150,000 inhabitants. One traffic light. 2 public toilets. The highest concentration of carved doors in Africa. Current home to a gazillion flea ridden cats. Former home of Freddie Mercury though nobody can remember where his house was. Where nights of Arabian passion can be experienced in the spice laden air of the ‘Bot Club’ the city’s premier (only) late night entertainment venue. I give you the heaving metropolis that is Zanzibar’s capital – Stone Town.
During our first few days one of our VSO colleagues on the island reported seeing a huge ‘Great White’ being brought in by the local fisherman to the market. ‘How do you know it was a Great White’, I enquired. ‘Well John’, came the reply, ‘I’m not too sure but it had bloody great white teeth and was as long as the lorry that dumped it’. A lorry. Swims are now preceded by half an hour scanning the water for tell tale fins. There’s one behind the boat. I know it.
Toddle down to the beach. Catch the fishermen coming in from a day/night’s work ask them if they’re selling and you can be munching down on fresh squid, calamari, a King fish, fish of all sorts, within half an hour. Any fresher, you’d have to go snorkelling with a knife and fork.









Makes Pozzuoli look very third rate!
Nah, Just good camera work :). Pozzuoli has all the added crumbly, old, interesting bits. Stone Town is crumbly but not half as old or interesting. Stone Town fish market does have more flies than Pozzuoli’s though. And the meat market…. I’ll leave that for another photo diary foray. Just as soon as I’ve accustomed my nose and stomach to the stench.
Brilliant! Lots of pics of ‘not our house’, what about a pic of ‘our house’? and when will you have a post address?
Next post, Steve, I promise. You see, we only moved in a couple of days ago (long story)! And, oh, address: Yes, that’s a tricky one because Tanzania has no physical addresses. It’s all descriptions, so I guess our address would be: In the College campus, first house in the second row of buildings on your right, opposite the mosque – or something like that. It’s all PO boxes at the post office, no postman who comes to deliver. We are told it’s best to use the College PO box, so we’ll investigate the exact details. If anyone does want to send something (very welcome!!) let us know please so that we are aware and can try to ensure that things don’t go walkies.
Ta….
You should take up fishing.
When was the last time you caught a shark in Brandenburg?
Nice, nice, nice…and yes, I’d forgotten all those cats.
Enjoy!
Great photos, but the comments even better.
Thank you for your comfort about (as I think) disastrous Berlin transport. I have realized: You are really experiencing a different point of view.
Looking forward to more news!
Eva