Hello Blogland. Here I am in Zanzibar, Tanzania. You will need a cuppa and spare time as this is a long post! The journey here took about 15 hours, travelling via Dubai then a 1 hour road trip to arrive at this beautiful, Sun soaked paradise with white sandy beach, tropical climate and relaxing surroundings!
We live close to the airport, and our son (who works there) knows the flight timetable so well, he sent us the pic above of our flight taking off, view from our garden!
We are staying all inclusive on Pwani beach, with a beautiful room, with wonderful staff, great food... and a fabulous beach! I have never swum in a sea that is literally as hot as a very hot bath! Its weird.
This is the new me. I had my hair low lighted back to my natural dark brown and left the grey that has crept in at the sides, no point in fighting it. I'm also testing out dark eyebrows before taking the plunge shortly to have them tattooed.
The necklace I'm wearing is Indian gold. Hubby bought it for me in Dubai about 43 years ago! I don't wear it often as it's so special.
The hotel is in an undeveloped area. There is no transport infrastructure outside. But everything we need is here.
We spend most of our time on the beach..there's a coral reef about a mile out, sandbanks to explore at low tide and swimming in a gentle. Hot sea when the tide is in. We also have a lovely pool.
As we are staying all.inclusive we are enjoying a huge variety of food including local dishes and quite a few very nice vegetarian curries at breakfast, lunch and dinner!
When the tide goes out you can walk with a hotel guide to find starfish and coloured fish. They also told us the local women plant and harvest seaweed, a government initiative to create employment, the seaweed makes soap and beauty products sold to tourists.... I stayed by the pool but hubby bravely waded through the shallows to take pics.
There are Masai people here who have done their best to sell us trinkets on the beach, the hotels create work for them as entertainment (authentic dancing, acrobatics).
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| Lady harvesting seaweed to make soap |
We have visited Stonetown, the biggest town and market on the island. We went to see the house where Freddie Mercury lived. We also explored the narrow streets and the market.
Above: a great way to recycle plastic bottles!
Freddie Mercury's family home
Doors here are interesting, some of the houses in Stonetown are over 100 years old. The carving of flowers at top of doors indicates how many families shared the house; doors carved with chains down each side indicate the house/premises of a slave trader.
We visited a spice garden and learned the medicinal uses for some of the plants growing on Zanzibar. In particular, iodine and aloe Vera.
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| ginger |
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| mace |
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| red dye for lipstick |
A beautiful place. Enough development to aid local people but not enough to destroy what is there.
ReplyDeleteWe're currently being battered by Storm Bert so your post couldn't have popped up at a better time, it's a welcome ray of sunshine!
ReplyDeleteZanzibar looks utterly fascinating, those doorways are incredible. I bet those chains on the one belonging to a slave trader were made in the Black Country like most of them were, it sent a shiver down my spine. How brilliant that Freddie's house is signposted, too.
I'd give anything to have a dip in that clear blue (and warm!) sea and bask on the pristine sands with a picnic of tropical fruit.
The hotel room looks gorgeous as do you! That Audrey kaftan was worth every penny and I absolutely love your dark blonde hair and brows, I had mine tattooed twice, once in 2005 and again in 2010, they've faded now but I loved the freedom of not having to pencil them in.
Continue to have a wonderful trip, B&S! xxxx
Never knew that lipstick is made from dye. It sure was a long post, but mostly with photographs (that makes it interesting to read)
ReplyDeleteWhat exciting places you do visit! I do lie the new hair, very chic. It sounds a lovely calm place to stay.
ReplyDeleteFab informative post. You both look great in the pics. Interesting about the plants, especially iodine. Your digs ain't too bad either! Enjoy the rest of your exotic trip.xxx
ReplyDeleteWhat a fascinating and beautiful place! You look very relaxed there and I love the new look! Your gold necklace definitely deserves to be work; it's stunning.
ReplyDeleteThe doorways are amazing, although it's troubling to think of those decorative touches denoting slave traders.
It must have been very interesting learning about the medicinal qualities of those plants. The lipstick dye plant looks suitably exotic. :-)