Let’s talk about Chimneys

About the title: My tour guide really loved talking about the chimneys of England so our journey started out with their history!

60 years ago in England coal fires were banned because of the amount of smog they produced. With the rise of industries, vehicles, and other forms of pollution, all that smog just hung around in the air creating huge problems for people’s health and safety. Most heating is now gas or electric, so all of the chimneys are essentially useless, but they are still beautiful to look at!

 (Example A of the cool English chimneys!)

So Laura was busy, I was bored, so what would you expect? I decided to go on an adventure! I booked a tour of the Castle of Windsor, Stonehenge and the ancient city of Bath. An exuberant guide named Mark, who is also Blue Badge tour guide, led my tour! Blue Badge tour guides are the smartest people I’ve ever met. They have to attend a special institute for two year, taking classes and exams, and are required to speak a second langue. They are so well versed in English history, tradition, and culture and can be found all over England, Scotland and Wales.

So our first stop, Windsor Castle, is about 40 minutes outside of London and near the airport and it is the largest inhabited castle in the world! You might have heard a bit about Windsor recently since this castle will be the site of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal wedding in May! Are Laura and I planning on going to camp out and be in the crowd? Oh yeah we are! 

(One of the many parts of the castle as seen walking up to Windsor)

Anyways... Windsor was built in 1066 by William the Conqueror, and England’s two best know monarchs, King Henry VIII and King Charles I are buried at the castle. The Queen likes to get out of the city every now and then, and Windsor is her retreat. Amazingly she was also at the castle when I was there! If the Royal Standard flag is flying over Windsor or Buckingham, that’s where she is! Of course I didn’t get to see her because the residential parts of the castle are fenced off, but still! She could’ve been looking out a window and seen me, just another lowly tourist admiring the sites!

(The residential part of Windsor Castle)

Sadly we were not allowed to take pictures of the inside of the staterooms, but believe me, they were stunning! The detail and ornateness of everything was almost overwhelming! The halls were beautiful, the portraits flawless, and you really felt like you had stepped back in time! This castle really is worth the visit! You can walk around the grounds a bit, and exploring the cute little town is equally enjoyable.

And after a short two hours, we’re off to our next destination, the UNESCO World Heritage site, STONEHENGE! This Neolithic period henge (FYI: henge just means circle) of stones is thought to have been built between 3000-2000 BC. There are a total of 160 stones arranged in simple circles, with no decoration, and no real evidence as to why the stones are there or what they were used for. Most of the stones were brought from the surrounding are, but the stones that make up the inner circle are called “blue stones” and were brought from Wales, 150 km away! These rocks are huge and weigh tons, how they drug these rocks nearly 93 miles is a mystery to everyone! There is also a blue stone placed 300 yards away from the circle and the cool thing about this stone is that on the summer solstice, the sun rises directly over the stone, casting shadows across the circle. This leads one to believe that the stones were erected for some ceremony or something dealing with the solstices. 

(Stonehenge in all it's rocky glory! The rock on the far right is the Blue Stone that casts shadows on the solstice.)

Another interesting (creepy) thing to know about the area is that there are around 400 different burial mounds around Stonehenge. Burial mounds were used to bury the dead, and usually included artifacts for the dead to take with them in the afterlife. The mounds were thought to be twice their current size and covered in chalk from the rolling chalk plains that surround Stonehenge, making them white. None of these mounds have been dug up, so who they belong too remains yet another mystery of Stonehenge.

I’m gonna be honest… Stonehenge was eerie! Just walking around the circle with no idea why these stones were there was a bit unsettling. I love history and I like to know the reason behind things, and to not know why this circle of stones is there is weird. This proves how little we know about some things and that there is still mystery and wonder left in our world! Somehow another two hours flew by (and all I did was look at rocks!! What?!) and we were off yet again to our final destination of the day. 

(Parts of the inner circle. Who knew rocks could be so cool?! Actually I love rocks so that statement doesn't really apply to me but everyone can appreciate the granduer and mystery of Stonehenge!)

The city of Bath has a long, tumultuous, interesting, and exciting history! Bath gets its name from a natural hot water spring that produces around quarter million gallons of water a day! That’s a lot of hot water! There’s a Celtic legend about how bath came to be. The legend goes that Prince Bladud was banished from his tribe because he had leprosy. So Baldud left and went off in search of a new start. He decided to keep pigs and started a life in the country. One day he saw his pigs rolling and playing in a pond. Upon closer inspection he found the water was warm and refreshing. Baldud bathed in the water and lo and behold, his leprosy was cured! The Prince retuned to his people with everyone shocked at his recovery and he told them about the warm, mineral water that had cured him. From then on, the tribe lived near the waters and used them for their healing properties! If nothing else, it’s a fun legend!

Bath was invaded by the Romans in 43 AD and was later invaded by the Anglo Saxons in 400 AD. Now the Anglo Saxons didn’t like the Romans and avoided everything they built, so the old city of Bath and thus the Roman structures, slowly disappeared. Around 700 AD, Bath became a popular trading town and continued to flourish throughout the 1700’s as a popular resort. Bath became particularly popular for royals after Queen Anne of England came to cure her arthritis with the mineral water. 

(The main bath complete with replicated roman columns and statues!)

Jane Austen lived and worked in Bath in the early 1800’s and described the city as a backwater, run down town since the nobility decided they liked the seaside as a destination spot better. It wasn’t until the late 1800’s that Bath became popular again. When a man was digging in his cellar and discovered the ancient roman bathing complexes! This discovery brought back the tourists as the ruins were excavated and restored to their ancient splendor.

Seeing the Roman baths was pretty cool! The structures are pretty neat and to see everything how it actually was, was amazing. In the museum you can walk underground a bit and see the excavations. There’s special baths, sauna rooms, and various other rooms as part of the expansive bathing complex. The history of Bath is pretty cool and I would love to go back to explore more of the city. Sadly because of the time constraints of a group tour I didn’t get to explore the river walk or the Jane Austen museum, so I guess I’ll just have to go back! 

(Walking "underground" to see the ancient bath ruins)

Sorry this blog was more of a textbook but these three places had some awesome history and my guide Mark was so knowledgeable that how could I not take notes and hang off his every word?! If you come to London and want to see any of these places, I highly recommend booking a tour! It’s just easier to have transportation provided and to be guided by such a qualified individual will reward you with an informative and enjoyable experience! Windsor, Stonehenge, and Bath in one day were real quick, but very fun! I’m so glad I got to cross off some England Bucket list items!

Castles, Ruins and Dungeons

What an eventful few weeks it has been! In addition to a ridiculous amount of homework and my first round of essays being due, I was still able to make some time for adventure!

Laura and I took a day trip to Kenilworth Castle. Outside of Coventry and stuck right in the middle of a cute country town are the ruins of this once massive castle. This castle's construction started in the 1100's and continued throughout the 1600's with new additions and refurbishments. Kenilworth was given to Robert Dudley by Queen Elizabeth as a show of her affection and Dudley’s loyalty to the crown. Dudley rebuilt the castle, adding new additions, that were specifically for his one true love, the Queen herself. He built her a stunning garden (much of which is still in great condition) and he built her private rooms with access to an upper level so she could look it at the lake that used to be there. It’s also possible that he made the rooms with secret access so that he could visit her without people knowing (even though everyone knew they were together anyways... eyeroll). Oh, drama!

(Looking up at Kenilworth Castle)

Queen Elizabeth made many summer visits, and on her last visit to Kenilworth in 1575, Robert Dudley hosted a giant party in her honor. He had plays, dances, music, special events, and banquets, all to show his love for the Queen. He hoped that she might concede in marrying him after long last, and this event was his last ditch effort to win her over. Alas, he failed and Elizabeth returned to London with no promise of marriage. After that Dudley gave up, fathering a bastard and marrying a widow. Queen Elizabeth remained unmarried her whole life, married only to her country. What a tragic story...

(Panorama view of the ruins)

Despite the castle passing from family to family, finally falling into disrepair, it’s history still remains. The English Heritage group has added stairs and exhibitions without changing the structure and has kept the castle in the best possible condition. It really is a stunning building! The land it’s on is beautiful and walking up to the main castle, one can only image how grand it really was! Strolling under the half-destroyed arches, you can still see the amazing detail that went into them, same with the windows and the architecture of the Great Hall. In the main building, there are fireplaces stuck out every 10 feet or so, and you can see the wood remnants of a floor in the stone.

(So that's a fireplace floating halfway up the wall!)

Stepping back in history was really fun and I would 100% recommend Kenilworth Castle to anyone in the area! It's worth taking a day to explore the castle and surrounding town and parks, where you can find great food and stunning countryside!

Next on the list was Warwick Castle! When my boyfriend Elijah came to visit, we had a hard time deciding what to do. Most of the English Heritage sites are only open on the weekends starting in November, and sadly he was only here for the week. So trying to find a cool castle for him to see became a problem, until we found Warwick! This castle is owned and operated by the Merlin Entertainment Group (once known as the Tussaud’s Group) and has turned into a huge tourist attraction. Not just for foreign tourists, but English ones too! And I can see why! This castle was exciting to see in comparison to Kenilworth because it has stood the test of time and has been refurbished and used all the way through the 1900’s.

(The walk up to Warwick proved that this castle was just as impressive as I was hoping!)

Warwick was first established as a protective fort in the 900's until Wiliam the Conquer built the moat and a larger fort in the 1060's. The castle is then attacked, rebuilt, attacked, fortified, attacked, built larger until finally, it is finished. Some fun historical events that took place at Warwick include; Joan of Arc being imprisoned and standing trial at the castle in 1431, the Earls of Warwick are killed for treason for generations (crazy family I guess, no one learns...), the castle is said to be haunted by various nobles who died within the walls of the castle, every royal ever has visited, and finally, after a thousand years of history, it has become a hotspot for tourists!

 (Can you tell I love Panoramas?! The grounds of Warick Castle are amazing in themselves!)

Warwick is very lavish and has been refurbished, thus making it stunning visually. Sometimes it's hard to imagine what it was actually like and the wax figures placed on display kind-of throw off the historical tune of the place. It's a bit gaudy overall, but it really is very interesting to see! I loved this castle because I still felt like I learned a lot, and I loved getting to see all the stunning rooms and displays. You can also walk along the ramparts and up towers to get amazing views, and climbing up to the mound (which overlooks the castle) you also see the river Avon, a trebuchet, a mill and beautiful countryside. It really is worth a visit if you're around or thinking about visiting.

 (Looking up at the Mound- thought to be the oldest part of the main castle due to it's fortifiable location.)

Oh and there's a dungeon. I was freaked out the whole time walking through it and I will NOT be going back there! Yes, I'm a baby with scary stuff. And hey, who can blame me for wanting to avoid the dark, haunted remains of a dungeon?!


Anyways, I loved both Kenilworth and Warwick and I can't wait to explore more of the castles this amazing country has to offer! Here's to many more adventures and castles!

All the Shenanigans

Ahhh October. The trees start to change, the air gets a little colder, and pumpkins take their place on every doorstep. It's also my best friends birthday month! And as always, Laura and I celebrated her birthday in some very exciting ways!

 (Westminster Abbey and my AMAZING pasta!)

We started out by taking a trip to London! Laura had miraculously booked tickets to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child after waiting a year striking out in online queues and finding nothing but sold out shows. Did we go to London with the sole purpose of seeing this show? Why yes, yes we did. Was it worth it? Good lord it was MAGICAL!

So if you’re me, and a huge Harry Potter fan, I’m sure you’ve read the screenplay for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child? Well yeah, so I wasn’t too thrilled with it. I feel like it read kinda like bad fan fiction. JK Rowling had no part in the writing of the screenplay so of course it’s not going to be quite what you would expect, but unlike a book or a movie, or a play for that matter, a screenplay just has no life. There’s no feeling and it’s hard to get those mental pictures. But the actual play? OH. MY. GOSH. Literally, there’s no better word than magical! The cast was amazing and fit the characters very well, the special effects and “magic” were fantastic, and it brought to life the Wizarding World in a whole new way! I would 100% recommend to any Harry Potter fan!

(Outside the Entrance!)

After the two part, 5 hour play, we went to The Ivy, a high class, fancy restaurant Laura found to get some celebratory birthday drinks. Everything was so fancy, I felt so out of place! And I said the name of my order wrong and got a chuckle/weird look from the waiter. What can I say, I’m from Wyoming?! But after a good glass of wine and some fried zucchini (classy right?) we went back to our hotel to get some sleep before our next full day!

(Westminster and Big Ben)

Laura and I have both been to London, so it was fun to explore all the areas we loved. We went to Camden Market and had some awesome cheesy pasta, shopped around, considered getting tattoos, and took lots of fun pictures! We also navigated all the bridges and walkways along the Thames, exploring Westminster, the London Eye, and we swung by the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace. London is such a fun and vibrant city and it was so fun to get back and visit, if just for a few days!

The next weekend, and for Laura’s actual birthday, we headed off to Bristol. So continuing with the Harry Potter theme, we went to Bristol to get these Harry Potter “Freak Shakes”. So these are crazy shakes that have all sorts of other goodies on them! It was a butterbeer milkshake with a donut, chocolate frog, Gringotts chocolate coins, a chocolate wand, whipped cream, caramel, and a pair of Harry Potter glasses! Oh yes it was a ton of sugar but it was totally worth it! YUM!

(The only way to do milkshakes!)

After our shakes we walked all over the town to get rid of our sugar highs! Bristol is also the home of the street artist Banksy, so we took ourselves on a Banksy walking tour to find his work in Bristol. It was pretty cool to learn more about how he got his start and everything he’s done since! Such a mysterious and talented artist! We also went to a really cool museum called the M Shed that detailed the growth of Bristol, saw a stunning cathedral, and ate so much good food! Bristol is a lovely port city with a lot of interesting history! It is worth a stop if you’re in the area and have a day or two to kill!

(Banksy's first work of street art, vandalising the hull of a ship!)

Overall, it was a wonderful October full of fun and exciting experiences! November has started out pretty darn well too and hopefully the next month goes well as I’m half way through my first semester of Grad school! Here’s to countless more adventures!

Beginning my Brummie Adventure

(A Brummie is someone who lives in Birmingham… why? I do not know…)

Well I have now been living in Birmingham for one month exactly! Holy cow how time flies! Even though I’m no local, I feel like I’ve gotten a good grasp of the main city center and areas around the University of Birmingham campus. I’ve enjoyed exploring this vibrant city and I look forward to discovering all of its nooks and crannies!

 

(Victoria Square, named for none other than Queen Victoria)

I’ve been mainly focused with the typical tourist hot spots since I’m still so new to Birmingham, and I must say that I haven’t been disappointed yet! Starting in the main city center is the Bullring. This is an area with every kind of shop you could imagine, a huge variety of restaurants, and lots of action! There’s always street performers and events happening around the streets and in the shopping centers. And right across from the iconic bull is St. Martin church erected in the 12th century (yes it IS that old), making it the perfect combination of old and new!

If you visit Birmingham, some time should be spent in the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. I would say that this is more a gallery with just a few added museum exhibits. They do change regularly though so that keeps it exciting! The art is amazing, ranging from early 1800’s to the present, and houses some Picasso pieces, the world’s largest watercolor painting, and so many more astounding works of art. The construction around the building makes the entrance hard to find, but once you walk in the main rotunda, WOW! There are dozens of landscapes in the main hall with a menacing statue of Lucifer in the center that the Museum is know for. This was my favorite hall because it’s just breathtaking! But any art geek like me, will also enjoy everything else! Among the museum exhibits are a history of the industrial growth of Birmingham, and Ancient Egypt hall featuring a couple of mummies, and a neat Saxon exhibit! Overall this museum is a fun trip and exciting if you love art, want to get out of the rain, or just need something free or cultural to do!

 

(The main rotunda in the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery)

On the University of Birmingham campus are the Barber Institute of Art and the Lapworth Geology Museum. Both are free and worth a visit! I enjoyed the Barber Institute of Art Galleries because they featured some amazing and large pieces! There were portraits, landscapes, depictions of Jesus and my favorite, a piece done by Claude Monet! (I bought a magnet of this one because I mean, come on, it’s a Monet!) But it was fun to tour the gallery while classes were going around and talking about the paintings because I’m always one to mooch a free tour and information! The Lapworth Museum of Geology rocks! (pun intended ;)) But really, there's some amazing minerals, fossils, gems, skeletons, and everything you would expect from a geology museum! It's exciting to step back into history and learn a little bit more about how different the earth was hundreds of millions of years ago!

 

(Complete Allosaurus skeleton)

Birmingham is also in a perfect location because there are tons of town and cities just a short train ride away! One such historical town is Stratford-Upon-Avon. If you’re a fan of literature, you’ll know that this was the home of and is the final resting place of the great William Shakespeare himself! When you think of the quintessential English village, this is it! You’re literally stepping into history (when most of the buildings are older than your entire country, you know it’s old), and it’s just such a pleasant town to walk around and explore.

 

(The lovely canal walkways)

You can visit the home of Anne Hathaway (Shakespeare’s wife, not the actress like I originally thought) and get a tour of the museum and area for a fee. I decided not to do the museum and cottages because I’m cheap and can use Google to envision it. BUT, if you love everything Shakespearean, then I suggest visiting the museum. You can visit The Holy Trinity Church and see his grave, and you should experience the feeling of wonder and serenity by walking along the canals. These two things were my favorite parts of Stratford-Upon-Avon. This small town is super easy to navigate and houses some great local boutiques and shops that are well worth a visit! And just a short 45-minute train ride from Birmingham means I will be visiting it again!

(Here doth lie the great poet himself)

Well my adventure have just begun and I can’t wait to see where this year takes me! Yes I’m here for school, but where’s the fun if you cant explore a bit?!

A Hop, Skip, and a Jump Across the Pond

Well I'm back!

After 9 long (but somehow incredibly short) months in Wyoming, packed full with family, friends, exploring, and discernment, I'm ready to start the next big chapter in my life!

 (Hasta la vista familia! So thankful to have such a supportive family back home rooting for me to succeed!)

This time I'm in Birmingham, England, and instead of working or volunteering, I'm studying! I've been out of school for two whole years, so the idea of venturing back into the world of late night study sessions, stressful deadlines, and mediocre coffee isn't too thrilling of an idea for me! But I do love school and I'm so excited about my program! I'm studying International Law, Ethics, and Politics here at the University of Birmingham, and will continue learning about human rights issues and various justice mechanisms. This is going to be a year long Master program, and hopefully I'll have some down time to explore and travel!

 (The view from my flat=best view ever!)

So far I've just been exploring in and around the Bham campus. There's so many welcome events, lunches, pub crawls, concerts, and fairs happening, that each day is jammed with fun activities! So far I've found like 10 clubs I want to join, have met some other postgraduates, finally got my class schedules, and have signed up for all sorts of volunteering and job opportunities. Among my favorite clubs are Windsurfing, Model UN, and various nerd clubs, because why not?!

 

(Old Joe, the clock tower, and focal point for all of campus)

 

I'm fortunate to be here with one of my best friends Laura, so that makes making friends and having adventures even more fun because I'll always have a buddy! Speaking of adventures, we've already had a few! We had some city tours so that we can get a lay of the land and actually know where we are, so those have been super helpful! And we've ventured into the wilderness of Lickey Hills! This is a green country park stuck in the middle of the urban city. We spent hours here and walked a total of 8 miles in and around the park! It was so nice to get outside on a rare sunny day here in Birmingham and explore nature!

 

(Beacon Hill in Lickey Hills)

 

So far I'm loving my time in Birmingham and I can't wait for my semester to start! Hopefully I'll be able to keep up on the blog and my misadventures as they happen!

Kwaheri (Goodbye) Tanzania

Wow so it has been a month since my last blog post, pole sana (very sorry)! And can you believe it, but I leave Africa this week! What a whirlwind adventure this has been. I’ve learned a lot here in Tanzania and am happy with what I’ve accomplished. Leaving will be very sad, but going home will be nice!

Since October, Laura and I have been very busy with Positive Love! We hosted a Christmas Campaign, opening up an online shop for Positive Love products for the month of October. We sold to people all over the world and have raised over $2,000! All of the money raised will be going to the ladies for their hard work, and they are putting some aside for an emergency fund and for start-up loans so they can eventually open up their own small businesses. We were so happy to be able to help the women of Positive Love share their products with our friends and family and handing them the money was such a wonderful experience!

(Laura with the Ladies!)

Asante sana (Thank you) to everyone who helped and donated!

We also have a shop! Hooray! We constructed, painted, furnished, and decorated an old building, turning it into a beautiful place for people to come and shop. This beautiful blue building was something the women have wanted for a while, so being able to help turn this into a reality has been great! As a long term volunteer, Laura and I wanted to make some positive changes, and I think we have! I know the women are happy with our hard work, and I sure feel a sense of accomplishment from working with these amazing ladies. Leaving them will be the hardest thing about leaving Tanzania for me! I hope to be able to come back one day and see how Positive Love has grown and changed!

(The wonderful furniture!)

Asante sana to our wonderful donors, especially Sloanes General Store and the Inn at Alcova, for your generous donation!

Since our Zanzibar adventure, Laura and I have been to the capital of Tanzania, Dodoma, where we celebrated Laura’s and Alpha’s birthdays. Alpha is Laura’s oldest sponsor child with Compassion, and sharing their birthday and sponsor visit was amazing! We also went to Mwanza, and visited Laura’s child, Veronica. We also hiked around Lake Victoria and hung around, relaxing in the north. Now, we are packing up and tying up loose ends.

(Lake Victoria!)

We’ve been to Cape Town, hiked Kilimanjaro, done a safari, volunteered at an amazing organization, survived in the chaos of Arusha, and through it all, Laura and I have remained best friends! Now that is the real accomplishment! Who knew 4 months could go by so fast!

We’ve finished strong here in Africa and I’m so happy with the experience I’ve had. It’s been real and it’s been fun. One could say that it has been real fun!

(My best friend and I!)

The Minefields of Zanzibar

The island life really is the life for me!

So making the decision to venture to Zanzibar for a long weekend vacation for Laura’s birthday was pretty easy. All I did was say “Heck Yes!” I forgot how much I loved island vacations and exploring, and was super happy to be back in the humid, salt-smelling, relaxing environment I’ve missed and love.

(Such unique art and style!)

We arrived in Stone Town on Thursday in the evening, and didn’t have a whole lot of down time before we were rushing off to make our dinner reservation at the Emerson on Hurumzi Tea Room. Having just arrived, we were unfamiliar with the layout of the city and were quickly lost in the winding, twisting corridors that serve as streets. Eventually we found our way and were seated on cushions to enjoy our three-course, traditional Swahili dinner. Boy was it good! We started out with pita and tahini and beetroot hummus, followed by goat massaman curry, and finished with fruit samosa and coffee flavored meringue. Paired with a hibiscus cocktail, this was a meal for the books! It was so delicious, the atmosphere was phenomenal, and the service was super! It was a great birthday dinner for Laura!

http://www.emersonspice.com/

On Friday, we spent the morning getting lost in Stone Town. We did have a guide leading us through the maze of streets and pointing out the highlights. This city has a super interesting history. It was a major port area for the slave trade in to and out of Africa and was governed by the Portuguese, Indians, and Arabs throughout history. Hundreds of thousands of African people were enslaved and sold in Zanzibar, shipped to other nations near and far, and died due to horrible living conditions. We visited some slave chambers in which 50-70 people were crammed into a low ceilinged room that wasn’t much larger than my bedroom (a tiny square) and where men wore shackles around their necks and were forced to remain squished together in lines. Because of a lack of ventilation in these underground chambers, and the tight quarters, many people died and disease ran rampant. The same goes for the ships the slaves were placed on. A huge Anglican church was constructed on top of the remains of the slave chambers and now serves as a stopping point for many to learn about the history of Zanzibar.

(View from the top of the city)

In addition to learning all about he history, we also learned about the architecture. For examples, there are over 200 carved wooden doors in Stone Town and they are all very unique. But there are two distinct styles- an Indian styled with curved tops and have spikes on the doors (for keeping the elephants from breaking down the doors in India, but of course just serves as decoration on an island), and an Arab door, which is square shaped and has an prayer written in Arabic along the top of the frame. These doors sometimes also have chains decorating the sides to show who were slave owners or traders. The doors were beautifully crafted and when Laura and I were walking around, it was neat to note the differences in the doors. Also, fun fact about Stone Town- it is so named because the buildings are all made out of coral and then covered with plaster. And if a house needs to be rebuilt, it has to be constructed in the same exact way, as it previously was so as not to ruin the “look” of the area. Only natural materials can be used and the same colors have to be used for painting.

(Arab style door)

(Indian style door)

Besides learning about all of the aesthetics of Stone Town, we ventured into shops, selling all sorts of curios and souvenirs, markets full of fruits, fish, and spices, and toured the many hidden gems of Stone town. Having a guide was really nice because it made getting around much easier and helped Laura and I to figure out our way around the city. After the tour we ate at The House of Spices and sampled some of the local foods. After that, we caught a taxi to our beach hotel for the next three nights!

We stayed at the Zanzibar Retreat Hotel on Matamwe Beach, and at the end of our stay we didn’t want to leave! One of the owners, Karen greeted us and warmly welcomed us. She showed us around, chatted with us, made sure we had everything we needed, and was just all around there for us! She was so kind and helpful and we felt more like family than customers. Also the staff was there for our every need and made a point to get to know us. Two full days of lounging around a pool and beach did us good! It was nice to have no responsibilities and to just not worry about anything.

http://www.zanzibarretreat.com/

(Such a cozy environment!)

Saturday morning we woke up and went to breakfast, and it looked like the water was gone! It disappeared! In reality, the tide was so low that you could walk out for what seemed like a mile to the reef that lined our beach. This walk was just as good as snorkeling because we saw coral reefs, starfish, all kids of fish, and A TON of sea urchins! We had to leap around, carefully step through and navigate a minefield of sea urchins. It was beautiful and was a really nice way to start our day. Afterwards, we relaxed in the sun and thoroughly burnt the crap out of ourselves! But I’ll take a few sunburns!

(Beach > Everything else)

We ate, drank, and lounged for two and a half days and I couldn’t have asked for a better vacation! The only downside is that on the flight back to Arusha, TSA confiscated my beach sand! Anyone who knows me knows that I collect sand from all my beach visits and my mom and I display them at home. So sorry mom, no Zanzibar sand! Sad face.

(Photo Credit: Laura Powers)