Today's Song of Kenya, Friday 18 December, is a modulated and subdued dirge that comes from one of the oldest landing places on the Indian Ocean, Mombasa.
Today, the historic capital of East Africa, which was supplanted by the Nairobi built by the British because it was halfway along the railway line that ran from Mombasa to Kampala in Uganda, looks like a decadent city, but that is precisely why it is acquiring the charm that everything that is branded as obsolete in the modern era becomes a distinctive sign.
The Old City of Mombasa is worth seeing for this reason and, unlike a few years ago, it must be done with a guide. They are trained young people, ready to tell the story of an island city where Muslims and locals coexisted with their own roles and benefits, before the arrival of Christianity. These days the tourist institutions have decided to attract tourists to one of the symbols of Mombasa, Fort Jesus designed by the Italian architect Giovan Battista Cairati.
At the weekend, during the holidays, the fort, symbol of the battles between the Portuguese and the Arabs on the coast, will be illuminated. On the walls of the fortress will appear the silhouettes of people who have had something to do with the history of Mombasa and Kenya. A spectacle to be seen live, without the need for an app. Just listen to an ancient song.