Blogpost 11 – Zanzibar Friday 19th February
Zanzibar
We didn’t expect much of Zanzibar – and because we had to
pay quite a lot for a visa for a visit of only a few hours we debated whether
we should go ashore at all, especially as the heat is rather debilitating.
Well, what a surprise! The visit and tour we had were really interesting.
Firstly we visited the Anglican Church built in 1874 on the site of the Great
Slave market, once a hub of the slave trade for Eat Africa. There was a very
moving sculpture depicting the slaves in front of the cathedral (repair work
was being carried out on the cathedral, the scaffolding looked extremely
rickety) and then we were taken to underground chambers where the slaves were
held before they were sold.
It was a real shock to see the tiny space that 75
men were kept in with 3 tiny slits for air, and opposite an equally small space
for 20 women and their children. In the cathedral there was a crucifix made
from the wood of the tree under which David Livingstone died. Adjoining the
Cathedral there was St. Monica’s [John’s mum’s Christian name] nursery school
where the children were lining up for their two rolls and water, looking very
smart and smiling in their school uniform.
From there we proceeded on foot to the morning market – all hustle and
bustle, sights and smells. The most potent of these smells was in the fish
market – nothing left to the imagination! We all opted not to visit the live
chicken market! We walked past fruit and
vegetable and spice stalls and were glad to have a guide as there was plenty of
scope to get lost in the maze. Next we
visited the fort made from coral lime and from which we could see next door the
House of Wonders so called because it was the first house in Zanzibar to have
electricity. We also stopped at the Sultan’s palace, now somewhat decrepit. We
were relieved to get back into the air-conditioned bus which drove us out of
town to a village where we saw a display by the children at a Koranic school
and where we shown the trees of different
spices that are grown locally in the
spice farms.
It is constantly amazing how many people and children are
everywhere, and with unemployment at 33% there is an awful lot of hanging about
going on. It is not that there is nothing to be done – and some work very hard.
This country is 95% Muslim and the schoolgirls wear a compulsory and smart
uniform with headscarves of differing shades of white according to their age.
We got back to Boudicca in time for a late lunch and we set
off from the busy quayside full of containers at 1800.
It was quite a sight seeing
Zanzibar spread out before us in the late afternoon light with dhows and their
lateen sails in the foreground. We are now bound for the Seychelles which is
three days sail away so a bit of time to recover from this lively, fascinating
port of call.
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