Wintering in Maputo

It is the dead of winter in Maputo and the locals are bundled up in hats, scarves and jackets.   I still sweat when I run  This does not bode well for the summer months.  When I talk about how nice the weather is, everyone says "just wait".  In all fairness to the freezing natives, it did reach an extreme low of 43 degrees the other night.  Someone was actually telling me he thought Maputo might get snow. It feels more like a desert climate - upper 50's at night and low 80's during the day.  It is odd to us that it gets light so late in the morning and dark so early at night with these kinds of temperatures.  When I talk about dark mornings and evenings, everyone says "just wait".  I expect to be sweating from 5 a.m. onward and waking up with the sun at 3:30 a.m. once summer arrives. 

Going to the dogs
Mozambiquans do not domesticate pets.  In fact, most are very scared of dogs.  Enter the expats who travel with pets at the same rate they travel with children.  Some claim the dogs are for security.  Some wealthy Mozambiquans seem inclined to follow the lead.  Our street has several homes with multiple dogs who compete at night for the canine version of American Idol.  This sign was painted on a fence of a home under construction (essentially "No dog poop").  There are more piles of poop outside this fence than the rest of the City combined.  Ironically, the fence now has a new sign: "Beware of the dog".

Just do it...
Given my heretofore rate of shoe destruction I invested in the hummer version of running shoes.  They claim to actually have concrete in the soles.  Two weeks and they are still in one piece but I am getting calf muscles the size of giant redwoods.  I am experimenting with some new routes and indoctrinating a whole new slew of guards in what crazy white woman do for fun.

The Maid, Part III
We received our first phone bill.  Since we have never touched the phone imagine our surprise with a $100 bill.  She seemed surprised we figured out she was making calls.  The kicker - when we paid her for June less half of the bill amount she asked "Was that bill just for May?"

Walking on the shore
Below are scenes from the beach.  It is very popular, particularly on weekends.  I know because the number of bottle caps and amount of broken glass rises exponentially by my Monday morning run.  There is a kind-of, sort-of paved walkway also used as a parking lot and vendor by-way.  Capalunas (material used to wrap as a skirt by Africans, tablecloths by expats), batiks, and empregada (maid) uniforms hang from gerry-rigged clotheslines.  Beer, soda, beer, bread, and beer are sold out of coolers.  We have also witnessed baptisms in the water. 

Up close and personal
And this is why we don't go in the water.  Explains why people want to be baptized when going in.

Born on the 25th of June
June 25th is Independence Day, the day Mozambique became an independent country and gave the Portuguese 3 days and 3 suitcases to leave.  This was a Saturday.  Music and drinking started about 1 p.m. on Friday.  Partying continued - LOUDLY - for about 36 hours and then everyone must have passed out.  I was told this is a family celebration day.

North by northeast
Carl was making a trip up to the north to visit volunteers and I tagged along for part of the trip to see another part of the country and visit Ilha de Mozambique.  The Ilha is a small island in the Indian Ocean that served as the capital for over 300 years as it was a critical juncture in the trade routes to the east.  It was heavily influenced by Goa as well as the Portuguese.  It has been declared a UNESCO site although apparently funding for rehabilitation has been expended and much still remains in disrepair.  There is a sizable fort and a Cathedral /museum that have been restored and it is easy to get a sense of colonial life from the remaining ruins.  The island is about 1.5 kilometers by .5 kilometers: half is the colonial side and half is "macuti town".  This is a bairro that sits a couple meters below ground level.  Macuti refers to the palms used for roofing.

 

How the other half lives
Here is a Peace Corps Volunteer's house. 

Here is a Peace Corps Volunteer's outhouse.

Nao falo portuguese
I started Portuguese lessons.  Now I can say "I don't speak Portuguese" - in Portuguese.

CIAO!  We are off to Capetown to go whale watching, wine-tasting and see our youngest son.