My travels abroad (3) Trip to Africa (3)

May 23, 2023

My travels abroad (3) Trip to Africa (3)

Water has always been an important resource in Tanzania and even throughout Africa, and wells are being dug in many places to find water. So there are many well drilling crews from China. When I was working at company that day, captain of well drilling crew went to company on business. I heard that we came from China, and he was very enthusiastic. He must take us to beach. Look, he went himself and took us to beach. The water in Indian Ocean is blue and thatched awnings on beach stand on shore for shade. The sparse trees also give beach a different style. wildly, what is Africa.

Corner of sea in Dar es Salaam

In Dar es Salaam, company executives accompanied us to view local market. We were deeply impressed by ebony carvings on market. At insistence of friends, I also bought two wood carvings. After all, there is, in principle, no opportunity to go to this place in future. After dinner, we were also taken to local Casino, which is small, and compared to Genting, it is really nothing. In bar, I remember that sound inside was loud and deafening, and there were a lot of young people dancing on stage, a little crazy. The chairman could not stand it, ran out into street and said why voice was so loud. The people who accompanied us said that this happens in district. The men mostly didn't work, just drank and hung out. Home life was occupied by women The status of women is very low, men often beat and scold.

Ebony carving in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

The next day we went to island of Zanzibar, an autonomous region in Tanzania, which is known as paradise lost in world, a beautiful island. We reached island on a speed boat. I remember boat was very fast at sea and swayed in waves. People could not walk on boat, even holding on to railing, it was difficult to move forward. I learned my lesson, so as soon as I got into boat, I quickly adjusted seat and lay down halfway, but my head was still spinning. The other 4 people from same group also suffered from seasickness to varying degrees. The branch manager was most serious. When he first got on boat, he was still photographing bow and stern of boat. Until I disembarked, vomiting did not stop, his face was very pale , and then there really was nothing to vomit, and all vomiting was water, which made me very sick.

Zanzibar beach, Tanzania

On island of Zanzibar, we went to famous Stone Town, which was later included in World Cultural Heritage List. The ancient city buildings and beautiful city landscapes are well preserved here, and this is a unique culture. This culture is a collection of different cultures from Africa, Alabo region, India and Europe, and it is said that these cultures intermingled here and continued to develop for hundreds of years.

The path on streets of Zanzibar

Zanzibar City has deep, winding paths, a bustling market, many Qinzhen temples, and beautifully decorated alabo houses. It is said that owners who built these houses tried at all costs to embellish and whitewash their residences so that they could be compared with those around them. And there are even more carvings on these wooden doors. The tall wooden doors of buildings in city limits are covered with copper nails and magnificent designs are carved and carved, which has typical Alabo style.

In Stone City, chairman bought each of us a bottle of dingxian oil. Dingxiang is a crop that is plentiful. After being purified, dingxiang oil is a light-colored oil with a strong dingxiang smell. It is said to strengthen stomach and disperse wind, and is also good for toothache and rheumatic pains in nerves. The bottle of dingxian oil is still at home in closet, outer packaging has turned yellow, and it seems that I do not dare to use it, so I just keep it there.

After leaving Zanzibar and returning to Dar es Salaam, we packed up and headed to airport to fly to Nairobi, capital of Kenya, next stop on our trip to Africa.