Zanzibar, Tanzania
November 13, 2022
Our second day in Tanzania. Today we had booked a private tour. Amour, our guide, contacted me on WhatsApp yesterday. We were to meet at the old fort at 9 am. Tendering was no issue and we were off about 7:45 am. The tender pulled into port and we took the short walk to the old fort. Lots of Jambo. The people are very friendly and want to help.
We started our tour by boarding a small boat. Prison Island was our first stop. We boarded a boat called “Italy”. No particular reason for the name. I saw a boat called “Mr. Cheap”, Mr. Bean”, etc. I did ask amour about mambo and Jambo. He said mambo was used between natives of Tanzania. Jambo was used between natives and visitors.
Stone Island was about a 30 minute ride. A prison was constructed here but was never used for its intended purpose. There was what looked like a nice resort on the island but it closed 15 or so years ago. It was a wet landing but we only had to walk a few feet in the water. High tide brought many starfish now trapped on land. The tour guides picked them up and placed them back in the water.
The thing to see here were tortoises and peacocks. One tortoise was 193 years old. The biggest tortoise was nickname Mike Tyson.
The prison never held criminals but it was used to house slaves during the slave trade period. One former quarter was now used as a bar. An iron ring was still on the floor where slaves were chained.
We spent about an hour on the island. The great thing about a private tour is that you can go at your own pace. Those on group and ship tours have a lot of time waiting for others.
Our boat ride back was uneventful. We continued on our tour with a walk to stone town. The name refers to the stone buildings built by the Portuguese. Lime stone and coral was used to construct these buildings.
Freddie Mercury was born in Zanzibar and our first stop was the apartment he was born.
We continued through the narrow streets of stone town.
We did learn in Dar es Salaam that a motorcycle is called a bodahbodah. Border to border. It takes you from one area to another.
We stopped in a few shops, I purchased some coffee, and then we proceeded to the slave market.
Tippu Tip was the nickname of the slave master of Zanzibar. He was given the name because of the sound his gun made.
We saw where slaves were held until they were sold. The slaves came from many different countries in East Africa. Tribe leaders would sell off people they couldn’t manage after taking over another tribe. The Slave Master in Zanzibar would sell them to countries around the world.
Lots to learn here. I don’t remember learning about the slave trade on the eastern coast of Africa. Written on the wall in one of the cellars one can see that 75 slaves and children could be chained in one room. A room that you could barely stand in. Where the slaves were chained was a slab of concrete about 4 feet from the ceiling.
We came out of the slave holding area and Amour spoke to us about the slave master. The white man wasn’t even a part of this business. This was an Arab man from Oman selling slaves to any purchaser. Most went to India.
We worked our way back to the port.
We walked through the old fort. The theater area is a newer addition. Periodically they hold live concerts here.
We ended our day here in The Mercury Zanzibar. I wanted to tried the Monica Lewinsky but opted for a Kilimanjaro.
Getting on the tender is quite amazing. There is the noise, and hustle of the city. Cross the HAL security and you are once again in first class service. Cold towel? Glass of lemonade or iced tea? Chairs if you would like to sit and wait. Once back near the ship the service is the same. Line on the gangway? You will be served something to drink in line.
Dinner in the dining room as the ship began towards our next port. Outstanding dinner each nite.
The evening show was saxophonist Axos Laki. Axos told the audience that he is from a country that doesn’t exist anymore. Yugoslavia. It is now Serbia.
Axos played the tenor and he was very good. He helped the not so good stage band stay together. Good show of popular tunes. 8…