Baby Donkey

Lamu is a city on an island just off the coast of Kenya. It is quiet, beautiful and remote, so few tourists travel there. Most people in Lamu use donkeys to carry their goods. This is because the buildings in Lamu are built very close together, making narrow “streets.” The streets are more like alleys and they twist and turn through the town. It feels like walking in a maze because you cannot see around, over or between the building walls.

Only donkeys can fit in the streets. No cars. In fact, there are only two cars on the island and both belong to the District Officer, a government official who is like the “mayor” of Lamu. The donkey in the photo is a baby and will not have to carry things until he/she is older. In the meantime, baby donkeys run free and usually follow their mothers. Baby donkeys follow their mothers up and down the streets of Lamu while their moms carry bags of potatoes or onions or even bricks.