1-30pm
After a good night’s rest, we got up about 7-30am and went down to the boma to read. There was very little traffic on the beach… maybe this was rush hour….
After breakfast, we gathered at the reception area and a few minutes after 9am, our taxi arrived to take us to Stone Town for a 2 hour tour. Back on the road again, I was amazed at the sight of three on a scooter….this is common practice, with the husband in the middle, a son in front and a wife behind. But what’s shocking is that there is only one helmet and the husband has it!…
We soon arrived in Stone Town…
Our first walk was through the sea front area which included a picturesque garden….
…where cats doze out oblivious to those passing by…
Out at sea, to our amusement was a boat with a significant name…unexpected in these parts….
Ha!
Hundreds of years ago, canons defended the land….
This is the area where the famous world’s shortest war took place. In 1896, British forces bombed several buildings. The cause was the rise to power of a Sultan who Britain did not want. Within 45 minutes, the war was over. The offending Sultan managed to escape to Seychelles. That was the end of that. One building that survived the onslaught was built for one of the Sultan’s sons. It’s called House of Wonder – a massive building, pretty derelict, but also supposed to be undergoing renovation….
Close by to the House of Wonder is a fought, built by Portuguese in 1672…it’s the oldest building in Zanzibar….
Our tour took us into the centre of Stone Town, where the stone buildings gave it its name…
The streets are narrow….
And some very busy, bustling with shopkeepers, carts, bicycles and scooters…
Others are damp and quiet…
There is some creative wiring…the tour guide said, (in his words) “we have to defend each other in helping with electricity!” Well, okay, then, as long as no one gets electrocuted…
The doors are significant. Doors with great big sharp thorns jabbing out of them were only for royal families…this is an Arab one…
There were also Hindu doors with Arabic script….
There are only three doors with this design in all of Zanzibar…
Another famous door is this one…
This was the birth place of Freddy Mercury. Born here on 5th September 1946…
95%of Zanzibar is Muslim. In Stone Town, the cross and the crescent stand along side each other….
The Zanzibarians have a sense of humour. Some amusing person has put this sign up, with a telephone beneath it…
Of course the telephone doesn’t work!
Plenty of opportunity for souvenirs…
And this is for Pearl…
So that’s Stone Town done and dusted! No need to return! The locals market was really busy, with a bit of an overpowering smell of fish. I didn’t take photos – not wanting to take my cell phone out with that many people around. It does seem quite safe though….no warning of pick-pockets, although I think you do need to be careful.
Returning to the blissful peace and quietness of our resort was a treat. This is why we are here! …
And yet even here, we can worry. I keep getting a message on my cell phone that my SD card is damaged. I have more than 300 notes written on my Bible readings….and when I couldn’t access them, I thought that was that… I would lose them all. Turns out, they are also in another application on my phone, so they are safe.
John 14:27 ~ words of Jesus…
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Tonight, there is a beach bash, so we may wander down and find out what that’s all about! Then we have Saturday, Sunday & Monday of hanging out at the resort and maybe doing some walking. We leave Tuesday morning. Home late Tuesday night. Internet is sporadic, but I’m managing to get it up! Yay!
Keep the smile going!
God bless you loads!
In His Grip,
Helga xx 🙂