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Post by shrjeff on Jan 5, 2018 6:59:01 GMT 2
i see that there are a lot of lgbt elephants around there...
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Post by OnlyMark on Jan 5, 2018 8:28:03 GMT 2
Currency – there is a rough 50-50 split between prices being in US dollars and the national Tanzanian Shillings. Hotels will generally quote in Dollars, some restaurants also, but many will still have prices in Shillings, though will except dollars at an appalling exchange rate. The hotels quoting in dollars will also accept local currency, but again at a very unfavourable rate. Our policy was to use the ATM for local money plus some USD depending on the circumstances. Also generally if you pay a bill using a credit card, an extra 5% will be charged. One thing was that in the main part of Stone Town, the usual walkable area, there seemed to be only one bank with ATMs. When I was there at Christmas the bank was quiet and access to the ATMs was easy. We pulled out money quite a few times without a problem. The maximum amount each time though was about $300 worth of local money which wasn't a factor for us but – many mid-range to cheaper hotels will not accept credit cards as payment. Ours didn't. They only accepted cash. So for budgeting it is best to be aware that it may be necessary to bring USD with you at a far better exchange rate from home. If you do bring cash of any major currency it can be exchanged but also take note that you will only get a "good" rate for large bills. Smaller bills of less than say, $50, will be calculated differently. For fifty and hundred dollar bills (and only recent ones) you can get 2200 Shillings for a dollar but only 2000 Shillings for lesser notes. Tipping can be done in local or USD but I tend to only tip in local money as I'm more inclined to have lower value notes in that currency than USD, UK pounds or Euros anyway. When we returned after the New Year for half a day before flying out, the same bank and ATMs had just opened after the holidays and the hole in the wall machines were empty. Long, long queues ensued where waiting time was an hour or more as the machines were eventually filled. It would have been far quicker for people to walk ten minutes or so to the outskirts of Stone Town, outside the main walking areas to where the roads were, and there are a couple of others we noticed to be empty of people queuing. An example of a typical "fast food" menu. Fast food is a relative and flexible term though, the longest we waited to be served lunch anywhere was two and a half hours. Luckily we were at a beach side place that afforded good views and a relaxing time. There will be a few menus as we go along, the best option, due to ease of calculation where you see it, is to convert shillings to USD by dividing by 2000 – Oh dear, another door – And yet, now a drain cover – Back to normality, though a few more doors will appear at random at any time. Be prepared. The Park Hyatt again – Aha! This fairly unimposing building was originally owned by a slave trader who married in to the Omani Royal Family but then in 1888 it became the English Club until the end of the colonial era, latterly a hotel and bar. The terrace is one I've frequented from time to time, with its view over the ocean – Just across from there is the sea front comprising of poorly maintained concrete with a bit of sand here and there and as expected, several small fishing boats - These, for want of a better phrase, house boats, are some of the local fishermen –
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Post by OnlyMark on Jan 5, 2018 11:38:19 GMT 2
These handmade signs feature a couple of common Swahili phrases. The most well known one would be hakuna matata, which I'm convinced is something not widely used, if it existed, until The Lion King came out. I bet you actually know a few Swahili words anyway, or at least are familiar with them. Bwana, simba, dengue, and most of all, safari (which purely means a journey or trip, not particularly looking at animals in a game park). The word Jambo is the main greeting, just meaning hello. Anyone remember a film with John Wayne from years ago called Hatari? Means 'danger'. Swahili has quite a lot of loan words from other languages as well, due to the long trading history of the coastal regions. English and German are in there, as well as Portugese, but mainly Arabic and Persian. When you count up to ten, three of the words are Arabic. "Pole Pole" is widely used and means slowly, slowly. It is a 'go to' name for a guest house often. In the following you'll also see Poa Kichizi which means something like 'really cool' or 'totally cool'. For info, thank you is Asante (add Sana on for emphasis) and Karibu is welcome. Helpful is that Ndio is yes, but even better when approached by touts – Hapana is no. So walk round saying Hapana Asante/Asante Hapana every few minutes to people approaching you and you'll manage well. The word 'jambo', as in hello is widely used but I noticed a different one used between locals. I asked one about this soon after arriving, actually the first day. I was told jambo is a word tourists will often know and is used to them, but one normal greeting would be the slightly different Hujambo, which encompasses hello and a question of 'how are you?' I always used before Jambo and then Habari ( a stand-alone "How are you?"). So from then on the following conversation would be the norm, especially when I didn't want to be bothered by any touts – Him – "Jambo" Me – "Hujambo" Him – "Sijambo (or often Mzuri). Habari?" (I'm fine. How are you?) Me – " Poa kichizi kama ndizi" (recognised idiom – 'totally cool like a banana') Whilst laughter ensued, I'd carry on walking away. Carrying on wandering at random -
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Post by Voy on Jan 5, 2018 17:23:45 GMT 2
I wanna GO ! it looks super - just my kind of town !
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Post by OnlyMark on Jan 5, 2018 20:19:00 GMT 2
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Post by OnlyMark on Jan 5, 2018 20:20:29 GMT 2
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Post by Scrubb on Jan 5, 2018 22:46:07 GMT 2
Great pictures... for making me envious.
I liked how the further we got out of Stonetown, the less ARabic wear and the more African wear we saw - it was so colourful.
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Post by Voy on Jan 5, 2018 22:48:08 GMT 2
keep it up with the doors !! the lock on the 1925 one is amazing.! An the fort looks just like the ones in Oman, that Sultan Qaboos has had restored to all look like cookie cutters
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Post by OnlyMark on Jan 6, 2018 13:05:01 GMT 2
So, the House of Wonders, built in 1883 as a palace and official reception hall, was called so because it was the first building to have electricity and an elevator. It has gone through times as government offices, a school and now a museum. The museum, though very basic, is worth an hour to least get out of the sun. I took a few photos but they are not too good and actually there was little to photograph anyway. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_WondersThe main area is filled with a reproduction of a traditional boat called a mtepe. It was made with wooden pegs and rope sewn through it. Designed to be flexible it was eventually superceded by European designed rigid alternatives. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MtepeInside - I had one of these in the UK in my late teens. A Ford Zephyr with bench seats up front and no seat belts. Good for whipping round a tight left hand bend and getting the girlfriend to slide up to you for a cuddle – The upstairs unfortunately, was closed – This sea front area was the site of the shortest recorded war in history. It involved the death of one Sultan and the argument over who was to succeed him. The British favoured one person whereas another had already plonked himself down in the palace. We didn't like that at all. Not one bit. It was apparently in breach of an agreement between the British and the old Sultan. We had the power to authorise the successor. The bloke who stepped up and occupied the palace wasn't him. So using our Royal Navy we shelled the crap out of the palaces along the waterfront, including the harem. Between half an hour and 45 minutes later we stopped because the usurper had fled to the German Consulate. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Zanzibar_WarWe exited the museum and carried on –
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Post by OnlyMark on Jan 6, 2018 13:07:16 GMT 2
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Post by OnlyMark on Jan 6, 2018 13:10:10 GMT 2
If your Swahili is any good you can catch the headlines. Which apart from bail being a blessing for criminals, escapes me – Then I came across one of the highlights of the trip. Sod the history and the beaches, the sea food and the climate, give me an old car any time. A special one though. This model, an Austin A30 or A35 holds good memories for me – When I was a small child my father had one, a usually coloured black one, from when I was about 3 years old to about 9 years old. His second car in the UK. Cruising speed was 40mph, but only if me and my brother and with the grandparents stuffed in the back weren't there. Heater was an option. Our intention was to go to this place - But I hesitated and had a look back. After all, the history of Zanzibar and slavery pales into comparison with one of my favourite cars of all time – Needless to say I was dragged away, and gladly so really, the Slavery museum is excellent. Unfortunately, only excellent if you can read English well. There was maybe one or two small displays of items but 99% of it was just information boards. The history of Zanzibar, its connection with slavery, being ruled by Oman and everything else is long, complicated and convoluted. I would do little justice to it by giving just an overview here. Never mind it being used as a base for numerous expeditions by explorers to the heart of the continent during the "Scramble for Africa" and before. From when slavery was deemed illegal by the British government in 1833 and its continuation by those such as a colourful character, Tippu Tip and other nations, well, far too complex for a short report like this. If interested it is better to scan though the pages following – en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Zanzibaren.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tippu_TipDuring our wanderings and meanderings, heading generally in one direction, but not always, just on the road cutting across the rear of Stone Town is a market area -
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Post by OnlyMark on Jan 6, 2018 13:14:33 GMT 2
I will say it, even if you know it, but the stench was quite overpowering. So much so that two of my party declined to enter and walked past at a great clip to get some fresh air. I, being your intrepid reporter, braved the miasma for no lesser reason that no trip report is complete without shots of a local market. For Pete's sake, don't ask me to identify the fish. I know some of them and fresh, they would all taste fine. One photo though is of some small alien creatures with red noses – I came out into the vegetable/fruit market. I didn't realise I could hold my breath that long. And close by was the meat market. The photos are a bit blurry, sorry, but actually I was shouted at a couple of times to stop taking photos – I must admit, I like this next shot. Somewhat surreal – Last part – And then we have to story of Zanzibar and spices, especially cloves. Jeez, that's a whole 'nother story for a different time maybe –
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Post by OnlyMark on Jan 6, 2018 13:22:07 GMT 2
Imagine it's 1964. You've just led a revolution in Zanzibar. The last Sultan has fled along with a large number of Arabic and Indian landowners. It's a year after Britain granted Independence and you are the new leader of a Socialist government. You believe for your people to be free they have to stop living in what you call "mud huts". So you have a plan. What you don't know is that only a small part of it will be completed and you will be assassinated eight years later whilst playing Bao, a game endemic to East Africa. You need to have some new buildings for people to live in, so you contact your mates in the DDR (GDR, East Germany) for help. In 1968 they come en-masse, bringing loads of engineers, builders, the design and materials and build you - There are a series of these set out at a cross roads and are always full. It seems they are the best places to live on the outskirts of the city as they have (mostly) running water, sewage and electricity and the apartments are highly sought after. One problem the President had though was he was hearing that the people who moved in initially were so unused to the facilities they were cooking on open fires on the balconies. It is said that sometimes at meal times he would prowl around the estate checking this. The outcome of, I have no idea. Eventually, after much disappearing down alleys and following my nose, I arrived at the area of the docks. Most of it, as I expected, I wasn't allowed in to see. But I did skirt around it as best as I could. The area is covered in dhows shipping mainly charcoal from the mainland of Tanzania (I knew I'd remember to mention charcoal once I saw the photos again). The 'stevadores' were working hard – The photos before were taken over a couple of days and we based ourselves at an old spice traders house, now done up to house four guest rooms and a restaurant. House of Spices it was/is called and the photos on their website do better justice than mine. However, this is the attempt. First the "view" from the restaurant terrace – The door to our room – Through the door and a bedroom to the left, straight on is the sitting area and through that is the bathroom – Zanzibari bed. More in a minute – The bed is of a traditional style and high off the ground. Usually the mattress is about of hip height or a bit higher. The wood is a tree called a mvule or mugavu. Both are similar to mahogany and are passed off as such but are a lot cheaper but with similar qualities. The beds are similar to those found on most of the islands and coastal cities in East Africa, Lamu being some I've experienced as well. The frame is high to now include a mossie net, but originally was just for decoration or an awning over. Anecdotes say the base is so high so that a servant/slave can sleep underneath. Why though, I have no idea. The only problem I found with them was all hell would break loose in my mind if I rolled over in the night and felt I was about to fall off. Also the beds seemed to me to be a bit short even though I am only of average height. That is the only thing about me that is average though. I am well known to excel in most things, especially modesty. Rather a lot posted today but I wanted to end Stone Town so we could move on to the coast.
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Post by Baz Faz on Jan 6, 2018 13:49:59 GMT 2
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Post by Voy on Jan 6, 2018 16:26:50 GMT 2
love them --keep up the good work, please and thank you ! query - in the port is the big rusty orange ship on the tracks there for breaking ? I hope so ! doesn't look very sea worthy ! and "your" car - looking rather stationary??
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Post by OnlyMark on Jan 6, 2018 17:41:55 GMT 2
I doubt that ship would be for breaking. I'd say it was in for repairs as I don't think there is a breakers yard. My car will be shipped back to the UK and planted on top of my dad's grave.
I can't make it out either Baz.
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Post by kuskiwi on Jan 7, 2018 20:31:54 GMT 2
Many thanks Mark. I love your reports. Zanzibar (until the cholera hit) was on one of my go to lists. Love the car..... wondered where Mum's old one went. We had a mint green on (4 door) and I learned to drive in it.
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Post by OnlyMark on Jan 8, 2018 7:14:04 GMT 2
This is Mohammed. Not the real one I'm sure you realise. The transfer cost from the airport to our Stone Town place cost for the three of us in the one car, $10. That included several hours of waiting by the "meet and greet" service, i.e. Mohammed. He then drove us across the island the day we left. The journey to our first stop of Kiwengwa (yes, I know you can't remember where it is but just scroll back up to the top to see the map again. Why do you think I put it there? For my own amusement? No, it was as a tool for you). It took us about an hour and a quarter in an air con new(ish) minibus and cost $40 for the lot of us. Now comes the relaxing bit. Doors will be a scant, but beaches, phew, more length than you can shake a stick at. On arrival we dropped off our bags and shot off to see what the beach was like. Blindingly bright is all I can say. Sunglasses are a must. Look right, look left, look straight on and then back towards where the hotel beach front is, where we'll be spending an appropriate amount of time between meals and gentle walks back and forth. Plus swimming in the pool and sometimes in the sea –
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Post by OnlyMark on Jan 8, 2018 7:19:20 GMT 2
Just as a note, the sea around the island is warm. Usually I'd estimate around 30C, or a degree or two less early morning. Where we stayed the sea sweeps out and in a long way. It can be difficult to get to it at low tide, hence when staying on the east coast you really need to have a hotel with a decent pool. As we went along the beach you'll catch glimpses of kite surfers. The wind, at this time of year quite constant, was a thing for them and I admit it did help cool things down a bit. You'll also see photos of the Maasai. Juxtaposed with women in bikinis and other things. They, like the wind, were a constant companion. They are used mainly for security purposes along and around the beaches. What use they would actually be and how effective they are, I have no idea. All I can say is we saw no inkling of any problems at all wherever we were. The Maasai are traditionally from southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. They are distinctive, graceful, proud warriors and are well known for their ceremonial "high jumps" and having a diet of raw meat, raw milk and raw cows blood. As their traditional nomadic lifestyle and lands have been eroded they have had to turn their hands to different things. (I apologise for some duplications in there as I walked up and back down the beach and things got mixed up. I thought I might have weeded them out but apparently not.) - You will also note the supermarket and high class shopping areas adjacent to the beach – Well, bugger me, I've had to journey for an hour, have king fish for lunch and a half hour walk up the beach. Time for a rest and siesta on the sun beds you saw earlier – Just in front of me were a French family getting their daughter's hair braided (who you can't see) -
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Post by OnlyMark on Jan 8, 2018 7:22:42 GMT 2
Also a game of impromptu football started up. You can see in the distance the reef cum sand bank with the slight breakers. At different times of the day, this is more or less where the sea went out to – After duly resting, it was time for another walk. Up to the more busy areas half an hour or so away and then further on. We managed to get quite a way, stopping off here and there for a cold fresh fruit juice, but never quite got to the pier and hut at the end that you'll see. The pool photo is not ours, but just a place we stopped off at. It appeared the area was a big Italian area. Our place had an Italian owner/chef who made some of the best food we had on the island. Note – as expected really, vegetables are few and far between. Meat, fish,(good) pasta, rice and home made chips, never frozen, are the norm. Salads are sometimes available but not to be relied on as being so. Drinks are cold but the ice, again as expected doesn't come from bottled water. Nevertheless, we always asked for it to usually raised eyebrows and a repetition that we really meant "ice" and not something else.
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Post by sophie on Jan 8, 2018 7:33:46 GMT 2
Absolutely incredible beaches. Wow!
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Post by OnlyMark on Jan 8, 2018 9:16:17 GMT 2
I thought so too, as was the next one, but the daughter said, "There's too much salad on it." - meaning seaweed. Mind you, she is a teenager, so very little is good enough. Whenever she does complain about things, which is quite often at this time in her life, I just sigh, shrug my shoulders and say, "Yep, life is rough sometimes."
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Post by Baz Faz on Jan 8, 2018 13:43:50 GMT 2
Impressive beaches. The Tesco/Lidl/Ikea signs brought back memories of Santa Cruz in Bolivia. Walking out of town one day I came across a broken down hut. It had a proud sign: Playboy Club. No bunnies to be seen.
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Post by Voy on Jan 8, 2018 17:58:23 GMT 2
what was the amazing two story tiki-hut? It looked like a nice place to hang out.
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Post by OnlyMark on Jan 8, 2018 18:13:29 GMT 2
That place was just being re-built. Don't know why. The steps were being finished off with bits of metal like old signs to strengthen them. Just behind is a small cheap lodging place where rooms are very basic but that is reflected in the cost, no more than $5-$10 per night. I know this because we sat there and had lunch one day. It was cheap and filling but we had to wait for an hour or so, and then that was after they came back twice to ask/confirm what we had ordered. We were there in total about two hours or so. I can think of a lot worse places to hang out and wait for lunch.
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Post by OnlyMark on Jan 8, 2018 22:23:13 GMT 2
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Post by OnlyMark on Jan 8, 2018 22:26:08 GMT 2
I realise I didn't take any photos of our accommodation but we moved on a few days later to a place at Bwejuu (yes, look at the map if you want to. I won't hold it against you). The new place was again a $40 ride away and just over an hour.
Here is where the problems started as regards accommodation and I made sure we ended them very quickly. I had come prepared with emails and booking details as I expected something to happen. Bear with me. The story is we booked a room for the two of us, me and Mrs M, but the room had a double bed and separately a single bed in another area. When we knew for sure the daughter was coming I told them we needed to use the extra bed for her and would pay the extra. I was told we had been "upgraded" to a different room with a better view, but only had the double bed. But they could put a mattress on the floor for her.
Nope, said, I. I want the original room with the proper bed. We don't have it they said. Yes, you do, I said, it is the one I've booked. It went on for a while like this with emails going back and forwards. They relented and said ok, you can have your original room back but the cost for the third person is the same as the original cost for the two of you. In effect the room price was doubled. Their website said an extra bed was $50. I told them this and they said that is for the mattress in a double room. Nope, said I, that isn't what your website says at all. Neither on it or in the terms and conditions. They relented and accepted what they called our "offer" for the room cost in total.
There was actually more to it than that but that was the meat of it. So, we get to the hotel, to be met by "Joe", the customer services supervisor (or that's what he called himself). He is South African of Indian descent. We go to check in and not only do we not have our proper booked room, we have the smaller double with a mattress and at a cost the same as the larger room we booked, and more than our "offer". They said they didn't have our room any more, they were fully booked.
I showed them all the emails I'd printed off with the back and forth – and funnily enough they had the same ones, I saw, attached to our booking behind the counter. They said that the person I communicated with, a woman called Lindy, wasn't part of their hotel and had no authority to deal with us and in fact didn't work for them anymore. They argued our booking and the price.
I was ready for dragging "Joe" over the counter and beating him to a pulp. Then drowning him in the pool and throwing him to the lions. After I'd taken him outside to be shot. As usual though, Mrs M stepped in with her 'good cop' routine and smoothed the waters. I'm afraid to admit we use this from time to time whilst Mrs M says to someone to excuse me because I'm hot or cold, hungry, thirsty, tired, ill and especially because I need a toilet. I am short with people, brusque, demanding, uncompromising and she is all sweetness and light.
We ended up with what we booked, at the price previously agreed on.
The hotel was fine enough, the food was average though it did have a buffet breakfast which we didn't like so much but everything was freshly made and reasonably tasty. We ended up just having one lunch and a dinner there and ate at other places. The pools were big for when the sea went out and it was well enough maintained and the rest of the staff friendly and good. Next time, if there is one, we'd book a smaller place for sure but over the New Year time options were somewhat restricted.
However, on the second day a group of sixteen to twenty turned up, aged about 25 to 45. One couple, we overheard being checked in, I think were those that had booked our room after the aborted move to a smaller one. We heard the apologies of Joe who then gave them a full board option to have all their meals as compensation. Maybe there was a different problem but we're not sure. We did understand when this couple spoke together, or at least Mrs M did as their language was similar to one she spoke and they were quite happy about the full board thing and a different room. However, put it this way, the group as a whole were out for a good raucous time, which is their right to do so as it was over New Year, but it became a little intrusive – especially as they had brought their own music which they played all day at the pool bar very loudly after taking over the hotel's sound system Balkan rap and pop is not something I'm a fan of is probably the best thing I can say.
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Post by OnlyMark on Jan 8, 2018 22:27:16 GMT 2
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Post by OnlyMark on Jan 9, 2018 15:15:27 GMT 2
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Post by OnlyMark on Jan 9, 2018 15:17:01 GMT 2
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