Zanzibar

Day 16 - Beach day at Paje

Paje is a laid-back beach town on the southeastern coast of Zanzibar. The ocean here is strikingly turquoise with sugar white beaches. The beach is constantly shifting with the dramatic tides that reveal wide sand flats in the morning are gone by afternoon. The steady winds make it a world-renowned destination for kite surfing. 

We spent most of the day wandering the shoreline, watching the kite surfers. Once we waded out into the warm Indian Ocean, amazed at how quickly the tide surged in. One moment, the water was at our ankles; minutes later, it was halfway to our waist. Eventually, we found a local beach bar and enjoyed a few drinks and appetizers. The view and atmosphere were true paradise. 

Day 17- Spice Farm Tour and Cooking Class                                                                                                                                                                                                           The "Spice Island" of Zanzibar has been a global center for the farming and trade of spices such as cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and black pepper since the 19th century. We were picked-up from our hotel and taken to a local spice farm where we were welcomed by a friendly local guide. He lead us through the the spice farm showing us an assortment of plants and pulling leaves, bark, and fruits.  He asked us to touch and feel as well as smell and taste each one and guess what spice it was. For each spice, he had an explanation of their uses in the kitchen, as medicine, and as cosmetics. One of the most exciting experiences of the tour was observing a guide climb up a high coconut palm and bring down fresh coconuts for us to drink as coconut water. We later participated in a cooking session where we assisted in chopping vegetables and fruits. A local female cooked the food and served it on rice. Although it was not exactly a hands-on cooking experience, the experience itself was stimulating, the food was good, and we had ample time to talk to our guides and learn from them on everyday life in Zanzibar.

Day 18 – Beach Day in Paje
Just another perfect day at the beach! This time, we explored the opposite direction along the shoreline, soaking up the sun and enjoying the soft sand beneath our feet. We stopped at a few beach bars throughout the day and found one just in time to take shelter from a brief rainstorm.

On our way back to the hotel, we wandered through narrow sandy streets lined with souvenir vendors selling t-shirts, jewelry, oil paintings, and all sorts of colorful trinkets. One oil painting in particular caught our eye, and we decided to bring it home. It now hangs in our home, a reminder of our time on safari and hopefully the first of many pieces of travel-inspired art to come.