Zanzibar
Don't know if you have ever covered Zanzibar, but if not you
ought to. I spent five weeks there in 1996, while working in
Tanzania. The northernmost shore of the western side of the
island is absolutely near paradise, once you get to the beach. In
1996, a pristine beach extended from the quaint fishing village
of Ngungwi on the northwestern corner, to a charming harbor some
two miles to the south.
Huge wooden fishing boats are still
completely hand crafted on these shores. I saw skilled craftsmen
wielding razor sharp adzes to within inches of their bare feet,
never missing their target and retaining all their toes. On my
last visit there were rumors of an Italian consortium buying up
land to build a 3,000 bed hotel on that same beach. In Ngungwi
there is a small sanctuary for sea turtles and it is not at all
unusual to see the creatures on the western shore.
I would highly recommend visiting the island and have fondest
memories of the narrow streets of Zanzibar town, and the food
stalls in the park at dusk. Very inexpensive and well worth the
effort to get there.
John
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