Kodachrome Nostalgia

This week I decided to blog about our two trips to explore farming and dairy opportunities in Mozambique in 2014 and 2015. Then, I started to look on my computer for pictures. At this point, I realized that both Phil and I really suck at naming our saved photo files (mainly me, mainly I suck at naming my files. Example: "Misc.") Some are named by dates, and frankly, who remembers what you ate for breakfast let alone the month, day, year, you went where? What seems like a couple of months ago turns out to be a couple of years ago. How does that happen?!

I started thinking about all of the actual photographs I have in storage; the photographs my mom has nicely cataloged and stored away neatly; and, the chaotic collage of digital photographs that are seemingly spread out among various external drives, hard drives, non-functioning computers, USBs, etc. Gone is the pleasure of a glossy photograph held tightly in your hands; an appreciation... knowing that the person who captured a particular moment or pose had only one chance to get it right. In its stead, a plethora of digital images too numerous to count, and yet such a joy to find and rediscover the multiple memories that digital photos give us rather than a roll of 24 Kodachrome prints. I suppose technology has its perks, but digital photographs will never replace that fit of pure pissed-off anger when the film you sent in and waited for two weeks to develop comes back blank. Ha! Nostalgia.

Welcome to Mozambique!

The first thing that struck me once we crossed the border from South Africa into Mozambique were the colors: bright, bold, and chaotic. And people - everywhere! The border crossing itself is chaotic. People approach you from all over trying to sell you something. The official language is Portuguese, which makes it even more difficult. Phil had been to Mozambique a few times before so he told me to ignore everyone and follow him. The first thing we had to do was buy insurance for the car. And, you are also required to have triangles and a reflector jacket in the car along with this triangle on the front. Mozambique is the only country that requires this sticker; and, we found out that the police will stop you, try to confiscate your driver's license, and ask for payment (bribe). It's one of the times where we pulled the, "I'm an American, man! I've got rights!" LOL. Yeah, like they care.

 This is a small stand in South Africa along the highway selling fruits and veg. I stopped for grapes.

This is what it looks like once you cross the border into Mozambique.

The gobs of goods available on the side of the road is staggering. Who needs a grocery store?! This is the epitome of "fast food".

We saw this dangerous, albeit colorful, site throughout Maputo carrying men and women.






















We even found miniature statues of Samora Machel, the first President of Mozambique after Independence from Portugal in 1975, along the road to Xai-Xai. President Machel died, controversially, in a plane crash in 1986.

And, my favorite kind of road side goods - baskets! I love my baskets. :) So happy!

The food is a wonderful combination of spices, sea food, Portuguese and African flavors. And french fries. (FYI - Portuguese = HOT.)

King prawns. I loved them, except they still have their eyeballs and shells. Just have to man-up and dig in!

I just wanted to eat. Seriously.

















Drinking Mozambican beer - it wasn't too bad. You can't tell by the look on my face, though.

They really are delish!

Our first trip in 2014 was immediately after the Komati River flooded. This is our MilkAfric 2004 Touareg - a tried and true vehicle. (See the triangle that is required on the front of the vehicle?)

The Komati River in normal times, 2015, upon our return. A calmer version within its banks.

We didn't actually stay in Maputo, we stayed on an island called Catembe. It was extremely difficult finding accommodation for our team that was under $500 US per room. Mozambique might be a struggling, rebuilding country, but you would not think so with such exorbitant hotel prices.  But, staying on the island of Catembe meant we had to ferry across to Maputo each morning and return each night. Fun the first time, not so fun the rest of the week. Each ride we were charged something different than the locals. Not understanding the language and being a foreigner, you pay whatever the asking price is. Their monetary system is Meticais, and was quite confusing to me.  One US dollar equals 68 Meticais. 

Our ferry: 

The beautiful coastline of the capital city, Maputo.

I did find a lovely, out of the way for sure, hotel on the island. This is the view from our balcony. The general consensus is, Catembe will be "the" place to go in the near future. I have to say, apart from the constant need for a ferry, it was perfect.

I don't know if you can see it in this pic or not, but this guy is rowing. He is rowing in the Indian Ocean! Catching prawns? Fish? Sun up to sun down.

After approximately four days of ferrying back and forth to Maputo, the majority of our group departed for Botswana and we moved inland to the Southern Sun Hotel.

 Last ferry, relief!

Apart from all of the foods available at the road side stands, the most beautiful fabrics are also at your passenger side fingertips. See make-shift wrap. The downside, you stop at a red light and you're accosted by ten people eager for you to buy.

It's worrisome to me that the Chinese are everywhere in southern Africa. More often than not, their workmanship is shoddy, they pay absolutely no heed to environmental concerns, and they exploit their own imported Chinese workers, and African workers. Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, all have a large Chinese influx that includes construction, mining, clothing, etc. Chinese are investing heavily in Africa, it's a market the US widely ignores. 

Mozambique is the only country that I have visited that suffered through Independence after being colonized by Portugal, and then shortly after, experienced a civil war. FRELIMO fought the Portuguese, it was the ruling party of Samora Machel, and RENAMO was the rebel army. There is so much history here that includes Rhodesia / Zimbabwe, and South Africa, more than I can include in a Friday blog - or that I will ever ascertain. Interesting fact, after Samora Machel died, his widow ended up marrying Nelson Mandela. Graca Machel became the only woman to be First Lady of two countries. The civil war (and today it has reignited in certain districts) contributed to the chaos and corruption that exists in Mozambique today. Some of the after-effects from both the civil war and independence are many an abandoned building. 

Below: This particular massive, beautiful building is a hotel in Xai-Xai (pronounced "shy-shy"). Once a glorious get-away for many a South African and/or white/European tourist before the civil war, today sits like an eerie African-like replica of "The Shining". You can only get there via a four-wheel vehicle through a dirt track and some fantastic sand dunes. It's worth it. Speaking of Kodachrome, I took these pics digitally with my Canon, but as I waited to upload them to my computer, I recognized that old feeling of anticipation... I half-way expected to see some sort of apparition in my shots.

 Even the beach is deserted for miles - except for the millions of crabs!

It was a surreal place. Imagine, people laughing, sharing a drink, spending the weekend on this beautiful coast and then - war. The hotel sits abandoned, as if everyone got up one morning and walked out, never to be seen or heard from again....

Leaving you with my last nostalgia pic, "I'd like to place a collect call....Mama don't take my Kodachrome away..."

Compare and Contrast

Compare and contrast: remember those words on pick-any-exam or homework assignment? Those words either caused your stomach to drop, or your heart to race, depending on how knowledgeable you were about the subject. So, dear readers, today -- for fun -- we'll compare and contrast. I think you'll be surprised at the similarities between southern Africa / Botswana and the United States, and appreciate the acute differences that make both countries special.

We started our Sunday with a trip to Gaborone. Phil had a meeting at 1130, I went to one of the shopping malls and had lunch and window shopped a bit. This was our drive - we no longer have to go the 80 k's out of the way to Gaborone. Although the bridge is not fixed, the wonderful BDF (Botswana Defence Force) erected a military bridge for general passage over the original bridge. The buses that want to cross must unload their passengers and then traverse the bridge picking them up on the other side. They can't cross the make shift bridge with passengers inside the bus. Sounds kinda precarious to me! But this is a bridge that has been built for tanks. No semi-truck traffic has been allowed at this point.

 
 

 

After the meeting and lunch were finished we headed to the SPCA - yes, there is an SPCA in Gaborone, rescuing plenty of stray dogs and cats. We adopted two male kitties, Sachin and Tiger, welcome! Only downside is, they don't do "kitty litter" here - so it's sand and dirt from outside. It works exactly the same way - only difference is dirt doesn't mask the odor as nicely. :)

 Cats google. It's a thing. Google it.

SPCA:

And - as a side note, one of my favorite things: gas station attendants. You never have to get out of your car. Welcome back, 1980!! They pump your gas, check your oil, tire pressure, clean your windshield - AND - they will bring a hands free swipe machine to run your ATM / credit card. How cool is THAT?! Swipey, swipey!

 Wednesday we made a trip to Mosi (pronounced moo-see) to have a look at some of the farmers' crops, see their progress as to whether or not the excessive rains have hurt or helped the crop. It's about an 80k trip one way. These are some of the shots I took along the way in rural southern Botswana.

Many still use donkey carts - primarily to transport wood, etc.

 A "tuck shop" or here as it is written "t" shop - for tuck - is just a small building, or make-shift building where small goods, like Coca-Cola, candy, cough drops, etc. are sold. I see the kids after school stopping at some of the road side shops to buy "energy", like a sucker (lollie), a piece of gum. A tuck shop will likely sell single cigarettes for those who can't afford a whole pack, and air time (pre-paid cellular minutes).

Not sure what happened here, it doesn't really look like a crash, but you can see the wing damage.

This is a typical cemetery. The graves are covered with a wrought iron housing and then draped with a shade cloth.

An ambulance - it's a Toyota. (So, Connie and Doug, just in case you'd like to experience being an EMT in Botswana....)

Road construction - all signs are in English.

Where agriculture meets town, not an unusual site in rural Iowa, either!

 Ironically, these cows know exactly where to cross. Hahahahaha!

A baby stroller (or pram) is a luxury - most women wrap their child in a blanket and strap them onto their backs to remain mobile. This lucky baby gets the hat for protection against the sun.

Dodging traffic and goats, just another day on the road!

Inspecting the corn. It's a bit thin - stalk wise, but tall.

 "But do not go in fear, Grasshopper. Fear is eternal darkness. Go instead with inner strength."

 "Is this Iowa?" :)

 Sorghum crops.

On the way home, we passed a government school (public) just as the kids were walking home. This particular school is situated in between two towns / villages so kids have to walk home. No such thing as a school bus. Pictured below you'll see both the school and kids of all ages enjoying their walk home. Uniforms are a requirement whether it's a public or private school. I am always surprised when I see the young ones traipsing along so confidently. It makes me sad that we have lost that ability in the states to allow our kids to walk safely from home to school and back. And then I remember the days when it was 5 below zero, had to walk five miles one way, uphill, and walked backward to avoid the harsh wind. Thanks, Mom!

Typical house in Botswana, wood is a material that is used very sparingly in housing construction. And oddly, there isn't any such thing as a screen for the window. There are "burglar bars" which prevents anyone from entering a house through a window - but nothing to prevent creepy crawly's, specifically I'm thinking about mosquitoes. Nothing like being bitten at 1 a.m. on your elbow.

Some road side animals:

 Phil took this pic of a beautiful Brahman cow against the back drop of the dilapidated Sesa Bar, and I did not realize until I enlarged it there are three donkeys coming out of the building. Which reminds me of a joke, three donkeys went into a bar, one says to the other two......

This is actually a problem in the sense that many people graze their cattle (there are 4.5 million cattle in Botswana and 2 million people, but before you think wow - there are like 7 million pigs in Iowa against 3 million people!) along the side of the road. Free range style. The number of times we've driven at night to practically have a heart attack while slamming on the brakes before hitting a donkey or a cow! It's extremely advisable not to drive at night.

I'll leave you with these parting shots, one of my favorite things to take pictures of: lovely ladies and their colorful umbrellas. No one likes the direct singe-worthy heat from the Botswana sun.

My apologies for the blog set up, some pics are this way, some are that way....I'm still learning. Happy Friday everyone, enjoy your weekend! Mom - get the Reuben!