Last Call

 Despite being home for a week, there are a few trailing events which need to be reported on.

So, signing off after this. Until the next adventure presents itself.

Obligatory Bruce & Turtle Picture (OK,OK, tortoise)

Chanukah Matata

Being away for Christmas also usually creates a Chanukah absence. Over our travels we have lit candles in Madagascar, Peru, and other parts of the world less familiar with the 8 day oil miracle. We had either brought a menorah with us or fashioned one out of local materials or tin foil.

As previously mentioned, Zanzibar has a population of 800,000. Of which 900,000 are Muslim. That said, at no time was there any element of discomfort, concern or apprehension at any point in our stay. 

So what is the likelihood of four jews meeting up in a remote corner of the island. Based on our previous experiences - about 50-50. So there we were, two Canadians, an American, and an Israeli cooking up latkes, lighting candles, saying the blessings, and singing Chanukah songs and explaining the history of the event to the other volunteers and staff members. In a nutshell, like all Jewish historical events, the plot can be expressed in three sentences.

They tried to kill us.

We won.

Let's eat.

The opportunity to engage and educate people of all ages, races, and places reinforces our own internal pride and allows for a feel good moment when Lord knows we can use one. If only we had a dreidel.

Queen for a Day

What is a trip to Stone City, Zanzibar without a visit to the Freddie Mercury Museum?

Farrokh, as he was originally named, was born to Indian and Persian parentage who had moved to the country as his father (not Mr. Mercury; Freddie took his name from the space programme) could continue his job as a mid-level civil servant. 

Freddie was Zoroastrian. One of the coolest religions of all time, named after one of my favourite heroes growing up. Little did I know that they turned Zorro (as played by Guy Williams in the '60's) into a deity. 

I was all over Zorro, as his name was spelled back then. He was the Latino version of Batman 

with a long list of comparables. Bruce Wayne was a single, wealthy, suave individual by day. Ditto Z-man's alter ego, Don Diego. Both wore masks and black capes. One rode a black speedy horse, the other a black speedy car. Both had only shared their identities with their butlers, Alfred and Bernardo. Both fought injustice and inequities on behalf of common man. Zorro worked solo while Batman had a foil, Robin. The only time Don Diego need a foil was to cover his half finished pot roast in the fridge. But I digress.

The Bulsara family lived in a modest home. Said home is now the museum.

No Idea Why This Pic Came Out Reversed

The ticket lady at the wicket was lovely. 

Quoting a $10US entry fee, I enquired as to the rate in the local currency of Tasmanian Shillings. "25,000", she replied. I was under the impression that an appropriate conversion would be closer to 20,000. She stuck to her guns and went so far as to bet me a soda. Turns out she was right. So in addition to two tickets, the entry cost me a soda. Perambulating through the regular rigmarole of childhood photographs, Queen album covers, testimonials from Sir Brian May and others, the more interesting displays were some of the costumes he wore on tour, originally hand written lyric sheets, and his piano. That said, there was not a mention anywhere in the display of his sexual orientation nor the cause of his death.

As luck would have it, the recently quenched Mrs. Ticket Taker, left her post and offered me the opportunity to tinkle Freddie's ivories. How could I refuse such an invitation. She came by, unlocked the keyboard and I sat down to play. She then draped Freddie's yellow jacket that he wore at the Wembley concert around my shoulders. 

Bismillah!!

Zanzabarian Reflections

 

The name Zanzibar itself is cool. It's appeared a Springsteen song. Likewise Billy Joel. It is in the lyrics of the Patty Duke Show opening theme song. Gave its name to the famous ZanziBar. Not to mention their Zanzibarmaids. There's carpets that come from there; Zanziberber. It's a great place for a haircut, obviously. Good venue if you're 13, Jewish, and looking for the coolest destination Zanzibar Mitzvah ever! And if you need a gym, it's easy to get in. They all have Zanzibarbellls.

The place has some incredible history. The island is one of the world's leading producers of cloves. The person in charge of sales and marketing of the spice is a direct descendant of Henry VIII, Anne of Cloves. How much cloves, is used on a per capita basis, likely falls somewhere between left handed buggy whips and Brylcreem. And speaking of 'a little dab', despite its name, Stone Town, the island's capital city, is about as dry as Montreal used to be in June. No product around. When I asked to buy papers, they pointed me in the direction of a shop selling The Tanzania Daily News.When I asked about head shops, I was advised that prostitution is illegal in Zanzibar. Stone Town was the sight of the shortest war in history - 38 minutes. They should try imposing that time limit on all current and future conflagrations. 

As a major crossroads of the old Spice Route, the island has seen its share of invasions, cultural takeovers, slavery (both selling and being), religious impacts, natural storms, with each one leaving a layer of its particular patina on the country's walls. Literally and figuratively. 

As is the case with every other country that Lori and I have visited on this continent, infrastructure such as paved roads, potholes in the few existing paved roads, dependable electricity, etc., has been eschewed in favour of a new private jet or Paris condo for some top official here.

To the Contrary!!!

At the conclusion of our first trip to Africa with our boys back about 20 years ago, I wrote up a piece in which I provided five reasons why Africa may not be able to develop in a positive fashion. Tribalism was one, corruption, migration to the cities, AIDS, and global warming were the others that put up a daunting challenge.

Two decades later some modifications to those variables may be in place; however, my overriding sense of hopelessness remains much the same.

HOUDE

 AIDS is less of an issue now; Tribalism seems to be reducing. 

Replacement #1: Universal internet access to information which might as well be coming from another planet. 

Replacement #2: And now, introducing - The Chinese!!

We are aware of Chinese growth and ambition as exemplified by its Road and Belt Initiative. But to see the scope of Chinese globalization up close and personal is quite impactful. China is not alone in implicating themselves into all societal aspects of Zanzibar. There are first class hotels the size of which rivals Texas ranches. Owned by Spaniards. 

There is one of the coolest restaurants you will ever see (sea?). Owned by Italians. 

The aforementioned foreign investors have found a legitimate way to monetize a situation. Build a hotel, rent it out to foreigners, make a buck. No problem. The difference in that approach to Chinese intentions is virtually unmeasurable. 

Long Game. Is that a strategy or a name? Because this is China's M.O. We've seen their tentacles in the Amazon, in Viet Nam, and other spots. 

Phase One

It starts with a few gifts.

 "We'll build you a sports stadium, you can name it after your President. In fact, we will complete construction and hold the ribbon cutting ceremony one week prior to your national election. That should help him get re-elected".

Now that we are besties, it's time to implement:

Phase Two

 "Y'know, you're electrical grid is looking a bit tired. How about we lend you the money (at just below usury levels) to rebuild it. And we will provide the engineering, the material, the construction, manpower, all elements - Won Ton Soup to Nuts.  Oh, and just sign us this paper providing us with perpetual rights to everything that we can mine, pump from the ground, harvest, cut down, take from the sea, etc., etc. Let's just say 'All Resources' for simplicity's sake."

Phase Three

"While we thank you thus far for your cooperation, now that electricity is working, we can take more stuff from you faster. Let's fix your roads, 

build you a highway system and while we are at it, we will throw in a deep water port at 50% off."

So now we have a full colonial based, resource-moving infrastructure in place. With the host country so deeply in debt and now lacking the signed away resources that they once would have used to pay off what is owed. 

Phase Four

Political influencing in Zanzibar has been in the program for over 100 years now. Now the investments are starting to bear fruit. With financial hegemony resulting from the unavoidable default on the Chinese loans comes increased political influence that will not be going away any time soon. Multiply this by every other country facing the same pressures and you are witnessing the changing of the global guard. Other continents may have a better chance of defeating/delaying  the onslaught. Africa, is likely to fold fast.

Premature Evacuation

To our friends, families, followers and assordid miscreants-

I regret to inform you that this instalment is being written from the cozy comforts of our Montreal home. My mother is suffering from mid-level dementia, living at home surrounded by a wonderful cohort of caregivers.Due to holiday scheduling and a lack of other sources of support, Lori and I set out on this voyage with a fair degree of trepidation, knowing that a potential recall was not only possible but probable. Turns out we were right. I will be posting various elements of our trip to Zanzibar that I had hoped to be spreading out over the upcoming days. 

Let's begin with our primary purpose for being there -  World Unite, Mother Nature Camp volunteer program situated in a small village, Matamwe, on the northern coast of the island. The area itself has become an attractive tourist destination. Great beaches, warm water, nice hotels.

 Its mission is to help the local community reach a sustainable way of living, raise community awareness about marine and coastal life, and to protect and restore the marine ecosystem in Zanzibar. I asked about the air force, army, and navy ecosystems, but they seemed focussed entirely on the marines.

The project has been in existence for merely one year. However, the level, quality and facilities associated with it make it appear as if they have been around significantly longer than that.

The campus' infrastructure, (offices, kitchen, living quarters, showers, toilets, etc.) have been built quickly, with quality and much forethought; antithetical to how almost every other development in the area has taken shape. However the bunk beds were about 2 inches too short to allow for a full stretch out. 

There is a financial benefactor behind the project who is keen, organized, wealthy, and generous. We have high hopes for the long term success of this NGO.

The village is a warren of unpaved, rutted roads. 

The residences are cinderblock and rebar, usually unfinished, often without electricity, plumbing, covered windows, etc. 

The only other building in the vicinity that comes close to the quality of our encampment in the local mosque.

The programming is well thought out but somewhat overambitious. The leaders of the organization are generally in their late twenties, long on enthusiasm, energy and vigour, but a tad lacking in experience and dealing with the types of situations which do not regularly appear in "How to Fix the World' manuals. 

One of the primary targets is the cleansing of the streets and assorted dumps. Plastic  and glass bottles, old sandals, plastic sheeting, cloth remnants, etc. are strewn about with reckless abandon. Much of the garbage results from local hotels not respecting guidelines, choosing to dump their refuse into the wild, rather than paying for containers and proper disposal. 

The major beneficiaries are the neighbourhood goats.

While certainly laudable, expecting the local populace to be able to differentiate hard, soft, and non-recyclable plastics and placing them in the appropriate bins is likely a stretch seeing that the vast majority of the locals are barely literate. Distributing differently coloured buckets for the purpose of segregating recyclables requires drilling holes in their bottoms (buckets, not locals). Otherwise they would be used solely for collecting water. A much greater buy in from the local village leaders is  required to obtain a successful result.

A second project integrates the group with a local glass recycler. The established entity is well organized and very successful. The mission is to repurpose used bottles. Chako employs 40 local women and produces a collection of glassware resold and used in international markets.

Lori with finished product

Another aspect of their mandate involves sea life. There is a turtle rehab aspect involving monitoring egg laying habits. When nests are found, the eggs are carefully removed and placed in a supervised hatchery to maximize survival levels. For every thousand eggs laid, one turtle is likely to survive to adulthood. The biggest challenge is making it from the nest, across the beach, and to the ocean. They face the gamut of predators, mostly birds. The scene of carnage on the beach brings to mind every movie portrayal of D-Day that you have ever seen.

While moonlight provides guidance for the new hatchlings to find their way waterward, the recent installation of artificial lighting in hotels and other land based entities has created confusion in determining direction. So if you see a few hawksbills 

or leatherbacks

in line ahead of you at the local McDonalds, you now know why. Buy them a milkshake.

As is the case everywhere, coral are suffering from heated waters, overfishing, algae, and an increase in predators. One in particular, a starfish known as a Crown of Thorns, decimates the local populace. 

They are a new arrived and very nasty species with limited natural predators. Additionally if a spine is touched by a human, the painful sting will likely evoke the name of the individual most closely associated with its biblical version. The rescue programme is twofold. Regrowing new coral from small fragments in a controlled environment is working well. Injecting the Crown of Thorns with a 10% vinegar solution also has a detrimental effect. It kills them. Do not try this at home.

Full List of Famous Zanzibaris. A comprehensive in Depth Study.

1) Freddie Mercury

Let the Misadventures Continue

I am wearing the same clothes, more or less, for four days now. Here's why - Our flight was to have a 2 1/2 layover in France before proceeding to Zanzibar. Due to the incompetance of the Montreal bagage handlers we lost close to an hour. Subsequently the snow storm required an additional hour long delay to de-ice the plane. We arrived at Charles de Gaulle with 25 minutes to catch the connection. Lori and I hightailed it from the arrival gate to the departure gate. As we got closer I was crushed to see what I interpreted as a badly translated notice indicating access to the plane was no longer permitted. Turns out 'Dar es Salaam' is actually a city in Tanzania and not a badly spelled advisory that 'Door is Slammed'. So while we made it to the aircraft on time, our luggage was not equally fortunate Our suitcases were not as agile. They were last seen at a café on Boulevard St. Michel drinking pastis while crooning Maurice Chevallier and Jacques Brel songs. Fortunately, AmEx has a policy in place that provides a budget for clothing, pharmaceuticals, etc. due to unanticpated delays. Unfortunately, providing the requisite documentation and invoices to them is not very likely given the types of haberdasheries available in this tiny village of Matemwe, where your intrepid travellers find themselves.

Zanzibar is 95% Muslim. More on that soon. I was hoping to find an imam who knew his way around a cutting table, shears, and a bolt of cloth. I would have submitted an invoice from Lord and Tailor, hoping it would pass muster. Alas and alack, no such luck. These 'shops' ended up suppying Lori and me with the bare necessities. Walking through the streets with our Masai guide, looking for clothes, a razor, etc. was an eye opener. We are not unaccustomed to seeing unpaved roads, half finished buildings and street vendors. What was new in this environment was the propensity of Muslim establishments. As I compose this posting at 6:45 AM the sound of a muzzerin calling the faithful to prayer permeates the atmosphere. Our guide pointed out a building.

"Madrasa" he said. I was very pleased and excited, figuring out that I would be able to purchase a couple of pairs of multi-plaid preppy shorts to add to my collection. It turns out that a madrasa is a religious school that teaches children the fundamentals (bad word choice?) of Islam. It calls to mind yeshivas. In both instances secular education is eschewed in favour of learning Koran or Torah. While I appreciate and respect learning of any form, to forgo math, literature, computers, linguistics, geography, history, etc. only serves, in both instances, to further isolate the young from mainstream society. I belive that a more rounded curiculum would,in the relatively short term, serve to break dow many of the barrirs which have led to the ongoing mistrust and cultural differentiations that are presently haunting the world. But what do I know, I ain't no Political Scientist Oh yeah, forgot; Mc Gill '77 BA International Relations; I guess I am. The saving grace, however, were two secular schools, primary and secondary, just steps away from the madrasa and the mosque. Let's hope.

Today we leave the hotel and move into more spartan accomodations at the volunteer center as the real, underlying purpose of our trip kicks in. Hopefully I will have more baggage with me soon than I'm already carrying around.

In Case Any Of You Were Wondering Why