Zamzibar: A Little Gift

Zanzibar is a pretty special place. Actually I should say Unjuga is a pretty special place. Zanzibar is the name given to the archipelago that consists of Unjuga and Pemba islands, and several smaller islands and coral reefs. However,the other islands are sparsely populated so as far as a visitor is concerned, Unjuga is Zanzibar. The biggeast town (by far) and where we've spent most of our time is Stone Town. Stone Town is an old medieval town whose glory days have long gone.The buildings are in various states of disrepair, european tourists cram the alleyways and sidestreets lined with shops selling the ususal tourist crap, touts congregate in front of hotels trying to sell you anything from cashew nuts to a Zanzibar soccer jersey (not even sure if Zanzibar has a soccer team), and the expensive resort hotels lining the coastline take up all the best real estate while the buildings behind them are left to rot. A long fall for the hub of a trading empire where Africa, Arabia, India and Europe met, for the former seat of colonial power, and for the birthplace of Swahili language and culture.However, as with any place, you don't have to look far the find thigs to like.

Stone Town Alley

Walk a little bit past the tourist shops and you find youself in a warren of alleyways where it looks like the way of life hasn't changed much in generations. Carts laden with coal or jugs of water vie for space with school children chasing each other and workmen doing their best to repair a wall and hold back the effects of time for one more year. You find yourself looking at the yachts, ferries and cargo ships that fill the harbour, when out of nowhere, a beutuiful dhow (traditional sailing ship) silently glides by on it's way to the fishing grounds off the coast. Sure the tourists are everywhere, but the local culture is strong. The call to prayer from the mosques competes with the rooster for who will be the first to wake you, in observance to Ramadan, restaurants are closed to non tourists, the beautiful traditional kangas are worn by most women (in stark contrast to the rediculous beachwear worn by sunburned tourists) and every once in a while you can hear the traditional tarab music coming from a store or home.Then there is the food. The first night here I bought a handfull of grilled squid in chili sauce for about 75 cents (it was served in newspaper) off of a guy on a bench in an alleyway, and last night I had Zanzibari Pizza (more of a fried pastry) with fresh squezed sugar cane juice. Delicious. So I guess we ended up with a prety positive impression of Stone Town, despite all of it's flaws. but Stown Town was nothing compared to Jambiani.


However, Zanzibar is known for Stone Town, and for it's beaches, so Colleen, Aileen and I decided to rent a car so that we could spend a day at one of the island's beaches. We chose Jambiani beach because it sounded like the quietest, most laid back of the ones we asked about. It was however at the opposite end of the island, and a bit of a drive. The drive was harrowing. StoneTown was built long before cars were conceived of, so the streets / alleyways are more suited to people and donkeys, than jeeps. We thought we might have a better go of it once we got out of town, but alas no. A combination of narrow roads, cattle, bicycles, scooters, donkey carts, trafic, and police checkpoints would have us at the edge of our seats for the 1 hour long drive. At one point we had to stop for a monkey crossing. Even once we got to Jambiani, we had a bit of a hard time finding a place to park. The town seemed abondoned, all we saw was a few cows on the soccer field and what appeared to be abandoned homes. We finally found a little restaurant where we could park our car and head off to the beach.

Jambiani Beach

What a place. The water was every shade of blue and turquoise, and the the horizon seemed to go on forever with huge billowing clouds seeming to hang on as as if afraid to fall off the edge of the earth, and dhows (the sailing / fishing vessels I mentioned above) floating here and there. It was a pretty shalloow beach, so we all waded out a bit to take it all in when out of nowhere, what seemed to be the entire villages headed out to sea. The tide was going out and the men were off to their dhows to sail out to the coral reef to fish, and the women we off to tend to the seaweed beds in the tidal pools. All this happened as we were standing there, no one paid us any attention. to us, it was surreal, and we definitely felt like intruders. However, I'm not sure that I've ever seen anytrhing more beutiful in my life. The gorgeous beach, the clear blue sky, the dhows quietly sailing off in the distance, quite simply breathtaking. We spent the rest of the day lazing in the sun, swimming and eating seafood, and then watched the entire village come home with their catch as the tide came in. I've had a handful of days like that in my life, but thet are exceedingly rare, and each time they do happen, I can't help feeling that I've been given a little gift.

Anyway, we're taking the ferry back to Dar es Salaam tomorrow, and after that, well we're not totally sure what's next. We'll see where the wind takes us.


Michael
Shangani Post Office
Stone Town, Zanzibar (Tanzania)