Tourists

For the first time in almost 7 years, I do not have a baby on my hip.  At least not constantly.  That means, I get to be a tourist!

 This big island is RICH in history, something I happen to be fascinated by.  Our first step (with 3 children walking on their own!) was the House of Wonders...so named because it was the first building with electricity here.  Can you imagine this monster lit up at night, glowing with life and spilling out laughter and glamour?  

 I love that it's called "tropical victorian" in the description above.  I suppose this means all the balconies and windows for catching every sea breeze possible!

 Justin (not so taken with history) took to the streets while we explored the inside.  

 Ascending the grand staircase

 A picture with Sultan Bargash (second to reign here, one who built this building) and his THRONE.  The girls thought the THRONE was exceedingly amazing.

 There were lots and lots of typical museum displays in all the surrounding rooms.  The one above is Dr. Livingstone's medicine box.  Dr. Livingstone was a pioneer medical missionary, scientific explorer (helped drive the discovery of the source of the Nile River) and anti-slavery crusader.

 Can you imagine little be-jeweled Arabic girls twirling on this balcony as they overlooked the ball down below?  We could.  Not that a ball would be typical of this culture, but we pretended.

And the seaward-facing outer balconies.  What an amazing building full of so much history!