Leaving Paradise...
Day before yesterday, I went snorkeling in the Indian Ocean, pretty far off the west coast of Zanzibar. It was HEAVEN!!! I was scared at first, and wanted to be sure they didn't leave me out there alone. But by the afternoon, I was swimming pretty far from the boat, chasing fish. There were soooo many colorful and amazing fish, and all the coral was beautiful too. I have never seen such a beautiful place. The Indian Ocean is way cooler than the others because it is crystal clear. Even though microscopic plankton are nibbling at your skin, you can see really far into the water. When it was time to go, I really didn't want to leave. Taugh Danio how to swim, at the beach the day before, to see if he'd want to snorkel as well. He took to swimming quite well, but chose to stay on the boat. The company was One Ocean, and I highly reccomend them to anyone considering diving in this area. Still haven't managed to explore the island, but have really enjoyed Stone Town. Found an amazing hotel just a few minutes north od the city, called the Mtoni Marine Centre. We got a deluxe room facing the beach with air-con, a FULL bathroom (Danio had never used a bathtub before, and I hadn't seen one since I left LA) and a lovely balcony. The food here was excellent, I finally got my chocolate fix, with an awesome brownie sundae. I have not been able to find good chocolate here or in Arusha, so it was a real treat.
Here's a Maasai Pool Shark. Unlike Maasai in and around Arusha, these guys were happy to be photographed, free of charge. They come to Zanzibar because it's easier to make money here, selling jewelry and whatever. So they seem to be in better spirits.
Yesterday, Danio and I went to the "House of Wonders" and the adjoining museum, where I blasted through at my usual museum lightning pace, taking pictures of everything, most of which are about to be up on Snapfish here: http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=43185880/a=51230642_51230642/t_=51230642
Unfortunately, Danio didn't tell me until that night that he'd have liked to stay longer in the museums. I failed to realize that along with many other firsts for him this week, it was also his first time in a real museum. And there I was thinking it was poorly curated. I showed him the list of museums I have on Vindigo NYC, which is about 136, to show how many more museums there are in the world, and it's a matter of picking the ones that interest you and focusing on them. It's sad that he has this hunger for knowledge which is so difficult to satiate in a small East African town.
Tonight I fly back to Kilimanjaro airport, hang out all night then fly to Paris first thing the next morning. I've really enjoyed Zanzibar, but am also really eager to get to NYC Saturday night.
Here's a Maasai Pool Shark. Unlike Maasai in and around Arusha, these guys were happy to be photographed, free of charge. They come to Zanzibar because it's easier to make money here, selling jewelry and whatever. So they seem to be in better spirits.
Yesterday, Danio and I went to the "House of Wonders" and the adjoining museum, where I blasted through at my usual museum lightning pace, taking pictures of everything, most of which are about to be up on Snapfish here: http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=43185880/a=51230642_51230642/t_=51230642
Unfortunately, Danio didn't tell me until that night that he'd have liked to stay longer in the museums. I failed to realize that along with many other firsts for him this week, it was also his first time in a real museum. And there I was thinking it was poorly curated. I showed him the list of museums I have on Vindigo NYC, which is about 136, to show how many more museums there are in the world, and it's a matter of picking the ones that interest you and focusing on them. It's sad that he has this hunger for knowledge which is so difficult to satiate in a small East African town.
Tonight I fly back to Kilimanjaro airport, hang out all night then fly to Paris first thing the next morning. I've really enjoyed Zanzibar, but am also really eager to get to NYC Saturday night.