African feast

A dip in an African village in a moment of celebration

When we travel we like to immerse ourselves in the local culture as much as possible. It is not enough for us to see reality through a window, we want to climb over it, chat with people, sit next to us, let us tell stories, eat with them and all this is possible only if you are willing to give yourself 100% without prejudice.

My favorite part of this last trip to Mozambique was the “shopping at the market for a day of partying in the village” combo.

Let's check them out.

Vilankulo market is very characteristic. 

Incredibly rich. A first part of fruit and vegetables, another central part of fresh and dried fish and on the left side used and unused clothing and various objects.

The large stalls were created mostly on the ground.

Very large quantities of the same fruit.

Green corners of avocado, yellow of oranges; rusty cashew milk; pyramids of red tomatoes and hundreds of pineapples stacked next to each other. Mountains of delicious coconuts. Here you will learn how to choose the right one with little tricks 

Almost all women are present. Women with eyes that spoke.

The impact with a market of this magnitude can sometimes be shocking for those who have never seen or experienced it before.

Having toured many African markets this was very peaceful for us and I would even venture quite neat.

Those who work at the market do so after getting up very early, having piled up all the fruit or having gone fishing at night. Those sitting on the other side hope to see people to whom they can sell their product to feed their family and themselves.

This is to tell you that you have a lot of respect when walking through the door of a market.

Try to keep your cameras at bay and if you want to take a good photo ask for permission first, whether it's people or objects.
Respect when traveling is paramount.

We are used to chatting and making friends immediately when we enter such places and, even here, we enjoyed joking with the ladies.
A kind word, a smile are always the right weapons and perhaps the only ones to use.

Many people who are there to sell and earn maybe offered us one of their fruit, we ate it with thanks and then bought them some.

But why does one come to the market before going to the local village?

Because this is where you will do the shopping to take to the village.
You will buy everything you need rice, fruit, vegetables, chickens and much more to share with all the people of the village.

The next day you will have a very intense and particular experience.

In fact, you will be guests of an entire village.

The women will arrive with bundles of wood on their heads. They'll light the fire, clean the vegetables, cook the beans, kill the chickens. They will prepare lunch for everyone.

It will be a day of celebration.

I sat next to them peeling the onions. I don't speak Portuguese, they don't speak English. But the language in these circumstances is of little use. With a smile and a kind gesture you communicate everything you have to say. And then laughter surrounds a truly special place.

These gorgeous women in bright clothes were laughing and chatting as they sifted legumes and beat the flour.
Many carried their wonderful babies behind their backs wrapped in colorful capulanas.

I asked to put Iago in that position too. At first he was not put in the correct position and seemed to fall down, then I lightly squeezed the capulan under his ass and I felt nice and comfortable.

While the women continued to cook, the children played and enjoyed dancing to the notes of the music coming out of the speakers. 

We arrive until lunch in a serene and joyful situation. 

We eat what we brought. We at a central table and the whole village around. A very well cooked lunch! Nora appreciated everything and did an encore too.
This experience is very beautiful. For those who have never experienced a reality like this, I am sure that they will carry it forever in their hearts.

Once you've tidied everything up and washed the pots, it's time for the dance. 

The little boys perform spectacular ballets. They seem one with the music.
I would have been watching them for hours. But the sun sets quickly in these parts and at 5 it is already pitch dark. 

We go home full of smiles, choruses to hum and full hearts. 

This is really living a place: sharing it with the people who live there, trying to understand it! You can never as a tourist, trying to welcome him can be done if you are a traveler without barriers in your head.
Experiences that seriously fill you these.
That they stay right where they need to stay.

Stefy

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