As I mentioned in my last blog I mentioned that Zanzibar plays a big role in the spice industry. They grow all sorts of different exotic spices. The main one is Cloves, you may have seen these pushed into oranges as a Christmas decoration. Other popular spices that they grow are nutmeg, black pepper, vanilla, coffee, saffron, ginger, lemon grass, there are so many I can’t remember the rest!

I wonder if you can guess which one this picture shows?

I’ll give you some clues...

When dried it looks a bit like a small smooth walnut. When people are cooking with it they often grind it up to make a powder or use gratings from it.

  This spice is very useful, not only is the centre used in cooking, but the pink coating on the outside smells lovely and so it is used in all sorts of cosmetic products like shampoo and face-creams. (The answer is at the bottom of this blog entry)

  In Zanzibar they don’t only grow spices; they also grow lots of exotic fruits. I am sure you can tell me which fruit this is... isn’t it a surprise that it doesn’t grow on a big tree? I was shocked! Each plant produces just one at a time.

Other fruits they grow are mangoes (on huge trees!), Passion fruit, Avocado, Papaya, Bananas, Oranges (which have a green skin and are very sour – they are definitely oranges though and not limes.) and of course, coconuts!

Do you know, coconuts grow very very high up on the top of palm trees? It takes a special skill to be able to get them down. From a very young age, boys learn to climb the trees using only their hands and feet. They do this with a knife in their mouths which they use to chop off the coconut at the top. Then it falls to the floor to be collected below. You have to be careful not to be under the coconut tree at this time as if it hits you on the head it would be very painful.

Here’s someone half way up! Can you believe how high it is? He has no support rope or safety net. I think they are very brave to climb so high. I know that I would be terrified.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about the different things that they grow in Zanzibar. They are very different from the types of things that are grown in England.

The spice in the first picture is a nutmeg! – did you guess right??