Slave to the Rhythm

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After Europe we’ve planned 6 weeks or so in East Africa, starting with a few days in what we hope will be a reasonably relaxing spot – Zanzibar.

Zanzibar is perhaps best known historically for being the hub of the slave trade, and though the slave market was closed in 1876 (after pressure from the British) you can still see the old slave chambers where there is an excellent and very informative museum about the slave trade.

One other interesting sight in Stone Town is Freddie Mercury’s old home where his family lived until moving to the UK in 1964. It turns out to be only metres from where we are staying, but the Mercury bar which plays non-stop Queen songs is overlooking the harbour 10 minutes walk away.

I like the feel of Stone Town and find it a pleasant place to stay for a few day, though we met some foreigners who didn’t like it and said they felt unsafe there. There’s just enough to see here, (such as the Sultan’s old palace and several impressive old buildings) but mainly I like the Arab-like feel of the town – it’s a maze of alleyways and whitewashed buildings, which make it tough to find your way around if you don’t have a reasonable sense of direction. The large double front doors are a feature of many houses here and many have been restored to their former glory and I try to capture a few of them on my photos.

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Photos

Zanzibar door

Slave monument

Market

Stone Town alleyway

Stone Town street

Sultans palace