Dar Es Salaam

DAR ES SALAAM

‘………This is my first glimpse of Dar es Salaam…………a vast rippling blue-black lagoon and all around the rim of the lagoon there were pale yellow sandy beaches, almost white, and breakers were running up onto the sand, and coconut palms with their little green leafy hats were growing on the beaches, and there were casuarinas trees, immensely tall and breathtakingly beautiful…..And then behind the casuarinas was what seemed to me a jungle, a great tangle of tremendous dark-green trees that were full of shadows and almost certainly teeming….with rhinos and lions and all manner of vicious beasts. Over to one side lay the tiny town of Dar es Salaam, the houses white and yellow and pink, and among the steeple and a doomed mosque and along the waterfront there was a line of acacia trees splashed with scarlet flowers…..’

(from Going Solo by Roald Dahl)

Dar Es Salaam has come a long way since the late 1930s when Roald Dahl first glimpsed it. With a population of over two million and on area of more than 1350 sq km, it is Tanzania’s major city, capital in everything but name, and one of the least likely places in the country for sighting rhino or lion.

However, despite its sizes, Dar is pleasant city with a picturesque seaport, a vaguely oriental feel, and much of its colonial character still intact. While there’s not much to actually do, there are enough historical building, attractive nearby beaches, shops and good restaurants especially on the fast developing Msasani Peninsula – to keep most visitors busy for at least several days.

Big Kiss from NDH/Gros becs de NDH

Celebrating Eid-ul Fitr.

Well this year, I’m happy that we could celebrate the Eid-ul Fitr and tried to make it much more alive like we have in Malaysia. On Sunday 14^th Oct, we were invited at the Malaysian High Commission for an Open House or in another version is “eat as much as you can”. Ada rendang, and other rendang and biscuits, and a lot of other foods, they also had the ketupat (sticky rice in the coconut leaf). Feels like at home but sometime, even we celebrate at home we don’t receive a lot of people at the same time.

We had an Open House at home on Tuesday 16^th Oct and we invited everyone from the Malaysian High Commission, few friends from the French Embassy, all the Swiss staff from Swiss Embassy including the Ambassador and his wife and all of the friends working with the NGO in India. It is ‘Meriah’ (hilarious) like in Malaysia. The advantage is, I cooked only one time, and it is enough for everyone, (I mean more than enough). At the end, it is just about fun and the most important thing is to share it with everyone, and it is the same with other celebration: eating…drinking and chatting and laughing at the same time we also thought about our family, without them, the celebration will never be the same.

SELAMAT HARI RAYA KEPADA SEMUA, DAN MAAF ZAHIR BATIN

HAPPY EID FOR ALL AND I SEEK THE FORGIVENESS, PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALY

Big Kiss from NDH/Gros becs de NDH.

Stone Town - Zanzibar

27th - 29th August 2007

STONE TOWN - ZANZIBAR

The Old Stone Town of Unguja is a fascinating place to wander around and get lost in, though you can’t really get lost for too long because you will end up either on seafront or on Creek Rd. Nevertheless, every twist and turn of the narrow alleyways will present you with something of interest – be it a school full of children chanting verses from the Quran, a beautiful old mansion with over hanging verandas, a shady square studded with huge old trees, a collection of quaint little hole-in-the-wall shops, or a gaggle of women in bui bui (veils) sharing a jake and some local gossip.

Much of the fabric of this historic place has fallen into disrepair and you’ll see a lot of crumbled and crumbling buildings as you walk around. Fortunately, a determined effort is now being made to restore some of Stone Town’s more important architecture.

While a large part of attraction of Stone Town is walking around and simply letting it unfold before you.

RELIGION.

Most of Zanzibaris are Sunni Muslims. Zanzibaris claiming direct descent from Omanis follow Ibadhism. Christians comprise barely 1% of the population. There is also a small Hindu community.

Big kiss from NDH / Gros becs de NDH

SELAMAT HARI RAYA UNTUK SEMUA.

"Happy Eid" or "Selamat Hari Raya" to all ; family and friend. Maaf Zahir batin "I seek forgiveness (from you) physically ans spiritually". Kalau makan rendang tu, ingat-ingatlah orang yang jauh macam kita ni. Harap-harap tahun hadapan kita dapat balik kampung bagi merayakan hari yang mulia ini....(macam pernah dengar jer).

Lets me explain a little about Hari Raya.
Hari Raya Aidilfitri (also Hari Raya Puasa, literally "Fasting Day of Celebration") is the Malay Term for the Muslim festival of Eid ul-Fitr. Hari Raya is also known as Lebaran. Muslims in Malaysia and Singapore celebrate Eid like other Muslims throughout the world. The term "Hari Raya" literally means "Day of celebration" -- it is also occasionally used to refer to Eid ul-Adha in the form of "Hari Raya Aidiladha". The main greeting used by Muslims in Malaysia and Singapore is "Selamat Hari Raya" which means "Happy Eid" in Malay. Another greeting is "maaf zahir dan batin" which translates loosely to "I seek forgiveness (from you) physically and spiritually" for Hari Raya is a time to reconcile and renew relationships with others.

Big Kiss from NDH/Gros becs de NDH