Playing the proper tourist

A friend recently returned from a visit outside the country and was sharing her experience with me. She described how beautiful and clean and orderly the place was, and the number of different landmarks she saw. What was interesting was that her host was just as impressed as she was with some of the landmarks, which apparently she had never seen before! How now, when she is the one who actually lives there?

This was quite a twist -- usually it is the locals who are unimpressed with the features -- natural or man-made - that are part of their everyday scenery; indeed these features tend to become invisible over time and it is left up to excited tourists (and paid tour guides) to make them visible again. I am one of those visitors who gets excited by landscapes, unusual architecture and historical monuments. For instance, I never fail to experience awe when passing View Point on the way to or from the western parts of the country. On the last day of last year, I finally had the opportunity, for the first time ever, to actually stop and take photos while enjoying the breath-taking views of the Rift Valley.