SLAVES AND SPICE

We are staying in Stone Town. Very old part of Zanzibar. It is so hot, we are melting,,yet I see people all over covered from head to toe in black scarves and robes. ,many men in white. Our guide is one of the few Christians on this island, but says it is no big deal. Zanzibarias, all desended from different tribes all over Africa, are proud of their intermingling, and have even turned down requests to test DNA to see where people have originated. They are pround to be Zanzibarians, and peaceful and happy people. Jambo jambo, they call at  us..Hakuna Matata..and all that.

We arrived in a torrential downpour and actually waited about 45 min in the airport garage area until it stopped enough to bolt to the car. By the time we arrived at our hotel on the beach....sunny and hot!

So we had a late lunch then went to see the old slave quarters.....very disturbing as you can imagine. In the heat and humidity we went under the ground to view the areas where they held black people for up to 3-4 days before they were sold. There were 8 of us and I could hardly breath in the dark, hot hole. But the slave traders would pack 75 people including little babies and kids in the same hole. It was really depressing. 

The chains on the statues are the original chains found at these slave chambers. 

The rest of the time we walked around the hot food market. While Zanzibarians have plenty of good and freash water available.....they don't have much refrigeration. Most shop daily, so the markets stay busy with everything needed to cook the day's food.  By the time we walked back to our airconditioned rooms....my feet were ballons and I was toast! A glass of wine and Benedryl...and I got thru the evening!