Champagne, Madam?

We visited the Cultural Heritage Centre after our delicious lunch, and what a fabulous place it is. Part museum, part art gallery, part gift shop. We did buy a few wee souvenirs.

A rather disturbed sleep, with a call to prayer from the local mosque every few hours, lasting about 40 minutes each time. The loudspeaker seemed to be just across the next field, aiming directly in our bedroom windows. I even considered sleeping on the sofa in the lounge, where he couldn't be heard, but decided to stay under my mosquito net. The nearby airport doesn't allow flights at night, lest they disturb people sleeping... er, different rules...

After another leisurely start, we headed off for lunch to one of Maree's favourite places, Shanga, where disabled, mainly deaf, people earn a living by glass blowing, weaving, making jewellery. The manager greeted us, and Maree is obviously a regular customer, as we were welcomed and shown around personally.

We then sat on huge cushioned sofas in the gardens, awaiting a table being made ready for us (she didn't bother booking but a table was found). This lovely waiter brought us champagne while we waited - what a gorgeous sight!

An excellent meal of soup, vegetable samosas with a spicy mango sauce, and a barbecue buffet. The tenderest beef ever. All through our meal, the picturesque head chef (a large man with a floppy chef's white hat on) was demonstrating recipes and telling stories to a group of newly arrived Americans. Later they had coffee on the sofas out in the garden and the head chef was singing Happy Birthday to one of them. He was quite a character. Those Americans are in for a treat this week.

We then had another tour of Arusha, round to Maree's old house, but as we tried to come back we got stuck in the most horrendous traffic jam. It went on for miles, not helped by people doing all sorts of things frowned on in the UK Highway Code. It's a wonder road rage is not rampant.

Another great day. With souvenirs.