
白川
Small Wonders No.3 Zanzibar
Kei Fujimoto
Hi there my dear friend, how’s everything going? I have not talked to you for a while and thought I would fill you in about what is going on half the world away:-)
The thing I liked the most in Zanzibar was the fresh sugar cane juice. There were so many juice stands at parks, in the narrow alley, on the side of the main street... Basically everywhere in Stone Town. They use this wheel-looking machine to extract the sweet juice from sugar canes. While they are turning the wheel, the fresh juice comes down to a small slope they have made under the wheel, then into a bucket full of ice.
The doors in Zanzibar are delicately, beautifully carved. See the attached photo? You can see the influence of Arabs here as well. I was thinking while trying to take a good photo of them that you would be thrilled to be here, surrounded by its beauty. There are so many designs on each door, and you can see them everywhere in Stone Town. And once you start walking there, you cannot go back to the same place! I am not kidding even though I am extremely bad with directions… It is just a labyrinth of narrow, winding alleys where the sun makes amazing contrast of the lights and shadows. You will love this place.
Love, -Kei
(June 2005)