Zanzibar

Zanzibar is a small Muslim island in the Indian Ocean off of the coast of Tanzania. The main city here is Stonetown, which is known for its mesmerizing mix of European, African, American, Indian, and Arabian style and influence. The old center of Stonetown lacks any signs or direction, leaving a visitor to decipher the maze of streets and alleyways. Men in long white robes and embroidered caps can be seen riding bicycles or playing a native beans and board game. Women cool off in the ocean fully clothed and fishermen work hard for a variety of different catch on their handmade wooden dhows (sailboats). The food and vegetable market overwhelms the senses with swarming flies, strong anchovies, and several local spices. Life here is simple and enjoyed.

We spent our first day here wandering around to get a feel for the island's character, but got lost..several times. Ali (makes it easy since 1/2 of the names here are Muhammad or Ali) at the Jambo guesthouse walked us around the town and gave us an easy route to memorize so that we could find our way back. He even walked us through the nightly garden market along the water. Fishermen cook a variety of fresh seafood--squid, baracuda, tuna, octopus, lobster, prawns and more--that are organized on skewers and by type so that tourists and locals can shop for their dinner or even a late-night snack since it doesn't shut down until after midnight.