In the market in Zanzibar

Our last holidays took place in the beautiful island of Zanzibar. One thing I did not want to miss was a visit to Stone Town, Zanzibar's cultural and historical heart. It is said to resemble the medinas in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, but to me it seemed particularly easy and quiet. Maybe because my point of reference would be the old part of Jerusalem, which is incredibly busy and crowd with people.

Being with the children was quite a challenge, since a walking tour is not really their favorite thing to do. We chose, though, not to go in a group, so we had more time to stop, drink water, etc. Quite interesting for them was the visit to the Central Market, also called Darajani Market. There is a section for meat and fish, no ice or cooling visible, and another one in the outside for vegetables and fruits.

In the vegetables section, it is also possible to buy spices, already pre-packed, and easy to bring home as a gift. Paul and Anna enjoyed sitting on top of some boxes, not sure that the seller was so happy to have them "helping him" around.

If you travel with young children, I do not recommend this trip for more than half a day. It gets very hot at noon, and it is difficult to enjoy the strolling. We finished the visit having lunch at Monsoon Restaurant in the Forodhani Gardens. We chose to be inside to have more shadow; there you have to take out your shoes and you sit on cushions on the floor; great for children! And luckily there were no other guests, so no worries about annoying other people!

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