As I am planning to become a world traveller, I decided to open my first blog. I dont even read them so I will be travelling by the seat of my pants, pardon the pun.... here goes.
I have just come back from East Africa, where I was sent (twist my rubber arm) to Zanzibar to help with the start up of a small boutique hotel, called the Asmini Palace (Jasmine in Kiswahili)...in a beautiful old part of Stone town called Kiponda.
Located just behind the Sultans Palace, and a five minute walk from the harbour, this is a magic place.
Imagine Venice, but without the canals....the streets are too narrow for cars, and the buildings are all a couple of hundred years old, and starting to really show their age.( Mostly due to the revolution and 30 years without upkeep). As most of the palaces were "redistributed" after their owners were either killed or driven out of the country.And the new "owners" have never had homes with four walls, and a floor, so they have been out of their depth since 1964.
It is a country full of potential, crippled by corruption, thirty miles from Dar es Salaam and a hundred years behind them....because of lack of foreign investment, disease, and poor infractucture.
And these people deserve so much better. The desperately want to work, as I found when the hotel prepared to open and I was getting upwards of 20 job applications a day.
Change is coming, and I was so fortunate to have been there to see the completion of this hotel, which was built by Zanzibaris, and is staffed by Zanzibaris.
I plan to return as a "tourist" in late February, so I can give you an update then.
Best wishes to all for the coming season.
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