Alto Molocue & Ilha da Mozambique

After leaving Gorongosa at 6am, as soon as the gates opened, our aim was to get to Macuba and to try find somewhere ther to stay. This was a hard days drive around Mount Gorongosa, but beautiful scenery.The mountain reaches 1862m above sea level (Gogogo peak) The new bridge over the Zambezi river at Caia is fantastic

Bridge over Zambezi

The scenery is totally diferent to the south. Plenty of granite and dolomite inselbergs (stand alone mountains) and baobabs. Every now and then we pass an imposing cathedral, in the middle of nowhere

When we got to Mocuba, tghe place we earmarked to stay was closed, with no other place that seemed safe to stay. We decided to push on to Alto Molocue. The road between Mocuba and Alto Molocue is quite shocking, as you head onto a detour road with lots of broken down trucks at the side of the road (not an encouraging sign). Once in Alto Molocue we found the one place to stay suggested by the guide books. In my limited Potugese and the owners limited English, we gathered that it was not going to be safe to stay there. We were blessed to meet and Americal Aid worker at the pensioen who was there doing some emailing. Gabriel offered for us to stay at their compound.He is a masters student in public health and was working in Quelimane and surrounds testing water in wells and trying to educate locals on hygiene. The locals have developed a system to promote washing hands and general cleanliness after using ablutions.

Locals hand cleaning,"sink"

photo of compound

Wednesday 8 June 2012
We woke up and ready to leave by 6.30am, destination Ilha da Mozabmique bridge camp. We arrived at the campsite (Casvaria camping) at 1.30pm. It is on the mainland situated on the beach next to the bridge to the island and is very basic. No running water but has electricity and a guard to watch the truck. We decided to quickly head over to the island by chappa from just before the bridge. The bridge is a single, narrow lane with a few short wider sections to wait and pass at.

The island is old and run down and seriously overpopulated.(14000 people on and island that is 2500m long and 600m at its widest point.)

Kids outside fort on Ilha da Mozambique

Ilha da Mozambique is the ancient capital and slave trading centre of Mozambique. There are all the influences evident here of the Arabs, Persians, Portuguese and Indians. We visited Fortaleza Sao Sebastio, which was ingeniously designed to catch rainfall and channel the water into a huge cistern dug into the central courtyard, so that when under siege they did not need to leave the fort.
We visited the museum which is under construction and has been declared a World Heritage Site. Some of the sections were not open for visitors. We looked at the nautical museum where they have selvedged and restored all sorts of interesting items, pottery, porcelain, coins, sword,cannons.

Outside Palaciode Sao Paulo

We also visited the church museu where all different artifacts fro churches found around the island are displayed..

Church pulpit

We walked around the island and passed two schools in close proximity to each other. Watched a bit of their soccer game and then headed into Stone Town.

Soccer game

Walking into Stone Town

We headed back to the mainland on a very crowded chappa(5Mets) at about 18h00 and spent the night at Casuarina campsites. The ablutions really leave a lot to be desired so we were very glad to leave and not have to spend another night. We left for Pemba at 4h00 in the morning.