Mozambique
Maputo

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    • Day 128

      Maputo

      April 19, 2023 in Mozambique

      After the best part of a day travelling from eSwatini I arrived in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique. Maputo is an interesting city consisting of a mix of old Portuguese colonial architecture, old soviet style concrete blocks complete with peeling paint and rusted iron bars, and modern high rise buildings. Much of the centre consists of wide avenues lined with acacia trees, fruit stands and sugar cane juice presses, giving them a uniquely African feel, and are especially beautiful to wander around as the sun dips low.
      Maputo has a long history which made it an interesting city to explore. I visited the National Art Museum, the stunning Natural History Museum which had some interesting taxidermy and a collection of elephant foetuses, and the Botanical Gardens complete with fruit bats which I always love to watch. I also did a walking tour which took me to the old Portuguese Fort which the city was built around in the 18th century, and the oldest parts of the city which is now the red light district. We also visited the train station, which is the 3rd most beautiful train station in the world according to someone (can't remember who), the central market, Casa de Ferro - a building made out of iron that was designed by Gustave Eiffel, Maputo Cathedral and city hall, and a statue of the first president of Mozambique - Samora Machel on Praça da Independência. We followed that up by having a local lunch of fish matapa - a sauce made from cassava leaves, and the local beer dois M (2M). Being in an ex-Portuguese colony I also enjoyed being able to find good Pastel de Natas and Sumol!
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    • Day 121

      Maputo, Mozambique

      April 11, 2023 in Mozambique ⋅ ☁️ 81 °F

      New-to-us port #34.

      Today, we were joined by seven friends for a walking tour of Maputo to see some of the most popular attractions in the capital city.

      Hendy’s “Free Walking Tours” are very popular. Instead of a public tour in return for tips, I had arranged for a private tour for a specific per person price. Having heard that the street hawkers were quite “insistent,” I had also arranged for him to pick us up at the terminal gate instead of the usual meeting point near the Cathedral.

      Running the gauntlet of souvenir hawkers, our tour took us up the street to the beaux-arts style Maputo Railway Station … built by the Portuguese between 1908-1910. The building is #8 on the “most beautiful train stations list.” The dome was constructed in South Africa and assembled in Maputo … a big innovation at the time. There are only three international lines running out of the station, so most of its use is for domestic purposes.

      Walking through the Red Light District, where business at “by-the-hour” hotels goes on 24/7, we next went to the Fortaleza de Maputo. The fortress was built by the Portuguese between 1851-1867. It now serves as a military museum. The various rooms have historic exhibit and also the “memorial casket” of Ngungunhane, the last great chief of the African Kingdom of Gaza during the colonial period. He was captured and sent to the Azores in exile, where he died. What was purported to be his remains were returned to Mozambique when the first post-colonial President of Mozambique visited Lisbon. Although many sources on the internet indicate that the remains are in the casket, I got the impression that what we saw today was a replica of the original one.

      Our walk continued onto the Tunduru Botanic Garden … fairly small and more like a public park. Hendy identified several of the trees as we wandered along the shaded paths of the park. He also showed us the fruit bats that have colonized several of the trees in the park. Then we stopped at the Iron House, designed by Eiffel. The house, which dates back to the late 19th century, has seen varied use, but only for short periods of time because the steel, tin, and iron structure gets too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter.

      The Cathedral was our next stop. And then we followed Hendy across the multiple lanes of the road running around the Independence Plaza to hear a bit more about the war for independence and make the acquaintance of Marechal Samora Machel, the first president of independent Mozambique. He died in an airplane accident … believed to have been an assassination.

      A bit of trivia about the wife of the assassinated president. She later married Mandela. Thus becoming first lady twice … in two different countries.

      We wrapped up our tour with a visit to the Central Market … also known as the Downtown Bazaar. Stalls at the market sell all the usual stuff … groceries, fish, nuts and herbs. But one section is a “hair market” … the biggest of its kind in Africa. Apparently, hair extensions are very popular with African women, and they come from all over to buy them here. No buyers amongst us, but several people purchased bags of cashew. Mui wanted to buy some mangoes. But by then, the group had moved on. Later, however, our friends Kadi and Brad returned to the market and came back with a mango for him. He’s a happy camper. Thank you Kadi and Brad.
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    • Day 58

      Maputo

      September 4, 2019 in Mozambique ⋅ ☀️ 37 °C

      Gestern um 12.00 Uhr angekommen erleben wir eine sehr quirlige und geschäftige Stadt. Überall wird irgendetwas zum Kauf angeboten. Und das ändert sich auch bis lange nach Sonnenuntergang nicht. Andere afrikanische Großstädte sind nach Sonnenuntergang wie ausgestorben.

      Schönheit und Verfall, Moderne und Vergangenheit liegen hier überall nah beieinander. Schade nur, das hier viel alte historische Bausubstanz einfach vergammelt.

      Wir genießen den Trubel, sind aber Abends auch erschöpft von den Eindrücken und vom Laufen!
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    • Day 58

      ...und der Papst war auch schon da!

      September 4, 2019 in Mozambique ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

      Vor unserem Hotel versammeln sich schon am späten Nachmittag die ersten Papstfans und bringen sich in Stimmung. Seine Route vom Flughafen zum kirchlichen Vertreter in Maputo führt direkt an unserem Hotel vorbei. Wir haben Logenplätze.Read more

    • Day 88

      Maputo, Mozambique

      April 11, 2023 in Mozambique ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F

      Today, I joined a walking tour organized by Erin. Boris could not go, since the tour guide told Erin the path will not be passable for a wheelchair. He was correct.
      We met our tour guide, Hendy at 10am and after a short introduction, proceeded to a beautiful building….train station.

      It was constructed from 1908 to 1916 in the Beaux-Arts style. Widely recognized for its attractiveness, the station has been ranked by international publications as one of the world's most beautiful. In addition to function as a central railway station, it has a museum, restaurants and holds concerts.

      After visiting some monuments and a red light district with hotels by the hour, we went to a fortress. Maputo Fortress, also known as Fortress of Our Lady of Conception, is a national historical monument related to the history of the Portuguese presence in the country and local resistance.

      We also visited a botanical garden. Actually, it looks more like a small park with almond trees and bats on the trees.
      We visited an independent squire with a monument of the first Mozambican president. After he was killed in a plane accident, his wive marred Nelson Mandela. So she was First Lady twice in two different countries.

      Our last stop was a market where I got some cashews nuts. These market has the biggest hair extensions selection anywhere in Africa.
      It was a very good walking tour.
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    • Day 296

      Mosambik- Maputo

      May 28 in Mozambique ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

      Heute waren wir in Mosambik. Wir wurden zu einer privaten Tour eines ehemaligen Österreichers der nun Einheimisch ist, durch die Hauptstadt Maputo eingeladen. Eine der Sehenswürdigkeiten ist der alte Kopfbahnhof, der 1908 erbaut wurde und von dem aus noch heute Züge nach Südafrika fahren! Das Gustav Eifel für den Bau verantwortlich war ist wohl nur eine Legende. Das historische Gebäude diente als Kulisse für den Kinofilm "Blutdiamanten" mit Leonardo DiCaprio. Unser Guide Stefan erzählte, dass dafür extra eine Drehtür eingebaut wurde und nach dem Dreh blieb sie einfach da bis sie zusammengebrochen ist. Weiter gings zu Maputo-Festung, in der heute ein Museum untergebracht ist.
      Hier stehen winzige Kanonen und es gibt eine Ausstellung mit Szenen aus der Geschichte von Mosambik, von der Sklaverei, der Eroberung durch die Portugiesen, dem Abbau von Kobalt, eine Hochzeitsszene usw.
      Der nächste Stopp ist am Eisenhaus. Das hat Herr Eifel ganz, wie seinen berühmten Turm, aus Eisen gebaut, ohne darüber nachzudenken, dass es in Mosambik zu heiß ist, um in einem Haus aus Eisen zu wohnen. Wir laufen noch an der deutschen Botschaft mit dem Goethehaus vorbei und dann ist Mittagspause. Danach besuchen wir ganz schnell noch den Handwerksmarkt. Der Markt ist riesig darum drängt die Zeit, wir können leider nicht alles anschauen.

      Es ist fast 4 Uhr und die Sonne geht schon langsam unter. Wir verlassen Mosambik bei wunderbarem Sonnenuntergang in Richtung Durban.
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    • Day 103

      Maputo, Mozambique

      April 13 in Mozambique ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

      Maputo was interesting, from visiting a vegetable market and homemade craft market, up to having a relaxing lunch on the terrace of a luxury hotel.
      マプートでは野菜市場や手作りクラフト市場を見回ってから、高級ホテルでのんびりしながらテラスでのランチを食べるまで面白かった。👍
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    • Day 87

      Maputo, Mozambique - 1 of 2

      April 11, 2023 in Mozambique ⋅ ☁️ 81 °F

      We went on a walking tour that went through the city of Maputo. The city was interesting and colorful but sadly needed a lot of updating. Since Independence in 1975 when the Portuguese left an already poor Country after 400 years, so did the financial resources, and there has been very little infrastructure improvement. There are half-built buildings from 50 years ago that make parts of the city look quite sad and the economy as well as the people suffer. During COVID, the economy weakened and the government did not help businesses so therefore many closed permanently. Maputo, a port city on the Indian Ocean where 4 rivers converge near the southern end of the country with just over 1 million people (in 134 sq miles) although Mozambique total is 34 million. It has been the capital and largest city in Mozambique since its Independence in 1975 and Portuguese along with African languages (Bantu and Tsonga) are spoken here.

      We toured the Portuguese Fort, Fortaleza de Maputo, built between 1851-1867 with the town that grew around the Fort. The culture of the colonization was represented here by the statues, armaments, the history of its leaders and the sealed, carved wooden coffin of Ngungunhane, the last great chief of the African Kingdom of Gaza during the colonial period (see photos).

      Here is an interesting “fact”. At the entrance of the fort there is a tree (see photo) named kigela pinnata (OR kiegla Africana). It is a famous tree where the King waited for deportation as he was captured and waiting to be deported. The tree has the power (as explained in detail by our guide) to cure anti-inflammatory issues, asthma, used to restore “skin's firmness and improve the elasticity of the skin” in men for certain “parts”, and for other erectile dysfunction issues.
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    • Day 60

      Maputo, Mozambique

      January 17 in Mozambique ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

      Went on a walking tour. First stop was the station which is a very elegant green and white building.
      The large statue opposite the station, commemorating the second World War, is the only monument that remains since independence was gained from Portugal .
      We viewed a mosque Jumma Masjid, the oldest in Maputo, and the coin museum then went to the market. Displays of fruit vegetables and spices, also lots of hair extensions.
      Then we visited the fort which showed a lot of history of Mozambique. The carved coffin was for the last leader of a local tribe. Then I went for coffee and Pasteis de Nata .
      After lunch on the ship I went to the craft market with Annette and Jocelyn. lots of paintings , bags , jewellery, carvings, etc.
      I bought a t-shirt and then Jocelyn and I got a tuktuk to do a bit more sightseeing. Saw a star shaped church, visited a hotel with views over the city , Villa Algarve , a rundown prison, the natural history museum, the Cathedral, president's statue, town hall, metal house, designed by Eiffel same as railway station and lastly saw the bats in the botanical gardens.
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    • Day 16

      Maputo

      February 20, 2023 in Mozambique ⋅ ⛅ 34 °C

      Maputo. Maputo. Die Hauptstadt Mosambiks. Meine Motivation hier an Land zu gehen, war eher überschaubar. Zum Einen, weil meine bisherige Erfahrung mit den Hauptstädten wie Mombasa & Moroni eher weniger erfreulich waren, zum anderen beschrieb auch der Reiseführer Maputo als ‚nicht schön‘. Nagut, aber ich kann es dann doch nicht lassen - nur mal schauen. Ich war auf das Schlimmste vorbereitet, schlimmer als das was ich bereits gesehen habe, konnte es ja nicht werden, oder? Zum Glück behielt ich recht und es war nicht ansatzweise so schockierend wie das bereits Gesehene.
      Ich fand Maputo sogar ganz nett und würde das ‚nicht schön‘ nicht unterschreiben. Moroni ist nicht schön. Maputo hat definitiv Schönes. Ich schlenderte zunächst zum Bahnhof, der wohl Schönste ganz Afrikas. Aus der Kolonialzeit. Verdammt, wie kann es denn sein, dass wir Touristen genau das schön finden, was ‚wir‘ selber einst bauten? In Ländern mit interessanter, einzigartiger Kultur? Ich lief durch den Bahnhof und ärgerte mich über unser Verhalten, Anspruch und das Verlogene, das dahinter steckt. Es war ein schöner Bahnhof, keine Frage. Ich lief weiter und würdigte den anderen Kolonialbauten wenig Aufmerksamkeit. Nö. Ich beobachtete die Menschen, das was mir eigentlich am meisten Spaß macht um ein Gefühl für das Leben hier zu bekommen. Es muss wohl geregnet haben, denn es waren überall Pfützen. Ein paar Männer wuschen ihre Uniform mit Seife in einer dieser Pfützen direkt an der Hauptstraße. An jeder Ecke gab es Schuhputzer und viele Frauen knackten Cashews am Straßenrand und boten sie zum Verkauf an. Ohnehin wurde unglaublich viel auf der Straße verkauft. Ich habe mich sehr wohl gefühlt. Keiner war aufdringlich, niemand hat mich extrem belagert. Die Schere zwischen Arm und Reich habe ich aber nirgends so extrem gesehen wie hier in Maputo. Neben dieser ganzen Armut gibt es anscheinend auch Leute, die sich einen Cayenne leisten können. Mit der Sichtung von Porsches habe ich bei diesen Verhältnissen nun wirklich nicht gerechnet. Und natürlich ist der Gedanke naheliegend, dass sich nur korrupte Personen sowas hier leisten können. Ich kotze.
      Ich ging auf den Markt und war begeistert. Alles bunt. Alles da. Ich kaufte Cashews, denn die gab es hier ohne Ende. Lecker! Ich habe richtig Spaß daran in lokaler Währung zu handeln.
      Woran ich noch Spaß habe, sind Supermärkte. Dieser hier war aber ganz eindeutig ein Expat-Supermarkt, denn es gab alles. Dove, Nivea, Lindt, Ferrero, einfach alles. Nicht ganz so, was ich mir vorgestellt habe, aber Tee habe ich trotzdem gefunden.
      Also für mich war der Maputo-Besuch definitiv erfreulich.

      Zurück auf dem Schiff hieß es dann: Helau. Ich musste anscheinend erst auf dem indischen Ozean herumschippern um mal wieder Karneval zu feiern. Es gab alles, was man sich vorstellen konnte. Krapfen, einen sehr kreativen Rosenmontagszug, eine Rosenmontagssitzung und eine entsprechende Party. Viele Gäste hatten tatsächlich Kostüme dabei. Oma und ich sind jetzt nicht so die großen Karnevals-Fanatiker, haben aber dennoch bis auf die Party alles mitgemacht. Artania, Alaf!
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    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Maputo, ማፑቶ, مابوتو, Maputu, Горад Мапуту, Мапуто, མ་པུ་ཊོ།, ماپوتۆ, Μαπούτο, ماپوتو, מפוטו, Mapouto, Մապուտու, MPM, Mapútó, マプト, მაპუტუ, 마푸투, Мапуту, मापुतो, ਮਾਪੂਤੋ, ماپوٹو, Mabuto, மபூட்டோ, มาปูโต, 马普托

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