This Red Thing Valentines.

  • In summary;it doesn’t matter what you’ve done for your significant other all year if you fail to remember this one day.You could have bought her a plot of land and build her dream house, but if you forget a thousand-shillings worth of flowers which will die in a days time you’re the most unromantic son in the universe.

Now that Valentine’s shenanigans are over, it feels a little safer to dig a bit into the origin of the day that made me occupy my mind to get my gifts delivered on time or else I would be that dead son of soil. In my budget was red roses, red outfits and a bottle of something called Belaire Luxe, a champagne from burgundy that goes for slightly over USD.80, and tastes very much like regular muratina..

One popular theory connects Valentine’s Day to a Christian martyr named Saint Valentine. The Catholic Church recognises several saints named Valentine, but the most commonly mentioned is a priest in Rome during the third century.

The 8th-century ,Gelasian Sacramentary recorded the celebration of the Feast of Saint Valentine on February 14.The day became associated with romantic love in the 14th and 15th centuries, when notions of courtly love flourished, apparently by association with the “lovebirds” of early spring. In 18th-century England, it grew into an occasion for couples to express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards. Valentine’s Day symbols that are used today include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid.

Yes,this valentine I did my part as a boy child to making sure that the basics are met.Before expressing my love to my Valentine I had to show love to my own self by Joining Our Mombasa Walk Movement Bonje Valentine’s 2nd edition organized 4 days earlier.

Love was literally and figuratively poured into the streets of Mombasa as over 1,000 residents participated in a 19km walk to celebrate this year’s Valentine’s Day.

 The young, old and youth thronged to the street to participate in the walk organized by the Mombasa Walk Movement.

So ,on the 10th, February we walked for 19 km to celebrate our health.

Legend has it that Valentine defied the Roman Emperor Claudius II, who had prohibited marriages for young men, believing that single men made better soldiers. Valentine continued to marry young couples in secret. When discovered, he was imprisoned and eventually executed on February 14. Ouch! Kind of makes Valentine’s Day Good for lovers, especially to a Man of the world.Thats why it’s very important to send a gift(No matter how small) to a woman you truely love.

Some historians link Valentine’s Day to the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, which took place in mid-February, a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, and Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome.And the theories will go on and on.

The commercialisation of Valentine’s Day, with the mass production of cards and the exchange of gifts, gained momentum in the 19th century. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done for your significant other all year, if you fail to remember this one day. you’re the most unromantic son in the universe. Where did the red colour theme come from ? May be because of the blood the Valentine matyr shed?

To the red colour!!, this son of soil decided to pull a surprise to the old girl. We all left for work in our different fields. However I managed to sneak back to the house to colour the entire room red. Yes, pulled the red curtains up, the beddings red. Literally everything was red.Placed the Rose as bed centre piece. Off to plan for dinner.

Yes the suprise worked,It blew her off..All my sins for a year were pardoned.. To end the day was a church organization dinner where we had a good time with the speaker of the day.

I remember one woman who said, “I’d rather get a packet of maize flour than a bunch of inedible flowers.” I believe come judgment day, that woman will suffer a similar fate to the biblical Eve. You remember her, right? Apparently, she’s the reason women lose a tonne of blood once every month and get moody. My partner overheard that couples conversation on adjacent table.So I went ahead and posed a question.

“Diana,” I said to my love, (just to get her opinion on the woman conversation) -“I’ve loved you since the first day I laid eyes on you and I’ve done everything in my power to show how much you mean to me. What’s one day compared to valentine”

She answered “If you don’t get me flowers and wine,” she said, “you’re dead to me.”!!!!

Food And Culture,New Year Fireworks lights up Mombasa City.

Seafood bbque
One of the vendors ready for clients

A walk through the streets of Mombasa City at the Kenyan Coast makes you want to savor coast delicacies. And there is no better way to sell the food culture at the coast. Dubbed Mombasa Food and Culture Festival,supported by the county government, it was intended to celebrate New year Eve Governors Fireworks .The festival’s 2022 Fireworks edition went down at the Mama Ngina Waterfront Park on Saturday.More than 70 Food vendors from every corner of the Coastal counties made their presence at the Makadara grounds with a food stalls.

The festival’s 2022 Fireworks edition went down at the Mama Ngina Waterfront Park on Saturday Dec. 31st .More than 70 Food vendors from every corner of the Coastal counties made their presence at the Makadara grounds with a food stalls.

Members of the public at Mama Ngina waterfront awaiting fireworks to cross over to the new year
Fireworks

Each stall showcased a certain type of coastal delicacy – making it a culinary delight festival.From Kaimati to mkate Sinia, shawarma to biriani mahamri to fresh squeezed juices and many more.The Mombasa Food Festival is an annual event that supports and cultivates the region’s food culture. Different food vendors from coastal counties – Kwale, Kilifi, Lamu, Mombasa, Taita Taveta – turn up. But however this year not all coastal regions were represented. I noted only Mombasas Street food delights.

They are the ambassadors of the region’s scintillating food culture and they always turn up in droves.

Aware of the delight that comes with the festival, the 2022 Mombasa Food Festival edition welcomed thousands of residents at Mama Ngina which coincided with the New Year eve Fireworks. Curious international travelers with a knack for Coastal cuisine were not left behind. I noted that international Media were also represented , including CNNs @Larry Madowo

Mombasa County government organized the festival as a way to promote business and culinary Tourism as well.

Mombasa County Tourism chief said the food festival was a platform for entrepreneurs in the food sector to showcase. There were at least 70 food vendors at the festival. The presence of both international and local tourists augured well for the event.

These are the eyeballs the event always targets every year.

What’s The Importance Of the Mombasa Food Festival?

Members of the public sampling
Makadara road closed for the festival
The Winner of eating competition being awarded his token by the county official
Sugar canes for fresh juice squeez
The chicken Shawarma

The gastronomic delight of the festival is pivotal in driving the region’s tourism. History has it that those Swahili dishes warm up to the hearts of local and international guests visiting the coast.

Coupled with a rich holidaying history, food adds up to the magical touch of Mombasa and surrounding counties.

Food vendors at the festival reportedly made good money from their exhibitions. Some landed bigger business opportunities.

Hotels at the Coast also got an opportunity to market their products and services during the festival.

The highlight of the day was an eating competition where the champion was to finish a 1kg pilau (rice and meat dish cooked with Zanzibar spices) . A 1litre bottle of water as well as 1litre Soda in a record time. When the winner was announced, it was obvious

Eating champion
Winner of eating competition flanked by his supporters
The pain of winning…