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Bagamoyo Bay
eading north along the Bagamoyo was named by the slaves,
coast road Bagamoyo is a as they left broken and worrying
seventy minute drive from about their families they had
Dar es Salaam. Bagamoyo is a left behind - the name means
charming village steeped in a ‘lay down your heart' in
rather bloody history. Most of Swahili. Although the slave trade
the great explores, including officially ended in 1873, slaves
Livingston used this port, also continued to be sold and traded
the slave traders used Bagamoyo in Bagamoyo through the end of
as a slave trading post and from the nineteenth century.
here the slaves were shipped to
Zanzibar to be sold. The Kaole Ruins are a few
kilometers south of Bagamoyo and
The small bay has lovely white they date back to the thirteenth
sand beaches, fringed by swaying century. The ruins are of two
palms. Technology and the mosques and several tombs, and
industrial revelation have has this site claims to be home to
little impact on this small the first mosques in east Africa.
community. Fishermen to this day This site is interesting as the
brave the waters off the coast in buildings were all constructed
hand-built wooden dhows of using coral stones and there is a
ancient Arabian design spreading small museum here.
their crescent moon shaped sails
to catch the prevailing trade The Roman Catholic Mission is a
winds, they share the waters with picturesque mission, and again is
tiny dugout canoes that bob said to be the oldest Roman
uncertainly in the water. The Catholic Church in East and
village itself is charming albeit Central Africa and dates back to
a little dilapidated. 1868. In 1874, Dr. Livingstone's
body stayed at the Catholic
mission before being sent to enter the building, you can walk
England for burial. In the 1800s around the outside - which isn't
- revolutionary, Christian as interesting as it sounds.
missionaries established a
‘Freedom Village' at the Other historical, if somewhat
mission to protect freed slaves gruesome, sites include the
and by putting their lives in German Hanging Place, the site
danger these brave people were where the German colonial
instrumental in stopping the government hanged Africans who
slave trade. rebelled against the German
colonial government in the late
Chuo cha Sanaa is a great place 1800s. A site to interest all
to visit. Students come here from mothers is the tongue twisting
all over the world to learn Mwanamakuka Cemetery's with the
traditional Tanzanian drumming, oldest tomb dated 1793. Many
sculpture, carving and painting. colonial soldiers who were
It is possible to hear an African casualties in the Maji Maji
drumming performance at the Rebellion are buried in the
college, but much more fun is to German Cemetery.
enroll for a class and become
involved with African art, From Bagamoyo it is possible to
carving and drumming - something take boat trips to the Ruvu River
to impress your friends with when Delta. From the boat you will see
you return home. several species of mangroves and
water birds. Hippos also swim in
The official residence of the the Ruvu water and you'll catch
colonial governor was the German glimpses of them along the shore
Boma. During German colonial and in the water.
rule, Bagamoyo was the capital of
Tanzania. Although you cannot Most hotels will arrange for dhow
trips sandbars [make sure your
medical insurance is up to date] The hotels here are charming.
to offshore. On the sandbar you Bagamoyo is the place to visit is
will have several hours to relax you have a day or two spare and
or snorkel the surrounding reefs. need to get away from Dar es
Salaam.
About the Author:
For further information on Zanzibar and Tanzania see http://betheladventure.co.uk using tourism to fund community initiatives focused on the education of the young and the medical care for the whole family. Ensure your safari is using profits to help the community.
Source: www.isnare.com
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