All Stretched Out

I did it! I did!  I talked about it for WEEKS and I finally made some progress on some of the art we wanted framed.  One of the blog readers, Hannah, and my friend Anne convinced me I could stretch the paintings myself.  I wasn’t so sure but decided to give it a try.

Micah and I dropped by Dick Blick (no, I did not make that name up) and picked 12 canvas stretched bars for less than $20.  We also headed to Lowe’s to pick up some wood glue for $1.50.  On Saturday I gathered up my supplies and went to work on the Tinga Tinga paintings I brought back from Tanzania.

First I put together the frame.  The stretchers fit together perfectly but I added a little glue to make sure nothing moved while I stapled.

I then flipped the painting over (image side down) and centered the frame.  I pulled one end of the painting over the frame and stapled. This wasn’t the easiest thing because there wasn’t a lot of excess canvas to pull.  **Note to self, next time I buy paint, buy the one with A LOT of canvas excess around the image.**

When I made a staple on one side, I mirror the staple on the opposite side (not image side) of the frame.  I didn’t used the pulling pliers professionals use but I might next time.  About 10 minutes and 10 staples later, my painting was stretched.

Not too bad.  My next piece was harder because it had less excess canvas around the image than the first one but I managed.

I decided this Masai image was going to hang as is (unframed) in the craftroom.  It’s rough around the edges (literally) but I like it hung even though you can see the staples. 

After I finished the Tinga Tinga paintings,  I started on putting together the stretchers for the elephant painting.  I was worried about this painting because some of the thick paint was starting to crack around the edges.

I added a little more glue to this frame because it I knew I’d need to get a little more physical with this painting because of its size.  I wish I had pictures of the process but I was not coordinated to stretch the painting, staple, keep Izzy away, keep the painting from cracking and take pictures.  Thankfully, I was coordinated enough to do a pretty good job from someone who had never stretched a painting before that night.

And here it is.  I know the corners don’t look stapled down but they are.  I figure I can add staples when I’m ready to frame.  We decided to go with American Frame for our frames.  I was going to order the frame over the weekend but decided I wanted to order a few samples first (which is free).  I’ve spent so much time on this, what’s another week?  I am SO excited this was reasonably successful.   I can wait to get the framing samples. 

All together, stretching three paintings (8x8, 10x10 and 23x42) cost me less than $20 and took less than 45 minutes.  What a great deal!  Thanks to Hannah and Anne for convincing me give this a try.

Would you try stretching a painting?

Song of the Week : Catherine’s Poison

Are you ready for this?!

All this week (and last week) I’ve been talking about the song Poison by Bell Biv DeVoe.  Seattle Public Library let’s cardholders download 3 songs a week.  I can never think of a song when I sit down to select my downloads for the week.  Micah suggested downloading the songs I loved when I was growing up (Humpty Dance anyone?).  Anyway, the first thing I thought of was Bell Biv DeVoe.  I’ve dancing around the house rapping/singing to myself and Izzy ever since Poison popped into my head.

Sadly, after a long search, the library service doesn’t have Poison.  I must remember to look for the Humpty Dance.

Up until yesterday I was still blessing Izzy (and Micah) with the lyrics of Poison.  I can still remember listening to this song at breaks at St. Edwards. 

Anyway, my friend Alex linked this video on his Facebook page and when I saw it, I knew I had to share it with all of you.  It was FATE. 

I’ve watched (listened) this clip about 10 times already.  They look great and are just as awesome as I remember.  And the Roots make this even better!

Enjoy a taste of 1990! 

p.s.

Bell Biv DeVoe, if you happen to be reading (which you probably aren’t) please go on tour.  I’d totally go.

Magazine Gluttons

Our mailperson must hate us because we subscribe to a ton of magazines.  Like a 1000.  OK, more like 15-20. 

There are more.  Just wait.  I know, it seems weird because we’re cheap about buying books but splurge on magazines?  Here’s the thing, we don’t really splurge.  We probably spend about $80-100 a year on all but one of our subscriptions.  The secret?  A combo of Ebates and this site.  I’ll find a $5 subscription to Glamour on Price Search, buy it via ebates so I can get 10% back and end up with 12 issues for $4.50.  That’s about how much one issue costs.  We occasionally buy via Amazon.com too.  My latest subscription to Sunset was $5 through them.  I think I bought the 2 year deal.

I feel like buying magazine subscriptions is a good choice for us.  I used to buy 2 or 3 magazines at the airport every trip and maybe 1 issue of something at the grocery store every month.  I average about 4 or 5 trips a year so at $4.50 each, that comes to about $50-70 a year.  Add in the monthly issue at the grocery store and that comes to $70-$120 a year.  For the same amount we get Outside, ReadyMade, Women’s Health, Bicycling, Esquire, Sunset, the New Yorker, Rolling Stone, Jazz Times, Glamour, Cooking Light and Dwell.  We used to get more (Martha Stewart Living, InStyle and Real Simple) but we let those expire.  I love Martha Stewart but I fell like I’m 5-10 years too young (and a little too poor) for it plus her website is really great.  We’ll probably let a few of these expire and maybe think about current events magazine and/or investment/money magazine.  We’ve toyed with the Economist but we both have access to them at work.

On top of the magazines above, I splurge on one Australian magazine, Real Living.  I fell in love with it during our honeymoon and had to have it.  I found a deal online but it’s still expensive.  It’s like Domino, Martha Stewart Living and Sunset had a magazine baby.  Love it!!

I just got this months issue and I’m dying to read it.  Here is a spread I snapped a photo of quickly.

I love those chairs with that table.  I really like the orange, red, pink combo with the dark wood and white kitchen.

Instead of throwing away all the magazines we get, I take them out to Anne in Zambia when I travel or ask co-workers to carry them out.  In return, she hooks me up with great photos and occasionally her South African editions of House and Leisure (pictured above).  It’s really great and has a different perspective on design than Real Living or Dwell.  You can get digital issues of House and Leisure too.

Did I mention I also pick up LivingEtc in London when I fly though Heathrow?  I have a problem, I know. 

If we ever get an iPad, color Nook or Kindle (in color one day?), our magazine habit will probably stop but until then our mailperson will be busy.

Do you get as many magazines as us?  Which ones do you subscribe to?

Two Steps Forward, One Leap Backwards

Remember all the projects we have on our 2011 goal list?  Well we made a little progress. 

Step Forward #1: Hanging something in our upstairs hall

We framed the plans from our house and hung them in the hall.  We wanted to get them professionally framed but then realized it would cost us hundreds of dollars.  Instead, we picked up to large frames one sale from JoAnn’s ($25 each).  It looks pretty good.

Step Forward #2: Curtains for the Bandroom (craft/project for February)

Micah’s been asking me to put some curtains up in the bandroom for months.  I finally got around to doing it.  They aren’t super nice but they get the job done enough for me to check them off my to do list.

We had some scrap fabric from various projects so we just needed a bit of grey to complete the project.

Leap backwards: Getting the chair recovered.

We found someone who turned out to be a complete flake.  We set up 4 different times to meet and each time she didn’t show and didn’t even have the decency to call or email before the scheduled time to say she wasn’t going to make it.  Awesome.  We put out a few more feelers and hope we can still make this happen.  Sometimes people on Craigslist is awesome and sometimes it SUCKS!

Anyone else make any progress or had any recent house project setbacks?

Prancing Queen

We’re taking Izzy snowshoeing over the long weekend and were advised by her vet to buy Izzy a pair of quality booties.  Yes, you read right; we bought our dog shoes.  We’re embarrassed the say it, but we did.  Her vet said the snow around here is icy and crunchy (versus soft and fluffy), so we needed to protect the pads on her paws.  Her breeds (beagle/basinji) are not cold weather ones. 

The vet suggested we ease Izzy into the booties.  One day on the front paws, one day on the back paws then one day on all four.  The booties arrived yesterday and the instructions noted that dogs will prance when they first get them on.  Oh did she prance.  I was too slow to catch the prancing on video but I did snap a few pictures where she’s wondering what she ever did to deserve such torture. 

Look at that sad, sad face.  Little does she know that the little bit of torture now will result in hours (and days) of snow filled fun.  Poor little lady.  Notice Micah in the background ignoring her pain.  Some humans are so rude. 

Anyone else try booties for their dog?

Happy Friday and enjoy the long weekend!

The Evolution of Tax Return Spending

We’re in the middle of doing our taxes and a few nights ago we were talking about what to do with the extra money.  That got me thinking about the tax returns of my youth.  Ah, to be young and not have any bills.

When I was in high school and got tax returns I remember spending it on stuff I didn’t need.  I’m pretty sure I didn’t save any of it but I also think it was no more than $200 or so.  A full tank of gas, a new outfit and a pair of shoes, a couple nights out with friends and that was that.

In college I got a little wiser.  I remember saving 50% for traveling (see, wiser), 25% of it on text books and 25% on clothes or just stuff.  I was working 35-40 hours a week and making pretty good money, so I remember the returns being much larger than high school.

Post-college but pre-grad school I was living in DC.  Again, I remember half the money going into savings and with the other half I ‘d buy a plane ticket home for a summer visit and use the rest on things I needed but normally couldn’t afford (heater, new pans, etc.).  OK, there was probably an extra night of drinking and whatnot.  I did have one year, right before grad school, that I had to pay.  That was a shocker and I’ve learned my lesson.

I didn’t file a tax return in grad school.  I was living and working part-time in England.  Now that I think about it, I don’t even know if there was some equivalent of a tax return I was suppose to file when I was a student there.  Opps.

Post grad school things were back to normal.  I was working again but had some new debt from grad school.  If I remember correctly, I saved 25% for a rainy day, 25% for traveling, 25% went to extra payments on my student loans and 25% went towards fun stuff and few tickets on the Chinatown bus to visit Micah.  I was living in DC at the time and Micah was living in Brooklyn.  I do remember having to file for a state income tax return for the first time.  We don’t have state income tax in Washington State.

Post DC and pre-wedding and house, my tax return spending was pretty much the same.  I eventually paid off my grad school loan and had that much more to spend every year.  I put more into my general savings and travel savings but kept the fun spending the same. 

Once we knew we were building a house.  All the fund spending was gone.  I saved 25% for travel and everything else went towards the house.  I think it paid for part of our architect fees.  Not so fun.

So now we’re in the house and the breakdown of the spending isn’t as great as it used to be.  As it’s looking now, it will probably be 20% to savings, 20% to travel, 10% on fun, 25% towards an extra mortgage payment and 25% on the house.  I know, so exciting.  10% is probably going to be $100, maybe more.  That’s a fancy dinner or a few cheaper meals out.  Nothing too exciting.  Very lame.

We could spend more on fun but we’re being practical and paying down a little of the mortgage.  Our savings account interest rate isn’t as high as the interested rate we pay on the house, so it makes sense to pay more and not save more. 

And the house.  You are never done with the projects.  I bet we spend the 25% on the yard.  We want to put up a wall at the top of our stairs and plant some climbing vines shield us from the view of the neighbors yard (and cats).  Yes, all super fun.

Tax returns as a grown-up (with a mortgage) isn’t really that fun.  More fun than paying the IRS but not as fun as it used to be.  I can’t wait until we’re 50 years old (hopefully sooner) and won’t have to designate a portion on the mortgage.  That’s actually more depressing than it is reassuring.

How is everyone else spending their tax return?

So Many Rooms, So Little Time

One day when we’ve won the lottery, we’re getting a real Eames Lounge chair but until then, we’ll have to settle for the replica one we got off Craigslist for less than $200 (I can’t remember how much exactly).

Our friend Cliff sent us a link to an amazing Eames Chair Replica Before and After post on Apartment Therapy that we’re now drooling over.

Even the fabric they used would match our family room perfectly.  Re-covering our replica never crossed our mind then we saw the what it could look like and can’t think about it.

We know. We have a problem. We need to focus on finishing one room at a time but for some reason we can’t. We’ve got so many projects for so many rooms in the works. We finally decided what we’re going to do about the unframed paintings. We decided to stretch them ourselves and use American Frame. We’re hoping it will come out as good as we hope.

Our living room chair (another Craigslist find) is ready for a makeover.  We’ve got all our supplies (thread and fabric) ready to hand over to the upholsterer. No more tacky library print chair for us! 

We’re also working on the bandroom (new curtains), both guestrooms and hopefully the yard and the front door.  Yes, too many projects.

What do you think?  Reupholster the chair eventually?  Also, anyone else have a hard time decorating (and finishing) one room at a time or is it just us?

3.14:30 (Pie Thirty) : January and February

Every year, Micah and I make sure one of the Christmas presents we exchange is something (semi)homemade.  Micah put together a collection of our vacation pictures for use in the digital frame we had for 1.5 years and I gave Micah a pie.  Actually, I gave him 12 pies.  Actually, I gave him a voucher for 12 pies and pie dish.  Actually, we all know the pie dish was really for me. 

We had a nonstick pie pan that worked ok but started to rust over.  There were cut marks all over the bottom from cutting pie or cake in the pan that eventually rusted.  I had been on the hunt for a new pie pan for a few months and then I happened upon this beauty on sale:

A friend of mine SWEARS by Emile Henry stoneware so I decided to take a chance.  Turns out I totally love this dish.  If spray it with cooking spray the pie just pops out like it did in the non-stick pan.  I don’t have to worry about damaging it with a knife and it’s really easy to clean.  I think it cooks better than my old pan too.  The Emile Henry pie dish is a little pricey but it’s suppose to last forever.  I searched online and it looks like The Food Network Store has it for a reasonable price. 

Micah’s pie choice for January was a spiced pear pie.  I was really excited to use some of the nutmeg I scored in Zanzibar. 

The pie tasted pretty good but I definitely need to work on my crust and presentation.  I think it turned out pretty well for only being the 3rd pie I’ve ever made.  I’m more of crumble baker.  It’s less exact.

Last week my friend Jeremy gave me about 8-10 pounds of overripe bananas.  Jeremy works in produce.  I baked 3 loaves of Banana-Oatmeal bread and still had an entire bunch of bananas left.  I couldn’t decide what to do with all the bananas so Micah suggested Banana Pudding Pie for February. 

It’s really just banana pudding but I turned it into pie by putting it in a pie dish and adding a layer of vanilla wafers as a crust.

I’d never had banana pudding before but I’m a lover of it now.  It’s SO good better and only gets better as the week goes on.  The best part is that this is a LIGHT banana pudding.  Amazing!

Banana Pudding Pie (Cooking Light)

Ingredients

• 1/3  cup  all-purpose flour
• Dash of salt
• 2 1/2  cups  1% low-fat milk
• 1  (14-ounce) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
• 2  large egg yolks
• 2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
• 3  cups  sliced ripe banana, divided
• 45  reduced-fat vanilla wafers, divided
• 4  large egg whites (at room temperature)
• 1/4  cup  sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325°.

Combine flour and salt in a medium saucepan. Gradually add milks and yolks; stir well. Cook over medium heat 8 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.

Arrange 1 cup banana slices in bottom of a 2-quart baking dish. Spoon one-third of pudding mixture over banana. Arrange 15 wafers on top of pudding. Repeat layers twice, arranging the last 15 wafers around edge of dish. Push cookies into pudding.

Beat egg whites at high speed of a mixer until foamy. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue evenly over pudding, sealing to edge of dish. Bake at 325° for 25 minutes or until golden.

Note: Banana Pudding may be a bit soupy when you first remove it from the oven. Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving.

Since I’m new to pie making, I’m accepting dough advice, general pie advice and recipe suggestions!  Anything to share?

p.s.

3.14:30 (get it?) or Pie Thirty is what Micah calls dessert when there is pie in the house.

Fabric Score!

This month we are spending our allotted house money ($100) on recovering a chair in our living room.  We bought the chair a last year off Craigslist and have been using it ever since.  We loved the chair but don’t love the library fabric.  As usual, I went to Craigslist to find someone to sew new covers for the cushions.  The main cushion has some complicated curves that are too advanced for me.

We found someone who was willing to do it for a very reasonable price.  She is sort of a freelance seamstress.  We decided not to purchase fabric until we had decided on a someone to reupholster the cushions – we wanted their advice.  After a few emails back and forth, it was decided a good quality upholstery fabric would be best (duh) so we went about searching for something we liked. 

We went to 3 different places and every thing we like was way out of our price range.  Everything we could afford was not anything we’d want.  After a few hours of searching, we came home and I decided it was time to do a little hunting online.  I knew that sometimes JoAnn’s sold fabric online that wasn’t available in stores.

After a few clicks I came upon this:

The colors went perfectly with our living room but of course it was selling for $30 on sale (down from $54).  I did what I always do when I see something I can’t afford, I head to ebay.  And guess what?  I totally found it!

I showed the fabric to Micah and he agreed we had to have it.  The seller was asking for $49.90 for 5 yards so Micah suggested I offered $30 thinking they would talk us up to $40 which including shipping would be about $11 a yard.  After about 30 minutes we received word that our $30 offer was accepted.  YAY!  We ended up getting the fabric for $9 a yard!!!

image

This fabric is going to look great on that chair!  Turns out Ebay seller Gordof Textiles has some amazing deals on high end upholstery fabric.  There is a cream Knoll fabric they are selling I would have loved to use but I know Izzy would have loved it too.

Anyone else had any good Ebay, Craiglist or Thift Store scores lately?

Cookbook Corner

Once upon a time we were suppose to have open shelves on our kitchen island for cookbooks.  It was one of the things I was really excited for.  When we went to order, we were told it would take 8 additional weeks and cost $$$ for the custom shelf we wanted.  The company we ordered our cabinets does do open shelves but they looked like something that would have been in my Grandma’s 70’s era house. 

I wanted this

When that wasn’t possible, I had to come up with a different option for the cookbooks.  We looked everywhere and eventually purchased this white metal shelf from Ikea.

We bought a few cardboard storage boxes where we keep our table linens.  Just above the linens are some of our cookbooks.

We used most of these pretty often.  I really like the Instant Cook by Donna Hay (aka the Australian Martha).

We haven’t used the Mark Bittman cookbook as much as we should, but we’ll get there.  If you like history and are interest in Georgian food (from the country not the state), you should check out A Georgian Feast.  Also, the Sopapilla and tamale recipes in the Rancho de Chimayo cookbook are to die for.  On top of the cookbooks is the digital frame I got at the bridal shower which we had for a year and a half before using.  For Christmas, Micah bought an SD card and loaded our vacation and wedding pictures onto it for me.  It was my favorite Christmas present.

On the top shelf we put together an assortment of white accessories we already had.  We got the tall vase from Micah’s brother and sister-in-law as a housewarming present.  The little white dish is something I made in pottery class a few years back and it’s filled with the “flowers” our flower girl tossed during the wedding.  The yellow bowl/dome was the custom made flower girl basket made by Up in the Air Somewhere.   When we ordered the basket, we knew we were going to use it after the wedding.  It holds our memory corks.  When we commemorate an event with a bottle of something special, we note the event and date on the cork and save it. 

We spent Easter last year at a cabin in the Redwoods.  It was perfect.  I forgot all about that cabin until I found this cork.

This wasn’t my plan for cookbook storage but I think it turned out OK.  We have space on the ledge behind the shelf that has room for more shelves.  We may be housing a few cookbooks for some friends so I can see that ledge getting filled soon.

Where do you store your cookbooks?

Writing on the Wall

I’m in love with this:

image

I love that it’s modern and classy.  I have a bunch of letterpress blocks but no enough for something like this but maybe something else?

Would create a wall like this in your home?

Sunday Suppers : Super Bowl Champion Beer & Cheddar Soup

I hope everyone had a great weekend.  I’d say we had a pretty good one.  We found out my sister is moving back to Seattle for a few years, we received out insurance check which was more than we were expecting (but not enough to cover everything we lost), we got a few things done around the house (check for another post) and the team we preferred won the Super Bowl.

In honor of the Green Bay Packers, we have Beer and Cheddar soup for dinner/half-time on Sunday. 

This soup was good – if you like beer and cheddar and more cheddar and a little more cheddar.  I found the recipe on All Recipes and I’m adding it to my recipe collection.  We may only have it once a year, but it will a good day when we have it.

Green Bay Super Bowl Champions Beer and Cheddar Soup (aka Beer Cheese Soup II)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon margarine
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle light beer
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Melt the butter or margarine in a 4 1/2 quart soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and Worcestershire sauce and stir well. Add the beer and raise the heat to high and boil for 3 minutes to evaporate the alcohol. Add the chicken broth and bring the soup back to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer.
2. Combine the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water and stir until smooth. Set aside.
3. Add the half-and-half and shredded cheese to the soup. Stir constantly until the cheese melts. Then stir in the cornstarch mixture. Stir constantly until the soup is thick, about 2 minutes. Serve garnished with bacon bits.
4. Enjoy!!
5. Hit the gym in the morning.

Framing Failure

So remember we said our big project for the weekend was to get a few pieces framed?  Yeah, that didn’t go so well.  We knew that framing would be expensive but we figured we could get a pretty good deal since we found a 50% plus 15% custom framing coupon from Michael’s.  We naively though we’d have to pay no more than $130.

Wow, we were dopes.  We walked into Michael’s with hope and coupon and walked out with disbelief on our faces and a quote for $244 for canvas stretching and very simple framing.  We didn’t need matting or glass and it was $244 even after the discount!

We headed across the street to Jo-Ann’s since we knew they honored competitors coupons.   They had a better selection of frames and the woman who helped us really knew her stuff.  The quote we received for framing with a canvas insert and stretching (no glass, no matting) was $380!  Again, after the coupon.

Feeling utterly defeated, we went back to the car and decided to think about it.  Maybe we could invest in framing with the tax refund we hope to get this year.  Framing the painting would cost more than our car payment (yes, we got a new car – that’s coming later).

When we got home, I started hunting online for a deal.  I put an ad up on Craigslist looking for someone to just stretch the canvas.  After a few minutes of hunting, I stumbled upon this site

According to the site, I can get 36x30 painting stretched for $33.  Not too shabby.  They also print on canvas and it’s pretty cheap.

If I add in shipping, it would be about $50 to stretch the canvas.  When asked for help on Facebook with frames, a couple friends told me to try American Frame.  I checked out their site and I can do a wood or metal frame with the linen insert and it wouldn’t be more than $115.  Shipping is free and there is no tax. 

So, we can go with the OK framing job at Michaels for $244, the really nice framing job at Jo-Ann’s for $380 or the $150 take your chances job with American Frame and Wholesale Art Frames. We want to go with Jo-Ann’s but $380 is more than we paid for any single piece of furniture in the guestroom itself, or even the living room for that matter.  Michael’s is a good go between but then the quality of the frame wasn’t great and there was no linen insert and we didn’t like the frame selection that much.  I’m tempted to try option 3.  I know American Frame does good work, it’s Wholesale Art Frame I’m wondering about.

So what do you think?  Internet option, Michael’s or Jo-Ann’s?  Remember, this is going into a guestroom.  Also, if anyone has any experience with Wholesale Art Frame, we’d love to hear about it.

Spice Island – Part 3

This is the last post I have about Zanzibar (insert sad face here).  I spent my last day on the island enjoying the warm water of the Indian Ocean and the sandy beach of Prison Island.  I had a boat and guide all to myself.

I loved the boat ride over to Prison Island and would have been happy to sail around all day.

We even got close to a traditional boat, a dhow.  I really wanted to sail on one of these but it was a little out of my price range.

My guide decided that we should snorkel before heading to Prison Island. I was hesitant but then he said he was coming in with me.  I’m a good swimmer but the Indian Ocean is a lot rougher than I’m used to.

The dark spots are the coral reef.  We spent about 45 minutes snorkeling around looking at all the pretty fish.  I cut our session short because there were jellyfish EVERYWHERE.  No joke.  I spent more time pushing jellyfish away from me than I did looking at the fish.  I wasn’t about to have some stranger pee on me.  I know you’ve all seen that episode of Friends where Chandler has to pee on Monica.  Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about.

I have to say, the reef I visited wasn’t that great.  The colors weren’t lively at all and I felt like the coral was more dead than alive.  That being said, there were a lot of interesting and colorful fish.  A better variety than what I observed in Australia a few years back.  I did hear that the reefs a little further from the main island are really lovely and well protected. 

Yes, Prison Island was once a place they put prisoners.  After being a jail, it was used as a quarantine area visitors.  Now Prison Island is a refuge for giant tortoises which were a gift from Seychelles. 

These guys were at least 2-3 feet tall and probably weighed a few tons.  You can just walk right up to them and feed them spinach.  It’s like hanging out with dinosaurs.  Their skin even feels like what I’d imagine dinosaur skin to feel like.

They paint the age of the tortoise on their shell.  This guy is the oldest resident of the island at 185 years old. 

They separate the residents by age.  The 10+ year olds get to roam free,  the 2-10 year olds hang out in a large fenced off area (above) and the babies, 2 and under, and a large cage to live in (below).

After an hour of tortoise watching (it’s more exciting than you think), I finally headed to the beach!

I would have been happy the lay here all day.  I swam a bit but then those pesky jellyfish started to arrive and I headed back to the beach.

This isn’t so bad though – sandy beaches, blue water, nice breeze.

So that’s it.  OK, maybe not.  The ride back to the main island was BUMPY.  I thought I might be sick a few times but managed to make it back.  Check out the dark, rough waves.

OK, they don’t look as rough as I’m making them out to be, but they were.

All in all, I enjoyed Zanzibar.  The Spice tour was awesome and was the highlight.  I would have liked to have some company, but what can you do?  I also could have done with out the constant harassment from the Rastas on the island.  Thank goodness little old ladies of the world always seem to have my back.  Let’s just say there was an incident with an aggressive Rasta, me and an ass-kicking little old lady who was enjoying some sugarcane.

I hope I make it back to Tanzania and Zanzibar again, and that next time Micah will get to join me.  And maybe it won’t be as hot and humid next time.  And next time I’m going on safari!

So, would you add Tanzania and Zanzibar to your must visit list?