Mahajanga, Madagascar, 4/7/2024, National Geographic Explorer
Aboard the
National Geographic Explorer
Africa
A spectacular sunrise broke as we started to lower Zodiacs at the peaceful hour of 06:00. Light reflected perfectly off a sea full of traditional sail boats as a few intrepid explorers took the early shuttle to begin their adventure to Ankarafantsika. The late risers among us drove through the “city of flowers” to Lake Mangatsa, passing by the old baobab tree once estimated to be over 1000 years old, a focal point of the city and a sign of good luck when you circle around it 7 times. Lake Mangatsa could be defined as a photographer’s paradise, with glistening crystalline water and numerous lemurs.
To punctuate the amazing day, we were graced with 3 separate musical performances, organized by our onboard ethnomusicologist Jacob Edgar.
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We arrived in Zanzibar this morning after two days at sea following our visit to Madagascar. Zanzibar has a well-deserved reputation as a fascinating destination thanks to its rich and complex history, its diverse and compelling culture, and its legacy as a source for many of the spices and tropical plants we use every day in our cuisine and in our beauty products. It was an extra special day to visit this predominantly Muslim country-within-a-country (Zanzibar is part of Tanzania, but it maintains its own government) because it was the last day of Ramadan, and the city was buzzing with Eid al-Fitr energy. A variety of excursions were offered today, and I took part in a walking tour of the old city in the morning and a drive out to a spice farm in the afternoon. The morning tour offered an opportunity to wander through the narrow and bustling streets of this ancient city. Zanzibar is known for its ornately carved wooden doors, and we saw plenty of impressive examples. We also passed by the ruins of a massive fortress, the former home of pop star Freddie Mercury, a colorful food bazaar, and the site of the old slave market (the slave trade was a large part of Zanzibar’s economy into the 20th century). In the afternoon, we drove about 45 minutes outside the city center to a spice farm. We got to see what spices (such as nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, turmeric, and pepper) look and taste like before they are harvested and end up on our store shelves and dinner tables. Along the way, we stopped at a few ruins from the time of the Sultanate in the 19th century. Our journey to Zanzibar, and indeed our journey up the East Coast of Africa, ended with a special after-dinner performance in the lounge. Founded in 1958, the Culture Musical Club is Zanzibar's most prolific and successful taarab orchestra. They have released hundreds of songs on the local market, and since 1988 have had six international CD releases, including one with blues musician Taj Mahal. The group has been performing in Europe regularly since 1996, and in the past few years they have done shows in the US, Dominican Republic, Reunion, and Japan. Fourteen musicians filled National Geographic Explorer’s lounge with lively music that is derived from Egyptian classical music traditions from the Ottoman era, mixed with East African rhythms and dance moves. It was a magical end to a magnificent voyage.
Our day at sea onboard National Geographic Explorer was filled with amazing presentations and whale sightings. After pancakes were served (along with other breakfast goodies) we jumped into our productive day. We had presentations from Deb Goodwin, National Geographic expert Alize, undersea specialist Brett, and resident ‘bird nerd’ Javier. Sperm whale paid us a visit to add an extra bit of excitement to our voyage. To wrap up the evening, we enjoyed the captain’s cocktail hour. It was a very good day at sea.
People who are not on our expedition might think of sea days as a day of having nothing to do, and that would be a mistake. Sea days give you a chance to regroup in between days of incredible encounters. They allow you to reflect upon the things you have seen and begin to understand what you have experienced. They are days looking for whales and other sea life, and they are days filled with lectures and a gathering of information that sets our company apart from all the others. Depending on where the sea days fall during the adventure, they mean different things to different people. Today, a sea day, happens to fall right after our last day in Madagascar. To be sure, our journey is not yet over, but a part of it is, and so it is a day to soak in the reality of having just visited one of the most truly remarkable places on the planet. There are so many things we will remember: the heat, the lemurs, the chameleons, and for me, the people we have seen and met along the way. So, on this sea day, I want my Daily Expedition Report to celebrate the wonderful, colorful people of Madagascar, their culture, their spirit, and their humanity.
