Mozambique paradise

Rich and I went to check out a non profit group in Beira Mozambique. We had been to Ethiopia last spring so knew a little of what to expect. However the average life here was quite different than in Addis Ababa. We landed in Maputo (the capital) and drove up the coast of about half of the country's length. Stopping in Vilenkulos for a couple days of beach time, we were amazed to see the village still unaffected by the tourism industry. Yes there were a couple of resorts spotted along the beach but right along side of them were people living in grass huts cooking over fires, carrying water or large capalana wrapped packages on top of their heads. Villagers walking for miles instead of driving (if there was a car in town it was because they were a visitor). There seemed to be a strange dichotomy of life. Barter and trade markets with people selling freshly caught crabs and home grown vegetables. My favorite time here was spent sketching in this market, stinky fish and BO filled the air with people almost piled on top of each other selling there goodies (exactly the same as their neighbor's goodies). What a scene for visual inspiration. I loved the stilted canopy with mismatched hand tied ripped fabric over each person's three sq ft of space, stretching across the entire yard like a single rooftop (only about 4 feet high).

At first I got the evil eye, when sketching someone's portrait. But then after a few moments of feeling squirmy and uncomfortable with me looking right at them, they noticed that it was a sketch of them. Suddenly they were filed with joy and excitement, they were shocked to see themselves that way, as if it was a miraculous invention or something. Perhaps this was my favorite way of bonding with them. Children patiently watching, mothers proudly waiting to see their profiles. One woman was very proud of a scar on her chin and was insistent that it appear just so. I have always been attracted to painting or sketching such beautiful people as these, but to be here LIVE in Africa!! Wow, I was loving it.

 These kids chased Rich around to see his phone, which he had taken pictures and videos of them on. They seemed as if they really had never seen such a thing, like they were in a different world. They were!! Moments such as this were a dime a dozen here. People live such simple lives, humble, wholesome, unpolluted. Women were stellar. They were definitely the work labor force here, no cattle sowing fields, no mules or horse drawn carts like in Addis, not even hand carts. Occasionally a wheel barrel, but everything was carried on their heads. The girls above teamed up to crunch the corn grits for porridge in their native american style mortar and pestle, what a work out.
Our time here in Vilenkulos was bliss but too short. Beach time here was wonderful, the sand literally squeeked when you walked in it. I collected 3 big conchs for my girls to paint (for prayer rocks). One morning my seashells kept ending up on the floor, and again and again throughout the day before I realized I had caught a couple of live hermit crabs. Poor things, don't worry I put them back. Although I still ended up with a surprise when I got back to Riyadh (a stow away).