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