Zanzibar

Just saying Zanzibar sounds exotic. We had a wonderful few days there though it took over 7 hours from
our Nairobi apartment to our hotel. Our flight was just one-hour. Didn't Crosby and Hope take the Road to Zanzibar?


Our hotel in Zanzibar reflected the Kiswahili culture along the East African coast and islands, combining Arab and African flavors. (Above L) Outside, the hotel 's construction of wood, thatched roofs and sun-washed colors blended with surroundings, but the interior decor (Above C) was definitely Arabic. And the sand on the breath-taking beach (Above R) looked as though it was flavored with the vanilla that grows on the island.


Speaking of island flavors, one of our Spice Tour guides climbed a 50-foot palm (Above L) to give us the most delicious coconut we ever tasted. Another guide wove palm-frond hats, a necktie for Rick, frog necklace for me (Above C), and satchels for us to carry the spices we tasted. The oldest section of Zanzibar Town is called Stonetown (Above R) where about 300,000 people live--almost one-third of Zanzibar.


Sadly, Zanzibar was the center for all East African slave trade, mostly bound for southern Africa, India and the Middle East. In the mid-1800s the Sultan of Zanzibar banned slave trading. The Anglican Cathedral (Above L) was built on the site of the old slave market but includes some reminders of the practice such as small chambers where hundreds of slaves were literally packed to test their stamina and chains where they were tied for auction. (Above C) A narrow street shows the old Arab architecture covered by electrical wires. (Above R) Cars and tourists walk by the centuries-old Arab fort and the Sultan's Palace from the 1800s that is being converted to a museum.