Zanzibar

So I've been in Zanzibar since yesterday afternoon, but it seems like a lot longer.

This isn't exactly a place that I can put into words. Things like "brilliant", "breathtaking", and any of a number of words that might be used to describe approximations of paradise come to mind.

I'm staying in a lovely hotel with unbelieveable wood work right in the heart of Stone Town. The narrow streets and combined East African/Arab cultures stir together blindingly--it's an assault on all senses, dripping with tropical marvelous heat, astouding views at every instant, all terrifically varied.

Today I fed hundred-year-old giant tortoises (250 kg giant), gazed into the crystal waters a color of cerulean/blue that I had never fathomed, and plucked huge neon starfish from the water off an island coast. Photos forthcoming.

The hotel I'm staying in is quite a place, ideally located (and out of my budget for more than these first two nights). I'm going to try to get a reservation somewhere else for at least tomorrow night, and I'm thinking about doing a spice tour tomorrow [while I'm still based in Stone Town/Zanzibar Town].

Nicole-a classmate two years younger from the Miami Valley School--is here; she just finished her first year at Vanderbilt, and has been near Dar Es Salaam and elsewhere in Tanzania doing medical-related work through a program she's part of. A friend of hers is also here, who has been teaching in a primary school and started a library there--Jessie.

This week, I hope to explore the other towns on the island and go to the beaches. I'm going to try to set up a SCUBA trip tomorrow for sometime this week, and then the Zanzibar International Film Festival starts on Friday. Depending on how the week goes, I may try to go to Pemba--another island to the north of Zanzibar--there are some ZIFF events that will be going on there. Otherwise, I'll just get a cheap place north of Zanzibar Town and enjoy the sights and divine snorkeling/SCUBA day trips!

I haven't heard anything from anyone at ICODEI yet--they all went to Uganda this weekend to go rafting in Jinja, and a few were staying at the farm [that had gone when I did a few weeks back]. I'll probably talk to them on Monday and see how it all went, and I can't wait to watch the video of them!