Pato e cerveja

Duck and beer.

A long awaited reunion today with Ilídio, my old Portuguese teacher. He lives on the outskirts of Matola, the sprawling suburb which has now outstripped Maputo in terms of size. We agreed to meet at his home: vais conhecer o mato meu amigo e comemos um pato aqui (you’re going to get to know the forest my friend and we will eat a duck here).

The journey out to his plot of land in Tchumene was long. The verb he used to describe the progress, gatinhar (to crawl), was apt, and it’s pleasing he’s still teaching me new words. Ilídio showed me around the neighbourhood, and we feasted on duck gizzards (moelas de pato) and beer along with some friends who showed up. I’ve now had more exposure to gizzards in the last two days than in my whole life up to this point. And my beer consumption has ramped up of late.

Returning to Maputo city was a lark once we realised it was very late and the buses were winding up. I got a lift partway with Ilídio’s friends then had to bargain with a txopela driver to take me the bulk of the way. I wouldn’t recommend anyone to travel 25 kilometres in a tuk tuk in the middle of the night. It felt like the journey was never-ending but I did eventually crash in my hotel bed after a fun day.

Here is Ilídio modelling the Masai shuka I brought him to remind him of his days studying in Kenya.