You will find the Indian Ocean Beach Club on a soft powder white sand beach south of Mombasa on the Indian Ocean in Kenya. This is a hotel that is somewhat different to the modern hotel, in that it isn't high rise, and it is peaceful and quiet. There are no concrete blocks here, the buildings are all less than the height of the palm trees and ancient baobabs that are scattered throughout the grounds.
This is a romantic hotel, and was deliberately designed to be like this. It is therefore ideal for honeymooning couples, and lovers who want to get away from it all. In fact the perfect place to end a Kenya safari.
The Beach Club is small with only around one hundred rooms, many of them thatched, and all with whitewashed walls so it is as pretty as a picture. It may be hard to imagine the view, but if you pay a little extra for a beach front cottage then you will awaken to a stunning blue and turquoise sea, backed by a clear blue sky, and fronted by the lovely white sand beach.
One of the major advantages of a small hotel should be the quality of service, and here the Indian Ocean Beach Club scores very heavily. The staff are without exception willing, cheerful and helpful. A flag system operates from your sun bed, and your requests are met quickly.
Food is another big plus here. There are four restaurants, and you will be spoiled, from breakfast with eggs cooked to your fancy, to a huge eight course dinner, you will want for nothing. The buffet evenings under the stars, and afternoon teas are highlights not to be missed when staying here.
Obviously everything isn't perfect, but this certainly is one of the best beach hotels on the whole of the Kenya coast. It is important not to equate five star in Kenya with five star in Europe, so if you remember that you will not be disappointed. If you are used to European accommodation you might find the rooms a little bare, but they are functional, and importantly kept very clean indeed. Remember the mosquito nets are there for a reason, so use them, and don't forget to order and take your malaria tablets.
Another thing to remember is that with the Beach Club being where it is and this being Africa there are many hawkers on the beach attempting to sell you their wares. If you aren't used to this it can be quite intimidating. Just remember they are only trying to earn a living, and a polite no thank you given with a smile will be accepted. You will find in a few days that you will not be bothered at all.
You should have a wonderful stay at the Indian Ocean Beach Club. It is the perfect place to relax and unwind, and leave the cares of life and business behind. You simply must combine your stay here with a safari, because it would be an awful waste of a visit to this interesting part of Africa if you don't.
Old Glory unmistakably epitomizes the symbol of freedom, however some feel their freedom and their liberty is being challenged today. Though, not a replacement for the American Flag... but just a further explicative, some American patriots are choosing to fly the Gadsden Flag. It's a yellow flag with a coiled rattlesnake and the defiant "Don't Tread on Me" motto.
The Gadsden, named after Colonel Christopher Gadsden of South Carolina, came about in 1776. It's inspiration represented a warning from the colonists to the British. The history of the Gadsden flag is intertwined with one of American history's most electrifying personalities, Ben Franklin.
Benjamin Franklin is famous, or infamous, for his sense of humor. In 1751, he wrote an article in his Pennsylvania Gazette suggesting that, as a way to give thanks to the Brits for their policy of sending convicted felons to America, American colonists should send rattlesnakes to England. What a guy! In 1754, Franklin drew and published the first known political cartoon in an American newspaper. It was the drawing of a snake cut into eight sections. Each section of the snake represented the eight individual colonies and the curves of the snake suggested the coastline of America.
New England was the head of the snake, South Carolina was at the tail. Written under the snake were the unmistakably bold words "Join, or Die." This had nothing to do with independence from Britain. It was a plea for unity in defending the colonies during the French and Indian War. Interestingly enough, the superstition of the time was a snake that had been cut into pieces could come back to life if you joined the sections together before sunset. The snake illustration was reprinted throughout the colonies. Dozens of newspapers from Massachusetts to South Carolina ran Franklin's sketch or some rendition of it. For example, the Boston Gazette re-drew the snake with the words "Unite and Conquer" coming out of its mouth. Franklin's snake slithered its way into American culture as an early representation of independence.
In 1765, The British sought more money from the colonies. The snake symbol was paramount when Americans were uniting against the Stamp Act. Franklin's snake continued to be used as a symbol of American unity and American liberty. For example, in 1774, Paul Revere added it to the masthead of The Massachusetts Spy and showed the snake fighting a British dragon.
By 1775, the snake symbol was appearing all over the colonies, on banners and flags, on uniform buttons, even on paper money. The snake symbol changed over the past few years. It was usually shown as an American timber rattlesnake. Historically, we don't know for certain where, when, or by whom the coiled rattlesnake was first used with the warning "Don't Tread on Me". However, in 1775 there was an interesting article printed in the Pennsylvania Journal by "An American Guesser" that spoke of the "Don't Tread on Me Motto".
I observed on one of the drums belonging to the marines now raising, there was painted a Rattle-Snake, with this modest motto under it, 'Don't tread on me.' As I know it is the custom to have some device on the arms of every country, I supposed this may have been intended for the arms of America. This anonymous writer, having "nothing to do with public affairs" and "in order to divert an idle hour," speculated on why a snake might be chosen as a symbol for America. First, it occurred to him that "the Rattle-Snake is found in no other quarter of the world besides America." The rattlesnake also has sharp eyes, and "may therefore be esteemed an emblem of vigilance." Furthermore, she never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders: She is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true courage... she never wounds 'till she has generously given notice, even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of treading on her. I confess I was wholly at a loss what to make of the rattles, 'till I went back and counted them and found them just thirteen, exactly the number of the Colonies united in America; and I recollected too that this was the only part of the Snake which increased in numbers. Tis curious and amazing to observe how distinct and independent of each other the rattles of this animal are, and yet how firmly they are united together, so as never to be separated but by breaking them to pieces. One of those rattles singly, is incapable of producing sound, but the ringing of thirteen together, is sufficient to alarm the boldest man living."
How does all this relate to today? Well, just as Franklin alluded to, the rattlesnake never begins the attack but will not back down once provoked. As you drive around and see more and more Gadsden flags hoisted atop flag poles and being worn on shirts and stickers on cars, realize that many Americans feel their back is against the wall and the only thing left to do is fight for their founding liberties. This is not a physical war as it was in the 1700's but a political war against higher taxes, liberty restrictions and forced unwanted laws and policies. This metaphorical snake will surely "alarm the boldest man living".
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