Up until now I was able to avoid getting sunburned, but this past weekend I got a nice painful sunburn. Hopefully it'll turn into a tan or something, maybe even out my farmers tan which has gotten pretty bad. I don't really ever wear shorts, and never tank tops, and thanks to my program I only wear a one piece bathing suit, which means I often look like i'm still in Minnesota. But I have only been here a month, so maybe as time goes on, and if I keep getting to the beach I'll finally look like I actually am from California.
Anyway, I am actually writing this from Zanzibar which is pretty much amazing. A bunch of people from my group decided to get over here because of a music festival, called Sauti Za Busara (sounds of wisdom), it's a swahili music festival, and a "celebration of all things swahili". So every night they have live music in an old fort from about 4 to midnight. It was pretty cool, a lot of traditional stuff, dancing, Taarab, etc. and some Bongo Flava (which is what they call hip-hop here). We arrived on Friday afternoon, and bummed around for a few hours. It is impossible to walk around without getting lost. The streets are ridiculously narrow, and the buildings are pretty tall so it is impossible to see anything when you are walking. But the streets are pretty cool too, if you don't mind almost being run over by mopeds and bicycles every few seconds. The buildings are all very old, and many have these elaborate doors which are pretty cool. It's not a very big place, all in all, and there are a bunch of tourists! I haven't seen this many white people in one place since I've been here! I don't know if this is normal or because of the music festival, but it's a big change from the University. we went to the Africa House hotel to get some drinks and sit on the rooftop waterfront patio thing, which was real cool. Again, very touristy, but beautiful. I t is so easy to just sit around for hours and not do anythign and not feel guilty about it!
In the evening we ate on the waterfront, a bunch of people set up these tables with fresh (hopefully!) fish, and meat and chapati and naan, which they cook up right in front of you. It was real good and cheap too. Then we went off to the festival, where the highlight was this 93 yearold woman named Bi Kidude and her group. She and her group played some bongos and drums and stuff, and it was really cool. She is extremeley talented, there is supposed to be a documentary coming out about her soon and she won soem award called the WOMEX or seomthing. I don't know, but she was cool, Robby... you would have loved it especially i think. Durnig her performance a group of women performed some traditional dances which was fun to watch. I don't know how they manage to move like they do, they manage to only move the butts, and it's crazy to watch. these women are older, 30's and 40's, and usually pretty big, but they manage to shake it pretty well!
On Saturday, we went snorkeling all day (which led to my wonderful sunburn). It was pretty cool, we rented a boat bought some fruit and a guide took us to a couple different islands with coral reefs and we swam around for a while. The water was great except for the thousands of tiny jellyfish that stung us every few seconds. Every once in a while i would swim into the middle of a bunch of them because they were imposibble to see, and it was like a bunch of needle pricks. But the fish were cool, I like teh starfish the best. But we were out there for like 6 hours, and their was no shade whatsoever! so despite reapplying sunscreen after every swim, we all got real bad burns. It was seriously picturesque though, there were dhow's all around and the water was so clear and pretty, and a bunch of islands all aroud with big white sand beaches, amazing.
Saturday evening we went back to the music festival, which had a buit more Bongo Flava which was kinda fun. Then today we bought our ferry tickets home and are about to leave! All in all it was a great weekend, and if you ever get a chance you should come to Zanzibar! Next weekend our whole group is cmoing here, which means everything gets paid for and we'll stay in a pretty nice hotel! should be sweet!
THis coming week my poli sci. and sociology class start, it kind of feels like the end of summer, oh well. ONly a month of class!
Anyway, I am actually writing this from Zanzibar which is pretty much amazing. A bunch of people from my group decided to get over here because of a music festival, called Sauti Za Busara (sounds of wisdom), it's a swahili music festival, and a "celebration of all things swahili". So every night they have live music in an old fort from about 4 to midnight. It was pretty cool, a lot of traditional stuff, dancing, Taarab, etc. and some Bongo Flava (which is what they call hip-hop here). We arrived on Friday afternoon, and bummed around for a few hours. It is impossible to walk around without getting lost. The streets are ridiculously narrow, and the buildings are pretty tall so it is impossible to see anything when you are walking. But the streets are pretty cool too, if you don't mind almost being run over by mopeds and bicycles every few seconds. The buildings are all very old, and many have these elaborate doors which are pretty cool. It's not a very big place, all in all, and there are a bunch of tourists! I haven't seen this many white people in one place since I've been here! I don't know if this is normal or because of the music festival, but it's a big change from the University. we went to the Africa House hotel to get some drinks and sit on the rooftop waterfront patio thing, which was real cool. Again, very touristy, but beautiful. I t is so easy to just sit around for hours and not do anythign and not feel guilty about it!
In the evening we ate on the waterfront, a bunch of people set up these tables with fresh (hopefully!) fish, and meat and chapati and naan, which they cook up right in front of you. It was real good and cheap too. Then we went off to the festival, where the highlight was this 93 yearold woman named Bi Kidude and her group. She and her group played some bongos and drums and stuff, and it was really cool. She is extremeley talented, there is supposed to be a documentary coming out about her soon and she won soem award called the WOMEX or seomthing. I don't know, but she was cool, Robby... you would have loved it especially i think. Durnig her performance a group of women performed some traditional dances which was fun to watch. I don't know how they manage to move like they do, they manage to only move the butts, and it's crazy to watch. these women are older, 30's and 40's, and usually pretty big, but they manage to shake it pretty well!
On Saturday, we went snorkeling all day (which led to my wonderful sunburn). It was pretty cool, we rented a boat bought some fruit and a guide took us to a couple different islands with coral reefs and we swam around for a while. The water was great except for the thousands of tiny jellyfish that stung us every few seconds. Every once in a while i would swim into the middle of a bunch of them because they were imposibble to see, and it was like a bunch of needle pricks. But the fish were cool, I like teh starfish the best. But we were out there for like 6 hours, and their was no shade whatsoever! so despite reapplying sunscreen after every swim, we all got real bad burns. It was seriously picturesque though, there were dhow's all around and the water was so clear and pretty, and a bunch of islands all aroud with big white sand beaches, amazing.
Saturday evening we went back to the music festival, which had a buit more Bongo Flava which was kinda fun. Then today we bought our ferry tickets home and are about to leave! All in all it was a great weekend, and if you ever get a chance you should come to Zanzibar! Next weekend our whole group is cmoing here, which means everything gets paid for and we'll stay in a pretty nice hotel! should be sweet!
THis coming week my poli sci. and sociology class start, it kind of feels like the end of summer, oh well. ONly a month of class!
posted by Annie B at 12:01 AM
2 Comments:
borton i am soo jealous! those pics are awesome and i am kicking myself for traveling in europe where it is a mere 40 degrees when i could have picked a place with beaches and sun. oh well! have fun! katie
Wow, by my count you have vacationed for 3 weeks before class actually started... that's awesome. live it up - the beer's cheep right?
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