We wandered over to the Tembo Hotel across the street, a hotel we can't really afford, to eat breakfast. We had checked with them the previous day if we could eat breakfast and the cost. The receptionist said they accepted Visa.
The breakfast here at Abuso Inn is shit, and they charge $15 each. The breakfast at Tembo was omelets, toast and variety of other Zanzibar breakfast food, like beans. It cost us only $10 each.
We returned to Abuso and had a cup of instant coffee, and our guide showed up. We weren't the only ones on the "tour." There were about 15 of us, all crammed into a Zanzibar van. I'm not complaining because it beat the "public transportation," which is a small van with a bed with a cover over it, and in which there are a lot more people jammed into it.
We left about 9:15 a.m. We were the last to get on the van. We drove north of Stone Town over roads that aren't meant to be driven, and the van did not have the suspension the four-wheel drive vehicles in the Serengeti possessed.
We ended up at a state-run spice farm about an hour and half later. We did not know we were going to hike two miles but we did.
We stopped here and there to learn about the different spices, which was interesting. We saw cardamom trees, peppercorn vines, vanilla vines, curry trees, turmeric root, ginger root and coconut - among others including 24 different kinds of bananas. One of the guys climbed a coconut palm and knocked down several, of which another guy used a small machete to peel it and then cut it open so we could drink the juice. They were still green so he could cut them. Then he shared the coconut meat. It was quite delicious.
We then tramped through a village. Didn't see many of the villagers but we ended up where they were selling creams, oils and soap. We got some delicious lemongrass cream and ylang-ylang soap.
We got back into the van and went to another spot where they were selling spice. We got some cinnamon, some biriyani spice mix and cardamom pods.
Then we ate lunch in a small enclosure. It was rice pilaf with different spices and a vegetable stew with lots of okra. The rice pilaf was good but we didn't really like the vegetable stew.
We piled back into the van and was asked if we wanted to visit the slave cave where escaped slaves hid from British colonists or go to the beach. Everyone voted for the beach, thank goodness.
I'm sure the slave cave was interesting but we're done with that sort of stuff. We're all about the beach.
We got to the beach, and it was small landing place for lots of fishing boats the locals use. And there was a ship that apparently had run aground and was just sitting on the beach.
We were not told we were going to the beach so we did not have our bathing suits but we waded up to the edge of our shorts. The water was fine.
It reminded us that in less than two days, we're going to be in a beach resort on the other side of the island.
After a half hour or so, we piled back into the van for the trip home. It took at least an hour over more bumpy roads with lots of traffic and people.
We were sweaty and ready to be done. We got back to the hotel around 2:30 p.m., took a nap and then met Pilgrim to pay him for our dhow sunset cruise at 5 p.m.
We putzed around then headed down to the ATM before we stopped at our favorite Happy Hour bar to have a beer before boarding the dhow.
For whatever reason, we got on the wrong boat. A guy came up and escorted us to a boat - it wasn't a dhow, which made me suspicious, but it wasn't until we boarded and he asked if we wanted to go to Prison Island that I figured it wasn't Pilgrim's boat. Lucky for us, I guess, he was Pilgrim's friend and escorted us (for a tip) to the right person.
We boarded the dhow, along with about five other people (one of which was a young German woman who talked incessantly but was very engaging).
There were two musicians on board, a violinist and a drummer, who played Taarab music the entire time we were on the water. The two young men who helped with the sails and made sure we had wine, beer and aperitifs were fun. They didn't know much English but they made sure we had everything - and they sang and danced with the musicians.
We sailed by the port area over to where there was a "luxury" hotel that we had seen from the road. It was gargantuan, and it was making its own beach for guests. It had a "water sports" area that included waterslides and such. It was located right next to the petrol storage area that we also saw from the road.
We turned back toward Stone Town just as the sun was setting. It wasn't nearly as nice as the first night here (when I left my camera in the room) but it was pretty from the water.
Our next and last place is on the east side of the island so we're not going to see the sun set but we intend to get up early to watch the sun rise.
It was a really nice evening. We landed and headed for our favorite Indian place that accepts a Visa credit card and ate some supper.
Got back to our hotel, and there was no hot water for a shower. So goes it… a cold shower and a good night's rest.
Nothing planned for tomorrow except to visit a curio shop that accepts Visa to see if we want to purchase anything then I'm downloading photos.
We are in pursuit of a suitcase but that may never happen!
This is annatto.
This is cardamom.
This is nutmeg. The red, which looks and feels like plastic, is mace.
This is turmeric root.
Beth stepping into the Indian Ocean when we stopped at a beach after the spice farm tour and before heading back to Stone Town. We didn't get the memo that we were stopping at a beach so we didn't have our swimsuits or towels.
There were several young men climbing aboard a rather larger boat that apparently was beached on the beach we visited.
Women getting off the public transportation in a village north of Stone Town.
The Taarab musicians and one of the crew on the dowh sunset cruise.
Some of the children who were waiting for us when we stopped to buy spices and eat lunch not he spice farm tour.
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