Tanzania's Capital City and Gateway to Zanzibar
LITTLE more than a century old, Dar Es Salaam is a relatively modern city that has an old world charm. It shows none of the overwhelming bustle that capital cities often possess, and the name that the founding Sultan of Zanzibar gave it in 1857 still applies: "Haven of Peace."
One of the most attractive features of Dar es Salaam is its harbour.
The crescent bay is fringed with palm trees, and gorgeously wrought sailing craft often waft into port. From December to March, Asian bateels and badane set sail from India, Arabia, and the Persian Gulf, their holds bursting with carpets, silver, and brass to trade at the Indian bazaar. Johazi and Mashua, Dar es Salaam's traditional small sailboats, come and go all day from Mafia Islands and Lamu.
Another fascinating attraction of the city is its National Museum. Some of Dr. Leakey's first finds can be found in the museum, including Nut-cracker Man and Zinjanthropus Bosei, proto-humans who roamed the Rift Valley over a million years ago. There are also detailed displays that track humanity's evolution over the eons.
