Island is the “A Word a Week Challenge” this week. My contributions are from the Island of Zanzibar off the coast of Tanzania, Africa.
Tag Archives: Africa
Spirited People of Africa
There are many words one could use to describe people in Africa, but spirited seems fitting to me!
Every time I’m able to take a photo of someone who seems interesting to me…I feel like I’ve just been given a present. When I saw this man standing in Cape Town, South Africa, I just had to take his photo. Actually, he posed for me. I asked him to turn sidewise. It all happened in the space of less than 30 seconds. To be a travel photographer, I think it’s important to have an outgoing personality, so that you’re able to approach people easily.
Children of Africa
The children of Africa are so spirited and expressive! During my six weeks touring through six countries in Africa in May/June, I was fortunate to briefly interact with some of them. These little girls from Solitaire, Namibia have so much … Continue reading
Weekly Photo Challenge — My 2012 in Pictures
2012 was a year of discovery and fun!
I participated in lots of activities…
Pinterest inspired me to make over 125 new recipes! My husband gained a few pounds.
And…I made homemade Febreeze, carpet stain remover, deodorant, In a Pickle Bag, scarves made from t-shirts, and these beautiful Easter centerpieces…
I attended lots of fun festivals, farmers’ markets, parties, and concerts!
I was a tourist in my own hometown of Cincinnati and the surrounding areas…
And–had so much fun seeing familiar places with new eyes through the lens of my camera!
In May/June, I camped for 26 nights of the 40 nights I spent touring seven AMAZING countries in Africa. You can read the first post here!
Met unforgettable people and had once-in-a-lifetime experiences!
Strangers opened their homes to me in South Africa, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida–through an organization called Couchsurfing!
It is an amazing way to meet new people, make travel affordable, and get tips from locals on what to see and do!
My six week-4,200 mile-USA road-trip through North & South Carolina, Georgia and Florida was an adventure! I left in late October and returned home in December.
I so enjoyed walking through all of the cities I visited!
There is so much beauty in the USA!
Florida was too pretty for words!!
I took a wine painting class with girlfriends, went to Columbus, Ohio for a girls’ weekend, and had girlfriends visit me in Florida!
Last…but most importantly…had quality time with family! I thank my husband for being a good sport concerning my passion for travel!
My cousins and I had fun taking photos with Santa!!
I’m not sure what I’ve done to deserve such a rich life…but I’m truly grateful and if 2013 is as good or better than 2012…then all I have to say is…”LIFE IS GOODGREAT IN YOUR 50′s”!
Related articles
- Weekly Photo Challenge: My 2012 in Pictures (travel-monkey.me)
- Weekly Photo Challenge: My 2012 in Pictures (dailypost.wordpress.com)
- Weekly Photo Challenge – My 2012 in Pictures (largeself.com)
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Delicate (travelspirit333.com)
I’m officially a Photographer!
A while back a lady contacted me from the African Development Bank organization and requested permission to use a couple of my photos from a six-week trip I took through six countries in Africa for a report that was being published on their website. I told her that was fine and actually had forgotten about it until she contacted me recently to inform me that it been published and the credit and link back to my blog was on the second to last page.
The report is entitled “Solutions for a Changing Climate” and this is my photo that was used on the cover page…
Deadvlei in Namib Desert
So…I’m excited about that and realize I need to start taking action to get paid for what I love…photography, adventure, travel and writing!
Related articles
- The African Water Facility, the Government of Sudan and the African Development Bank Jointly Launch the First Peace-Building Water Project in Darfur (appablog.wordpress.com)
- African Development Bank funds $63m initiative to improve agricultural productivity on continent (ghanabusinessnews.com)
- Africa urged to tackle illiteracy (vanguardngr.com)
Former Slave Market site in Zanzibar
While I was exploring Stone Town on the Island of Zanzibar, Tanzania, I walked by The Anglican Christ Church Cathedral…
and saw that it was the former slave market site. It was only a few dollars to view it and there were a number of guys standing around offering to give tours, so I asked one of the men how much he charged. He said he worked for tips…whatever I wanted to give…so off I went for a tour!
The tour lasted about 20 minutes. First we walked through the church and he explained that since slavery had been abolished in the States in 1863 and it wasn’t abolished in Zanzibar until 1873, for those 10 years, the slaves were shipped to other countries other than the U.S., such as Dubai and other Middle Eastern countries. While researching for this post, I found information that is contrary to what my tour guide gave. Actually, slavery wasn’t completely abolished in the U.S. until 1865 and in Zanzibar until 1897. There was a treaty signed with Britain to suppress slavery in Zanzibar in 1873.
This is the interior of the church…
Here is an underground area where the slaves were kept. The guide said as many as 50 women and children were in this one room where they slept. This area had a palatable sadness. Seeing the shackles and trying to imagine living in these conditions left an imprint!
The last country in Africa to abolish slavery was Niger in 1960. Even then it wasn’t illegal until 2003. From 1960 until 1981 slavery was abolished in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Mauritania, respectively. I was surprised by this.
Although slavery is illegal in all nations, it still exists, or forms of it, throughout the world!
Related articles
- African Postman: The Legacy of Slavery in Zanzibar, Tanzania (petchary.wordpress.com)
- My Little Friend from Zanzibar (ireport.cnn.com)
- I’ll come back to Zanzibar… (thehindu.com)
