Tanzania: Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar

Went to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania...

...to visit a friend and fellow Returned Peace Corps Volunteer

After hanging out with her, her family and her lovely group of sista friends
I traveled to Zanzibar via ferry

view of the Dar es Salaam fisherman from the ferry

It was a 1.5 hour trip.  Just long enough to be mesmerized
by the blueness of the water (or watch a movie, your pick)

The ferry takes you to Stone Town, on the island of Unguja
(one of the two islands that makes up Zanzibar)

Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site 

Stone Town was a major spice trading post for sailors
from Arabia, Persian Gulf, India, and Europe

Here is a view of Stone Town from my hotel balcony

The Arab influence is very strong in Stone Town
and can be felt in the narrow alleys lining the city's street to
the calls to prayer that are answered by the majority of the citizens

A visit to Stone Town is incomplete without a Spice Tour.
You learn about how the spices are grown and can be used.
This is cumin (who knew it looked liked ginger).  

This is pepper.  

And this is nutmeg...

...this was (and is) really gross looking.
The nut is used for nutmeg, and the red part is used for perfumes.

This is the lipstick plant...

it is used as a dye for lips, hair, etc.

All visitors get decorative items made out of banana leaves.
Check out these fellas from the Czech Republic.

Don't I look like the Statue of Liberty?!

We were styling in our banana plant accessories
(purse, frog necklace,  crown, ring, and bracelet)

After the spice tour, we visited the Anglican Cathedral Church 

which use to be the site of a slave auction

50 male slaves were kept in this small chamber

Finished off the day enjoying grilled seafood, sugar cane juice, and Zanzibari pizza
at the Forodhani Garden's Night Market

View when I woke up the following day.
I think there is something magical about sleeping under a mosquito net.

Next I traveled up north to Nungwi 

to do nothing but chill on the beach

Bright blue water and white sand beaches. This was literally African paradise!!!

I took a break from my chillaxation and got some henna done.

I even went out on this boat for a snorkeling day trip
that included snorkeling on a private island and a bbq lunch on another island

Hung out with some of the Masai guys working the beach

And took in the sunsets

Livingstone, Zambia and Sunset on the Zambezi River

Had to walk across the border to get to Livingstone, Zambia

the walk took about 20 mins in some seriously hot African sun
(learned our lesson though and took a taxi for the return trip home)

We crossed over the infamous Victoria Falls Bridge

View from one side of the Victoria Falls Bridge, btw you can bungee jump off of this bridge

Baboons were running around free all along the border crossing,
especially outside the Zambian immigration office :0)

Livingstone and Vic Falls really cater to tourist and make sure they truly feel like they are in "Africa."
There was even traditional singing and dancing randomly everywhere you went. 

Took a break from the heat and had cocktails at the Royal Livingstone Hotel.
This patio overlooks the Zambezi River.

View of the Zambezi River from the Royal Livingstone Hotel cocktail patio

Some of the staff were dressed in traditional Zambian outfits

 or traditional colonial outfits

Went back to Victoria Falls and Zimbabwe to enjoy a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River

Saw crocs on the shore 

and tons of hippos

this Nile Croc was huge

of course also took in the sunset

Went to a really cool restaurant, The Boma, for dinner.  It is super touristy, but fun nonetheless.

they dressed everyone in a wrap

and painted your face

View of the dinning room from the dance floor.  And of course there was drumming and dancing!!!
They even had a traditional healer sitting in a hut by the entrance that will read your fortune.

As you can see from the mask and shield bread cut outs they really get into it

Boma boasts a fab buffet

You can even select your choice of meat, from a diversity of game meats, and it is grilled for you while you wait 

Food was fantastic.  I even tried a small piece of a Mopani worm (admittedly I am still grossed out by this fact)

Cheers
-Mei