African Photo Safari Should Be On Everyone's Bucket List!!!

One of hundreds of fastidious Impalas encountered.

After five incredibly wonderful days, we returned to our ship about 9:00 pm Easter Sunday, exhausted but exhilarated. The next day we were docked in Richards Bay, South Africa where there was one more opportunity for a quick trip to a nearby reserve. Being totally exhausted and content, I stayed aboard ship happily rejuvenating. Those who went on the Richards Bay and/or Durban outings spoke excitedly of leopard sightings. Good on them.

I couldn't be happier with my choice!

Day 87 of our cruise took us to Maputo, Mozambique. As I was having my usual breakfast in the Terrace Cafe, I saw a beautiful newly constructed bridge stretching out from shore to shore across the bay. Then I began to notice very little traffic on this bridge. Being me, I conducted my own analysis of the bridge traffic. In a span of five minutes shortly after 8:00 am local time an average of five cars a minute passed over this bridge. On either side were large commercial structures and residential areas, but very little traffic crossing the bridge from one side to the other. Hmm! Why on earth would they spend so much money on a bridge that virtually no one used? On my excursion later, Agesa, our guide, explained the bridge. This wonderful bridge was magnanimously constructed by the Chinese government for Mozambique. Catch being that they have twenty years to repay the Chinese. Catch #2, in order to make these payments, a stiff toll is charged. The good people of Maputo choose to drive to one end of the bridge or the other, park their vehicle, hop on a bus and travel to the other side of the bay, avoiding the huge toll. Thereby having more of their hard earned pay for food, clothing and housing. Makes total sense to me, but what is going to happen at the end of twenty years when Mozambique cannot make that payment to China? Agesa merely shrugged when asked that question.

He is a very proud native of Maputo who speaks impeccable English (thanks to his father whom he gives much credit and respect) some Portuguese and the African language of his heritage, name of which I did not retain. You may already know that Mozambique was under Portuguese governance until 1976 when they gained their independence. Construction and infrastructure maintenance halted at their exit. We passed a half finished commercial building looking extremely dilapidated on our walk thru the city which Agesa explained was in this exact state when the Portuguese were ordered out. Nothing has been done to the building since. Not a thing! Again Agesa explained that at first it was more important to use their limited funds for humanitarian needs over business endeavors. Now it seems that the building is in the heart of their red light district, so not feasible to complete. So it remains. The aforementioned bridge is the only sign of anything new in the entirety of Maputo. Ours was a walking tour which took us by an art museum, closed, and then on to a former fort turned museum which contained several items of interest. It seems that the Tribal Nation of Mozambique did not quietly acquiesce to the Portuguese army but rather put up considerable resistance driving them out twice before their third and final push. Upon the surrender, their leader who is credited with fathering some 1,000 children was imprisoned in Portugal for the remainder of his life. Agesa quietly stated that he was believed to be a direct descendent of this great leader. Pure mathematics say to me that he most certainly had to be as is almost anyone else in Maputo. Inside the fort turned museum was the very ornately carved teak casket of his rumored ancestor.

The artisan commissioned to carve the casket was from Maputo but traveled to Portugal to produce it.

A rather upscale dress shop in downtown Maputo.

We then went to Taverna Doce for a "pastelde nata" and coffee or soda. When I signed up for this excursion I had no idea what it was that I would be eating, but when in Rome. . . Actually it was a really yummy coconut and almond flavored cream tart. A Portuguese pastry. From there we walked thru yet another market place where they sold EVERYTHING. Never in my life have I seen such an array of hair extensions in virtually every style, shade and color. Not being in the market for an extension and harboring a serious dislike for the smell of raw fish, I soon exited the market where I awaited the remainder of our group. We have been repeatedly advised to avoid eye contact and the street vendors will not approach. Good advice for the travelers. Question is when is someone going to share this "rule" with the hungry street vendors. Beth and I did our best to shield each other from their attempts to no avail. Then a wonderful gentleman in our group saved us by entering into a needlessly long negotiation over the price of a belt which he did not need nor want. He simply saw that two women were being somewhat overrun and came to our rescue helping the vendor in the process. Thank you, Sir!

From the market we proceeded to the train station, voted, I believe he said by Time Magazine, to be the third most beautiful train station in the world. The architecture is really quite stunning. Just in case one never saw that article in Time, large pictures of the ten stations are hanging from the ceiling over one of the platforms. Only Paris and London were ranked ahead of Maputo. This station was obviously built in what Curtis Neeley would have described as the doda days with Portuguese money. Across a traffic circle (and there was considerable traffic here, just not crossing the bridge) was a huge statue of some war hero or other to whom Agesa gave little attention. The iron building which was to house a governor was too far from the port for a walking tour. Agesa escorted us all safely back to the pier and said goodbye. We were the second of three ships scheduled to stop in Maputo this month. Pity. Maputo is interesting and they can certainly use the monetary influx. I asked him if he preferred his qratutity in euros or dollars. His response was "either, just not local currency as that is no good." What a wonderful young man! I wished him every success in life. Another day, another person who deserves so much more than life has given them.

Maputo was my last African stop. Goodbye to a beautiful continent, peoples, and creatures. Come see it before the Chinese government completely takes over and excludes us.

Today Is Someday! Embrace It!