We are at anchor so need to tender in today. Gary went on a tour of the old town. Gary gave me a Christmas present of his cold and I now have bronchitis so I am taking a day off. These are Gary’s notes and pictures.
Sunny, hot, sticky day, very uncomfortable for us northerners. Zanzibar has a history going back about 2000 years. First settled by the Arabs, then Portuguese and then Oman. Independence occurred in 1960s. Zanzibar was once the center of the slave trade with the Arab world. Reminders of that time are found around the Anglican Cathedral. This was the last place where the slaves came from, it shut down in late 1870s. At one time the market processed 60,000 slaves each year.
Zanzibar is mainly Muslim with the second largest group Christian. Like Mombasa significant urban decay. Doesn’t look like anything has been built, painted or repaired since the colonials left. Locals seem friendly, well fed and dressed, few beggars.
We visited the cathedral and the old fort. The fort dates to the 18th century and was built by the Omani Arabs who took control from the Portuguese in 1698. The fort was once a residence for the Sultan and Sultana of Oman.
Tourism is now the main source of income. They also produce spices, particularly cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and black pepper.
Zanzibar is an island, part of an archipelago, about 25 kms off the coast of the mainland, we are anchored off the main island. From the ship we have a view of a lovely setting – azure blue water, white sand beaches on the large islands and surrounding small islands. Lots of small sailboats – single sail, lateen rig? Loose footed, long leading edge that is hoisted about the middle to top of a short mast. Some of them not so small, maybe 30 feet.