To the North!

Part 3: Moving on up.

So on a bus.  At 4 AM.  But, this isn't just any bus.  This is us crammed at the very front, five people across, so much shit at our feet that we can't move, and backpacks on our laps.  For eight hours.  At least.  We were just asking for a DVT.  Probably the worst bus ride of my life.  But, all things were made better when we bought coconuts straight off the bus when we arrived, drank the water and ate the meat on the spot.  Best hydrater/sustenance ever.  And for like 5 metacals, like about 15 cents or so.  Awesome.

We then had to take a series of a couple more taxis, one pretty traditional, the other the back of a pick up truck, to get to our final destination for the evening, Claire's friend, Donna's, place.  She was so kind to welcome us all into the small house she shares with her fiance, Louis.  They met at the beginning of their service and are now living together and engaged.  I have to say, after seeing their digs, I think it wouldn't be that hard to fall in love.

Their own mango tree in their backyard

Amazing mangoes from their amazing mango tree

Their personal water tap

Their toilet

Outdoor "shower" aka lovely spot to take your bucket bath - I had an amazing bucket bath at dusk there lighted with an oil lamp.  So lovely.

"Shower"

Their kitchen

Their puppy, Mulungu - aka white

Their kitten, Negra - aka black

Their amazing garden

So beautiful and quaint, with everything at their fingertips.

So, we made a couple purchases in town for the evenings festivities.  We got some Tipo, the local rum, so smooth going down but definitely packs a punch (I had more than a few run ins with Tipo on this trip), and this coconut "wine" aka fermented coconut water.

28 is the cost -> 28 Meticals = 90 cents?  Hotness.

Donna and me taking it down like champs

They also had their local friend and her niece come by to make matapa, the traditional staple, in the traditional way.  She even let us help!

Get it, get it.

Louis being schooled by the Gogo on how to machete open a coconut

Getting my hands dirty.

Matapa is made from the cassava plant that grows everywhere there, dry or wet, hot or cold, all year round, which is what makes it a good staple.  The cassava is combined with crushed peanuts and coconut and some garlic and onion and cooked down to almost a stew consistency that is put over rice.  And tastes pretty darn good.  I have to say a healthier staple then the pap of South Africa.  We enjoyed our dinner with an amazing sunset.

Also, apparently coconut is an invasive species in Moz, as it is in South Africa, but while we just sit around waiting for the coconuts to drop on our heads, they have incorporated it into their diet and culture.  Way to go Mozambique.

They get up the trees by using a machete and creating these footholds that they then use to shimmy up the trunk.  Of course after chucking rocks at the top to get the bats out.  Holler.

The next day, we had a lovely breakfast and then went exploring around their village.  Saw the school where Louis teaches.

Also stopped by the local water source.  It was actually a pretty exciting public health moment.  They have a running water source in the form of geysers (cold, not hot) that are constantly supplying fresh water.  They partition this area off for collection of water, and the next area over is designated for laundry.  This keeps the cleanest water for drinking, separate from cleaning and bathing.  Awesome.

We then stopped by the local dam that sadly is not functioning, but used to supply the whole village with electricity.  A good example of where there is need/services are lacking.  A dam will be built, but then when the dam breaks, there is nobody to fix it, there is no support system in place to take care of and manage the dam, making a very good idea not sustainable.  We need engineers.  Engineers to fix the current problems and to teach locals how to fix future problems.  Just a thought.

We then gathered up our stuff and took a taxi (aka standing up in the back of a pick up) to a neighboring town to get a taxi to our next destination... Vilanculos and the beach.  What what.