Photos

As I was wondering who were these guys of an unknown tribe looking like Masai on a stretch of Zanzibar beach, the Capt'n Alex had this incredible line : "Oh, they're just plastik Masais".

He then explained : true Masai people live in the bush in their proud warrior tradition. The Masai walking the beach in traditional kikoy wearing sunglasses, sometimes holding a Nokia mobile cannot be called a Masai. Guys from Dar es Salaam or the landside attracted with the few bucks and easy life that hotels offer for security or porter jobs. "And you know the worst of all?" the Captn Alex added "these people usually feed exclusively on milk, meat and blood : here they even eat FISH!! How can be called a Masai eating fish? A plastik Masai!!! the look and the smell of the original one but no Masai power inside..." I could only but agree on this brilliant trope.

At this stage of my caption, I feel you reader have one question burning your mind : "Who the f**k is that Capt'n Alex?".

This is a very complex question to answer.

I met the amazing Capt'n Alex on Kiwengwa beach every day, his dreadlocks flying to the august wind, a large pair of sunglasses concealing half of his face, the other half being occupied by a smile opening on white teeth. On the first day he proposed me various attractions like sailing on his boat and introduced himself as THE Capt'n Alex while others were mundane captain Henry, captain Paul, etc. without any THE.

The definite article carried a touch of class which could easily hide the fact that the Capt'n Alex had no boat. When I questioned him about his boat, the move of his arms embraced the whole of Kiwengwa beach, nowhere and everywhere, but it was definitely there I just couldn't view it at this stage of my consciousness, a transcent boat... then he swiftly moved the conversation towards plastik Masais matters : his best enemies, preventing him to get closer to the hotel guests.

I think that the Capt'n Alex's only boat was the beach which he was undoubtely the capt'n.

On the second day the Capt'n Alex greeted me and my camouflage shorts. I think it was really an hommage in in his mind to say that my short would look really good worn by the Capt'n Alex. It sure was. And we talked about italian taste on buffets.

On the third day he asked me whether I had something for the Capt'n Alex (I suppose something like a camouflage short). My wife gave him instead a candy and was happy with it. We spoke about marriage customs in Tanzania... he offered ten cows for my daughter. I suppose that was also a great compliment being asked in marriage by the Capt'n Alex.

We had to part and say goodbye to the Capt'n, he joyfully agreed for a few photos ("to show your daughter and all the girls in the west how handsome the Capt'n Alex is", he told me).

I felt really like leaving a friend out on the beach.
My only Zanzibari friend.

For the people like me who appreciated "The big Lebowsky", I think the Dude is characterwise the closest to the Capt'n Alex I would imagine. And like the "stranger" character (Sam Elliott) I would also state that it's good to know that the Capt'n Alex is out there, doing with things.

Yes, the Capt'n Alex abides.

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Technicals : this is a hipshot of a Plastik Masai (the Armani sunglass sort). There is no way of shooting a Masai, even plastik... you might get speared beforehand (or worse : asked a dollar ;D...).