Mozambique Island, the island lost in time
A bridge, calculation only a bridge over two miles long, separates me from the Island of Mozambique. A small island three miles long by 400 meters wide. A small piece of land lost in the Indian Ocean that, however, is a World Heritage Site since 1991. I imagined this place many times since it does more than a year I first came to Mozambique and the lack of time prevented me from far north. I imagine a small Lisbon (I think I'm looking for this city, as metaphor, in many places), something decadent, located in the middle of a place of calm green waters, with sandy beaches and famous buildings covered by a layer of dust. "A quiet place, paragraph, that little has changed since becoming Basque Gama in 1498 ", tell me.
We crossed the long bridge. I'm on the Island of Mozambique.
The island is somewhat different as I had imagined. I thought it was a museum for tourists, History buffs and nature, withdrawn from this
The island is somewhat different as I had imagined. I thought it was a museum for tourists, History buffs and nature, withdrawn from this. I look out the window and see a normal city: Mozambicans who manage eighth hand bikes, stalls selling food, small grocery stores, a craftsman who expected the visit of tourists, fishermen leave their boats and some fine fishing line holding his fingers, old churches, houses destroyed, a huge stone fort, an old theater closed, beautiful beaches without towels, no threat of a large hotel, people sitting outside their houses that look at you sideways, a market of chamise, a football match by the sea.
Tourists have not cornered the inhabitants and other souvenirs have become more without space or time
Mozambique Island is not at all like what I thought, is better, is a world of aged stone, of past, where life goes slowly. Tourists have not cornered the inhabitants and other souvenirs have become more without space or time. The impression is that everything is about to fall. That's his magic, of being from yesterday but from today or tomorrow. This place is special, certainly.
We tried to stay where we are told is the best hotel on the island, the Escondidinho, but full. A boy then offered to take us to another hostel, he Motxileiro. Single rooms, with old wooden furniture and a screen that separates the bathroom of the room. It has a certain charm that old air and decided to stay there. We went for a drink and stopped at the Ancora D'Ouro, a nice bar next to the Escondidinho became our headquarters for the following days.
A boy then offered to take us to another hostel, he Motxileiro. Single rooms, with old wooden furniture and a screen that separates the bathroom of the room
The next day, changes my plans a news. The King has been caught in a hunt in Botswana and in my paper that makes them want a piece, to be shuffled during 24 hours the possibility that we caught the car and Mozambique cruzáramos, Zimbabwe and Botswana in search of history. I spend the day in the Escondidinho (connection only place I know), writing a similar story I heard last year in Zimbabwe, on the phone with Madrid and getting lost part of the charm of the island. Daniel himself out to videotape and brought a wonderful imagery in which a group of boys fishing access on their boats while dancing behind a red sunset is seen. That night I feel the frustration of the traveler who can not travel and see some emotion in exchange for a yes to Madrid to take me to an unexpected trip, go back to the Okavango Delta in a frantic path.
Those pioneers Portuguese hard to imagine that his fort could become at times in a bottle macro, a nightclub with live music
But, would reward work that night so. Daniel has befriended a group of Spanish living in Mozambique and are spending the weekend there. We invite you to go to a concert to be at the Fort at night. Let. There are hundreds of people surrounding the old fortress of San Sebastian, whose construction began in 1558. Those pioneers Portuguese hard to imagine that his fort could become at times in a bottle macro, a nightclub with live music. We dance and drink until high hours surrounded by children, here do not have time to go to bed, completely drunk youths who hit the string with any, the sympathetic Spanish group 's anyone who get close, conversations that flowed at the same rate at which music poured from the stage.
The macua are an ethnic group in this area, Bantu-speaking, face is painted white to protect the skin, and whose ancestors were brought to be enslaved in large part to the Caribbean, especially Cuba
The next day, again expect some calls. There was no connection in the Escondidinho and it was a Portuguese friendly that I opened the door of your backpacker, Ruby, so I could connect. Finally the cost of travel to Botswana prevented our progress and disappointment (All across Africa and we were again on a trip without a plan) we turn it off with a meal at Casa Sara. A local restaurant in which Sara, plump woman, kitchen dishes ("The stove is a celebrity in this country", We explain). We, among so we decided to offer the most typical of all the tasty choices: four huge lobsters were delicious. Addition, I was able to photograph a girl with her face painted white working in the kitchen. The macua are an ethnic group in this area, Bantu-speaking, face is painted white to protect the skin, and whose ancestors were brought to be enslaved in large part to the Caribbean, especially Cuba. (Actually, the vast majority of the population of the island is macua but not all have the complexion of that white cream cover).
Have you noticed the great journey that we have stuck, of everything we've seen and all we've been?”
In the afternoon, I could see a little walk around the island before sundown. I approached the statue of Basque Range, the Governor's Palace or the Chapel of Our Lady of the Presidium, the 1522, and considered the oldest European building in southern Africa. The next morning, to take away something and when we left the bug, walked around some more extensive on the island by car, but I left there with the feeling of having to walk back and calmly that place, the same calm that rocks their lives. Just the travel plan, we had finished our course work to. When we returned to cross the long bridge to the mainland someone said: "Have you noticed the great journey that we have stuck, of everything we've seen and all we've been?”. I think we were aware and a certain sadness hit us all.. We returned to try to digest Vilanculos experienced so many emotions in so little time. In a month we had seen part of an Africa we did not know and already has a lifetime love.
PD. Mozambique Island route terminates in August by South Africa will, Malawi and Mozambique and whose informationn is in the top, right, of page.
Comments (3)
The African adventure
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Great as always Javier. Read your article passed me something to look forward to seeing this summer, because as you have prepared for Mozambique route.
Coincidentally these last weeks Street Travelers and Spanish in the World have dedicated chapters to Mozambique and this beautiful place on which you write.
I guess the expectation that you would have to see if you had to desplazaros to the delta and the experience of having to get there across Zimbabwe… What a great adventure would have been. Even so I removed it bailao, as they say.
I hope soon to test these lobsters so rich that everyone talks.
Greetings.
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Javier Brandoli
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Mozambique is brutal. Has everything, but there is something that makes it different from others around (not better, different): its history. Of course there are not many places in South Africa they have retained in such a small space both heritage.
About, one of the girls that came out in Spanish for the World was on the night of the concert that I tell in the post.
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The travel magazine with History » Mozambique Island: lost in time
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[…] If you want to know more about Lake Malawi recommend the article by Javier Brandoli: Mozambique Island, the island lost in time. If you want to know more VaP. organized trip that includes a visit to the Kruger Park, […]
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