Trip back to Africa immersed in history
The defiance of a people subjugated
Like memories’ power to hold
Photographs are windows of
Moments frozen in time
Like eyes’ windows to the soul
History etched in architecture
The stories buildings hold

Jetty 1 at the Cape Town harbor is a museum that gives the full account of Robben Island, before and after apartheid. It holds the stories of those enslaved by apartheid in South Africa and kept isolated, imprisoned on Robben Island. Robben Island can be viewed through the windows of the museum and through the windows of peoples’ lived experiences etched in letters now forever engraved for posterity on the museum walls.

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In Old Stone Town, Zanzibar (Tanzania), doors tell a story, they have a deeper meaning. They were the mark of status and prestige for wealthy merchant families.

Ornately carved wooden doors served as windows to the happenings in a household. If you look close enough you’ll see etched in each door the trade of its residents:

The door’s design is also indicative of multicultural heritage—the intersection of Swahili, Arab, and Indian traditions—that forged the identity of this historic, fascinating city.

Some Zanzibar doors have distinctive brass studs attributed to the Indian influence. The studs originated as a defence against war elephants, but on Stone Town’s doors these were purely decorative.

Zanzibar is a traveler’s delight filled with history, culture and architectural wonder.

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In creative solidarity, Dee