Zanzibar beach

After our safari trip to Makumi, we took a bus back to Dar so we could fly out the next day to Zanzibar. I had never heard of Zanzibar until I moved to Africa. I'm really bad at geography, but I'm getting better.

Zanzibar is a group of islands off the coast of Tanzania in the Indian Ocean. Arab and Portuguese traders visited the region in early times, and it was controlled by Omanis in the 18th and 19th centuries. Today they are sometimes known as the Spice Islands, since spices are one of its main industries.

We stayed at the beach two days before going to Stone Town, the slang name for the capital of the island, where you can still see the historical remnants left behind by the people of Oman.

Before I tell you the rest of journey, let me show you our travel companions for the eleven days we were gone.

Lynn and Jan Skuza



















Caleb was clearly happy to be here.

























































You can see the seaweed on the beach? We stayed on the side of the island where seaweed is harvested.

You can see in this picture below what looks to be stumps in the Indian Ocean.

They are actually women, fully dressed, walking out to gather seaweed.



















Here is a rather blurry picture (because I took it inconspicuously from far away) of a lady on the beach sorting out the different kinds of seaweed. She takes the sturdier, lighter color seaweed with her, leaving behind the slimier, less firm kind. That's about the extent of my knowledge of seaweed.


















You may find it funny, but I forgot I was in Africa when I was at the beach.

I was always reminded I was in Africa while driving around or trying to be understood at an eating establishment (because I don't speak Kiswahili),

but when I saw this lady on the beach,



















and I saw this lady going to clean rooms, I was quickly brought back to reality.

Always the head...

























































I cracked up over this one.

Caleb was trying to keep his swimsuit from getting wet...while standing in the ocean.

Whose kid is that?