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Places & Regions
Dar es salaam-Haven of Peace
Posted: Tuesday December 02, 2008 2:04 AM BT
Having lived in Dar Es salaam(Tanzania) for almost 25 years till I moved to London, it was nothing strange that I felt "homesick" and wanted to revisit the city where I had spent my child hood and having finished studies spent part of my youth. The very thought of going to Dar es salaam, made me tingle with pleasure at the memories of the warm and lush beaches and cool evenings, with wind rustling through the palm trees
![]() Dar-es-Salaam - A popular but erroneous translation is "haven of peace" resulting from a mixup of the Arabic words "dar" (house) and "bandar" (harbour)
![]() Dar is Tanzania's most important city for both business and government. The city contains unusually high concentrations of trade and other services and manufacturing compared to other parts of Tanzania
![]() The Dar es Salaam Region had a population of 2,497,940 as of the official 2002 census
Tanzania offers some of the best wildlife spotting opportunities on the continent. Famous parks such as the Serengeti and Mt.Kilimanjaro, or the wonderful crater of Ngorongoro, make many drab towns here well worth the stopover. Tanzania's 100 or more different tribal groups are mostly of Bantu origin. The Arab influence on Zanzibar and Pemba islands is evident in the people, who are a mix of Shirazia (from Persia), Arabs, Comorians (from the Comoros Islands) and Bantu from the mainland, though the latter predominate. Asians are a significant minority especially in the towns and cities. Europeans (either by descent or expatriate) are a smaller minority. The major non-Bantu people on the mainland are the Masai (Nilotic speakers) who inhabit the north-eastern section of the country. Swahili and English are the official languages, with English, the principal language of commerce. The standard tourist season is in January and February, when the hot, dry weather at this time of year is generally considered to be the most pleasant. I flew into Dar es salaam with Egypt Air. The flight arrived about 6.00 in the morning and already the sun was out. The airport building that I remembered had completely changed and was barely recognisable by me. The Swahili language came back flowing, with initial hesitation since it was years before I spoke it last. Having gone through the immigration and customs formalities, I found my friend of school days waiting for me. We drove through to the town, and I was looking outside through the van windows, trying to recognise the roads and streets but it was all changed now. I had to ask my friend about some landmarks, like the Gurudwara, Pardesi's Restaurant and City Bar which seemed to have been surrounded by new buildings. The city now seemed overcrowded. Dar es Salaam is Tanzania's premier city. The 'Haven of Peace' started life as a fishing village in the mid-19th century when the Sultan of Zanzibar got the urge to turn a creek (now a harbour) into a safe port and trading centre. Now it's a teaming metropolis of 1.5 million people where Arab dhows mingle with huge ocean-going vessels. Like most African cities, there are substantial contrasts between the various parts of the city. But while the busy central streets around the colourful Kariakoo Market and clock tower are a world away from the tree-lined boulevards of the government quarters to the north, there's no evidence of slums. The place is warm and salty with a healthy cultural mix. Dar es salaam's National Museum is next to the Botanical Gardens in the city centre. It features important archeological collections, especially the fossil discoveries of Zinjanthropus (Nutcracker Man), and the sordid history of the Zanzibar slave trade. About 10km (6mi) from the city centre, the Village Museum is also worth a look. It is a living breathing village of authentic dwellings from various parts of Tanzania. Traditional dances are performed here on the weekend. Oyster Bay, a beautiful (for now) stretch of tropical coastline, is the city's nearest beach. The South Beach is the best beach around for miles, but may be a bit tricky to get to if you do not have your own transport. Take the ferry to the south side of the harbour then travel about 10km down the coast road. When you see the Nipende Mie Butchery on the left hand side, take a left turn down the dirt track just before it, and you will discover three kilometres of pristine sand and clear water. Be aware that finding a place to stay in Dar es salaam can be difficult. It is not that there is a lack of hotels, it is just that they always seem to be full - this applies to the cheap, expensive and the in-between. So, whatever you do, do not pass up a vacant room because you do not like the curtains. Take the room and look for something better later. There is now a new bus station in Dar es salaam for all bus lines. It is situated a little way out of town, in case you want to travel to other parts of the country by Bus, as there is scarce train service. There are regular bus services to Mt.Kilimanjaro(Arusha) or to Lake Victoria (Mwanza) and also ferry services to the Islands of Pemba and Zanzibar. I made a point of visiting Lushoto (on the road between Moshi and Tanga - a breathtaking little town) and from there went on a three day trek in the Usambara Mountains. It is definitely one of the best experiences I had in Tanzania. The routes are beautiful, the people are nice and the guides are wonderful. It is cheap, also. If you take a trek, you have to pass by a village called Mtae, a little jewel hidden in the mountains. The village stands on top of the mountain, so you have an incredible view on both sides; it is heaven. On the way back, I stayed for a night in a convent (men and all denominations are welcome), where there was a warm welcome from the sisters, warm covers, homemade cheese and jam, and great food - and don't worry, you do not have to go to mass! This part of Tanzania has to be one of the most beautiful, and yet not many people make the effort to get there; it is really worth it. Make sure you hire an official guide, as the tourist office in Lushoto is managed by responsible and enthusiastic young people. They re-invest part of their revenues in local development projects, so if you are approached on the street, you should still go to the small office to register, just to make sure. Unofficial ganja-smoking guides have been known to pretend that they are official. To get there, you can take a bus from Arusha, Moshi, Tanga, or even Dar es salaam The bus ride is long and tedious, but once it starts its journey through the mountains, you will forget all about the hardship. What can I say: It is a brilliant country and a must if you visit East Africa. Source: https://travel.ciao.co.uk/
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