A pocket of wonder.

Zanzibar, An archipelago off the coast of Tanzania. Although being part of the country of Tanzania, Zanzibar is self automated. The capital is Stone Town, A historic city where the African, Arabic and Indian cultures blend seamlessly and coalesce into a fascinating and enigmatic community. A rustic place, they call it Stone Town for  reason, the rock, earth and stone rise out of the dust into strong hold buildings. With an architectural mix of stone and wood, ornate doors, panelled shutters and wooden balconies over hanging the white walled stone buildings decorate the city.

Once a slave trading city, 60 000 slaves were said to of been imprisoned and sold through Stone Town's ports. The city now deals in spice, Rich in spice trade and farming, it also has an equal amount of bazaars and bustling markets to sell the colourful produce.

Around the corner from a favourite coffee house (Zanzibar Coffee) was the art shop of this man. With skills learnt from his uncle and developed over the years he fervently continued to slap on colour, move it and shape it into the colourful Masai image you see below. He allowed me to take his photo as he painted, fluidly shaping the layers of paint with what seems like ease and without hesitation as he continued to converse with me at the same time. The art of south and central africa like its landscape tends to be rich in colour, full of bold silhouette imagery, featuring its people and animals.

Stone Town is a maze of close knit buildings and small stone paved alleyway streets that calls for mostly pedestrian traffic within the centre of the city. The buildings create streets that criss cross, zig zag, some only 2 metres long that can hardly take on two lane traffic. To the untrained visitor it really is a maze , you can't see further than 80 metres at a time, everything tends to look the same and you find yourself walking into a dead-end or right where you started. Nothing is straight forward here, there is no direct route, you will have to take turn after turn, it feels like you're leading yourself back to the mainland and go down unfamiliar streets that you're pretty sure you didn't take before but you'll be where you needed in 10 minutes or less.

One day trying to find ourselves back to our hotel, we kept finding ourselves lost. After three failed attempts to lead our selves out of confusion and 30 minutes of getting further away from where we wanted to asked these two boys for some help. Thank fully they obliged, and on his bike led us back to where we wanted to go. And it seems as simple as that we were back. 

Stone Town is also known for its doorways, grand, eclectic and beautifully crafted entry ways, inspired from Indian and Arabic influences they adorn many of the buildings of Stone Town, adding to the beauty and cultural identity of Stone Town. Much of the city and its activity seems to happen behind its walls and doors, where the real Stone Town seems to be. Either escaping the heat or prying eyes. There is an ominous ever present energy present, adding to the cultural mystique. You are met with any Jambo's, Hello's and welcomes as you walk the city, although the eyes continue to watch you until you have passed well out of sight. Outsiders are not easily accepted into the inner sanctum of life here, adding to what makes the energy here, that lingering sense of the unknown. It is a beautiful city of rich architecture and culture, I wish I could have taken more photos, but the people of Stone Town are exceptionally sensitive about their photos taken of them. So always be weary and ask before taking a photo. 

About an hours drive away from Stone Town towards to the north of the island is a more coastal retreat along the beaches. Pristine white sands meet azure waters once again, yet its a sight you never really tire of. No matter where or how many times its seen. The days heat up like a desert on fire, I even had heat stroke one day and I'm Aussie - Phew* Hot stuff. Thankfully the bar sheltered from the heat, playing African Reggae beats serves up ice cold juices, smoothies, cocktails and beers. 

Jumping off the roofs of boats into the water below.  I always enjoy a coastal towns, and here is no exception. Making the most of their circumstances, is a sea-faring community. A selection of wooden vehicles float across the waters, the dugout canoes of fishermen and the sailboats of sailors and merchants. Taking to the waters, one of the most exciting moments is watching the sails raise and the winds fill them, pushing us along the water in the view of the setting sun.