 An Zanzibar Aquamarine and Corral Sunset Zanzibar, an island off of the coast of Tanzania, has been a trade center between Europe, the Middle East and Africa since the 15th Century. Known as one of the Spice Islands, Zanzibar is the clove capital of the world. The island is a semi-autonomous principality of Tanzania, with it's own laws and government. Beautiful Zanzibar has a history of religious tolerance, with Hindus, Christians, Muslims, and Jews all able to agree on one topic, the benefits of trade. Emily and I had the opportunity to visit Zanzibar for a couple of days in mid-May before going on safari through Tanzania's Serengeti. Please click "read more" I fell in love with Zanzibar. The country has a stable government, social cohesion, strong infrastructure, a thriving trade sector, plenty of work, not to mention gorgeous beaches, a comfortable climate, and fantastic food. A majority of people in Zanzibar are Muslim, and the main language of the island is Kiswahili, which is a combination of Arabic and African languages. One of the best parts of the trip was being able to use my meager Arabic language skills while learning some Kiswahili. Emily and I had the opportunity to visit Stone Town, a World Heritage Site and the historic section of Zanzibar, whose buildings are constructed out of corral. The city consists of a labyrinth of roads and alleys, many that can barely fit a motorcycle. We visited the the Sultan's Palace, which is now the House of Wonders and provided great insight into the culture and history of the island. Walking through Stone Town with a guide, we had the opportunity to see the famous handmade doors of Zanzibar. In Stone Town, when constructing a home, the door is the first piece constructed. Traditionally, these 11-piece doors are handmade in India, and can take 3 months to 2 years to carve. The doors are adorned with multiple symbols including but not limited to fish scales and waves, illustrating the importance of ocean life in this coastal community, a chain to represent security (and some argue the slave trade), and lotus flowers to signify rebirth. Emily and I also had the privilege of seeing Freddie Mercury's family home. Freddy Mercury was born in Zanzibar, is of Indian descent, and lived in Stone Town until he left for boarding school in the United Kingdom. Our tour guide shared with us that that Zanzibar does have a history of social unrest, but not because of religion. Zanzibar has a diversity of faiths, with Stone Town having over 50 Muslim mosques, 2 Christian churches and 1 Hindu temple, and is known for it's religious tolerance. Unfortunately, a few days after Emily and I left Zanzibar, Stone Town was closed because of riots where the two Christian Churches in Stone Town were burned down by religious extremists, something unheard of in the past. Zanzibar is a beautiful island, with a rich history, accepting culture, and prosperous trade. Thankfully, things have cooled down in Stone Town, the issues are internal, and are not a direct threat to expats. According to the State Department, Zanzibar and Tanzania are safe for foreign travel. I left Zanzibar with a beautiful painting of a Stone Town door, a turquoise and coral bracelet, an aquamarine blue Kikoy, a bag full of spices, and shoes full of white corral sand. After an intense 2 years of graduate school and 6 months of hard work in Kisumu at OGRA Foundation, Zanzibar was the perfect kick-off to a fantastic 3 weeks of travel around the world. I'll be sharing Emily and my adventures through the Serengeti in my next post! To see the rest of the Zanzibar photos, click here. |  Kilimanjaro     A fisherman's boat  The Sultan's Palace, now the House of Wonders national museum    A Habitat for Humanity Kikoy  Emily and Serena at the House of Wonders         The Harem Bridge: This is where the Sultan's wives would enter the Palace, unseen by the public.  One of Zanzibar's Famous Wooden Doors  An example of the 3 types of Zanzibar Architecture, Gothic, Indian and Middle Eastern. (Windows in the background)  The inside of a Zanzibar Home  A Traditional Healer's Shop  Stone Town Market  A Spice Stand        Fish being delivered to the Market   Life in Zanzibar  The Old Slave Market, constructed over with a Catholic Church, in honor of Slavery Abolitionist Livingston  A Christian Church and Muslim Mosque, in Zanzibar- a local symbol of religious cohesion. (This Church was burned down less than a week after this picture was taken)  One of the oldest doors in Zanzibar, and my guide  The Spikes are to Prevent Elephants from Breaking In (There are no Elephants in Zanzibar)  Palm Leaves for Prosperity, Chains for Protection, Waves to Represent the Ocean  The Doors with Rounded Tops are Muslim Families, the Doors with Squared Tops are Hindu Families  A Wall Made of Corral, with the Traditional Wooden Door  One of the oldest and most ornate doors in Zanzibar, at the home of the Sultan's Architect.  A graduation gift to myself, a painting of a Zanzibar door.  The artist and salesmen, wrapping my painting   Freddie Mercury's Childhood Home (They Keep it Classy with the Air Conditioner over the Sign)   Emily, standing underneath the Girl Scout Symbol, at the Stone Town Portuguese Fortress  Portuguese Fort Constructed out of Corral   Curious Locals    Serena and Emily's Beach Pad on the Northern Shore of Zanzibar (Second Story)   |
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