Zanzibarians II

Zanzibar was a very rich country over one hundred years ago because of the slave and spice trade. In the 1800's over 100,000 slaves were brought to Stone Town and sold. The sultan then used that money to buy guns and secure his grip on the area. Zanzibar is much more Muslim than the mainland because it used to be a part (I use part because it was more than a colony) of Oman (N, our host, still has family in Oman). The travel books ask you to show respect to your Muslim hosts in Zanzibar and cover up and not be loudly drunk in the street. Judging by the spaghetti straps and high skirts, quite a few travellers don't give a shit. Also, on that note, 20-something travellers should be seen and not heard. They make my ears bleed.

We didn't tour any of the slave markets as we figure that will be a tour we do with mom & auntie. Saturday we walked and shopped in Stone Town - I bought some sandals that were made to fit while we went on our merry way. I got a massage while josey and the girls looked for dresses. I met up with them for vegetarian Indian food after eventually finding my way back to the sandal shop. The sandals were 17,000 Tsh. Tanzanian shillings. 15,000 Tsh = $10 US. So they weren't that much. And I even heard him quote somebody else at 17,000. In Tanzania you have to get used to the fact that there is a local price and a white person price. You can bargain but at a certain point you realize that you're arguing about 33 cents or maybe $2. Which reminds me of staying at the resort.

We met a woman who did NGO conflict-resolution work in Nairobi. She told us that when she was booked at the resort she kept it from her colleagues as she felt guilty about it. It is an option that very few East Africans will ever have. ($100 US a night)

Saturday evening was pretty quiet. For dinner I had a gigantic whole perch. Josey had some sort of random vegetarian dish -- I kid, I kid, she had a wonderful soup.

Sunday we saw the first rains of our trip. And they were torrential. We were in Stone Town, fresh out of the cab but not yet at the coffee shop. We stood in the alley (with a shop keeper trying to sell us an umbrella) while the rain pounded on the corrugated roof-tops. There was so much rain and nowhere for it to go that eventually the water was up to mid-shin. Kids kept riding their bikes (are we old because we stop playing or stop playing because we're old?) through the current as it would split and re-unite in various channels. Just rain but it brilliant.

We awaited the ferry in the Mercury Lounge (Freddy Mercury was born in Zanzibar) and left as the rains stopped. We can't wait to go back.