Friday, June 17, 2016

KALAHARI IN THE TOWNS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN - JUNE 2016



The Colours and Shadows

 of Exotic towns in the Indian Ocean


Charming islands still echoing the past years of colonisation. Walking down their shabby and mysterious streets, a very unique experience as most of their inhabitants are still living in the times of the colonisation era. It feels like a time travel as almost nothing has changed ever since.

What is overwhelming about these towns though, is the astonishment one experiences at the unexpected contrast of style and décor when walking into some of the houses or boutique hotels.
Bedrooms dominated by 4 poster beds, solid wood carved headboards some of which depicting scenes from the dark ages of the slave trade, beautifully muted coloured walls, some engraved with glass, multi coloured glass bead curtains, not to mention the antique brass baths.
Typical Arabic style houses with recessed courtyards, shaded by the leaves of very long plants. Hidden balconies decorated with lattice work.
 Modest dwellings, yet very rich due to their intricate interiors. Here, new world material possessions become irrelevant. Style and luxury is created not by expensive ornaments or technological equipment, but by long accumulated style and taste.

Restored to the smallest details the luxury of some of the boutique hotels, is captured in the romantic history of the place. Although they seem a bit historical they do not lack any kind of comfort and are set up to the standards of the modern traveller.

I had finally arrived at our boutique hotel. As soon as I walked in one of the rooms and opened the window to look on the view in front of me, smells and voices from the spices and honey merchants came flowing softly through the curtains. A complete detachment, these places and corners of the Slave Trade Route have now changed to become jewels of the coral roads where you may step into the past to be transported into a sophisticated dream.
Mandy for  KALAHARI
'From Kalahari's visit to exotic towns in the Indian Ocean during May 2016'





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