Zanzibar-Stone Town Part II

On our second day in Zanzibar we took a tour of Stone Town-what an exotic and different world! Thankfully we had a guide, otherwise we still may be trying to find our way out of the labyrinth of narrow streets.  It began in the 1500s as a trading post  by Portugal,  and over the centuries has been lived in and controlled by India, Arabia, and England.  So all these countries put their stamp on the architectural styles in the town.  Nowadays, the town is still lived in by the local people, but has fallen into disrepair.  In many  alleyways are crisscrossing wires for electricity, and clothing hung out to dry.

We went to the market and seeing how they handled fish, chicken and beef would make me NOT want to eat any of it. It was a cacophony of noises- loud and crazy! They didn't bother trying to sell us any of their meats because we were clearly with a tour guide.

The other parts of the market sold all sorts of things, including spices, souvenirs, and clothing.  It was a very eye opening experience, and here they were not shy about, 'offering us the best price.'

The fish market. I'm sure you can imagine the smell!

A disgraceful part of Stone Town's history is that it was the largest slave trading market in the world.  We toured the museum and saw the conditions in which people lived.  Outside is a very moving display that kind of says it all. Here it is: