PEACHHHH REPORT!
Pemba/Zanzibar Bits and Pieces:
Henna Painting was originally done in order to cool ones hands and feet. Traditionally, Swahilis perform henna painting for brides and married women only. Various styles of henna painting are available in Zanzibar whose origins range from Sudan, India and Arabia.
it is polite (and much appreciated) to observe local custom by keeping your knees and shoulders covered; this applies to men and women. Be sure to ask for permission before taking pictures of Stone Town residents. This is especially important when the subject of your picture is a woman.
Also inside the Fort are shops and a beauty salon that does henna painting
(refers to Old Arab Fort in Stone Town)
Kangas, the local cloth worn by women over their dresses and covering their heads, are available in every possible color and print ranging from humorous to somber. All Kangas have a message have a message written in Swahili. The different patterns and colors on the kangas also have meaning. Kangas have significance in every major event in a Swahili woman's life from childhood to marriage to motherhood and more. It's a good idea to know what your kanga says because the messages can be strong, for instance one message says, "I may be ugly, but I'm not for sale."
A recent law passed in Tanzania prohibits tourists from travelling in wooden crafts, which prevents tourists from taking dhows to or from the Tanzanian mainland. This law was passed after a German tourist pitched overboard from a dhow and drowned, ruining the fun for the rest of us who might want to spend eight to twelve hours on a wooden boat without shelter from the sun and without food, water, or plumbing facilities. It is a silly law and has silly exceptions such as sunset cruises around Zanzibar harbor such as is offered by Mtoni Marine.
This was apparently in the late 90's and is probably different now because I've found several blogs describing some long and miserable dhow rides between Zanzibar and Dar and Mombasa.The dhows have no services, toilets, or cafeterias and can be dangerous in high swells. Some people have had lovely dhow rides but if the winds die or are light, your trip can last well over eight hours.
Sea Bus (1 & 2) operated by Azam Marine leaves the Zanzibar Harbor 3 times a day for Dar-es-Salaam. Both cabins are very clean, air-conditioned and with comfortable seating.
Sea Express and Flying Horse are two other ferries between Unguja and Dar. These are the fastest boats to Dar (assuming they're running) and the price is roughly the same as the other ferries. They take anywhere from one and a quarter hours to one and three-quarter hours to reach Dar.
Kizimkazi (broken into two villages just down the road from each other) is well known for the dolphins that live off the shore. There are many boats and captains who will take you out on a dolphin safari. Dolphins are social creatures and will not shy from the boats unless there's a baby with them. Most dolphin safaris result in a good viewing but it is not guaranteed.
Zanzibar, a part of the United Republic of Tanzania, is a series of many islands, the main ones being Unguja and Pemba. The more populated of the two main islands, Unguja, is better known as Zanzibar Island and is home to Stone Town (also known as Zanzibar Town or Zanzibar City),
Pemba, located about 50 Kms north of Unguja, is far less populated. Known also by its Arabic name, Al Khundra meaning Green Island, Pemba is covered in steep hills full of palms, clove and rubber trees, rice paddies and the Ngezi Forest in the north. There are many pure, beautiful beaches in and around the numerous inlets and coves. Tourism is not as developed on Pemba as it is on Unguja but resorts are being built and the infrastructure will undoubtedly improve as tourism increases
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Henna Painting was originally done in order to cool ones hands and feet. Traditionally, Swahilis perform henna painting for brides and married women only. Various styles of henna painting are available in Zanzibar whose origins range from Sudan, India and Arabia.
A Dala-dala is a small pickup truck whose bed has had benches installed around the edges and a roof placed on top. The tailgate has been removed and in its place steps have been installed making the dala-dalas easy to board. Passengers sit on the benches in the trunk-bed as well as whatever available seats are in the cab. Plastic tarps are rolled down from the roof on the outside when it's raining. The roof has a rack where parcels are placed.
Dala-dalas got their name from the Swahili pronunciation of 'dollar'; the original fare was a five-shilling coin the size of a silver dollar.
Kizimkazi (broken into two villages just down the road from each other) is well known for the dolphins that live off the shore. There are only two guesthouses in Kizimkazi and they both play host to visitors who are there in hopes of seeing dolphins. There are many boats and captains who will take you out on a dolphin safari. Dolphins are social creatures and will not shy from the boats unless there's a baby with them. Most dolphin safaris result in a good viewing but it is not guaranteed
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The Zanzibar Islands have excellent locations for diving because living reefs surround many of the islands. There are plenty of places where the water temperature is warm, visibility is usually excellent, and currents are weak, all of which contributes to an ideal location for first time and novice divers.
Pemba lies 80 km north of its sister island, Unguja, directly east of the Tanzanian city of Tanga. World-renowned for its collective knowledge of witchcraft and the African occult, Pemba is frequently visited by people looking for local cures or looking to learn the trade of witch-doctoring. It is even said that people have traveled from as far as Haiti in order to learn the origins of voodoo. Although its reputation for occult healing and spell casting spreads much farther than Pemba, the locals will deny it emphatically if asked. It is not for public consumption and is revealed to locals only.
There are frequent ferry departures from Unguja to Pemba and the fare is about $30 per person for tourists. The ferries Sepideh and Talieh run several times a week (about a three-hour ride) for which tickets can be purchased at the ports on Unguja or Pemba. There are larger ships such as the Mapinduzi that also go to Pemba but their schedules are erratic and unreliable. At the time of publication (late 90's)it was illegal for tourists to travel in wooden crafts in Tanzanian waters making a dhow journey to Pemba impossible. It is possible to take a dhow from Mombasa to Pemba because Kenyan law does permit tourists to travel in wooden boats. If you're looking for a dhow ride, you may consider something shorter than the six to eight hour sail from Mombasa to Pemba. The dhows don't have catering, can be very dangerous in high swells and there's no way to get out of the sun.
Chake Chake is the largest town on the island (Pemba) and it is the capital. Like Stone Town on Unguja, Chake Chake is located about halfway down the West Coast of the island. It is the only town on Pemba that has a city center feel to it with a central market, a hotel and, albeit small, a strip of shops.
LINK lots of fun facts, history, etc....
