Exotic Zanzibar

Stone Town seen from Tower Top Restaurant

I almost never made it. A few days before, I felt weak and suspected I had malaria. Many of my colleagues who had earlier planned to go backed out as it turned out they had to work during the coming weekend. In the end, almost at the last minute, only three of us went ahead with the plan to visit exotic Zanzibar.

We flew out of Tanga in a tiny, ten passenger plane. It was the smallest plane I had ever ridden and the views were absolutely amazing. I saw Tanga Bay as a bird would see; I saw the clear blue waters of the Indian Ocean; I saw the green island of Pemba surrounded by mangrove forests broken here and there by white beaches. We landed on Pemba for ten minutes then we were up in the air again for the journey to Zanzibar.

View from Hotel Rooftop

My first glimpse of Zanzibar was that of beautiful white beaches on its east coast. Too bad I did not have the time to visit any of them. As we rode a taxi to Stone Town, it immediately became clear to me this was a place like no other. The white buildings closely packed  together were indeed made of stone. The intricately carved wooden doors with brass studs were their most distinguishing feature. The stone buildings and the fort evoked Europe yet the designs unmistakably bore Arab and Indian influences. After all, Zanzibar was once ruled by the Sultan of Oman and has been conducting trade with India and the Arab world for centuries through the dhows, sailboats that are themselves the very image of timelessness.

Iconic carved Zanzibar door

As I clambered four feet above the floor on my Zanzibari bed, also a carved, four-poster work of art that was draped with a mosquito net, I began to notice a sweet scent pervading the air. I smelled the same aroma everywhere we went around town. It turned out to be the smell of cloves, a spice which continues to be one of the top exports of the island. Indeed, Zanzibar was once known as the Spice Island.

Dhow sailing as they have for centuries

We set out for Forodhani Gardens, the center of activity on the island, to find a place to eat. It is a park situated on the waterfront and right in front of the 16th Century fort built by the Portuguese. It was bustling with activity as we saw children running around, families out for a stroll, and ubiquitous touts looking to make a sale. "Jambo, my friend!," all of them said as they approached us offering guided tours, trips to Prison Island, and various carved knickknacks. They were persistent. There were more of them than tourists as it was off peak season and they were eager to make a shilling. We politely but firmly said no; most of them were gracious enough to say thank you and to sigh hopefully, "Perhaps next time when you return." I sure hope there would be a next time.

Street food at Forodhani was an amazing sight. Vendors laid out on tables all sorts of seafood with all sorts of spices ready for grilling - octopus, calamari, king fish, lobster, prawns. They also sold chapati, bread and chips. We ended up at Archipelago Restaurant and I ordered pweza - octopus - with coconut and curry sauce. As I chewed on the soft and scrumptious octopus and sipped on tea spiced with cinnamon and cardamom, I had to remind myself I was not dreaming and I truly was in Zanzibar!

Sunset at Zanzibar

The following day was spent exploring Stone Town. We explored the Old Fort, now an atmospheric ruin used for performances and film festivals, but previously the stronghold of the islands' rulers from the Portuguese, to the Arabs, then the British. Beside was the House of Wonders, the tallest building on the island and once the residence of Sultan, but now the Zanzibar National Museum. Just a few meters further was another older palace, the Beit al-Sahel or Palace Museum. I was amazed to see portraits of Sissy, the Empress of Austria-Hungarian Empire, and with whom I was quite fascinated when I visited Vienna. The portraits and the copies of various treaties with world powers in the 19th century was a testament to the important role Zanzibar played in world trade. I saw rooms with ornately carved furniture where the sultan received heads of state. I finally sat to rest on the balcony like the sultans of old, watching the ships approaching port. They no longer unloaded a grim cargo of slaves, but hordes of tourists like me seeking to travel back in time or simply to shop for silver trinkets, exotic spices, and tanzanite jewelry.

After walking mostly along the waterfront, we finally entered the maze that is the winding and narrow streets of Stone Town. They were so narrow in some places only two pedestrians could pass. They scarcely resembled what was drawn on the map and there were hardly any straight lines! I did my best to appear I was not lost for the sake of my two companions. We finally arrived at the building we were looking for almost by accident. That building is the hotel at 236 Hurumzi Street, formerly Emerson and Green, and which is an institution in Zanzibar. As we climbed the steep stairs, we were transported back in time as we saw peacocks painted on walls, beautiful carved decor, plants hanging from balconies, and several towers surrounding the building. As we reached the very top, we arrived at a restaurant with views all around Zanzibar. We stayed for several minutes as we took in images of dhows sailing in the sea, the spires of St Joseph Cathedral, the clock tower of the House of Wonder, and the Anglican Cathedral off to one side, site of the Old Slave Market. It was there that I agreed Zanzibar was truly magical.

The following day, we went to the countryside on a spice tour. While I know I have been eating them all my life, it was a real treat to see the trees and plants where spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, lemongrass and other spices were taken from. I also had a sneaking suspicion most of these plants could be seen back home if I only knew what they looked like once they started handing out kamias, balimbing and guyabano for us to taste. We ended the tour with a fine lunch of rice with what else but spices.

In the afternoon, we rushed to the port to ride the ferry back to Dar. As I caught a glimpse of Stone Town for the last time, I said goodbye to the tiny island that once ruled most of the coast of East Africa. It was a trip back in time, a time of immense riches accumulated from the sweet smell of spices and the bitter sighs of slaves.

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