stone town, zanzibar

这里就是港口一出来就是石头镇，这边不需要坐车，直接在大街小巷走路就可以了，这里有一颗 500 多年的树，石头镇的意思就是这里的房子都是石头制作，历史非常悠久，这里还有一个市场，不过看过就好，不用特别走路过去看，只是拍照而已，还有这里的菠萝也就是凤梨是长在树上的，这里不需要太久时间待着，到处走走拍照就行了，安全是安全，不过还是相机稍微注意，就是担心临时起义的小偷，否则治安还是不错的，这里的人都很客气

石头城历史悠久，海边贩卖黑奴的巿场己经成了博物馆。海边海小清澈，海边的夜市让我留连往返。石头城不大，里面的小路旧房让我沉迷，很多艺术画廊，咖啡，酒店，在这里仿佛回到过去。

如果这是你第一次来非洲,那么石头镇不是舒适的游玩地-虽然这里是参观非洲城镇的好地方,镇上大部分的地方都很脏,晚上很暗-但是安全。你必须跟着当地人并且跟他们交流才能找到当地的瑰宝-当地的地方,因为旅游景点很容易找。在Forodiahni花园你会找到同样的食物-在Darajani市场还便宜20%的价钱,你可以逛一逛印度香料店,最好的部分是参观从Darajani到海边的古城,你到达海边,赛乐园酒店区的时候,你会注意到物价涨得很高。

石镇很小,不需要导游,而且即使迷失在那些狭窄的街道里,也不失为一种乐趣,那些位于角落里的建筑,门和商店才是 最让人惊艳的。

桑给巴尔的人们好像都知道艾里凯斯(Ally Keys)。如果这不是真的话,我会觉得其他家也很不错。我通过曼奇洛奇预定了一辆摩托车-他们宣传这项服务是他们提供的,艾里凯斯只是他们的承包商。结果所有人,包括所有的旅游办事处和旅馆,都是通过艾丽凯斯租的车。他有主要的市场,没有人会换别的。但和艾里凯斯的沟通中遇到了两个很严重的问题。第一个是许可证。桑给巴尔不仅需要有效驾照,而且如果驾照是国外的话还需要开车许可证。凯斯先生的雇员来拿我的驾照,为了办许可证。但我们俩都不知道同一天早上凯斯先生还给我的一个朋友租了车。这个朋友来自比利时,没有带驾照不能租车。 凯斯先生的雇员通过复印照片,贴到我的驾照上给他办了驾照,这样我们两个人的身份证号是一样的。凯斯先生和他的雇员在给我办许可证的时候偷了我的身份给别人用。幸运的是,我在朋友手里看到了身份证复印件(希望只有一份),后来朋友给了我。不幸的是,朋友一整天都得讨好警察,因为他不能出示我的驾照和伪造的许可证。当然,复印件让我很不安。不止不安,这种不诚实盗窃的行为让内心深处很气氛,不仅仅只是表面的生气。凯斯先生知道所有的细节,刚开始假装不知道,甚至当我和那个朋友坐在一起的时候,他们俩还在电话中交流假证的事情。后来他说这个不能接受,办假证的雇员也会被开除。当第二天早上办假证的那个雇员和另一个人来我这取车的时候竟向我解释说这种现象很正常。他们离开后凯斯先生给我打电话,并且清楚地重申了他的态度,尽管盗取我的身份是不可接受的,但这是很普遍的(也就是说可以接受)。鉴于这种盗窃行为和还有其他复印件的可能性,我给警察发了份报告,写清了事件过程。警察引诱凯斯先生的雇员(就是那天应该被开除的人)去警察局表明有其他人要租车。我会把这种荒唐的事情更详细地记录下来,但我签完字离开后,那个人留在了监狱里。第二个是自行车。尽管前一晚我和凯斯先生说了要摩托车,甚至还聊到我之前的自行车,但雇员最开始还是给我了一辆踏板车。他来取许可证(就是之前说的许可证),在我出发后45分钟又回来,这回拿的是破旧的自行车。速度计,路程计,油表,喇叭(在这拥挤的马路上喇叭是必备的-不是开玩笑)都坏掉了。是我的错,非要开车。直到那个人离开我才注意到,到加油站的路上我一直很烦躁,因为车子没有油。那个人在热闹的桑给巴尔街道上推了半公里,一直推到加油站,加油的时候才发现油表坏掉了。即使速度不是很快,可是车一直咯咯的响。车子的状况和朋友与警察的纠纷导致一整天都很糟糕。朋友仅是讨好警察就花了两个多小时。我是完全合法的,尽管很幸运警察没有因为身份证复印件找我事-我们只给了一个警察看,他知道我是冤枉的,没有找我茬,但是在接受好处之前把我的朋友扣留了一个多小时。这种行贿表现出了缺点。行贿纸上有警察的图章,表明我朋友丢了驾照,要求其他警察允许他通过。但下一个挡我的警察(我在桑给巴尔看到的唯一设路障的警察-我们没有违反规则,警察每隔几千米就拦下好多车)立马询问我朋友出了多少钱。朋友说了数目,但被告知再支付那个数目的一半给这个警察。到处都是回落。我明白了为什么朋友最开始要回落,但我不会参与的。我用租车的退款修了车子。强烈怀疑仅仅因为复印身份证才发生的这种事,尽管我很小心地描述这两件事,收到退款后立马又提了复印身份信息的事情,我是绝对不会承认钱可以解决犯罪。曼奇洛奇给我们安排车子(知道雇员给了我卡片我才知道凯斯先生的名字),但不对此负责。老板拒绝和我见面听我的意见。经理说很多顾客和艾丽凯斯(刚说完他就看到很多人回来的时候都不开心,担心他们没有分享负面评价)的合作都很愉快。我遇到4个团,他们和艾里凯斯的合作都不是很愉快,尽管我是唯一一个身份证被复印的人。

这座古城很漂亮,放下相机好好探险吧。如果你有导游跟着,一般导游会知道的特别多,在各个街道为你轻松导航。如果你不想导游跟着,一定要跟人们打招呼,不然他们指的方向可能是错的。如果你特别亲切热情,他们也可能会带你去目的地。而且,向女人问路会更简单,她们比较和蔼,也不太可能会要指路费。记住这句话Habari yako, mambo, salaam alaikum,它能帮你很多忙。还可以去市场上看看,海鲜市场虽然有点难闻,还有苍蝇,但还是很酷。千万不要错过水边的公园,晚上去看更佳。峡口角那里会有一群老人们聊天游戏,非常有趣。最好穿着体面的衣服,当地人会更喜欢你。

After a long period based in Nairobi and visiting other East African cities. We were astonished by this city. It must have been a glorious city during the Omani empire. It was the one and only town where we did not care to stay for more than a week without hating it. There are good restaurants along the beach walk. A great market largely to by spices and obviously fruit. You can feel peace and breath "clean" air, forgetting for few seconds that you are in a undeveloped world.

A typical narrow lane Arab town which is reasonably clean. You can walk to most places in Stone Town. A bustling business place during the day and the and equally bust town in the evening.

Spend one day at the most here. Nice to see but better spend your time on the amazing beaches. The locals trying to see you their goods gets irritating after a while

This is very interesting place to visit and it is well worth seeing it. However saying that please do not attempt this without local tour. Market is a lovely place to grab yourself a bargain (I brought some lovely spices home as a little gift for my food loving family as well as for myself, after all Zanzibar is called Spice Island for a reason). Walking around this old city makes you feel like you moved back in time. Some stories (like the one of slavery) are rather sad, the other (Freddy Mercury) are the one of success. This is very interesting city and if you spending your holiday in the beach resort on the island it is worth to book one day aside for this UNESCO viewing.

Very interesting and exciting town with a great mix of culturesThe people are friendly and you have to try the sugar cane juice drink

We visited Stone Town after safari on the mainland and prior to going to our resort. We spent I night in the old city so that we could tour the area. It was one night too long.Our tour operator had arranged a guided tour through a local agency that lasted approximately 3 hours. We saw all of the so-called highlights, many of which I have reviewed already, and also walked the streets and visited the fish market. The latter was one of the most disgusting things we have ever seen. The temperature was over 35 C , the place stank, and the lack of hygiene was appalling. Flies swarmed and covered fish such that one couldn't even identify that it was fish. We doubt that the floor has ever been hosed down. We've been to local markets in Jamaica. Antigua. China , and India, all of which face challenges with refrigeration and clean water that result in hygiene issues. We have seen nothing like this. There is lots of garbage and most buildings are in a deplorable state. We are glad we saw Stone Town because it informs how and why people there see the world as they do, and because we want to be knowledgeable citizens of the world. But, this place is very much a decaying and crowded town. Some may romanticise it as charming, but there is very little charming about it. We are nonplussed how this town got and maintains its UNESCO heritage status. On reflection, we would have been better off flying into Stone Town, touring, and then leaving for the resort ASAP. The airport is also a pit, but they are building a beautiful new terminal, the design of which appears to be of international calibre.

We hired a walking tour guide to go through Stone town which gave insight into various places, the meaning and detail of the fancy doors, and a highlight of the most important places. It was a very interesting place to wander. It's a bit run down in places. The front doors were quite detailed and beautiful to see. At night there's a great open market with local food, sugar cane juice that they let you turn the crank to squeeze, and local people all around on the waterfront at the edge of Stone town near the palace. It's a very interesting place. Grab a refreshment and watch the sun set in the evening.

There is much hype around stone town but it doesn't deserve it. It's run down and what is especially annoying is the amount of hagglers everywhere. It's difficult to walk without getting stopped. If only the locals would understand….It's also quite dirty and very touristy.

Very quaint and primitive…loved walking through the little alleys with shops on either sides. Ideal place to buy your souvenirs. From the little spice market I picked up some spices and some really nice Zanzibar curry powder one which turned out to be excellent. Also picked up some Zanzibar tandoori powder which is quite nice .If you looking to buy paintings then this is the place. Loads of shops with paintings from local artists….quite cheap too if you know how to bargain. Also what is really nice as gifts are the hand beaded slippers. Bought several pairs for as little as 10 dollars. Ladies make sure you take foot sizes before you go there and remember sizes do differ a bit. For eg I am usually a size 38 in terms of footsize but the size 40 seemed to fit me better. You can also see the house where Freddie mercury lived and the food market…I would say give yourself 3-4 hours and spend a leisurely afternoon/ evening here