Am ajuns in Zanzibar, purtata de imaginea unei simple fotografii vazute intamplator pe net, cu tanara localnica, mergand pe o plaja alba, imbracata in culori electrice, rupte parca din alta lume.
Am aflat unde a fost facuta fotografia si a vrut brusc sa descopar acea lume: Tanzania- Zanzibar.
Woman in kanga, Zanzibar
Apoi am aflat despre fenomenul unic de flux si reflux, prin care apele turcoaz se retrag pe zeci de kilometri, in fiecare zi, lasand in lumina soarelui plaje divine, de un alb ireal.
E idilic doar pentru turistii veniti din lumea intreaga sa admire fenomenul, pentru localnici e prilej de munca, cu mic si mare, merg in larg sa culeaga "direct cu mainile" alge, fructe de mare, scoici si chiar pesti.
Asadar my to do #1 in Zanzibar a inclus aproape zilnic, lungi plimbari prin apa, in cautarea fructelor de mare:)
At low tide you can walk for miles and discover amazing sea world. Locals search for seafood this way
Zanzibar beach
In apa, pe plaje, vezi la tot pasul femei, deosebit de frumoase, imbracate in haine de o coloristica uluitoare. Invata engleza, vorbesc engleza si sunt foarte deschisi sa te cunoasca si sa iti povesteasca despre tara lor. Sunt calmi, linistiti, zambesc mult si te impresioneaza prin bucuria sincera pe care o afiseaza.
Friends around the world
Am intalnit pe plaja, tineri masai, despre care vazusem doar documentare pe Discovery, insa realitatea bate filmul de fiecare data. Cu un respect imens pentru valorile traditionale, tinerii Masai sunt vorbitori de limba engleza, au afaceri, cunosc lumea prin intermediul turistilor, asculta muzica pe telefon si sunt deosebit de deschisi.
To do #2 Zanzibar este cunoscuta ca fiind taramul mirodeniilor. Asadar, nu trebuie ratata excursia la o plantatie ( the spice tour) . M-am simtit ca la o proba masterchef, ghidul nostru ne punea la incercare cunostintele, cerandu-ne sa recunoastem plantele. Spre rusinea mea, de bucatar, nu am recunoscut nici macar boabele de piper:(
Piper or coffee seed? still not sure
Ca orice pasionata de parfumuri, am admirat cu incantare copacul de ylang ylang, lychee si pastaile de vanilie. Esentele obtinute prin cea mai naturala metoda, priceless:)
Vanilla beans:) so hard work to grow them
Am cumparat toate uleiurile si esentele posibile, cu un mare respect pentru oamenii care prelucreaza inca toate plantele in mod natural. Ei, in schimb mi-au facut cercei din flori si o palarie incantatoare tot din plante, ce se asorta perfect cu rochia mea. Stiu ei ce stiu, legat de culori!
Zanzibar, spice tour, enjoying every scent:)
To Do # 3 vizita la Prison Island, la doar 5,6 km de Stone Town o mica oaza pictata in oceanul Indian, gandita ca inchisoare pentru sclavi. Nu a ajuns sa fie insa niciodata folosita ca inchisoare ci mai degraba ca zona de carantina pentru bolnavii febra galbena. Acum locatia este un obiecativ touristic protejat de stat si care adaposteste o specie rara de testoase gigant ( unele au 155 de ani).
Prison Island. today it hosts an unusual boutique hotel for tourists.
with a giant turtle of 155 years old
Do do #4 vizita in Stone Town.
Multumesc Rares de la Aerocenter, pentru ajutorul acordat in pregatirea vacantei.
Un loc minunat, in care ne vom intoarce cu drag. Dar data viitoare, insotiti de mai multi prieteni, care abia asteapta sa descopere micutul paradis din Oceanul Indian.
ENGLISH VERSION
We arrived in Zanzibar, carried away by an image I randomly found on the internet, with a young local woman walking on the beach, dressed in electrical hues. I felt it was a new world, I wanted to know more about.
I found out where the photo was taken and wanted suddenly to discover that world : Tanzania- Zanzibar . Then, I learned about the unique phenomenon of low tides that happen on east coast of Zanzibar, when turquoise waters retreat for tens of kilometers every day , leaving sunlight divine beaches, unreal white. It's just idyllic for tourists from around the world to admire the phenomenon, but it is an opportunity to work for locals young and old, they all collect " directly by hands " seaweed , seafood , shellfish or even fish.
Once being there picking out seaweed and shellfish during low tide become #1 on my to do List.
Where ever you walk, in the water, on the beaches, you can see very beautiful women, dressed in a stunning colours . They all learn English, speak English and are very open to know you and tell you about their country. They are calm, smile a lot and impress you with their sincere joy.
We met on the beach young Masai , I only new from books and Discovery documentaries, but the film beats reality every time. With a huge respect for traditional values , young Masai are English speaking , have their own businesses , know the world through tourists, listen to music on the phone and are very open minded.
To do # 2 Zanzibar is known as the land of spices. So, do not miss a trip to a plantation (the spice tour ). I felt like I was on a MasterChef test: our guide challenged our knowledge, asking us to recognize plants . I am ashamed as a cook, to admit, I did not even recognize peppercorns.
Since I have a passion for fragrances, I admired with delight ylang ylang tree, lychee and vanilla beans . Natural obtained fragrances , priceless 🙂 I bought all kinds of oils and essences with great respect for the people who still process all plants naturally. They, in turn made me a hat, earrings with flowers, which matched perfectly my dress . Do they know you know colours!
To Do # 3 visit to Prison Island, just 5.6 km from Stone Town, there is a small oasis in the Indian Ocean, designed in the 1860s as a prison for slaves. it was never used as a prison but rather as a quarantine area for yellow fever patients. Now this touristic location is protected by the state and it houses a rare species of giant tortoises ( some 155 years old ).
Do do # 4 visit to Stone Town
Thanks Rares from Aerocenter , for their assistance in preparing my holiday. A wonderful place we are looking forward to return. But next time , accompanied by several friends who anxious to discover this little paradise in the Indian Ocean.
