Glass & Shadow

In the absence of light

darkness prevails

Today...

 

 

 

I wanna be free

The wind blowing
 my boat away
Across the ocean
To some desert island

Far far away

From everything and everybody
 
My only worries
to be
food and shelter!

 Today

I wanna be free!

Beautiful thoughts

FOUR Beautiful THOUGHTS of Life :

Look back & get EXPERIENCE

Look forward & see HOPE

Look around & find REALITY

Look within & find YOUR SELF

 

 

 

Jambiani - Zanzibar

Jambiani is one of the most beautiful villages I’ve ever seen. This village of palm hut roofs relies entirely on the white sandy beach. The coconut trees generously offer its shadow over the whole village, there are no roads or even dirt, just sand. There is no electricity or running water, television or telephone. Only the lodges or guest houses hold this comfort.

Trade is carried out directly on the beach, where everything can be offered, from fried cakes to Masai crafts, shells coming directly from the reef, pareos and scarves, Henna tattoos, or even dinner booking at any fisherman house.

 

We did not resist one of them, Captain Cook, who prepared us a dinner of lobster, rice and spinach (that looked like seaweed from the beach), we were served at a fine sandy courtyard covered with palm leaves, while the dog played with crabs under our table. It was an amazing evening! :)

The whole village survives from lobster fishing  and fish for their own consumption, and from the seaweed harvesting  greatly appreciated by the Japanese. Given the nature of the reef, which is close to a mile from shore, wave action during tidal leaves thousands of seaweed trapped in ingenious frames driven into the sand. Once harvested, the seaweed are sun-dried and exported to Japan.

 

 Algae culture are caught daily at low tide

Small fish caught by women, who cast the nets at low tide

The coconuts are cut and frayed so braided rope can be made.

Rides in "Dhow boats", local fishing boats for snorkeling near the reef or simply watch the sunset are also a source of income for the entire village.

The preferred transport of the entire population is the bike used only on the beach where the sand is harder and also where are the signs showing directions. Not only do people use the beach as a road. Cows, goats and other animals also roam the beach up and down all day long.

 

 

 

 

 

Diving from a boat in the clear, blue ocean of Zanzibar is one of the most exhilarating experiences to be had on a holiday in this part of East Africa. The visibility is usually very good, the water warm and the marine life diverse and innumerable.

 

 

 

Sailing

I am sailing, I am sailing
Home again across the sea.
I am sailing, stormy waters
To be near you, to be free

I am flying, I am flying,
Like a bird across the sky
I am flying, passing high clouds
To be near you, to be free

Can you hear me? Can you hear me?
Through the dark night, far away
I am dying, forever crying
To be with you, who can say?

Can you hear me? Can you hear me?
Through the dark night, far away.
I am dying, forever crying,
To be near you, who can say?

We are sailing, we are sailing,
Home again across the sea.
We are sailing stormy waters,
To be near you, to be free.

Oh Lord, to be near you, to be free

(Sailing – Rod Stewart)

 

Have a Great Weekend

Never Never Land

So come with me

where Dreams are born

and Time is never planned.

Just think of Happy things,

and your heart will

fly on Wings,

in Never Never Land.

 

Peter Pan

 

 

Zenj Bar - Land of the Blacks

Zanzibar is an archipelago consisting of two main Islands of Unguja (commonly referred to as Zanzibar Island), Pemba and about 51 other surrounding small islets. Zanzibar is a partner state in the United Republic of Tanzania with the Mainland. The name Zanzibar is derived from a combination of two Arabic words, 'Zenj', meaning black, and 'bar', being the Arabic word for land, resulting in the ancient title 'Land of the Blacks'. As Zanzibar absorbed peoples from as far as the Orient and Iberia, Assyria and India. Pemba is the second largest island of the Archipelago, named Al-khudra "The Green Island” by the Arabic mariners. It is famous for its clove production and its channels offer some of the best diving experiences in East Africa.

 

Zanzibar consists of a multiracial and multicultural community. It is a society of many faiths and of different origins. Almost the entire population is of mixed races primarily of Arab and African decent and blended with local culture.

The largest town in the archipelago is the capital, Stone Town, located in the middle of the west coast of Unguja, the main island. The town was named for the coral stone buildings that were built there largely during the 19th century, on the site of a very old fishing village.

Tall houses line narrow alleyways set in a confusing maze radiating out from the centre towards the sea.The streets are too narrow for cars but not, unfortunately, for bicycles and even motorbikes. Life is lived very much as it was in the past and the many mosques’ muezzin calls can be heard echoing above the narrow streets five times daily. The architecture is Arabic, which means the walls are very thick, the houses tall and with square and simple facades. Many of the buildings have a central courtyard going up through all the floors, giving ventilation.

 

 

Zanzibar cultures became more diverse in its range, more unique in its expression. Zanzibar is the birthplace of Swahili, a language forged from global dialects, upon which legends were carried, trade routes opened and a Sultan’s empire prospered. It is here that the Africa Culture blended with other cultures mainly Persian, Arabic and Indian to forms Swahili Culture. Today the romance, the splendor and legends of the past are still vibrantly alive, traditional sailing dhows, carved wooden and doors, chests, the scent of the clove and the smile of the hospitable people welcomes you to Zanzibar.

 

  Many tours can be made to visit the various coconut and spice plantations and smallholdings out the in the country. The great variety of species and plants grown in Zanzibar is used to food flavouring and preparation, cosmetics, dyes and medicines. Delicious fruits, including orange, lime, coconut and banana are grown in Zanzibar, along with lesser known breadfruit, jackfruit and custard apple. Fragrant and aromatic species, such as cloves, nutmeg, ginger, chilies, black pepper, vanilla, coriander, cinnamon, seaweed can all be seen growing and are for sale on boutique shops and roadside stalls.

Pepper

Jack fruit



Lipstick fruit



cloves

Nutmeg




 



 

The paradisiacal shores of Zanzibar are exotic as its name. The blue ocean of Zanzibar is one of the most exhilarating experiences to be had on a holiday in this part of East Africa.

But more of that in another post!

Grão de areia..

"Veja o mundo num grão de areia, veja o céu num campo florido, guarde o infinito na palma da mão, e a eternidade numa hora de vida. "

Dança de cores

Zanzibar

Dança de Cores

Vejo a dança das cores

Num universo que não é escuro

Cada cor com uma beleza diferente

Da qual o significado procuro

No vermelho vejo a paixão

E um reflexo no espelho de uma estrela

Do reflexo surge uma canção

Que se eterniza formando algo na natureza

Na natureza surgem violetas azuis

Que fazem os astros dançar

Que vão criando algo diferente

Algo que sempre se procura encontrar

Cria uma luz de um branco celestial

De forma a expandir a vida

E vê-se uma flor a dançar

Acompanhada pelo vento distraída

As estrelas se juntam com as várias cores

E explodem criando nuances

Formando arco-íris de mil e uma cores

Como nunca tinha sido visto antes

A cor amarela foge do arco-íris

E numa tela vai parar

Começando a fazer uma aguarela

Que o universo deseja criar

Depois vem a cor verde

Dando à tela um respirar

Para se juntar a ela o dourado

Para reluzir no mais belo brilhar

Cor a cor vai descendo

E na tela todas vão parar

Criando o mais belo cenário

Onde tudo dá vontade de dançar

Tudo baila e tudo se cria

Com as cores da aguarela

Uma folha que voa da árvore

Uma viola que toca com alegria

Uma dor que desaparece

Uma confissão que vai a fugir

O respirar que apetece

Um suave sorrir

Tudo é criado com as cores

E tudo tem sempre algo para poder criar

Quem sou eu que digo tudo isto

Sou o pincel que a aguarela está a pintar

Blue Heaven

Jambiani - Zanzibar

Para atravessar contigo o deserto do mundo..

Marrocos

Para atravessar contigo o deserto do mundo

Para enfrentarmos juntos o terror da morte

Para ver a verdade para perder o medo

Ao lado dos teus passos caminhei

Por ti deixei meu reino meu segredo

Minha rápida noite meu silêncio

Minha pérola redonda e seu oriente

Meu espelho minha vida minha imagem

E abandonei os jardins do paraíso

Cá fora à luz sem véu do dia duro

Sem os espelhos vi que estava nua

E ao descampado se chamava tempo

Por isso com teus gestos me vestiste

E aprendi a viver em pleno vento.

 (Sophia de Mello Breyner)

A estrada

Garganta do Dadès - Marrocos

Vou atravessar essa estrada

Não importa a que horas chegarei

Nem mesmo onde é o destino

Importa somente o recomeço

A vitória da chegada

A alegria da conquista.

Solidão

Dunas de Erg-Chebbi, junto a Merzouga, no interior sul de Marrocos

por vezes ..
sinto-me mais só no meio de uma multidão
do que nas areias do deserto,
onde a areia é envolvente,
o vento acaricia meu rosto
e o sol, implacável
é reconfortante.

Saudade



Serengeti - Tanzânia

Para sempre é muito tempo. O tempo não pára! Só a saudade é que faz as coisas pararem no tempo...

(Mário Quintana)

If you believe in love....

Someone told me once...

"When our eyes see our hands doing the work of our hearts, the circle of Creation is completed inside us, the doors of our souls fly open, and love steps forth to heal everything in sight."

That is if you believe in love...