Tortoises

This morning a new guide took me on a small boat to Manguu island to see the land tortoises OMG! They were amazing! They are huge. They are in a protected area since they are not native to Zanzibar. They are fed and managed. They write the age of each on the top of their shells. The oldest is 193. This was mating season so I got to see them mating! How awkward! And the male makes a grunting noise. My guide took pictures while I fed spinach to a couple of them. They like to have their necks rubbed. (Don’t we all?) when you rub it’s neck, it raises up on his legs. What a fun experience! There is also an old prison on the island that is now an upscale hotel. This area is a good place to snorkel. Have I mentioned that it is hot here? Not that I’m complaining!
After a rest in the hotel, I was picked up by the guide from the spice tour and we went to the airport to pick up Don and Debi. We got them checked into my hotel and then went to the rooftop restaurant for samosas and beer. I’m so glad to see them. For dinner we went to a restaurant on the beach. They had happy hour so we tried some of their yummy cocktails. I had grilled calamari for dinner. The sunset was as beautiful as ever. It was a lovely evening.