While the population of Zanzibar is mostly Muslim, (we have read up to 99%, but statistics vary) there are still Christians living on the island and many tourists come to celebrate Christmas here for a nice vacation. Many of the hotels put up Christmas trees and decorations. Here is a sampling of some of the decorations that we saw over the last few weeks.

I have been negligent in posting recently and haven’t even put up the pictures and information from when our friends, the Powers, came to visit for Thanksgiving and Christmas and the New Year have already past.

This was the first day when we drove around the island to see the beaches and then went to see monkeys in Jozani Forest. On Tuesday, when we both went to work, they went on a spice tour and relaxed in the afternoon. On Wednesday, we went to Prison Island, snorkeled and had lunch on the sand bar. On Thursday, we did a city tour. Friday, they saw a little more of the island and I went to the university. Here are a few pictures of the things we did with them.

A beach view for lunch on the east coast of the island.

Mangrove trees in Jozani Forest

My juice and coconut drink.

On Tuesday evening, we showed them the beautiful sunsets we get in Stone Town.

Feeding the aldabra tortoises on Prison Island

A view of Stone Town from the Sand bar where we relaxed and had lunch after snorkeling.

Freshly cooked seafood and fresh fruits for lunch made for us and caught and brought to the island.

The Anglican Church where the slave market used to be in Stone Town.

A sculpture created to memorialize the events at the slave market in the 1800s.

We finished the trip with drinks before a casual Thanksgiving dinner and a lovely sunset.

The sunset behind me from the rooftop restaurant at their hotel.