My Dar Adventures

So far I've managed to have a few great adventures in Dar. I've eaten a full meal for 700 shillings (70 cents for us Canadians) with Obed and endured a 3 hour service in Kiswahili that I didn't understand much at all, done a lot of walking around, made a deal for something at the woodworkers market from initial asking price of 65000 shillings down to 10000, visited the big local market at Kariakoo... Monday though was The day of adventure. My friend Richard and I wandered around in Kawe, finding the local market there and then having chai and chapatti for breakfast together. From there we found the Msasani Slipway, the crazy posh restaurant/shopping complex, though without having our money slip from us as is intended there. We discovered where the Shirazi graveyard ruins are, got yelled at there by a few men who came after I had begun taking pictures (we had asked those standing around if it was ok and they said yes) and Richard had to argue with the man for 20 minutes or so, ending it somehow with becoming friends- a very Tanzanian way of dealing with an angry or offended person. We wandered through one of the local fishing villages/markets at Msasani Bay, then headed to Cocoa Beach, one of the few nice beach areas still open to the public and not set aside for hotel guests. Finally we accidentally found ourselves at the Tingatinga arts cooperative center before heading home, where local artists make the art that originates here in Tanzania called Tingatinga- colourful and abstract pictures, especially of animal scenes. I really love adventures like this- wandering around and finding places to see and enjoy, and Dar is a good place for it! May the adventures continue...