Tuesday, December 3rd, 2024

World Tour Day 31

We caught the afternoon ferry back to Dar es Salaam. The process seemed slightly smoother than getting into Zanzibar since we did not need the insurance anymore, but that may also have been because we were used to it after the first time. After the ferry ride we checked into our hotel and set off on our only activity for the day: Carmel, Benny, Nick, and I joined a walking tour of the city.

In 3 hours we saw the city from atop a tall tower, local art, walked by the presidential palace, and a monument that was erected to commemorate those who lost their lives fighting for Britain in the first world war. There was a botanical garden, parks, street side vendors, and a few skyscrapers on the horizon.

The highlight for us was the fish market which is split into two sections. The first section is the area where they cook the freshly caught seafood and all sorts of meals and ingredients are sold there. There were rows of boiling pots, frying pans, and steam that was illuminated by the streams of sun rays coming through the open air market. Adjacent to the live cooking area were stalls filled with homemade chili sauces, fruits, dried fish for decorations, and seashells. Amongst the dried fish used for lamps and other home decor were sea snakes, baby sharks, and puffer fish.

The second section of the market was where the fishermen would auction fresh fish from their catches. There were stingray, shark, a variety of small fish, lobster, and more. We got to witness two men carrying a huge sword fish up from their boat into the market area. The guide told us that the fishermen go out at midnight in order to use light techniques to catch the fish. If you come down to the beach early in the morning you can buy the fish straight from them for a much better price.

Our time in Dar es Salaam was short but we feel satisfied that we made the most of it.