With our packs on our backs we make tracks to the ferry terminal to catch the 10:30am boat to Zanzibar.
And as you can probably imagine, our journey is not without its share of offers for taxi rides. One driver is even so generous as to offer us a ride across the street… literally. We’re directly across the road from the terminal and yet he’s insistent on giving us “a good price”.
We decline his offer and walk the 30 feet.
Safe and sound in the waiting area, Eric and I watch the world go by…
We watch Zanzibari beds go by, chickens in boxes go by and brightly dressed families go by. Eventually it’s our turn to go “bye”, so we grab our bags and board the boat.
We spend the next 2 hours watching National Geographic safari programs, in between glimpses out the window to see if we’re there yet. It’s amazing how your appreciation of these movies changes once you’ve seen the animals in the wild.
About 2 hours later, we see the coastline of Stone Town and it’s a very welcoming sight. The architecture is quite different to what we’re used to and a certain energy seems to emanate from the city. We eagerly await the chance to explore the city.
It doesn’t take us long to disembark and after a confusing experience at customs, we set off for our hotel. Zanzibar is part of Tanzania but it seems to be treated as a separate country, so you have to go through the whole arrival process again… filling in forms, medical checks, stamps, etc. At least we don’t have to pay for another visa.
As we leave the terminal, we’re greeted by some “friends” – touts and hustlers offering tour guide services and hotel recommendations. And even though we politely inform them we already have a place and can find our way on our own, they still insist on escorting us.
Our hotel of choice, the Warere Town House Hotel, is tucked away down a little side street so it takes us a few tries to get there, but we manage and soon find ourselves being given the royal tour by Jimmie the manager. Once we’re settled in, Eric and I set off to explore the town and search out some food.
Stone Town is a very popular tourist spot and this is currently its high season, but we’re having a helluva time finding a restaurant open for lunch. There are people walking all around and yet almost all of the restaurants are closed – what gives?
Well we get our answer when we find a small café with a sign in its window explaining that since it’s Ramadan, it won’t open until sunset.
Aha – now it makes sense!
Ramadan is an Islamic holiday where people fast between sunrise and sunset, and Zanzibar is a predominately Muslim community.
Thankfully some restaurants do take pity on those who don’t celebrate Ramadan – ie. us tourists – and are open for lunch. We come across a small Indian restaurant – the Radha Food House – and we’re welcomed in. Not only is the food good but the guy working it is really cool and friendly, so it quickly becomes our “local joint”.
After a satisfying meal, we continue exploring the streets, the alleys, the waterfront and the market. Stone Town is a great place to wander around – it has lots of nooks & crannies to check out and you can really feel the history in the air…
I think we’re going to like it here.
No comments:
Post a Comment