Arts, crafts, Tanzanite and cultural heritage in Tanzania

CULTURAL HERITAGE, ARTS, HISTORY AND ANTHROPOLOGY

Vacations, Travel & Adventures @ RealAdventures

Tanzania has more than 120 tribes with different cultures. Maasai and Bushmen tribes are primitive tribes which have managed to keep their customs and traditions. Their behavior and primitive life attracts tourists hence most tourists ask to visit local villages to experience their culture. Maasai tribe villages are near to most Tourist destinations like Arusha, Ngorongoro Conservation area, Loliondo, and Masai Mara. So it is easier for travelers to visit Masai and hadzabe villages in Lake Eyasi as they do wildlife safaris in northern Tanzania.

Tinga Tinga arts are the activity sign which was left and hence tinga tinga paints are still a practice which attracts much tourism. Tinga Tinga is a name of famous painter who was drawing several pictures of places and wild animals in form which catch eye of beholder. History is not to forget, Ngorongoro conservation area hosts finds of Dr. Leakey research of anthropology and also place with Olduvai Gorge. History also tells about Tanzanite gemstones, tanzanite jewelry. Tanzanite is a gem found in one place in Tanzania and only in Tanzania.

Another culture activity is crafts and Antiques like Makonde carvings. Makonde is a tribe of southern Tanzania famous and well known in East Africa for producing naturalistic sculptures. If you are looking for interesting souvenir of international value, then buy Crafts, carvings depicting wild animals available in the region.

Antiques also include women crafts like baskets, HATS and table mats made of local materials like palm leaves, banana tree barks and local made cotton clothes.
Tourists are welcome to visit cultural heritage and buy all gifts under one roof, bargain discount price.

Cultural tourism trips to visit nearby Arusha outskirts villages can be organized. Your accommodation in Arusha can be reserved at Budget Hotels, Lodges or Luxury hotels. Arusha is a safari town in northern Tanzania where all wildlife safaris can also be organized.

Arusha is also near to Kilimanjaro International Airport, JRO whereby International flights like KLM, Ethiopian Airlines, Swiss Airlines, Lufthansa e.t.c lands and brings tourists to northern circuit of Tanzania. Arusha also have its own local airport whereby regional flights and local flights operates.

In Arusha town there are several shops which sells tourist souvenirs, crafts and tanzanite jewels, tanzanite gemstones to bring home as gifts.

Contact us for more information or help, email:- andrew.m2006@gmail.com

Tribute: Ronnie James Dio on Travel

SIBERIAN INTERVIEW, 2005
During my first crossing of Siberia, in 2005, I was smitten by the kindness of Russians on trains, the beauty of Lake Baikal and Kamchatka and -- even more so -- the flood of 'Dio' posters plastered on street signs in places like Vladivostok and Petropavlovsk. It left me to wonder, maybe heavy metal didn't die when Kurt Cobain donned his flannel -- maybe it just moved to Eastern Europe?

Turns out, Ronnie James Dio -- who died Sunday from cancer -- was beginning his 2005 tour in, of all places, Khabarovsk's Theater of Musical Comedy (above), a five-plus day train ride east of Moscow. I was blogging about my trip for Lonely Planet and just had to ask about this, and talk with the man who invented the heavy-metal 'devil horns' salute about travel in general.

After relentless efforts, he agreed.

In tribute to Dio, here's his take on travel, grunge and that famous salute, from my interview in 2005.

RR: How do Russians 'rock' in comparison with fans in other countries -- say Belgium or Canada?

DIO: Russian rock fans are like good rock fans everywhere. They're loyal, knowledgeable, and they live for the music. We found them to be great in every way.

RR: Do you travel much?

DIO: I travel enough while touring so I don't need anymore. Home is a very welcome sight.

RR: If you got a couple tickets and a week or two to go anywhere you haven't been, where would you go?

DIO: I'd go where ever they don't have phones, so I guess it would be some where in the wilderness, if there's any left.

[Note: The Far East of Russia is a very good place to look for it.]

RR: Some might say that 1991 was a bad year for communism and heavy metal. The USSR collapsed, and Nirvana brought on a decade of grunge and flannel shirts. Is the 1990s something the heavy-metal world would like to forget?

DIO: I think if you forget about the bad things in your past you can never correct them, because music and life travel in cycles and it just wasn't our time any more. A new generation of fans wanted their music, and not their brother's or sister's songs or bands, so they embraced Grunge because they could make what they heard and liked their own. Luckily metal never went away and now enjoys somewhat of a renaissance.

RR: And how is the state of heavy metal in 2005?

DIO: Metal in 2005 is thriving, as judged by the huge turnouts at festivals, and can actually be heard on the radio again. It looks good.

RR: The new tour starts at the Theatre of Musical Comedy in Khabarovsk in the Russian Far East. The Theatre of Musical-Comedy? Is there something we don't know about this tour?

DIO: I guess it means our drummer Simon, is going to rehearse his stand up comedy act in Khabarovsk, but the band will still play the show!

RR: I listened to some of your first and last solo albums recently and am impressed at how much you've stayed with the same type of music (ie no duets with Phil Collins) -- dark, hard, fast, titles like 'Dream Evil,' 'Evilution' and 'God Hates Heavy Metal.' Why so dark all the time?

DIO: Dark themes are generally about things we can never see, so you must use your imagination. After all, who has ever seen a dragon. They are also a great match to the heavy, almost always minor keys that we write around, and who wants to talk about love and relationships when you have these dark vehicles to use.

RR: What's the most surprising CD in your collection?

DIO: Sergio Mendes' 'Equinox' and 'Brazil 66.'

RR: One of your more recent albums is 'Killing the Dragon.' Is the dragon anyone we know?

DIO: The dragon represents bad government, brutal rulers, and technology. Bad governments and harsh rulers speak for themselves, and if we let technology get out of control, we may end up controlled by it.

RR: Many of your photos shows you giving 'the sign' -- pinky and forefringer raised, middle fingers curled under your thumb. Is that really a 'devil sign' or what?

DIO: The "sign" is a superstitious symbol used by many older cultures. It's meant to intercept the evil-eye and other curses, and what better place to use it than at a metal show?

--> If you haven't heard Ronnie, 'Rainbow in the Dark' from Holy Diver (1983) is a famed solo single. 'Man on the Silver Mountain' from Rainbow's first album (1975) is another enduring song.

Ocho Rios Jamaica Bed and Breakfast Wins 2nd Place Best New Hotel International Award

The Blue House Luxury Bed and Breakfast in Ocho Rios Swoops Second Place Spot For Best New Hotel Worldwide Plus Best Of Jamaica Award and Best Of Ocho Rios

In the tradition of the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards, the International Restaurant and Hotel Awards™ (IRHA) is the world’s most comprehensive and prestigious awards program recognizing the best value, moderate and luxury travel establishments that go above and beyond industry standards. IRHA celebrates the world’s finest hotels and restaurants committed to the highest standards of quality service and promotes the global appreciation of travel, dining and cultural exploration.

To aid the selection process, IRHA conducts research annually in each category field by searching the web, magazines, travel guides and ratings directories, speaking with experts, attending industry expos and events, and coordinating travel and dining excursions. IRHA’s Jury reviewed submissions from 50 countries around the world from bed & breakfasts, top restaurants, chains, six-star luxury hotels, boutique hotels and independent restaurants and hotels in April & May 2008. Top chains and hotel groups that participated include The Ritz-Carlton, Marriott International, Accor Hotels, The Peninsula Hotels, Hilton Hotels, Kor Hotel Group, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Starwood Hotels and a host of others.

The Blue House Luxury Bed and Breakfast Villa http://www.thebluehousejamaica.com/ in Ocho Rios, Tripadvisor’s #1 Jamaica B&B Inn, received the second place award for The Best New Hotel Of The Year in the Moderate Priced Category from the jury of representatives from the Food Network, Travel Channel, UKTV, BBC Food, CBS Radio, Zagat Survey, Cool Restaurants, Cool Hotels, Citysearch, Fodor's Travel Guides, Hungry?, City Guides and more.

IRHA announced the Best of City and Best of Country recipients on June 18th. The Blue House Ocho Rios Jamaica was awarded both Best Of Ocho Rios and Best Of Jamaica Titles.

The Grand Award Nominees for the coveted titles of International Restaurant of the Year & International Hotel of the Year (value, moderate and luxury titles) will be announced in July, 2008. The Grand Award recipients and the 2008 IRHA Award Honorees will receive the coveted IRHA statue presented at the 2008 IRHA Gala Ceremony on November 25th, 2008 at the home of the Golden Globes, the Beverly Hilton, in Beverly Hills, California. The star-studded gala ceremony will be hosted by Mark DeCarlo of the Travel Channel and will include a Special Spotlight on New Orleans along with Grand Award presentations.

Info for this post was taken directly from the IRHA website.

Real Jamaica Vacation - Exploring The Nyabinghi Rasta Culture In Ocho Rios Jamaica

Fourteen years ago, a childhood fantasy "took root" and was lovingly nurtured in the heart of an incredibly sweet, young Argentinian boy, growing and growing until eventually it became, in the lad's own words, his lifelong dream.

Can you imagine how much pleasure it brought to the heart of this "Real Jamaica" innkeeper in Ocho Rios, when she was lucky enough to be instrumental in helping this now young gentleman bring his long, cherished dream to fulfilment ?

Lots and Lots and Lots !! A whole Heapa Lots !! :)

Since the first time 8 year old Juan Martin avidly watched a recorded performance of Bob Marley, he has longed to become a Rasta and play drums with the Nyahbinghi. With the surprisingly loving support of his Mamma and his Pappa, Juan Martin arrived in Jamaica this past March, at the ripe old age of 22, earnestly seeking the fulfilment of his dream.

Juan Martin's adventure started in Kingston and climaxed on the outskirts of Ocho Rios at the home of the reclusive Nyahbinghi Rastafari Elder, Prof-I.



During the first part of his journey through Kingston, Portland and The Blue Mountains, Juan Martin had a revelation without fully realising or understanding it. He encountered many with the dreadlocks that he had long associated with the Rastafari culture yet his intuition told him they were not the Rastas he was seeking. He would later understand that there are Rastas and then there are Dreads, and that there's a whole world of difference between the two.

On his arrival at The Blue House Luxury Bed and Breakfast in Ocho Rios where I am blest to be the innkeeper, I introduced Juan Martin to a Rastafari I have contact with on a day to day basis. Juan Martin instantly realised that he was finally face to face with a genuine Rasta, one who was more than willing to sit and chat with him about the various aspects of the Rastafari culture he had spent so many years eagerly researching in Argentina. I simply stood back and watched as happiness and joy glowed brightly in my young Argentinian friend's eyes.

Juan Martin had long dreamed of beating drums with the Nyahbinghi so the next morning we set out on an adventure to seek out a particular Rasta who is revered by many as an Elder of the Nyahbinghi. I had heard that, from time to time, this Rasta Elder would hold Binghi at his home where many of the Rastafari would gather to chant and drum.

I'll admit that I was more than a bit apprehensive about barging in, unannounced and uninvited, into the home of strangers, intruding in their very private space, especially having heard that the Rasta Elder we sought is a bit of a recluse. I can only say we were extremely blest that day. On later reflection, we all agreed that our initial meeting was like a harmonious intertwining of like spirits.

Prof-I later told me that when he stepped out to meet us, he immediately sensed our kindred spirits. He realised first off that we were not run of the mill, curiousity seeking tourists coming to invade their privacy and snap photos. He therefore welcomed us with the peaceful, loving, gentle, humble nature that is indicative of a genuine Rasta. We sat with him for hours while "I-Tin" (Juan Martin's new Rasta name) attempted to drink his fill of the culture he had dreamt about for so many years. Esctatic, I-Tin seemed to be floating a foot off the ground.

Prof-I openly shared with us the simple lifestyle he lives with his family on a few acres of land. They live off the land, eating whatever it provides. He regaled us with story after story of living a life of persecution because of his choice in living true to his chosen faith, starting at aged 9 when his own mother put him out of the house because he announced that he was going to become a Rasta. Many in our own Jamaican culture perceive the Rastafari as nothing more than "dutty ed and wutlis" (dirty head and worthless), never bothering to open their minds or their hearts to the true nature, culture and religious practices of the Rastafari. Despite all the trials he faced in life, Prof-I now seems very content in, and I quote, "living an ancient lifestyle in a modern world".

As the day progressed to evening, a family from Toronto, with 2 children, who were also guests at The Blue House, joined our gathering. Prof-I, who has thrived on a raw food diet (the latest health food rage) for the past 32 years, whipped us all up a delicious meal of "live food" which is the correct Rasta terminology for raw food.

With full bellies, we were then treated to the most amazing, most mesmerizing experience of my life to date.

Six of Prof-I 's fifteen children, ages 5-15, gathered around with drums and treated us to an impromptu and totally captivating "jam session". They chanted songs they had written themselves about the Rasta culture and their simple lifestyle, effortlessly and lyrically rolling out one song after another. We all simply sat in awe, entranced and filled with the joy, love and peace that resounds in this Rasta family's humble home.

Totally mesmerized as we all were, it was extremely difficult for each one of us to finally pull ourselves away for our return to The Blue House where a much delayed dinner awaited us.

I-Tin returned to Prof-I's home several more times before reluctantly heading off to Negril for the final lap and the winding down of his "dream" vacation.

Back home in Argentinia, Juan Martin now has a new dream, to return for an extended stay in Jamaica and to maybe one day produce a film about the Rasta culture he loves so much.