time, until browned on all sides. Remove shanks to bowl as they brown.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In drippings in Dutch oven, cook onions and carrot until tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes.
3. Return lamb shanks to Dutch oven. Add tomatoes with their juice, chicken broth, and 3/4 teaspoon salt; heat to boiling over high heat. Cover Dutch oven and bake 1 1/2 hours. Turn lamb shanks over; add potatoes and green beans. Cover and bake 1 1/4 hours longer or until lamb and potatoes are tender.
4. Meanwhile, from lemons, grate 1 tablespoon peel and squeeze 2 tablespoons juice.
5. When lamb shanks are done, skim fat from sauce. Stir in lemon peel, lemon juice, dill, and parsley.

Aromatic Rice with Lemon and Parsley Seasoning
* 1 cup(s) regular long-grain rice
* 1 cup(s) chicken broth
* 3/4 cup(s) water
* 1/4 teaspoon
* 2 tablespoon(s) chopped parsley
* 1 teaspoon(s) grated lemon peel

Directions

Heat 1 cup regular long-grain rice with 1 cup chicken broth, 3/4 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to boiling. Cover and simmer on low 18 to 20 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
After rice has cooked, stir in 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel.

Jacaranda Hotel