#Marcial Simões de Freitas e Costa | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

suetravelblog · 7 years ago

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Statue of Samora Moises Machel Independence Square

After the first few days in Maputo, I wondered if a month would be too much time here. I’ve felt that way about other places in my travels, only to shed a tear when it was time to leave. Maputo isn’t an easy city. There are challenges – sketchy public transportation and infrastructure, poor signage, a significant language barrier, and hot, humid tropical weather. Adjusting has been difficult but worth experiencing Mozambique.

It’s beneficial to get out of your comfort zone and see life from another perspective. It takes me several days to acclimate and find my way around a new city. In a month, there’s time to get comfortable with the environment and then dig deeper. Each day ends with a better understanding of the new culture.

Fort Vista

Maputo Walking Tour Groups

For the past few days, I’ve concentrated on major attractions in central Maputo. Different tour guides have taught me about Maputo’s culture and history. One local group – Maputo a Pé – is knowledgeable and well-connected with local clubs and expat organizations like the French and American cultural centers. Their information office is near the entrance to Jardim Tunduru Botanical Gardens. I’ve appreciated their help and plan to go on their “art safari” and walks to Mafalala and other African barrios.

Relief of Portuguese Soldiers and King Ngungunhane

Walking on concrete for extended periods of time takes its toll. Maputo’s sidewalks are a mess with cracked cement and cars. People park on the sidewalks here almost blocking them completely! This forces pedestrians to walk in the street until they can connect with safe pavement. I’m getting accustomed to it now, but it’s dangerous. Drivers are careless and unconcerned about pedestrians who clearly don’t have the right-of-way. The police don’t seem to do much about the atrocious parking or bad driving.

Central Market

One of my guides – Hendy Mario of Maputo Free Walking Tour – leads walks around Maputo’s major historical sites. Hendy is Mozambican. His wife is from Georgia USA. Hendy grew up on the Island of Mozambique (Ilha de Mocambique), a remote fishing village on a “crescent-shaped coral island” in northern Mozambique. The island is noted for its mixture of European, Arabic, and Indian cultures. For centuries it was a Portuguese trading post on the route to India and considered the “capital and trading centre of Portuguese East Africa“.

Hendy Tour Guide

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“The entire Ilha de Mocambique is barely two miles long and a few hundred yards wide. It’s been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.”

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Hendy’s tour was set up like those I enjoyed in Prague. You aren’t obliged to pay a set fee. Instead, you pay the guide what the tour was worth to you. I learned much from Hendy and thought the time was well spent.

Our Lady of Conception Cathedral

We walked the central area where Hendy pointed out various buildings and talked about their history. Many of the buildings are described in Phillip Schauer’s book Maputo Architectural and Tourist Guide, a valuable reference when the dull brain fails.

Statue Portuguese Monument to the Great War

Hendy’s tour concentrates on major historical attractions, some I’d visited previously on my own. He gave me more insight and taught me about African ethnic culture in Mozambique. – the subject of a separate blog post. There are about twelve ethnic groups in Mozambique:

Makua

Sena

Shona

Tsonga

Maconde

Yao

Swahili

Tonga

Chopi

Ngoni

Ndau

European and Mestiço (mixed African and European)

Central Maputo Attractions

We met at the Hotel Pestana Rovuma café near Praca da Independencia (Independence Square) and our first stop was Nossa Senhorha da Conceicao (Our Lady of Conception). The beautiful Cathedral is a well-known landmark in Maputo with a tall single spire and stained-glass interior. Marcial Simões de Freitas e Costa completed building the church in 1944.

French Cultural Center

There was a large funeral gathering at the cathedral with many government cars parked on the grounds. I didn’t think it appropriate to walk inside but will return later to see the interior artwork and stained glass.

Across the street from the cathedral we visited City Hall (Conselho Municipal) or Municipal Council in French “Beau Arts” style. The architects were Carlos Cesar do Santos, Franz Keindl, and Arnaldo Pacheco Pereira Leite. Completed in 1947, the words of the former President of the Portuguese Republic Americo Tomas – “Aqui e Portugal” (This is Portugal) – were inscribed on the front of the building but removed after Mozambique won independence.

Joaquim Augusto Mouzinho de Albuquerque, Portuguese Cavalry

An imposing Statue of Samora Machel dominates Independence Square. Machel was a follower of Eduardo Chivambo Mondlane, the assassinated leader and founder of The Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO). Machel became Mozambique’s first President from 1975 to 1986. He died in an air crash in South Africa under suspicious circumstances.

Wooden Coffin of Ngungunhane

Ngungunhane

His widow, Graça Machel, later married South African President Nelson Mandela. She is an international advocate for women’s and children’s rights. In 1997 she became a British dame for her humanitarian work.

Maputo Beach

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Graça Machel is the only woman in history to have been first lady of two separate republics, serving as the First Lady of Mozambique from 1975 to 1986 and the First Lady of South Africa from 1998 to 1999.

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Built by the Portuguese, after Mozambique gained independence in 1975, the square’s name changed to Praça da Independência. Samora Machel’s statue replaced an equestrian statue of Joaquim Augusto Mouzinho de Albuquerque, a Portuguese cavalry officer. Albuquerque’s statue was moved to a museum in the old fort with other remnants from the era of Portuguese rule.

We passed the Iron House near the botanical garden. Designed by an associate of Eiffel in the late 19th century. Intended as a residence, the house’s metal-plated exterior was unsuitable for tropical weather. Inside there was a display of some interesting pieces by local artists – all made from bullets and other remnants of Mozambique’s civil war.

Avenida Buildings

I’ve visited Tunduru Botanical Gardens a few times to take a break from the heat and busy city streets. Trees in the park are magnificent. Hendy pointed out a colony of fruit bats that made the park their home. You can see them hanging in the trees – can’t believe I missed them.

On the way to the fort we passed interesting buildings including the Avenida buildings which burnt down in a 1990 fire and have never been restored. In a prime location in central Maputo, they were built in the early 1900s for Gerard Pott, a South African and the Honorary Consul of Transvaal.

Graça Machel

Another interesting building that has seen better days is the TAP (Portuguese National Airline) or Montepio (Portuguese Savings Bank) building. It has a colorful abstract mosaic painted on the façade. After many uses over the years, it’s now an apartment building with a dramatic interior staircase.

Central Market

We continued to restored Fortaleza da Nossa Senhora da Conceicao, the Portuguese built the fort in the mid-19th century. The fort’s museum houses “remnants from the era of early Portuguese forays to the area”. The sealed, carved wooden coffin of Ngungunhane – “final ruler of the famed kingdom of Gaza” is on display in one of the side rooms.

Montepio Building

In another area of the museum, local Mozambican artists crafted beautiful detailed wooden carvings depicting scenes from the Portuguese takeover up until the Africans won their independence. The battle for independence was fierce and brutal, and many lost their lives. The Africans fought on foot using primitive weapons, while the Portuguese had horses and guns!

We ended the tour at CFM Railway Station (Caminho de Ferro de Mocambique). The beautiful Victorian building was designed in 1920 by an associate of Gustave Eiffel. It has a wrought iron roof dome and marble for the outside pillars and arches. It’s considered one the ten most beautiful train stations in the world.

Local Art from Civil War Remnants

A Monument to the Great War stands in front of the train station. It represents the “efforts and sacrifices of the Portuguese and Mozambicans in the First World War”. The statue is considered more of a Portuguese memorial “representing the sacrifices of the Portuguese in repelling the German invasion of northern Mozambique”.

After Mozambique gained independence from Portugal in 1975, the Minister of Transportation wanted to destroy the Monument to the Great War, but the “multi-ton hunk of steel-reinforced concrete made that difficult. Today it remains as a monument to Mozambique’s territorial integrity”.

Old Engine Central Train Station

“Local legend surrounding this statue states that it honours a courageous woman who rid the area of a deadly cobra (rising up from the woman’s feet), which had killed many local people. The notorious creature met its match when it plunged to its death into a boiling cauldron of porridge balancing on the woman’s head. It’s definitely one of the landmarks of Mozambique’s capital.”

Iron House

I thought about taking the train from Maputo to Cape Town in March but after talking with several locals, realize it would be a long, uncomfortable trip and with frequent stops could take up to 7+ days. I’ll fly instead.

Portuguese Fort Vista

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“Inhaca Island reefs are among the most southerly in the world. Since 1976 parts of the island and surrounding waters are a marine reserve with over 300 species of birds recorded.”

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Maputo Beach

Nature Reserves, Inhaca Island Snorkeling, Ponta do Ouro

Many of Mozambique’s nature reserves are either closed through March for the rainy season or beyond my budget. I’m planning a snorkeling trip to Inhaca island in Maputo Bay and perhaps Ponta do Ouro. Inhaca island is a marine research centre known for its coral reefs. Ponta do Ouro is south of Mozambique near the South African border. Getting to both locations can be complicated and involves ferries and booking in advance.

Central Maputo Mozambique After the first few days in Maputo, I wondered if a month would be too much time here.

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