Thursday, June 28, 2007
We got into Zambia very late last night, so I'm catching up with some early-morning journaling about yesterday's experience in Mozambique.
I woke up yesterday to the sound of waves coming in off the Indian Ocean, crashing on the sandy shores of Maputo (the capital city). Mozambique is located near the southern tip of Africa, and I was a little surprised by how chilly the weather was -- but then again, it's the Southern Hemisphere, and this is winter.
Life Expectancy: 40 years
The area around Maputo is a study in contrasts. In the busy downtown area, I saw colorful billboards and storefronts advertising brands we're familiar with at home: DHL, Xerox, Sprite, Fiat. But as soon as you drive outside the city, the scenery changes. Apartment buildings give way to shacks; large international banks yield to small roadside vendors. Along the highway, children play games with tires. Goats graze. Laundry hangs to dry, draped over a low-lying hedge. In the afternoon, I saw people in traditional costume filing into a large cemetery for a funeral procession. The average life expectancy in Mozambique is just 40 years.