Tarehe Mbili Juni
I wake up early to catch a basi (bus) with Baba to the airport. Leo (today), I’m making my way to the island of Zanzibar for a likizo (vacation) with the intent of reflecting on my travels so far, and enjoying myself. I’m flying from Kilimanjaro airport to Dar es Salaam, and ferrying over to the island from there.
I leave at saa tatu na nusu (9:30am), and I arrive at my hotel in Zanzibar around saa kumi na mbili (6pm). It’s a long day of traveling, but I soon find out that it’s worth it.
Zanzibar is a unique island: a blend of culture, tourism, beauty, and history. From spice trade and infamous slavery to great Arab buildings and white-sand beaches, there’s no shortage of things to see. I suggest you do a Google Image search for the famous beaches.
I spend all of the next day exploring the capital of Stone Town. It’s got many small allies lined with little shops and businesses, and there’s seemingly no order to the allies’ alignment. I find the church that is the historic spot for the slave trade that used to run here. I take the tour in Swahili for practice, and to my own surprise, understand a lot (yes, there’s a little bit of help in English, but not a lot!). After, I wander for hours, work on my bargaining skills in the stores, and come out by the water again, this time down the coast from the port. I sit on a stone wall and enjoy the scenes in front of me.
I then visit the spice, fish, and meat markets, having stumbled upon the ‘materials market’ already. There, I take video of wholesale seafood auctions in Swahili. Tons of fish, squid, shrimp, and scallops laying on a huge stone tablet while a man in a black t-shirt speaks to a small circle of buyers almost faster than I can comprehend in the language. Very cool, and to me, pretty unique.
Alafu (then), I go to the night market by the water, which is full of cheap food and small vendors for other various things. I settle on some Zanzibar “pizza”, which was actually an awesome choice. While I’m waiting for it to be cooked over a wood charcoal grill, I have a good conversation about elimu (education) and what Zanzibar ‘needs’ with a baba (father/man) sitting on the boardwalk’s edge overlooking the water.
The next morning I take a daladala (small bus) for an hour and a half to Kendwa on the northern part of the island. The area is known for its beautiful beaches and relaxing nature. The daladalas here are more open, like being in the back of a long pick-up truck with a roof over your head. As with all the daladalas in Tanzania, it’s quite cramped, but I like seeing how the locals travel. Meanwhile my buttocks and back aren’t quite as thrilled…
I arrive around noon, and I have to say the beaches do not disappoint. This is my likizo, or vacation. Let’s just say I have a feeling the “Photo Friday” picture might be from Kendwa…
I wake up early to catch a basi (bus) with Baba to the airport. Leo (today), I’m making my way to the island of Zanzibar for a likizo (vacation) with the intent of reflecting on my travels so far, and enjoying myself. I’m flying from Kilimanjaro airport to Dar es Salaam, and ferrying over to the island from there.
I leave at saa tatu na nusu (9:30am), and I arrive at my hotel in Zanzibar around saa kumi na mbili (6pm). It’s a long day of traveling, but I soon find out that it’s worth it.
Zanzibar is a unique island: a blend of culture, tourism, beauty, and history. From spice trade and infamous slavery to great Arab buildings and white-sand beaches, there’s no shortage of things to see. I suggest you do a Google Image search for the famous beaches.
I spend all of the next day exploring the capital of Stone Town. It’s got many small allies lined with little shops and businesses, and there’s seemingly no order to the allies’ alignment. I find the church that is the historic spot for the slave trade that used to run here. I take the tour in Swahili for practice, and to my own surprise, understand a lot (yes, there’s a little bit of help in English, but not a lot!). After, I wander for hours, work on my bargaining skills in the stores, and come out by the water again, this time down the coast from the port. I sit on a stone wall and enjoy the scenes in front of me.
I then visit the spice, fish, and meat markets, having stumbled upon the ‘materials market’ already. There, I take video of wholesale seafood auctions in Swahili. Tons of fish, squid, shrimp, and scallops laying on a huge stone tablet while a man in a black t-shirt speaks to a small circle of buyers almost faster than I can comprehend in the language. Very cool, and to me, pretty unique.
Alafu (then), I go to the night market by the water, which is full of cheap food and small vendors for other various things. I settle on some Zanzibar “pizza”, which was actually an awesome choice. While I’m waiting for it to be cooked over a wood charcoal grill, I have a good conversation about elimu (education) and what Zanzibar ‘needs’ with a baba (father/man) sitting on the boardwalk’s edge overlooking the water.
The next morning I take a daladala (small bus) for an hour and a half to Kendwa on the northern part of the island. The area is known for its beautiful beaches and relaxing nature. The daladalas here are more open, like being in the back of a long pick-up truck with a roof over your head. As with all the daladalas in Tanzania, it’s quite cramped, but I like seeing how the locals travel. Meanwhile my buttocks and back aren’t quite as thrilled…
I arrive around noon, and I have to say the beaches do not disappoint. This is my likizo, or vacation. Let’s just say I have a feeling the “Photo Friday” picture might be from Kendwa…
A small beach front I stumbled upon on the coast of Stone Town.
No comments:
Post a Comment