Notes from a Mozambique Journal

Day 1 in Mozambique: 11 June 2011, Maputo

Ever since I was 18 years old and I read my first Getaway magazine featuring an article on Mozambique, this country has captured my attention and desire to travel there.

Finally, 11 years later and a delayed flight in Johannesburg, I had arrived and woken up in Maputo with a smile on my face. I had a full 9 days ahead of me which translated into a full 9 days of adventure and discovery.

We stayed at a great guest house called Palmeiras, professionally run by Celia, a friendly hostess who makes you feel right at home and our first morning began with a good, hearty breakfast.


I have to mention the breakfast as Celia arranged a delicious continental buffet with some local pastries. The highlight for us was most definitely the freshly squeezed passion fruit juice. It was simply divine and I am still dreaming about it.

After breakfast we were ready to set out and explore. We did not have a set plan of what we wanted to see and do but instead decided to venture out and just see how the day would unravel.

We walked down the hill towards the Catholic cathedral which has beautiful stained glass windows.


Across the street we found Parliament, an impressive building that boasts an even more impressive view of the city as you stand on the steps and look down Samora Machel Avenue.

With the ocean in site, we decided to walk down this avenue named after the great liberation leader of Mozambique towards the harbour, Samora Machel.



Along the way we passed the Iron House, which is a building made completely out of iron plates.


To the right of the Iron House stands a large statue of Samora Machel. As Neil explained, Samora Machel was Mozambique's Nelson Mandela. A revolutionary socialist leader, he fought for Mozambique's freedom from Portuguese rule and led the country from independence in 1975 until his death in 1986.


Machel died in an aircraft crash in the Lebombo Mountains, near Mbuzini, South Africa on his way home from an international meeting in Zambia. A conspiracy theory was born and many thought that Machel's death was not an accident but a conspiracy between the South African and Soviet secret services. 

His widow, Graca Machel married nelson Mandela in July 1998 and thus became unique in having been the first lady of two different countries. Later on in the day we would drive past their residence in Maputo, in a more affluent area of Maputo, Polana.


Behind the grand statue is the entrance to the botanical gardens. Through a beautiful crafted arch one could see a lusciously green garden and we decided that we could come back later to take a walk around.

Further down the road we stumbled upon a street market where hawkers were selling all sorts of curios and artefacts; beautiful wooden bowls and bangles, colourful sarongs and dresses, grass baskets and much more. One man was walking around with a pile of little grass boxes and when he walked past us, he lifted the lid and inside was a tortoise! Now I wasn’t sure whether he was selling it as a pet or for the dinner pot or whether it was simple a tortoise shell but I got a fright and I wasn’t going to hang around to find out.

The market was located right next to the Maputo Fortress. The fortress boasts an interesting history that dates back to 1721 when Dutch settlers established the Lagoa Fortress. It was later abandoned and re-established by Austrian settlers in 1777 and used for the salve trade. The fortress was even attacked by French pirates in 1796 but currently, the fortress is used as a Military History Museum.

We walked around the fort accompanied by beautiful classical piano music. I thought it was a CD playing but when we walked into one of the rooms, we saw a man seated at a piano, his fingers gently gliding across the keys, producing delicate music for us to enjoy as we viewed the local goods for sale at the various stalls.

When Neil could finally drag me away from the piano music, we made our way to the railway station, a delicate minty green building that shows the European colonial era of the country. It was built in front of the Praca dos Trabalhadores which means Workers Square. In the middle of the square, in front of the railway station you will find a large monument of a lady holding a sword, erected in memory of all those who died in World War II.

From the train station our day got more exciting and soon we would meet our tuk-tuk driver who would enhance our Maputo experience. We hired a tuk-tuk and he promised to show us the sites around Maputo. We gave him Carte Blanche on what to show us and away we went.

Our first tour stop was the Mercado Municipal, the central market which is frequented daily by the locals to do their grocery shopping.


To me, the market resembled that of an Italian market with its various stalls set out in an organised fashion per categories.

My favourite stall, without a doubt, was the cashew nut store (obviously) as this is one of the reasons I knew I would love Mozambique.


I love those delicious tasting bean shaped gold nuggets and being able to eat them every day of the holiday was a little slice of heaven for me.


The lady was very friendly and even told me to mix some peri-peri spice into the nuts while Neil took a photo.

With a 2kg bag of cashew nuts under my arm and a big smile on my face, we walked out the market and continued our tour.

One definitely feels the European and more specifically, the Portuguese influence on this country. It is evident in the buildings, people and cultural. The Natural Science Museum is a beautiful Moorish style building that was worth a stop.

Driving along Marginal Avenue, on route to Costa del Sol, we saw men selling wagon loads of coconuts. I exclaimed in delight as I love coconut and immediately our tuk-tuk driver made a quick u-turn and a stop at one of the wagons.

The man chopped away the hard green skin around the coconut with a large panga to expose a softer beige flesh.


We were then instructed to stick a straw through the top and viola! A fresh coconut cocktail.

At Costa del Sol we decided to take a walk along the beach and enjoy a cold beer because in South Africa you definitely cannot drink a beer on the beach. What a novelty we truly abused this holiday.

For me, the walk along the beach was a highlight as I got the chance to see the natural flow of the local people and really let the notion that I am in Africa set in.

All along the road one can see local take-away restaurants. In front of the restaurant the women are braaing chickens in half drums and to the back, on the beach, are tables and chairs where you can enjoy your meal with an ocean view.

It was getting quite late in the day so we decided to stop at cafe Mundo in Palano which is the fancier area of Maputo. At this point we said goodbye to our tuk-tuk driver and enjoyed some more local beer and nacho’s at the cafe.

On the way back to the guest house we took a walk through Jardim de Namorados. It is a lovely garden with a beautiful view over Palano and the Indian Ocean. We saw many wedding couples, at least three, who came to the gardens to take pictures. Apparently this is the place to come and take your wedding photos and rightly so.

As we sat on a bench under a large tree and enjoyed our ice cream, we watched the delights of the garden unfold; happy wedding couples taking photos of their special day, a young boy playing guitar for two beautiful young girls and little children running around playing catch while their parents sat chatting.

On suggestion by Celia, we ended our night at the restaurant Cristal and had a taste of the local dishes.

My first day in Mozambique was so overwhelming. It was the first time I have travelled to another African country and my brain was so busy absorbing all the new sites, sounds, tastes and emotions.


The stimulation was inspiring and for the first time, in a long time, I was smiling and laughing from the heart.


I felt alive.


And our journey was only beginning...

Caught in the Rain

MTB in Jonkershoek Nature Reserve

Jonkershoek Nature Reserve

On Sunday morning our cycling group for the day met at the entrance to Jonkershoek Nature Reserve. I think we were all a little hesitant to start our cycle as we looked up at the grey clouds above. However, seeing the glass as half full and the blue sky peeking through the gloomy clouds, we decided to tackle the circular route of the nature reserve.

When entering the reserve, the signboards indicate that you should take the right fork in the road to do the circular route but we decided to go left and search for the MTB trails that go up into the pine plantations. Soon after we started our cycle, we came across a green signboard indicating a trail but we thought we would continue a little further to see if there were other trails. However, the next sign we saw was a black route indicating a short single track trail through a rocky patch back to the main gate so we continued on the circular route.

The route did include some uphill climbs but nothing too alarming. They are gradual and although they might leave you panting when you reach the top, they are manageable, i.e. I did not push my bike up the hill.  However, if you are unfit, a little pushing may be required.

Just a little push.



The route carried on into the valley with gradual hills, speedy downhill and even a thrilling river crossing.

With every glance you took, your breath was taken away by the beauty that surrounded you, even on this overcast day.

About two years ago, devastating fires ravaged through the mountains of Stellenbosch, Helderberg and Grabouw. Although you can still see some damage made by the fires, the vegetation has recovered and is growing steadily again, renewing the beauty to the valley.

The natural vegetation of the Jonkershoek is predominately mountain fynbos and we saw lovely white proteas and pink ericas on the surrounding slopes.  Although not indigenous, you will also see Oak trees along the bank of the river. These trees have been allowed to remain because of their unique historical value to the area. 



Cycling through mountain fynbos.





Young regrowth of vegetation.



We passed through an enchanting avenue of trees lined with bright yellow daisy bushes. The warm yellow blended beautifully with the wintry brown leaves still dangling on the trees.

Passing through an enchanting avenue of trees.

Soon afterwards we arrived at the top of the circular route and had a quick pit stop by the Eerste River, absorbing the beauty of the valley and giving us a chance to catch our breath.

Pit stop at Eerste River.

Although the Eerste, Berg, Lourens and Riviersonderend rivers have their sources high in these mountains, only the Eerste River actually flows through the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve.

The Eerste River rises on Dwarsberg in Jonkershoek and flows through Stellenbosch before the main tributary, the Kuils River joins it, finally flowing into False Bay at Macassar Beach. The river has been measured to be 40km in length.

Eerste River.

Heading back towards the exit of the reserve, enjoying the lovely sunshine that temporarily won its battle with the gloomy clouds; I had a much unexpected and unpleasant surprise.

Heading back to the entrance.

As the rest of the group cycled ahead I heard a distinct thumping coming from behind me. Looking behind me I saw my back tyre was completely flat. This was a total shock to me as I have never got a flat tyre before and I thought my Mongoose was indestructible, plus I forgot my emergency bag with the spare tyre at home.

With the rest of the group far ahead by now I was in a total dilemma. What do I do, how do I call for help? So I did what any girl in distress would do in a beautiful nature reserve, I jumped off my bike, started pushing and started taking pretty pictures while I waited for my knight in shining armour to come rescue me. I knew sooner or later, the rest of the group would come looking for me.

Beautiful view of the valley.

Simply lovely.

The warm sun illuminating the mountain.

Luckily Neil had his puncture repair kit and mended my tyre for me. All in time before the drizzle started falling.



Who knew a flat tyre could be so amusing.

O no, a bit more serious but look at that view.



A very important fact to note when you visit Jonkershoek is that the mountainous topography has a significant effect on the rainfall. It is the highest in South Africa which for us, on this day, translated into a light drizzle that turned into a torrential downpour.

This was not a concern for us at first as we were hastily heading downhill towards the exit and would soon be enjoying a cup of something hot at the Jonkershoek Coffee Shop. However, it did prove a problem as I discovered my tyre completely deflated again.  What luck! So once again, I climbed off my bike and pushed for about 2km back to the exit of the reserve with the rest of the group keeping me company in the pouring rain.

Bridge crossing before reaching the entrance to the reserve.

I don’t need to say we were absolutely drenched and a cup of hot chocolate has never tasted as good as it did on this day.

At one point, when the rain drops were falling off my helmet onto my face, it was truly a moment where I threatened to ring Murphy’s neck if I ever found him. Of all the times to get a flat tyre, Murphy would pick a real winter’s day, like this Sunday. But I still couldn’t stop myself from smiling and laughing, secretly thanking him because now I had a story to tell and a day I’ll never forget.

Read this month's journey through words...

Mountain Biking on Bottelary Hills

The 9^th of April 2011 marked the opening day of the Bottelary Hills MTB Trails and a few of us hopped on our bikes and helped inaugurate the new tracks on a lovely, warm autumn day. Joining the Tygerberg Mountain Bike Club, we explored the beautiful hills of Bottelary.

 

There are many reasons to cycle the new Bottelary Hills mountain bike routes and for these reasons I have since done the route a second time, just last weekend in fact. Although it was freezing cold, it was well worth it. Any day doing something you like in the fresh open air of nature is rewarding.

Starting point at Middelvlei.

Easily Accessible

There are three starting points that make the routes easily accessible to all biking enthusiasts. From Stellenbosch you can start your cycle at Middelvlei and from the Bottelary Road you can buy permits at Hazendal or The Only One Restaurant at the entrance to Hartenberg. 

Conquering a hill.

Spoilt for Choice

There are routes for all levels of riders, from beginners to the super fit. The terrain consists mostly of jeep tracks although there are single tracks too.

Riders have the choice of five routes, ranging from 6km to 18.5km and climbs from 160m to 600m.


Day permits are available for R30 at each starting point. 

 

And another one.



However, no matter how easy or gruelling of a ride you take, all routes meander and climb through the vineyards and protected Renosterveld.

You will be rewarded for your efforts with inspiring views, a taste of farm life and the opportunity to spot local birds and animals, maybe even a jackal or bush buck.

Routes meander through vineyards and Renosterveld.


 

Be a Part of Saving the Renosterveld

The trails were opened by the Bottelary Hills Renosterveld Conservancy (BHRC) to further their conservation efforts in the area. 

The BHRC was formed when concerned landowners expressed their need to protect the endangered fauna and flora species in the area. Together with Cape Nature Conservation, a program was initiated to protect the remaining Renosterveld on the hill, rehabilitate sensitive areas and reintroduce species lost to the area.

  

Forktailed Drongo.

Bird Watching

The BHRC is home to over a 100 species of birds. On our cycles we spotted a Forktailed Drongo frolicking in a tree, a Jackal Buzzard perched on a pole among the vines and Guineafowls and Francolins hurriedly trying to escape our oncoming crunching tyres.

We were even fortunate enough to hear the call of an African Fish Eagle. To me there is no other sound that says you are immersed in nature better than the distinctive call of this majestic bird.

To our surprise, we even saw two Eastern White Pelicans. We were observing two birds gliding gently through the air, they were rather large and we could not identify them.  We noticed they had settled on a dam and when we cycled past we stopped to have a closer look and to our astonishment we saw Pelicans, greedily scooping up water in their large expandable beaks.

 



The Stellenbsoch Winelands with Simonsberg in the background.

Visit Famous Wine Farms

All routes cross over the private land of the landowners and riders are privileged enough to enjoy some of the most famous wine farms in the area such as Hazendal, Hartenberg and Middelvlei, to name but a few.

When we returned from our cycle on Sunday we thought that we would enjoy a steaming cup of coffee at Middelvlei to warm our weary, chilly bodies.

It was a wonderful experience as we enjoyed fresh farm coffee brewed on the fire as well as indulged in warm potbrood fresh from the stove; so warm and fresh that the butter immediately melted on it, mouth watering.

Boere koffie and potbrood.

If you do start your cycle at Middelvlei, don’t forget to visit the three Wallabies that share their enclosure with mountain tortoises. They are the smallest breed of Wallabies.

Middelvlei has many farm friends one can visit, including potbelly pigs, donkeys, chickens, pygmy goats and roaming cows.



Foreign and local farm friends at Middelvlei.



Stellenbosch mountain blanketed in a coat of clouds.



Enjoy Incredible Views

Riders can indulge in the scenic beauty of the Winelands, enjoy the incredible views of Table Mountain, as well as the Stellenbosch Mountains, stretching into the Helderberg Mountain range and views over False Bay.

For more information on the MTB routes browse the website http://bottelaryhillsmtb.co.za/ 

For more information on Bottelary Hills Renosterveld Conservancy  go to http://www.bottelaryconservancy.co.za/