Some places do not give you answers—they leave you with questions, sparking a curiosity that lingers long after you've left. A few weeks ago, while staying at City Blue Hotel in Nairobi, I encountered such a moment in the arrival lounge. There stood an art piece, crafted from found plastics collected from the Indian Ocean.
At first glance, it was a striking display of color and form, but as I lingered, it revealed more. The work, I was told, was created by an artist from Lamu Island on Kenya's eastern coast. It is more than a recycled sculpture; it is a testament to how artists transform discarded materials into stories of resilience, weaving in environmental concerns that deeply affect their communities.
My own love for fish drew me to it immediately. Yet, beyond its marine echo, I found myself tracing the lives once lived in the slippers and flip-flops embedded in its form. Who wore them? Were they children chasing waves, couples strolling on holiday, priests baptizing believers, or workers returning home after long days? I tried to imagine their meanders, the countless steps that eventually washed ashore as fragments of another life.
I have not visited the coast in a while, but this piece carried me there—into the lives of strangers and onto sandy beaches I have yet to walk again. Perhaps one day I will find myself in Lamu, searching for these stories where the ocean meets the land. For now, I keep fishing for answers, guided by art that refuses to be silent.
If you ever find yourself in Nairobi, consider staying at Sky Nest Residencies, by City Blue Hotels. Beyond its comfort and hospitality, it offers quiet encounters like this—moments where art and travel intersect, and where curiosity can take you further than you imagined.