Sunday October 5, 2003
It’s our last night here, and while I thought I was ready to go home, I am growing sadder with every passing minute. Zanzibar has been heavenly. After a short (1 hour) flight here, we were met and transferred to Matemwe Beach Village. The drive took us through modern Zanzibar Town, with women in full purdah, the ubiquitous goats and cows lining the streets, fruit vendors, brick factories. Matemwe Beach is simply beautiful. Sparkling turquoise green water, waves breaking on the reef far from shore, and trade winds blowing in. Lots of special little touches, like sun hats and kangas for the guests.
Our first afternoon here was spent on the beach. We walked out to the reef and back at low tide. Yesterday we took a long walk in the morning, and bought some paintings from an artist on the beach.
Today, we took the dive boat out to Mnemba Atoll for some snorkeling. The food here has been superb, and we’ve had excellent fresh vegetable soups, seafood with fruit sauces, and tropical desserts. The lounge area features low seating areas and African decor, with lots of local history books to peruse, and games of scrabble and chess. A more chilled out chill-out spot could not be found!
Tonight as we sat down for dinner, our waiter asked if we would move elsewhere. We followed him out to a small shack on the beach set with a low table and cushions for seating. We ate our dinner there – asparagus soup, chili lime chicken and passion fruit tart. The whole thing was a complete surprise to us, and our best guess is that maybe Narry put them up to it while booking our stay.
Cook Family Travels 