FINALLY WE'RE OFF...TATA HAUS I'M COMING..
The long-awaited August 8 has arrived, finally we're going back to Kenya. It's 7 in the morning when Lela and I board the Air France flight that will take us first to Paris and from there we'll reach Nairobi with Kenya Airways. We take off right on time and after 8 hours of flight we reach our beloved land. It's 8:30 pm. Once the airport formalities are done we transfer to the domestic flights. The following morning, after a long night at the airport, we take off for Mombasa, where the driver sent by my "big brother" Zucchero is waiting for me. We leave the airport and after not even an hour of driving tiredness gets the better of me; I fall asleep. I'm happy, always, when I return to that land so dear to me, which with its colors, its scents, its contradictions, its wonderful sunsets, its people, the smiles of children has stolen my heart.
We're at the gates of Watamu and suddenly I wake up... my heart was telling me: I've finally arrived. "Home sweet home" was the feeling I had as soon as mama Edith opened the gate of Tata Haus and with a strong, warm embrace welcomed me into her splendid villa. In front of me the stunning house, surrounded by a beautiful and well-tended garden, with tropical plants and flowers. There's even a pool and lounge chairs to bask in the warm African sun!!!! Next to the villa, on the left, is the dependance where we'll be staying.
Following a little path we reach a large veranda from which you can take in the whole garden, and this will be the heart of the house because that's where we'll eat and that's where on the very comfortable pili pili (sofas) we'll spend most of our evenings, telling each other about ourselves, listening to Edith's precious advice and her stories of Kenyan life with the "company" of a little drink and one fundamental ingredient: always lots and lots of cheerfulness. Edith seats us and offers us a cool drink, and after telling her about the trip we take our leave and retire to our little house to rest a bit.
It's all so wonderfully beautiful, I feel like I'm living a dream and instead no, it's all true, I'm back home in Kenya in this beautiful house that I already feel as if it were mine; in a little while I'll hug all my friends again and finally, the next day, my beloved kids of the GOF and my big brother Zucchero. Having recharged our batteries after a nap and a nice shower, Lela and I get ready to go out. We meet our housemates, two couples from Rome who are by now about to end their stay, with whom we'll nevertheless spend pleasant and fun evenings. Edith introduces us to the service staff, Gilbert the cook; Kombe and Tatu, and shows us the rest of the house. The entrance door is beautiful and majestic. In front of me a large, bright living room furnished simply and essentially, naturally with an Africa theme.
On the right and on the left are two of the four bedrooms; continuing on we enter the kitchen where you can already smell the aroma of the succulent little dinner Gilbert is preparing for us. We go up to the upper floor where we find the other two bedrooms and a wonderful terrace where you can relax lying on the pili-pili and enjoy the view of the beautiful African starry skies. The rooms are very spacious, all with private bathroom, bed with mosquito net and air conditioning. It didn't take me long to settle in and immediately grow fond of Edith and her boys. I must say I was also very lucky with my housemates, whom during the stay I got to know: Luca and Francesca, Fabrizio and Sabrina for the first few days; then hurricane Simone arrived, nicknamed Mylove; and finally Ceridia, Morena and Patrizia, the famous sciroccate from Abruzzo.
We were a great "family" and our mama Edith spoiled us every day, starting with the abundant and delicious breakfast prepared by Gilbert: tea, coffee, yogurt, rusks, crepes, toast, warm homemade rolls, butter, jam and the most popular: Nutella; there was never a missing tray of fresh local fruit!!!!! Lunch was rarely eaten at home; we'd go out in the morning and come back in the evening at dinnertime. Apart from a few outings to local restaurants, in the end I always had dinner there at the house because at Tata Haus you eat better than in a five-star hotel.
Every evening a rich menu: A first course (lasagna, crepes, spaghetti with shrimp and zucchini, spaghetti all'amatriciana with the guanciale brought from Rome by our legendary Mylove and more...), a meat second course (bought personally by Edith from her trusted butcher, whom I got to visit too...), or fish (freshly caught and brought in fresh in the morning by the legendary Takataka...), 3 side dishes (carrots, zucchini, cauliflower, mixed salad, French fries, etc...), fruit or fruit salad (mango, papaya, pineapple, passion fruit, bananas...), water, Coca-Cola, orange soda, wine and coffee. Very thoughtful and eager to see us happy and satisfied, Edith always agreed the menu with us, taking into account our preferences and/or intolerances to one food rather than another. Once a week there was never a missing African dinner with the fabulous chapati prepared especially for us by Tatu.
And what about the lobster evening?????? And the pizza?????? In short, for us Italians who love good food even far from home, this seems to me an excellent reason to choose Tata Haus!!!! But food wasn't the main reason my vacation at Tata Haus was so special. The warmth and family atmosphere; the kindness, helpfulness and friendliness of Edith's boys; but above all the affection and friendship that Mamy (as I called Edith) gave me during my stay, making me feel not a guest but one of the family... and the memory of her and of my splendid stay at Tata Haus is in my heart.
On my return to Italy I decided to open a Facebook group "Tata Haus Watamu – Mama Edith" with the aim of collecting the testimonials of all the guests who have had the chance to stay at Tata Haus, and believe me... they're more and more numerous. Beyond the praise for the beautiful house, the excellent service, the cleanliness, the good food, the most recurrent testimony is the great affection that all people feel for mama Edith... because she is like Africa..... she captures your heart.
I also suggest you visit the new website where you have the chance to read a bit of info and testimonials and send a request for prices and availability...... I insist, Edith is waiting for many of you!!
0 reader comments