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It is surprising to Zanzibar de Stone Town Dar Es Salaam

We take the ferry Dar Es Salaam, Zanzibar at noon. The ticket costs $ 20 U.S. per person. Bizarre, the dollar price for foreigners, almost triple the 12,000 Tanzanian shillings is paid by. Moreover it will be worse in return, because the ferry does not come back on the main continent and night, and return to day we take a ferry for 35 $ us (or rather 56000 shillings a conversion that can not be regarded as dishonest) cons 15,000 shillings for locals. It's a bit of aperitif of the reality of Zanzibar (and indeed of much of Tanzania) and a pit was not filled between poverty and tourism flood of people smart or shock. But one thing at a time, start by descending the incline too steep and somewhat slippery to reach the pier, find the vip lounge with leather armchairs and use, very friendly but unfortunately was inside, and we finally decided installed on the upper deck, AC is great, there are two places near the railings. We admire the show for three hours away.

First leave Dar Es Salaam, the German cathedral, the small ferry that connects the two ends of the port, its tires dhow fishermen on the beach, its banks sand offshore and tankers and container carriers. The sea is a bit agitated, it is shaken, Magali has a slight seasickness For one of his writing projects, I had fun taking pictures of people sleeping. It amuses our neighbors, who take the game and tell me the sleepers photogenic. Take photos of people awake is more delicate. Only to lend her smile: Blacky, a rasta radiant with whom the discussion is difficult, he does not speak three words English, but the full understanding: we clap your hands constantly. Him, he is a DJ on the beaches of the island. It rgarde flying fish. We even saw a tuna (well we think) jump two good meters above the water. The side of the island appears on the horizon at last. Doubling a small island decked out with a steeple. He is a former penitentiary.

Finally, the city of Stone Town, its houses and palaces and wonderful. Goddbye Blacky, it slowly descends the vessel is evacuated by a single door 80cm wide (ingenious engineer!) And we find ourselves ... for the customs! Indeed, the island of Zanzibar is actually part of Tanzania (formed by joining its former Tanganyika), but still has a revolutionary government (!) And is entitled to a bonus gift in stamp our passport. Proof that not TRERE seriously, do not stamp it out, because we get to the last minutes before departure.

Once arrived, it's simple, the city of Stone Town is fabulous! It is a labyrinth of narrow streets, surrounded by three streets passable. The game is to walk at random, getting lost, and is still rperdre. We admire the inevitable massive doors carved wood, the countless small mosques, especially the people passing by, so well dressed, so beautiful. We're fortunate to be present on Eid, which celebrates the end of the fasting of Ramadan. Most shops are closed, but everyone is on his 31. Men wear their finest djelaba with the traditional headgear on the head. The women are draped in their kangas, long pieces of colorful fabrics. The girls are wearing satin dresses was rustling. It is also a day where women are paints henna on their hands.

We visit the National Museum of Zanzibar, decked deserves the nickname "House of Wonders." The building, a former sultan's palace, is beautiful, tall and imposing, on three levels, with huge balconies from where it dominates the city. The interior is a large space or a throne dhow, ie a traditional sailboat. This one was built in Oman in the year 90, and sailed to China, how to verify that the technology of yesteryear could indeed cope. Specificity is that it is a vessel built without using any nail (a superstition was that volcanic submarine powerful magnetism make out pieces of metal from their seats!). To attach the boards together, holes are drilled, which allow the tie with string. Believe it or not, it works, or rather, AC fleet.

It was also discovered lots of information on trade in the Indian Ocean, flourishing until the twentieth century, or it collapses when Arabs have abandoned to sit on their oil wells. There is also a nice historical section, or the facades of Arab and Indian origin are reconstituted. We have the pride to have confirmation that as we thought, embellishments carved wooden attic really come from Asia. They had been seen in Himachal Pradesh (India), and Ausi in Thai border region of Burma. Here they are attributed to the influences of Gujarat, west India. Small pride of globe-trotting to recognize these details. In general, Zanzibar is a place of intense cultural mixing. The island was Portuguese, and Arabic, then English, then the sultan wanted to abstract from the British Trusteeship. It has been called to order by the shortest wars: 45 minutes were enough for the British to bomb his palace, before he accepts their domination over the conflict.

Very appreciative finally signs on the current real estate situation in Stone Town. Many houses are held by government (one third of the city), and leased to residents who have neither the means nor the interest to maintain them. Suddenly, the collapses are frequent, and the city may be razed to medium term. Which to finance rehabilitation? Making the city a tourist destination would only damage, and is it even possible? Conversely, local residents, who make the life of the city, can not afford to repair. Not easy to know what happens to what we regard as the most beautiful city in the Indian Ocean.

At the end of the day, Lais Mayoni, a young Maasai who works security for a posh hotels of the city offers a Magali-a-bag and hand-bound portfolio, raffia skirts in purple fabric. This gift goes straight to the heart. Lais had been meeting the previous day, just arrived, or I f has a picture of him on the phone (the drinking contratse with traditional clothes) and we had crossed several times since. It was on the spot between the sea and the "house of wonders" that the evening of Eid takes his swing. There is an incredible world. Families queuing for the garden by ten slides for children. Everyone looks radiant. It goes on well into the stands, or a mage is banana-chocolate crepe (strangely called "pizza"), a banana, plantain, and even a lobster brochette. We find Jan, a young Dutch lodge at our hotel, the breakfast meeting. He works Mwanza on Lake Victoria, an NGO. Its mision is to teach people to repair (or repair if it is too difficult) and water pumps.

A little later, we are joined by Lais Mayoni Lema and his friend, another mass a little older. We spent the evening discussing all five. They explain the life of the masses and for example the ceremony of circumcision of young boys who become men. Women do not attend, but the ceremony is public for men. The rule is to not react when the operation without anesthesia of course, otherwise we would suffer a lifetime of teasing. Then begin adult life. For a young Maasai man, there are four rules in order of importance. First, defend the village, starting a war if necessary. Secondly, walk as far as necessary to find a drink and eat. Thirdly protect livestock against wild animals (Lema's brother has killed three lions), diseases, bad weather ... Finally, fourthly, stealing cattle to neighboring tribes. Practice that makes us laugh a lot, but no longer in use after Lema.

We ended the evening with "babu" (grandfather in Kiswahili), a man so old that serves tea with ginger and coffee around a table under the ramparts of the fort. Jumped into the night, escorted by our two Maasai warriors, who inevitably remind me of the Jedi Star Wars. Moreover, the masses are often hired to do security in Tanzania, because everyone knows they will not hesitate to kill if necessary! Our day at Stone Town has been without doubt one of the most beautiful of the trip.