Beach & red monkeys 29.01.2020
A lot of water weeds get to seaside during the night. In the morning special guys and collect it. I've heard they process it somehow and sell. However I'm not sure whether that's really true.
Tides here are really strong. Water level difference up to several meters! Because of that one can walk really far to the ocean during low tide and the still will be around the knee. In the night time all these area on photo was well underwater.
In ten minutes by car there is much better beach. Better and bigger. However every part is allocated to a certain hotel. Local guards really care that tourist will occupy only parts related to their hotels. This guy literally stopped me and instructed that this is deck chair related to your hotel and I shouldn't take others. So I had no choice but to be content with whatever the hotel provided.
Something happens in every part of the beach. These local guys are awaiting for new clients. Some gossips say these guys are very popular among European single women traveling here.
These locals prepare souvenirs for sale. And keep an eye on their children.
There are lots of sea-hedgehogs in the water in addition to sea weeds. People should be extra careful. It would be very painful to step on this guy.
Souvenir sellers.
Cows also enjoy the beach!
The sun is really dangerous here. I got burnt even with a good portion of sun-protection lotion. It never happens to me at home even without protection.
Tourists can buy souvenirs also in cool boutiques! Even though it look a little unexpected.
Somehow children return from school through beach. I'm still wondering how these guys manage to keep the clothes so clean?
There are a lot of boats here. However it's low tide now and most of them are in low water. The guy on the photo even has a breach and was eagerly trying to move the water back to the ocean.
Tanzania really likes Japanese cars. Every other car is either Toyota or Suzuki. People told me that Japanese guys managed to setup a cheap supply to the country. Plus as ex-Britain colony guys have left-hand side traffic. That's how.
It was time to get a walk in Jozani forest. It's national part, but quite small. The default option for tourists like me is extra short hike for 15 minutes. I just had to follow the guide on trail and that's it. However the trail was in shadow and very cool & relaxing after strong sun on the beach.
Suddenly the trail lead us to the road and we had to ride on a car a bit more to the main sigh: Zanzibar red colobus monkey. It's endemic and there is no other place where those guys live. That's a rare monkey type which doesn't eat fruits at all: their stomach is not able to digest sugar.
Doesn't look like these monkey are afraid of people. I managed to get very close before they started to run.
Mangrove trees. They help to slow down high tide and let the other part of island stay dry. Mosquitoes don't like it here. So even there's a lot of water, there was no mosquitoes at all. Not a single one!
There are a lot of mats with rice like this one along the road. Driver told me locals dry the rice to sell it later.
There are a lot of European people live in Zanzibar. Good climate and inexpensive life cost attract people. Especially on retirement. I've seen multiple times non-locals doing something in houses. Definitely not tourists.
Standard of living is quite low though. I had a bicycle walk around neighbor villages. I don't think I would like to live in here. Not now. Maybe I should think about it one more time around retirement age.
But it's beautiful here. Especially the night sky and stars. The island is below equator. Looks absolutely different.