Mozambique: sense of freedom

For: Javier Brandoli (text and photos)
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You do not know how far they've lost their freedom until it looks in some mirrors, if there be concave as one finds in Mozambique. That's what I thought on Tuesday 3 May when I sat in Maputo, capital, dealing with the huge screen to watch Crystal Café semifinal between Barcelona and Real Madrid. It was night, dark night, y la gente en la avenida if agolpaba 24 July. The street was full of people walking quietly and a few dozen men who watched from the sidewalk match. Suddenly we realized that we were free to walk at night, there was the deafening silence of our steps when we walk in the dark of Cape Town, fear of South Africa, always worried about the shadows, noise is here, legs and cars. We were free, without.

Maputo is a forgotten city. Not talk much in this post it as soon publish an article in this issue specific to your past, but the city breaks as rain-soaked cardboard. Its rugged skin of tall buildings in the center, of concrete sidewalks with reluctance and constant hole, does not prevent Maputo has the same philosophy that all major African cities I've visited: throng outside misery, unsuitable sales stalls, clay, fruit stored on timbers or shoes littered the streets. City, however, perhaps by the beautiful sound of Portuguese, seems closer; almost, at times, more Caribbean than African. Yes, no place to take pictures. Every time I try to take the big camera I get dirty looks and even an insult. I decide then just take snapshots with the small camera, what frustrates me well as a photographer, each corner has a shocking picture. Actually my eyes took no pictures in this report (indemnified me to my next stop).
At the airport, upon arrival, buy tickets that would lead us to Vilankulo, and from there take a boat to take us to the first destination: Berenguera island. Flying here is a luxury that condemns the endless road trips. A round-trip domestic flight from Maputo to Vilankulo is among the 400 and 600 U.S. dollars. Buy one way, no budget, improvise and turn the. After leaving the terminal to reconstruct the Chinese as part of this great province to be annexed (is called Africa), we reached the hotel Arabias. A kind of pretentious hotel, between quiche and renowned brothel, where everything seems so new and dazzling as useless.

the city breaks as rain-soaked cardboard

Then decided to go to a bank to withdraw money. The tail is long. I think the cashier while back after two attempts at the hotel without money. The receptionist told me "oh, in. It takes a long time here out money. Re-run ". I do it with another type of reception, which could be described as analytical, thoughtful, bold ... or maybe something useless, because to get to the bank gets to stand in line with the patience of those who choose to always see the problems in past. Ie, there were ten candidates in front of me to take my money if the machine decided to spit and he repeated "it's a shame". Nothing happened, everybody did the same, Teller says he gives money that does not deliver. Six attempts in a row after so many customers, an employee decides to take the formal decision to declare obsolete machine.

Now growing at a 7% Annual, but the money stays mostly in the hands of the elite

The next morning, After wandering around, go home by the Spanish ambassador, has invited us and my eating Natasa, to explain to me a little of their vision of this place. "The Portuguese found out they lost the colony on the radio", tell me. The phrase perfectly sums up what I see. Everything was half done, no decolonization process and many of the works they did while they hatched the coup there have been. Then came Frelimo (party that led the coup) and perpetual power play (There was a bloody civil war that ravaged the country average and became one of the poorest in the continent. Now growing at a 7% Annual, but the money stays mostly in the hands of the elite). The same story as the ANC in South Africa, parties leading the revolution and are perpetuated in the top with a diabolical game corrupt. It is not complicated, African tribal nearby power, the chief or patriarch, happy having you decide that the votes of all his. The circle opens, when opened, a machete, unfortunately.

The conversation with Eduardo, Ambassador, and Alberto, Chancellor, helped me to place on the geopolitical map of the country. We look for a last supper at the turn of my journey through the country with much of the colony of Spanish aid. Mozambique is the country that receives more money in Spain's cooperation in sub-Saharan Africa. (50 million). "Language makes us closer", Ambassador tells me.
The food served me well for the best seafood dinner I ever made outside Spain. "See to Sagres, is the best restaurant in town ", recommended me for dinner the ambassador. So I did. The restaurant is a beach bar, but the seafood platter know rough weather. Great and fun night that ended with a taxi driver who worked with his wife. The guy was very nice, obsessed with trying to get us more money, to tell us what it costs to raise her eight children, the price of gasoline and up to comb line. Each 50 meters I said "ah, Arabia, that is far ", to which I answered, "What will, is becoming closer ". The next morning we flew from there to Vilankulo and Berenguera. So I was not aware of paradise, strange world that awaited me. We will discuss in the next post.

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Comments (5)

  • Mi Lawrence

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    Interesting post, and it's nice to read. I have wanted to read that of Berenguera.

    Thanks

    Answer

  • home

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    I want to go right now. I want to return to Africa. When you talked about the noise and the feeling of freedom and normality remember what we talked about in Stone Town.

    July or August is not so far, in?

    The paradise island not think it will take time to read, I took an appointment with the dentist to get my fangs lime

    Answer

  • Eduardo De Winter

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    Fantastic article, I look forward to follow for the rest of the route. Greetings

    Answer

  • Roberto Mínguez

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    Freedom is not valued until it is lost

    Answer

  • IRENE

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    It was MY COUNTRY TO INDEPENDENCE. I'm PORTUGUESE AND MIGRANTS BY NEED. HE TURNED ME LATER AND HAS EXCITED your description is reality. We have lost all for nothing……………..I HOPE THAT SOMEDAY THAT PEOPLE MAY HAVE PEACE…………..

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