The last few weeks have flown by...we've been busier here in Tanzania than I feel like we were back in Colorado! Lots of neat activities to participate in, ministry to spend our time with, and social outings to share with our new friends. The community here is accepting of all the new people and is so much fun.
This week is the Fall Break at HOPAC and many here take a holiday. We've been in Tanzania 3 months tomorrow and haven't left Dar a single time, not for anything!!! Imagine that a few weeks ago some of us were talking about what we should do during the Fall Break, and low and behold, we decided to holiday together. For once, I was NOT the planner...can you believe it? Seriously, if you know me at all, I am always the social co-ordinator. This time, I just handed over the cash and went along for the ride.
We took a ferry over to Zanzibar...the 7 am ferry. We had to meet at the SIL/Wycliffe office at 0545 to get a taxi ride down to the ferry docks. Quite an early morning for all of us. I had a bit of nausea on the crossing; but, coming back on Tuesday was even worse for me. I didn't know I was so prone to motion sickness.
We arrived on the island about 9ish and started off the trip with an amazing tour of a Spice Farm. I had no idea how many spices and fruits were grown on Zanzibar. I think you could live there and be completely self sufficient...they can grow it all! The lunch they served us was amazing, Zanzibar curry and cinnamon rice, Tuna and Chicken cooked in the local spices, I was so full...and then they proceeded to let us try all the fruits they grow there for dessert...star fruit, pineapple, bananas, cucumbers, oranges, coconuts! We got to buy packets of spices, teas, and coffees made right there at the farm, yummy!
That afternoon we left the kid with our most gracious friends, the Clendinens and the Harrars, and went on the walking Stone Town tour. I was duly educated in the history of the East Africa Slave Trade, headquartered in Zanzibar. I hadn't ever really heard much of the information, in the past I think my education in the US has mostly focused on the West Africa slave trade since those are the Africans brought to the Americas. The situation in East Africa was definitely different. We spent quite a bit of time at the Anglican Church and learned more about David Livingstone, the Bishops of the Church and what they did to stop slavery, and the Sultans that ruled the area. We were also able to see the Palace and the "House of Wonders". I think we could have spent all day on this tour, so much to hear, see, and read.
On Sunday we went on a Blue Safari tour. We took a boat out to some of the smaller islands and went swimming. We also tried to get Sissi up to par in the snorkeling department so that she could join us in the fun. Alas, between the boat not having child sized life vests and her fear of the open ocean (read waves), she refused to snorkel with us. The boys had "the time of their life" and didn't want to leave the reefs and the colorful fish. The water around Zanzibar is some of the bluest and shallowest water I've ever seen, it really is a snorkeler's paradise. For lunch, the crew took us to an island where they fed us an "all you can eat" seafood buffet....there were prawns, octopus, calamari, lobster...plus rice, chips (french fries for you Americans), chipati, and tons of fresh fruit. We definitely ate well on this trip! That evening we went down to the market area, in front of the House of Wonders. The local vendors set up shop once the night falls and you can order most any kind of local fare. We had sugar cane juice, made in front of us! We had Zanzibar style pizza, made with lobster and prawns...also bananas and nutella for dessert. There were Turkish Schwarmas. Mishkaki of all types (this is a shish kabob for those of us from the US) - beef, chicken, tuna, octopus, etc. Fresh smoothies, ice cream. Most anything you could want to eat.
Monday morning we took another boat out to Prison Island to see the tortoises, and feed them. The island was initially built to be a prison; but, instead ended up being a hospital and quarantine spot so that ships wouldn't come into Zanzibar bringing cholera and the plague. They are getting ready to open a beautiful resort there, might want to try to stay there some time...we'll see what the resident rate is ;). In the mean time, you can feed the tortoises and help to support them in their endangered status. You can swim in the crystal clear water and you can take a tour of the prison/hospital. We finished up the afternoon with a whirl wind shopping tour through the maze like streets of Stone Town. We bought khangas, purses, necklaces, clothes, wooden art work, got a henna tattoo (not me; but, Bev did!) and completed our tour with dinner in the market again!
An amazing trip, completely worth our time and energy! If you're thinking of coming out to Tanzania to visit at all, let me know, we'll take you there ;)... Thanks Craig, Carolyn, Anissa, Ariana,Michael and Bev, we loved spending time with you all. Looking forward to next time!!!!
The sunrise on the way to the ferry.
A corkscrew tree on Zanzibar.
Our tour guide showing the kids the "touch me not" plant, it literally closes itself up if you touch it.
The tour of the Spice Farm, this was a coffee tree.
A tree that makes a dye that many people use in cosmetics...see his red lips!
Pineapple leaf glasses for the kids.
Climbing up the coconut tree to get us something to eat.
He sang on the way up and down, the sound carried and was beautiful.
Drinking our coconut water.
Gifts for the kids.
Group shot at the Spice Farm.
The Anglican Church that sits on the site that was the center of the East Africa Slave trade.
A memorial
The first African convert to Christianity...the story of St. Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch.
A cross made from the wood of the tree where David Livingstone's heart was buried.
His body was taken back to England, Westminster Abbey; but, his heart was buried in Zambia, per his request.
The hole/circle, in front of the altar was where the whipping post was located.
The tile mosaics were done by William Makepiece Thackeray's sister, Caroline.
Street pictures. Love the large baobab tree.
More street shots of Stone Town.
More of Stone Town and a local duka (a little store)
A look at the fort built by the Portuguese.
Now it's used for open air shows.
Group shot outside of our hotel in Stone Town.
Prison Island Private Resort.
The kids feeding the tortoises.
Even Indy got in on the feeding time.
Our tour guide, helping Sissi.
Krypto feeding them.
Gwangi got his finger bitten, I think the tortoise didn't realize he was out of green!
A view of the water from the prison.
Do you see how clear it is, you can see all the way to the floor of the ocean.
The kids at the prison.
Travel signs, showing the distance to some other locations.
The clear water by the island.
A starfish in the water.
