We arrived in February during the Sauti Za Busara Music Festival, my two girlfriends and I. The hotel we reserved online was booked when we went to check in. All of the other hotels on the island were full. We overheard a South African man tell a Belgian woman about a beautiful hotel on the water at the northern tip of the island and thus began our two week improvised and utterly whimsical adventure in Zanzibar. Everything worked out perfectly in the end and exceeded expectations. There was romance, there were encounters with wildlife, there were private beaches and music, savory food, perfect weather and more intended and unintended adventures than I can count.
When I think of Zanzibar, I am reminded of:
- Rolling green spice plantations, the greenest, green, in vibrant bursts and dewy shadows. A cacophony of hues. A reminder to breathe, savor, and let go.
- The deep and stirring sound of the Islamic call to prayer. Everything would stop once the song rang out. The echo seemed to emanate from every building in Stone Town, reverberated off the fishing boats docked in the still water. Colorful mats were unfurled as around us, people dropped to their knees in ritual prayer.
- The rich musk of the earth, the fragrance of fresh rain combined with the sweet crispy smoke of a wood burning stove. This scent followed us from the sprawling spice plantations inland, to the coral forests and even the white sand beaches along the coast.
- Covering my head in Stone Town and feeling like I was in another world. My first time in a Muslim country, we followed polite protocol when wandering through the bazaars and markets in the less touristy areas. I was draped in a long white crepe scarf with blue and gold embroidery at the edges that I picked up in Ethiopia during an epic layover belonging to another adventure. Beneath that scarf, I witnessed the heartbeat of Zanzibar. So many wonderful smells, colors and textures were presented to me in the markets and bazaars.
- Attempting to climb to the top of a palm tree and failing every time, but believing with each attempt that the next would be my moment of glory.
- Hakuna Matata- really there were no worries in the Zanzibar of my memory. There was a care free charge in the energy in the air. The climate, mild, the people friendly and strikingly beautiful. A UNESCO world heritage site, the old colonial buildings of Stone Town, stood resplendent in the setting sun. Intricate Arabic architecture gave the space a distinctive charm and character. The happy hiccups of spoken Swahili, "Jambo" or "Mambo," or being greeted with the Islamic phrase "Assalam Alaikum." I found my land of Hakuna Matata.
Zanzibar, what a pleasure and an honor it was to be in your presence.
The product that was inspired by my adventures in Zanzibar is the Zanzibar Body Butter, an ultra-moisturizing creamy shea based body butter with earthy hints of clove, cardamom and sandalwood.
If you can’t experience Zanzibar in person for yourself, take the journey with a Zanzibar Body Butter.
From now, until next Wednesday (10/1) enjoy 10% off the Anchorage Body Butter (by entering the code ZANZIBAR at checkout) and enjoy!
Click HERE to purchase.
