October 2nd was the last day of the fasting, Ramadan. The 1st and 2nd were national holidays. However, the thing was very complicated for outsiders like me, because Tanzanians say that they never know when exactly is the end of the Ramadan until two or three days before the end since they judge it seeing the shape of the moon two or three days before the end….
Now, today I am going to introduce about the city, Dar es Salaam, where I am living now. I have wanted to show you some pictures on the blog, but it was difficult to take photos in the city. Here we are not encouraged to take pictures in the city as it is not safe to take out cameras in the middle of the city. Also some public buildings are not allowed to be taken photos. Moreover, I was told that some people hate to be taken photos. Anyway, I have managed to have some!
Around the centre part of the city, the condition of the roads are quite good, and probably over 90% of cars running on the roads are Japanese used cars. Traffic lights are exactly the same as the ones we see in Japan, so somehow I, as a Japanese citizen, feel at home and am familiar with the scenery. You will see some urbane people so called business men and career women in the centre. Also, there are many Indian descendents living in the centre, whose ancestors immigrated from mainly Gjarat in India about 100 years ago, that I heard
On the other hand, if you drive your car about 20 minutes and go out of the centre, you will see different scenery. You can reach the Ward of Temeke, where I am working now. In some areas, people live in dense. Houses are built so closely each other that the paths between them are quite narrow enough for just one person to pass barely.
In other areas in Dar es Salaam, such as the opposite side of the gulf, where you can reach by ferry, the things are completely different. There, the roads are not paved and houses are dotted in the area. The area is no more city but village. You also see cows on the road.
Let’s go back to the centre. On the sea side, there are several hotels including Kilimanjaro Hotel, which is the most prestigious in Tanzania. Also if you want to go to the Zanzibar Islands, which has the area nominated as the World Heritage, the ferries leave the port near here. As for the Msasani Peninsula, the north of the city, some parts here is a fashionable suburb, and you will see large residences, a few fashionable supermarkets, and hotels.
People in Dar es Salaam are from various areas all over the Tanzania. Also people from other countries live here. You see also Westerns and Asians. You often see East Asians, but many of them are Chinese rather than Japanese and Koreans. There are quite a number of Chinese restaurants in Dar es Salaam. Also you can enjoy various cuisines all over the world here, as far as you have enough money.
Now would you like to visit Dar es Salaam? Karibu Tanzania, Karibu Dar es Salaam!! (Welcome to Tanzania, Welcome to Dar es Salaam)
In other areas in Dar es Salaam, such as the opposite side of the gulf, where you can reach by ferry, the things are completely different. There, the roads are not paved and houses are dotted in the area. The area is no more city but village. You also see cows on the road.
Let’s go back to the centre. On the sea side, there are several hotels including Kilimanjaro Hotel, which is the most prestigious in Tanzania. Also if you want to go to the Zanzibar Islands, which has the area nominated as the World Heritage, the ferries leave the port near here. As for the Msasani Peninsula, the north of the city, some parts here is a fashionable suburb, and you will see large residences, a few fashionable supermarkets, and hotels.
People in Dar es Salaam are from various areas all over the Tanzania. Also people from other countries live here. You see also Westerns and Asians. You often see East Asians, but many of them are Chinese rather than Japanese and Koreans. There are quite a number of Chinese restaurants in Dar es Salaam. Also you can enjoy various cuisines all over the world here, as far as you have enough money.
Now would you like to visit Dar es Salaam? Karibu Tanzania, Karibu Dar es Salaam!! (Welcome to Tanzania, Welcome to Dar es Salaam)
