Our weekend in Zanzibar!

We just got in from a wonderful weekend exploring the island of Zanzibar. Zanzibar is primarily Muslim so we could hear the chiming of the bells and hear people praying several times a day. We also saw most women walking around with only their eyes showing through their traditional Muslim attire and the men wearing their traditional Muslim hats. It was a very interesting cultural experience.

We began on Friday taking a ferry from Dar es Salaam to the island, then getting into a taxi/van for 2 hours to make our way to the northern tip of the island called Nungwi. On our ride there, we lost our spare tire underneath our van several times and had to pull over to reattach it. We definitely thought we were going to break down and have to push the van. Thankfully, that didn't happen.

We arrived at "Paradise Hotel" and we stunned by the beauty of the beaches. (See the pictures below.) I feel like I have been to some gorgeous beaches, but this really topped them all. The water was crystal clear and warm. Saturday, we enjoyed the beach most of the day before we had to get ready for our taxi to pick us up again and head down to Stonetown. We went to the seafood market last night to find some dinner. There were huge lobsters, crabs, fish skewers, octopus tentacles and other meats out on tables to choose and have cooked for you. Unfortunately, we heard that the fish might make us sick, so only a few of us braved it. (Not including myself!)

Today was a day of touring around Stonetown. We went to a former slave market and took a tour. It was very sobering to be in the slave chamber hearing about women and children that were kept there for 3 days without food and water. After their time in the chamber, they were taken across the street to be sold at the market. They would be whipped until they made a noise and based on how long they could stand it, their price would be set. To stand on ground that has previously been ridden with such evil and prejudice was eerie to say the least.

We headed back to the ferry, and returned to Dar. On the way home, we were stuck in traffic and were told that the Tanzanian president was coming through. We saw his entourage and, after that, the 2 lane road became a free-for-all. There were 4 lanes of one-way traffic and our taxi driver was totally unafraid. It was a pretty frightening adventure home!

We are all feeling refreshed after a relaxing and enjoyable weekend. We are ready to meet those little ones with lots of smiles and hugs tomorrow morning!

Jenny & me on the beautiful beach in Nungwi!
Jenny, Roxanne, Laurel and me at breakfast Saturday morning. Can't beat this scenery!
The three of us....
All 10 of the volunteers
Even the hotels are equipped with mosquito nets.
The chamber where 75 women and their children were held.
A monument made for the slaves. The chains used are actually ones left from the slave trades.