Get Your Groove On

So this is what you do in Maputo for entertainment. Everyone that is into what they refer to as "serious sound" congregates in a parking lot and you see who can out play who. Well I am happy to report that Dru won hands down, that was until he blew his last fuse :) 

These two are Dru's fan club, that and a little baraca owner across the road who think Dr. Dre is the bomb...

Costa Do Sol - Into the new

Well as with everything in life change is inevitable and and after more than 70 years of existence the Petrakakis family who started this very famous grand lady "Costa Do Sol" finally packed it.

Costa do Sol Restaurant first opened its doors in 1938 when Maputo was known as Lourenco Marques. It was opened in which was then a very remote and picturesque part of the city, out of the hustle and bustle of it all. It was the place to be seen on a Sunday afternoon, nestled amongst the beautiful coconut trees and right on the ocean front, it had a romantic charm to it and people from all over the world would visit to enjoy the famous LM Prawns in abundance. That is if you were not having cognac's at the Polana.

It has now been taken over, revamped and reopened by new management who has also made it a training ground for students from the local university completing a diploma or degree in hospitality management and cheffing.

It was our first visit back after the sad news that Costa do Sol was closing a little over a year ago Unfortunately it did not quite meet up with our expectations and sadly it seems to have lost quite a bit of its old school charm and character. The menu is fairly similar, but what you get is very different and far more expensive. 

However we did go and visit just after opening and we are hopeful that with a little time, it will rightly build its own character again.

If nothing else, we are glad that Mozambique was able to preserve this little gem and we look forward to hearing about 100 year celebrations.

Maputo - Life in a African City

The Hotel! Work and home sweet home - all in one...

New Years morning... Found the bottle, but where's the message?

All the colours of the rainbow. Now I know I'm back in Africa...

Hee hee, I posted this one on one of my photo club walls. A photography friend creatively entitled it. "Toti in the wind" - Apologies to all my non SA friends, only South Africans or people who have lived or travelled here extensively will get that one :)

Got a hell of a lot of seaweed and rubbish. Where's the fish?

Diving & Beautiful Sun Sets - What more do you need!!!

                      Bruce, one of the lodges resident "watch dogs"...

Dru having a fabulous dive on Giants.

Barra - Inhambane we've arrived!!!

As sad as we were that our travels in the UK had to come to an end so soon (as all holidays do), we were quite excited about all the new adventures awaiting us in Mozambique. 

Dru is off to his island lifestyle in Barra - Inhambane where fantastic diving with Manta's and Whale Sharks awaits him, and I had to spend a couple of weeks in South Africa and then settle in to life in Maputo. Quite strange being back in real corporate life after so many years of flip flops and shorts, but for the moment quite enjoyable and worth while. At least it is only week days and still on a beautiful beach where diving is just a stones throw away. 

Our grass hut in Barra:)

Dru and his "tash" for Movember. Well done guys, glad it came off afterwards...

Toks a happy, happy cat when mum and dad got home from England and fetched him from the "babysitters"...