Michamvi: The Rock Restaurant in Zanzibar!

Michamvi: The Rock Restaurant in Zanzibar!
Dec 19

There is The Rock Restaurant in Zanzibar, close to where I am staying.  I caught a dola-dola, told the driver where I wanted to go, and he dropped me off after turning around twice on the road for some unknown reason.  This is Africa!

The Rock Restaurant in Zanzibar!

I walked through a small village down to the beach, and there was the restaurant…  The Rock Restaurant in Zanzibar, is a massive rock close to the shore in the ocean, not just a clever name.  Sometime in the 21^st century, someone got the idea to change it from being a small fisherman stopping point to a fancy restaurant.  When the tide is out, you can walk to the rock.  When the tide is in, a small boat will take you back and forth from the shore to The Rock.

I realized that it takes a lot of patience to be a photographer.  I wanted a nice picture of The Rock from the shore, but there was always some foreigner/tourist showing up and getting photos of The Rock and photos of themselves climbing the stairs.  As soon as I could see that they were just about finished and about to head into the restaurant, another couple of tourists would arrive and take 10 minutes doing the same thing.  It took me at least 45 minutes of what would have seemed like patience to anyone watching me externally, but internally I was completely flipping out by the time 20 minutes had passed ‘Okay okay.  You have got your f-ing photo.  Quit standing around.  Get the f out of the way.  Yea, you look great in that pose.  Oh good, one more pose.  Get out of here!’  That and much worse was playing out in my head.  I could never be a professional photographer.  I would have an anxiety built up heart attack at 40.

It it totally surrounded by the sea at high-tide.

I entered The Rock Restaurant in Zanzibar, which does not look like much outside, but found that inside it was a very beautiful place.  It was way fancier that the cool ambiance from the outside presented.  It could just be a shack from the outside, but oh no, it is luxury.  Gourmet meals.  I had vanilla gnocchi and a beer that was the equivalent in value to two nights of accommodation where I am staying.  I felt guilty, but I felt like I needed to do it.  At the back of The Rock is a large with lunging seats that overlooks the turquoise waters of the ocean.  I spent a couple of hours there, just to justify the expense.

The terrace at the back of The Rock.

I bought some fruit on the way home and was walking when a dola-dola full of smiling locals picked me up and dropped me off.  I went to pay and they told me it was free of charge.  Nice.  Most time I get charged the ‘White-Skin-Tax,’ but sometimes I get luxurious ‘White-Skin-Breaks.’  The former is almost always expected and a battle to keep from having to pay.  The later it a nice treat from good hearted locals.

I went to see Ms. Tanzanian Pageant at her restaurant at dark.  She finished up for the night and wanted to go swimming.  She was wearing a swimming suit.  Instead of walking five minutes back to my bungalow for my swimming trunks, I just went skinny dipping.  She thought that was pretty funny.  We played in the ocean for about an hour.  Swimming with a boner is a funny thing.  Being lead around in the water by it by a woman like a leash on a dog is really funny.  Ms. Tanzania Pageant wanted to play games and was saying she was just going home to go to bed after when we were walking back to my place.  I told her, “Okay,” wished her a good night and started walking away alone towards my house.  I guess she is used to the person in her last relationship pleading with her, and my acceptance and indifference really throws her off.  She decided to come running after me to catch up me to come home with me after all.