It's December 19, 2023. I am visiting Bagamoyo for the first time in more than 20 years. My last trip to this Tanzanian historic town took place in 2002. As I reminisce about that weekend getaway, I recall losing my loaded wallet in the ocean. Today, let's ignore the circumstances behind the displacement of the wallet in question.
Losing a wallet was nothing compared to the tragedy that spoiled my first-ever visit in 1996. The '96 incident is the only episode I would rather erase from my travel chronicles. My inability to save the life of the boy I swam with on that dark day is still haunting me. Long story short, a fellow beachgoer drowned, turning a festive atmosphere into a somber one.
This time, I won't challenge the sheer power of the Indian Ocean waves. After all, I have a lot of history lessons to soak up. My itinerary includes extensive tours of Kaole Ruins, Old Town, and the Catholic Museum.
I am looking forward to a pilgrimage-like experience at Kaole's 13th-century mosque and tombs. While strolling the streets of Old Town, I am planning to visit the Old Fort, the slave market and the German colonial governor's castle. When I finally set foot on the premises of the oldest church in East Africa, I will learn one or two things about the introduction of Christianity in the region.
Over the next seven days or so, I will be publishing pieces highlighting my tour of Bagamoyo. Once again, I will cover the two topics I hate most: Slave trade and colonialism. Furthermore, I am scheduled to look into the history of both Islam and Christianity in this part of Africa.
Later in the evening, I will kick back on the beach and nurse some coconut juice. Unfortunately, as hinted earlier, swimming is out of the picture. 1996 sounds like a medieval year, but I am still traumatized.