lauren laughs

and now for a summary of sights in zanzibar. i’ve been to beaches all over the world, and this one stands out for sure. click here to see the complete album.

November 11, 2007

Breakfast is served on the top floor and terrace of our hotel. The eggs in Tanzania have yokes so pale that you’d think they have no yokes at all. Skye thinks this is because the chickens are fed fish. The view at breakfast was beautiful. I felt the constant urge to pinch myself, Zanzibar is just that lovely! It’s actually a very romantic place, and it’s funny to be someplace so romantic with two platonic friends. Very cool, though.

Raph went scuba diving for the morning (I really should get certified to do the same sometime) while Skye and I visited the Anglican Cathedral that sits atop a former slave market. It was the last open slave market in Africa before the English purchased the land, tore down the market, and built this church. Skye and I arrived in the middle of the Holy Communion service. It was fun to listen to familiar tunes sung in Swahili language. We hummed along. After the service I got pics of the church, a cross made of wood from the tree Dr. Livingston’s heart was buried under in Zambia, and a slave memorial outside the church.

While eating lunch, we saw some guy wearing a shirt that said, “you looked better on myspace!” He was selling cashews. I doubt he knows what “myspace” is… really wish I had a picture!

After Raph returned from his dive, the three of us took one of those old-style “dhow” sailboats out to “Prison Island.” A prison was built on the island, which then was used to quarantine the sick, and now it’s just a run-down hotel with a beautiful tiny beach and lots of giant tortoises. Tortoises make really weird noises. We sailed back to Stone Town at sunset. Beautiful. Then cleaned up for dinner with typical Zanzibar seasoning at a restaurant on the water. Really, the trip was over the top.

November 10, 2007

After some tea and breakfast, Skye, Raph and I piled into Frank’s taxi (Frank is one of Skye’s favorite taxi drivers, so we call him to take us just about anywhere… he’s nice) and made our way to the airport. Dar Es Salaam is such an interesting mix of cultures. On the one hand, it seems much more cosmopolitan than anything I’ve seen since moving to Africa. On the other hand, you see Maasai men walking around with traditional clothes and spears… and cell phones.

At the airport, we boarded a little plane for a 15 minute flight over to Zanzibar. You can also take the ferry to Zanzibar, but it takes 3 hrs and is only $10 cheaper than flying (that’s only true if you have a “local” like Skye with you, though). The flight was beautiful! It was like being in a car with wings. We got some great pics. The water was so clear, I’m pretty sure I was able to see schools of fish from way up in the air!

Once we landed, we checked into our super cool hotel in Stone Town, with Arab influenced architecture and design everywhere. It reminded me of how much I like the Arabesque parts of Spain. Anyway, just beautiful. I had a yummy cold squid salad for lunch before taking a dip in the pool. I was enjoying a peaceful float all by myself till Raph and Skye did cannon balls on either side of me. I squealed. Like a girl.

Before sunset we went to the “Africa House” which used to be the English Club. It was so cool to watch the sun go down over the ocean behind old-style sail boats called “dhows.” I snapped sooo many pictures. Then we went to an Amore Mio for an Italian dinner, recommended by my Italian friend Erin! Again, yum.

here’s an account (in reverse order) of two days’ safari in tanzania… if only words could truly describe! click here to see all the pics.

November 9, 2007

Raph and I went back to Mikumi National Park today after an “English” breakfast of eggs, beans, a weenie, fruit, toast, tea and passion fruit juice. It’s funny how we sit still when we see animals from far off instead of jumping up to take pictures. We’ve accumulated so many close-ups already. So today’s tour is more relaxing, but still awe inspiring. Raph likes to sit on the luggage rack above the hood of the car. Our vehicle is a pop-top 4×4… safari sun-roof.

We saw another group of lions today, off the legal trail again. This time we spotted a male as well. Incredible.

The only disappointment of the day is that we missed the visit to the snake park that was included in our safari package. No biggie. I’ve seen plenty of snakes before. I was hoping I would get my picture taken with one around my neck, though! Maybe next time…

We got back to Dar Es Salaam in time for dinner with Skye. We decided to go to a restaurant typical of Tanzania, in part so Raph could try the maize paste that we also eat here in Benin. From there we went to a bar with live music. The sets mixed American, African and Reggae. We danced a lot. I can’t remember the last time I got to dance at a bar to “brown eyed girl” or “wonderful tonight!” It was so much fun. We kinda tried to set Skye up with a cute Fulbright student working on her PhD, but I was a little skeptical of her motives. Raph got her number just in case.

November 8, 2007

I tried Ethiopian food for the first time last night. Skye took Raph and me to an awesome retaurant with great ambiance. They basically bring out a sheet of thin, pancakey bread and then dump small bowls of various savory meats and veggies (or pumpkin) in yummy sauces onto the extra large pancake thing. They then give you a plate full of what look like rolled up hand towels, but they’re actually more of this pancakey bread stuff. You tear off some bread and then use it to pinch off a mouthful of meat or veggies. It was absolutely delicious! And great food for socializing. I’m surprised this hasn’t caught on all over the US… I might venture to say it’s better than tapas!

Raph and I left Dar Es Salaam early this morning with our driver and safari guide, Abel. We drove 5 hours, half of which we slept, the other half we caught up on each others lives and the lives of our mutual friends. It feels good to talk about folks from home.

We dropped our bags at our room and had a quick lunch and siesta at our hotel outside the Mikumi National Park. Abel picked us back up for a “three hour tour” (it really was a three hour tour, and I kept singing the Giligan’s Island song in my head). We saw so many animals! At first we were taking pictures of anything, even if from a distance. Giraffes, baboons, wildebeests, pumbas, impalas, zebras, elephants, bush bucks, lions, hippos, buffalo and various birds. The lions were hard to find, and we had to go off the “legal” trail. Abel kept saying, “Quick! Take your pictures! We are not allowed to be here, and can only stay a minute.” The lions were just resting and panting, too relaxed or tired to mind our presence.

We were pretty much on top of the world.

We ended the tour at one of the watering holes at the park. As the sun began to set, all the various animals came together for a drink: animals’ happy hour. I felt the constant need to pinch myself or break out into song… “in the circle of life!” To see all the animals all at once in perfect harmony beneath the orange sky… I have no words.