Maputo, Mozambique

Hi All,

This morning we arrived in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique.  This is what the city looked like from the ship.

We took a city tour.

Our first stop was the beautiful train station.  

Waiting for the train.

Lined up to buy tickets.

These cars have been around a while.

A contrast in modes of transportation, our ship in the background.

This clock was in the station, this is one side of it.

 And the other side, hmmm.

Next we went to this fort that was built by the Portuguese in the 1500s.

The Portuguese ruled Mozambique from the mid 1500s.  After a nasty war with Portuguese colonial forces, the nation’s independence was won in 1975.  These reliefs in the fort show Portuguese brutalization of the country’s natives.

Most city tours seem to involve a church, today was no exception.  We visited this Catholic cathedral.  

The church has some beautiful stained glass.

These kids were outside the church.  Kids are the same everywhere, adorable.

A couple typical apartment buildings.

Notice the colorful painting on the side of this one.

This house was built by Gustave Eiffel.  He also built that little tower in Paris.  The house is made from metal.  Originally intended to be the Governor’s home, it turned out to be too hot to live in under Maputo’s tropical conditions, and it is now a museum.

This new government building is being built by a Chinese company.

Some views from our tour bus.

Flower market

Some roadside commerce, selling belts.

We saw lots of banana vendors.

Kids at a concert.

Next stop was a botanical garden.

 

Beautiful flowers everywhere.

Finally we went to the natural history museum.

Lots of animal displays

This zebra was not having a good day.

These kids were on a trip to the museum.  Can you tell that they loved having their picture taken.

So that is a look at Maputo.  It is a hectic, fairly modern, and seemingly prosperous  city.  We did not see the poverty that we saw in Madagascar.  Our guide said we were lucky to be visiting on Saturday because the weekday traffic is very congested.  We bought a couple wooden bowls.  These had to be surrendered when we returned to the ship.  They will be placed in a freezer for 72 hours to make sure any bugs and their eggs are eliminated.  The items will then be delivered bug free to our stateroom.  We sail this evening for our first port in South Africa, Richards Bay.  We will be going on an all day tour of a nature preserve.  Bye for now.

Jerry and Helen

Taolanaro, Madagascar

Hi All,

Now at sea on our way to Mozambique.  Yesterday we visited our second and last port in Madagascar, the city of Taolanaro.  Before I describe our very nice tour, I'll write a few words about Madagascar.  

About the size of France, Madagascar is the 4th largest island in the world.  Once a French colony, it gained independence in 1960.  The country then went through a period of political upheavals, coup d’etats, etc.   The current constitutional government was established in 2014 with the election of Hery Rajaonarimampianina (I hope he wasn’t a write in candidate ).  In 2012, the population was estimated at just over 22 million, 90% of whom live on less than two dollars a day.  This is a very very poor country, certainly one of the poorest we have ever visited.

Madagascar has an amazing ecosystem.  Approximately 90% of all animal and plant species on the island are found no where else in the world.  This distinctive ecology has led some to call Madagascar the “eighth continent.”  For example, the island is home to 170 palm tree species, of which 165 are endemic to Madagascar.  Three fourths of Madagascar’s 860 orchid species are found here alone.  Many native plant species are used as herbal remedies for a variety of ailments.  The drugs Vinblastine and Vincristine, used to treat Hodgkin’s disease, leukemia and other cancers, were derived from the Madagascar periwinkle.

Like its flora, Madagascar’s fauna exhibits a high rate of endemism.  Lemurs are the stars of the show.  Everyone loves these cuties!  As of 2012, 103 species of Lemurs have been identified.  Unfortunately, almost all are classified as rare, vulnerable, or endangered.  Many of Madagascar’s endemic species are threatened by deforestation.  Some estimates are that all the island’s rainforests will be gone by 2025.

So that is a bit of information about this amazing island (Thank you Wikipedia.  You really didn’t think I knew all this stuff, did you?)  Now on to our tour yesterday to a botanical garden/zoo, the city, and a beach.  This was a ship’s tour for 18 people in a small bus.  As we headed to our first stop at the garden, we saw lots of locals walking along the road.  Many were carrying loads on their head.

A basket of fish

Waiting for a bus.

As our bus passed kids, they all wanted candy.  We have been told it is not a good idea to give children in these developing countries candy due to the lack of dental care.

A rice paddy.

It is easy to see from these houses that this is a poor country.

 

The botanical garden was a beautiful walk through a tropical forest.

Many flowers including these hibiscus.

The famous Madagascar Traveler's palm.

Some very tall bamboo trees.  They made a squeaky noise as they rubbed together in the wind.

This plant is a carnivore.  At the top of the picture you can see one the traps that it uses to catch insects.

These crocodile were scary even behind a fence, and they smelled bad.

A turtle family

Ringtail Lemurs

This man feeds the Lemurs.  Some of them jumped into his boat as he approached the island they live on.

How do I get off this thing?  Lemurs don’t swim.

Doesn’t this one looks like a cat from the rear (with a really big tail).

After the botanical garden we headed for the city.  We passed this large and very hectic market.

Chickens going to market

Part of the island’s deforestation problem is related to the use of charcoal.  These bikes are loaded with charcoal for sale.

Finally we made a stop at a beach to relax and have a cold drink.  Some people went swimming, but we did not.  We could see our ship from the beach.

So, that was our day in Madagascar.  It really is an amazing place, but its people have been victimized by a sucession of failed and corrupt governments.  Hopefully the future will be brighter for these mostly impoverished people.  Time will tell.

We are now on the first of two sea days on our way to Mozambique, another country that has faced many challenges.  Will report from there in a couple days.  We are now 2/3s through the cruise with 39 days remaining.

Jer and Helen