A special Christmas!

Of course I didn’t sleep and when I leave the party is still going on. On the streets there are drunk Mozambique people everywhere. The first day of Christmas and New Year’s Eve are known for the huge amount of drinking. I sleep in the bus and in Maputo I start exploring the city, although most of the shops are closed because of Christmas. A big part of the population is Christian, but there are also a lot of Muslims. From what I hear and see people live in peace with each other. It is not important which religion you have; most friend groups include both of the religions. I wish it could be like this in the Netherlands. Sometimes I am able to read the newspaper on my Ipad and it makes me sad to read what is happening in Germany and in the Netherlands. Maputo is a city at the coast and it more expensive as the rest of the country. Somebody tells me that this is because recently gas was found near to Maputo and a lot of big companies are starting up which increases the prices. New skyscrapers are being built; this is bit contradictive to the rest of the country where people are poor and walk around in dirty and damaged second hand clothes.

The next day I go to the airport in Maputo to finally pick up Uli. It is very special to meet a friend for these special days on another continent. Together we go sightseeing, we visit an old Portuguese fort and I buy a beautiful African painting. In the evening we eat fish at the sea side and we have drinks at a pub at a terrain where there is a big playground for kids, but in the back there are bars and clubs. We meet a Dutch guy who will go to Tofo as well the next day and we agree that we will travel together.