Flashback Friday - Mozambique 2021

The next stop on my trip was Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, to stay with my sister. I was lucky to be able to visit while she was working in Maputo.  She, of course, was very busy with work, but had planned to take some vacation while I was visiting.  To start with she met me at the airport, which was very helpful as the visa requirements are very strict.  Since I didn’t have a hotel reservation I had a letter from her explaining my stay.  It got a little confusing, but I made it through customs.  That evening she took me for dinner and showed me around the area near her home so I could explore by myself when she was working. 

It was my first time there, and the main European languages is Portuguese.  I had hoped to use my terrible Spanish to at least be able to remember the courtesies.  But failed miserably.  The worst that happened though was instead of ordering a glass of wine for my lunch, I ordered a bottle.  Luckily it was a good bottle.  

Another day my sister had arranged a tour around the capital for me.  I went through some of the main buildings, the markets and saw the main train station which is a breathtakingly beautiful old building.  We finished up at an old colonial area fort that is now the local museum.  Mozambique is interesting as it is a communist country.  There were several statues of current leaders and all were done in a familiar style - as they were gifts from North Korea. 

I spent much of the first week there just relaxing, reading by the pool.  It was really hot when I was there at the end of October., which was really only the springtime. Even the breeze off the sea was HOT.  It was easy to just sit and do nothing with a good book, and in the evenings catch up with my sister who I hadn’t seen in a while.  Thanks to both her job and the pandemic it was not a good time to be travelling back and forth across the Atlantic. 

I really enjoyed sitting in the various restaurants by the sea.  It’s a pity I do not like fish, as there was an abundant supply on the menus.  I do enjoy shellfish and managed to have a fair share of mussels, clams and the like.  It was a treat to have leisurely lunches.  The exchange rate was also very generous for Canadians so even the flub of ordering a bottle of wine was not out of my budget.  It was fun to feel fancy, which definitely became a theme of this trip!

Flashback Friday - South Africa 2021

Another beautiful morning in Cape Town, which slightly worked against me.  I had planned today to do the Hop On Hop Off bus tour, starting at Table Mountain.  When I arrived there was a massive line waiting for the cable car.  As I waited 2 hours for my turn, I made friends with the family in front of me and learned the weather had been terrible recently so everyone was taking advantage!

There were two cable cars to the top of Table Mountain, or one could hike.  So of course I took the easier route.  I could see the paths to the top - they are not for the faint of heart! The views from the were amazing, and there were lots of easy trails to explore the top.  The sun was strong that day, so I did a stroll around many of the basic paths.  There were some more complicated trails to go further along the mountain top but that was more than I was up for. 

After heading back down, with a much shorter line for the cable car, I took the tourist bus to the harbour.  My Hop On Hop Off ticket included a short boat tour from the harbour.  More great views, and lots of seals in the harbour.  I walked around the touristy harbour area and did lots of shopping for little souvenirs too.   I got back on the bus to head to the ritzy part of Cape Town, lots of fancy hotels and where the celebrities tend to stay.  

I found a nice restaurant with a view to the west to watch the sunset.  I had another delicious gin and tonic before having a steak for dinner.  It was absolutely delicious and I was so excited as it used similar spices to biltong, an amazing South Africa jerky.  Well, I got my beautiful sunset with my dinner.  I happily took a taxi back to my hotel for a nightcap at the bar there. 

In the morning was a big event.  I was doing the tour to Robbin Island.  That is the location of the political prison that held many notable prisoners including Nelson Mandela.  The island is now a museum and the guides of the tour are former prisoners.  I’m ashamed now to realize I forgot the name of the man who did our tour.  He was amazing to listen to.  Brought there as a political prisoner as a young man, he had a lot of stories to tell.  What is amazing to me is the hope that many of them held on to.  The more learned prisoners created a “University” to pass on knowledge to others kept there.  At one point the prisoners were mixed with the general, more violent criminals, hoping they would smash the hopes and souls of the prisoners.  Except many were able to win over the criminals and included them in the “schools” they created.

The prisoners had “jobs” also meant to crush their souls.  Some many quarried large rocks.  Others smashed them to small rocks, and still more ground them down to gravel.  It is amazing they survived, that Nelson Mandela survived 27 years of that, and emerged as a leader for all hoping to make a greater South Africa.  There are so many stories there, some terrible, some just awful, and some a little surprising.  Even our guide talks about being a little lucky.  He had a bad knee injury and was sent to a main land hospital for decent care.  A situation that didn’t always occur, depending on the mood of the guards that day. 

I was so honoured that he was able to tell his story.  He says that many of them stayed to work on the island as they weren’t able to find work else where.  Their stories are powerful and should never be forgotten.  So I will always be grateful to hear first hand what life was like there, and overcoming the experience and being willing to teach the next generation.  In fact when the guide asked where people were from, I was one of few foreigners.  He was pleased when the pandemic stopped a lot of international travel, a lot of locals were taking interest in seeing their own home.

Coming back to shore, there was a man selling some art, it was probably mass produced but a local style and beautiful.  I am terrible at haggling, which has gotten me laughed at by some friends.  So I did my best and knocked the price down a fair bit.  As I was paying him, my brain caught up with the currency exchange and I realized I was not giving him very much money at all!  So I managed to “find” more cash and gave him some extra.   The pandemic had been kind to me, but not people who rely on tourists!

Next was a walking tour of Cape Town.  There were lots of monuments and art work, seeing some of the beautiful parts of history and some of the shameful parts.  Though it is important to remember it all.  Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. 

That night was dinner with a cousin.  I had only met her twice, the first time was 25 odd years ago so we had changed quite a bit!  She picked me up and took me too a gorgeous restaurant on a beach.  We had some pizza and spilt a bottle of wine.  It was so fun to catch up and spend time with family that live so far away.   That was my last night in Cape Town.  In the morning I would be flying to Jo Burg to see more family!

I spent several days in Johannesburg with my cousins.  It was really just family time, dinners out and a huge family BBQ with my elderly Aunt whom I hadn’t seen in a long time.  It was just a special time, but not much to write about as I don’t really remember doing much except catching up with each other!