Hitched on Lamu

Although you would be forgiven for thinking otherwise, I didn’t go to Lamu to eat and lounge, I went to Lamu to witness Sharath and Sorcha get hitched and hitched they did get. The lady wore a scarlet dress, the groom didn’t wear a tie, it was a disgrace! No! It was a triumph!

There was a boat feature from which a billowing sailful of bright petals exploded,
a man in an obscure uniform and a rooftop disco ball! Of course it was a triumph!

I didn’t get married but I did my best to add bright and shiny to the occasion.

Even though children were present at the ceremony and runty donkeys were braying in the streets, the bride and groom were not upstaged. Few eyes blinked mist-free during the ceremony, bougainvillea was hurled instead of confetti, and the dance floor remained operative until the larger end of the small hours. Yes, the wedding was a spectacular success and the celebrations continued unabated and unabashed for several days.

This photo was taken just before the post-wedding dhow race. The wedding guests were separated into teams and herded onto boats captained by Shella’s finest. Here’s the view down the nose of Team Bustani’s fourth placing vessel.

On noses, and a turn of events a little on the nose, somehow the groom’s boat won and the bride’s came in second. Rigged or what? It is a sign of collective good humour rather than a lack of competitive spirit that this slightly suspicious result was borne with minimal complaint.