[Editor's note] Liu Hongyao, a national first-class screenwriter, a well-known television planner, the first person in China's television industry to shoot a film in the world, a professor, and his representative works include "Truth Club", "Into the Long March", "Mixed Race" and "Laughing proud of East Africa". In 1995, 1998 and 2000, Liu Hongyao entered Africa three times, deeply experienced more than a dozen countries and regions in Africa, he used humorous and vivid brushstrokes, with the perspective of personal experience, outlined a personalized Africa, this article is selected from Liu Hongyao's recently completed "East Africa, North Africa Interview Adventures" to entertain readers.
In the beautiful and wild Kenya, I learned a life-saving English: "I am surrender!" (I surrender!) Truth be told, Nairobi has a terrifying side to me, in addition to its singing and dancing side.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > the active auto expo city</h1>
Nairobi, the most developed city in East Africa, known as the "Paris of East Africa", is cool and wild, developed and barbaric. As the capital of Kenya, Nairobi means "land of sweet water". In the past, Maasai tribes lived here, grazing cattle and sheep, peace and tranquility. Today, Nairobi has developed into a cosmopolitan city, with a small number of Maasai people integrated into the modern city, and most Maasai people returning to the vast steppes.
Night view of Nairobi
In that year, successive groups of European colonists came to Nairobi to set up a transit station here when they built the east african railway from the port city of Mombasa to Uganda. With the change of the times, Nairobi has become a living witness to the progress of modern transportation. With the decline of railways, cars from all over the world poured into the vast land of Africa. Every year, a huge car rally is held here, and the latest cars from various countries are racing through the villages and deserts of Africa, which is not only a sporting event, but also the best advertisement.
In my opinion, Nairobi is the meeting point of the world's automotive products, and the bustling Nairobi Street is like an active car expo city.
As we wandered the streets of Nairobi, we found that the auto show shops, usually in the suburbs of China, were located in the busiest downtown area. Famous cars from all over the world, such as Volkswagen, Volvo, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, are displayed in shops or specialty stores, showing their own style to the locals!
On the streets of Nairobi, in hotels, and in restaurants, you can find cars of all kinds. Let us car-loving journalists be overwhelmed and feast our eyes. I remember when we were in the Korea Hotel, we saw a red Beetle car, and actually ran to take a group photo one by one.
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > stunning African cabaret show</h1>
Nairobi is a veritable cosmopolitan city in Africa. There are many international institutions and organizations, such as the United Nations Environmental Protection Agency, the United Nations Entomological Research Institute and other more than 20 institutions to work here, a number of international insurance companies, banks, news agencies around the world set up branches here. Every summer, tourists from all over the world flock to see wildlife or spend their holidays on the seaside.
The best place to visit in Nairobi is the large-scale, luxurious Korean hotel. Located on the outskirts of Nairobi, it is a super entertainment hub that combines star-rated hotels, dance grounds, dining and casinos.
On December 24, 1995, we returned to Nairobi from the Wiboy Paper Mill on Kenya's western border and went to a Korean restaurant for a barbecue. It can be seen that it is built for Western tourists and local dignitaries who come to Kenya, with Korean-style grass huts, staggered gardens, open parking lots, lively casinos, and bright lights and scenery.
We sat down on the steps under the big roof, and there was an African drink "Pershing" on the table, similar to the passion fruit in Hainan, but also Coke, South African beer, and the big screen opposite was playing African Safari.
The waiter, with a sharp sword skewering zebra meat, ostrich meat and antelope meat, came to us again and again and cut slices of roast meat for us with a dagger. It is reported that the grilled animals are elderly animals, which can be hunted according to regulations.
At 9 p.m., the big screen moves away, the lights are lit up, and the wonderful African song and dance begins. It is said that this is rehearsed by dance artists from Europe, and the performance level is very high, especially the Maasai hunting dance, which integrates Chinese acrobatics, which is very beautiful and breathtaking, and fully reflects the good kung fu, physical strength and good figure of African actors.
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > "Don't shoot, I surrender."</h1>
I remember that as soon as we arrived in Nairobi, we heard from comrades from the embassy that a Chinese company in Nairobi had been looted by armed bandits in the middle of the night. The bandits, brandished axes and shotguns, rushed straight to the company's finance room, pried open the safe, and snatched up the cash.
In order to prevent bandits, since then, Chinese companies in Kenya have mostly fed several large wolf dogs in the yard. Curiously, the big wolfhound never bites Chinese, even those of us who have just arrived.
We went to the company that had been looted by bandits and saw them installing sirens on the walls. During our time in Nairobi, we almost always went out during the day to cover interviews and rushed back to the guest house of the embassy's commercial office before dark. The Nairobi branch of Xinhua News Agency is just across the road. If you go to an interview outside Nairobi, the comrades in the embassy will explain that you can't bring too much cash, but you also have to be a little bit. If you encounter armed bandits, don't be hard, there must be an English sentence that must be able to say: "I am surrender!" (I surrender!) ）
According to reports, there was an official from a Western country whose off-road vehicle was stopped by bandits and should have been steady, but he reached out to undo his seat belt. The armed bandits thought he was going to pull out his gun and killed him on the spot.
Our interview team strictly followed the embassy's instructions and interviewed in beautiful Kenya for half a month, fortunately all was well. (Liu Hongyao)
Past issues are wonderful
[Into Africa] I ventured into the Egyptian pyramids
"Into Africa" encountered robbers in Uganda, and the other party saw that it was Chinese and let them go
What does a nightclub in Africa look like?