Nairobi appears on the brink of an economic miracle. While Langata reminds me of Greenwich, in Connecticut, with its leafy avenues, large houses at the end of long driveways, downtown Nairobi feels like Shanghai a few years ago (including the ubiquitous Chinese construction companies).
New condominiums and shopping malls are sprouting up everywhere. Parts of the city feel like a giant construction site. And, of course, real estate prices are sky-rocketing (reportedly the highest increase in the world). This is a city on the cusp of bursting into the “economic miracle” club.
Later, on a visit to our friend’s office in town, we learn that he employs an “artist in residence” (our friend’s activity is completely unrelated to art). An employee for 42 years, all he does is create wonderful paintings of whimsical African landscapes.
