Continuing through Stone Town we visited the Old Slave market, one of the world’s last slave markets. Though the history of the trade was interesting, it is sad to think how people were treated. We left to visit to the Fish market, though a little smelly, it was buzzing with life as the day’s fresh catch was auctioned off. The bigger catches and more sought after fish were left until last, bids were going back and forth on a 6 foot meaty marlin. We continued on to the produce and meat market where the stalls were so close together you could hardly fit your shoulders between. The chicken market was something completely unreal to me as there were prepared chickens hanging in the front window and live ones in behind. Those customers looking for a live chicken would take their pick, grab them by the feet and walk out as if they were grocery bags, hanging upside down by their ankles.
The rest of the day was spend walking through old Stone Town, down streets with no names, where you would get lost without a guide. Something I found very interesting was the old doors along each block and their meaning. If the door had a square top, Arabic people lived there while if they had a rounded top Indian people lived there. Each of the doors were symbolically carved specific to the family living inside. Carvings of fish meant they were fishermen or a pineapple meant they were farmers. Many doors were build with heavy, strong materials and had large metal spikes. This idea was brought from India where elephants would knock down doors. Though elephants are not a problem in Zanzibar the spikes were still used.
To finish up the day, I boarded a traditional dhow for a sunset cruise along the coastline with a Kilimanjaro Beer. A nice way to end the day!
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