Z-bar

Zanzibar, Feburary 2007

So, when people think of Tanzania, supposedly three things come to mind: Kilimanjaro (real big mountain), the Serengeti (lots of animals), and Zanzibar (the exotic).

Well, in order to ensure that we tick off each of these big three, we just had to get started and quick-like. Seeing that Zanzibar is just a few hour ferry ride from Dar, it was a no-brainer. (Actually, Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania consisting of numerous islands including Unguja, far better known as Zanzibar. duh.)

We hopped various hurdles--don't ask me why we need passports to enter a place within the country--and arrived ready to rock 'n' roll. Or at least rock. It is called Stone Town, after all, due to the prodigious amounts of coral rock used in building construction. Took a groovy walking tour of the dense city with a local boy who had about the best accent EVER. I love walking in a town where, literally, cars cannot drive thanks to the narrow streets crafted centuries prior to the automobile; take that Toyota! I also love them intricately-carved wooden doors that typify so-called Swahili culture (see www.flickr.com/photos.sawtooth). Oh, don't forget Freddy Mercury was born and raised on Z-bar, especially great as homosexuals ain't exactly welcome according to the law in these parts.

We ate dinner right by the water at a legendary open-air market, as do many tourists but also local peeps. The following day, we took a "spice tour" of some area farms where they grow, you got it, spices. And lots of 'em! Later, we walked through a national park w/ some of the cutest monkeys you ever saw (also see flickr) and more types of mangrove than you could shake a stick at.

The trip culminated at a beach-side resort on the northern tip of Unguja where the seawater is so clear that you can see many feet deep. Alas, we didn't snorkel or dive but I intend on doing so on my next trip here. Postcard purdy, 'twas.

Now back in the big city that is Dar, where I tackle decades of US History in every one-hour lecture I give; 17th century European colonization? 1 day! American Revolution? 1 day! Civil War? 1 day!