Ilha de Mozambique

Getting to Ilha de Mozambique was a particularly uncomfortable but very worthwhile journey, which involved repeatedly sliding off the tiniest amount of seat I had, onto the floor and peoples feet, where there was no room to move out of the fetal position I found myself in, and no way to get back up onto the seat unless someone pulled me up, and where I was more often than not incredibly close to a number of different men's crotches.

The journey was worthwhile though because Ilha de Mozambique was a particularly good place to visit. It was beautiful, interesting, different, and full of people selling all sorts of edible goodies.
There was a very strange mix of cultures with Portuguese buildings, people and cuisine along with those of what I'd consider to be more traditionally from this part of the world. Faded and tatty pastel coloured buildings met thatched roofed homes. There was a fort and an old island prison, beaches full of fishermen and a regional hospital. This was particularly intriguing as it looked like it was about to fall down and wouldn't even make a safe home let alone a hospital. But when exploring we found a way through the middle where patients waited to be seen by the nurses and it was evident it was indeed still in full use. Right next to the big and once grand building was a contrasting church - new, clean, and in perfect condition.

I spent my mornings here waking up early and wandering around the island trying all the different foods on offer. There were no end of different breads and cakes. Some were savory and either plain or sometimes with vegetables and chili sauce in them. Others were sweet of which the best sort included coconut to a certain extent. The star cakes above were probably the softest cakes I've ever eaten. Not really sure what was in them though.

One morning I found ladies with a pan of what we were told were cooked mangoes, and were in a very red sauce. Still to this day I've no idea what made the sauce red but they tasted amazing, almost like apricots. I thought I would be getting one piece for the money I handed over, but the lady got out a bowl and placed one, then another and another and another until I had 12 - what a bargain! As we ate a big crowd of both adults and children gathered to watch. I also got to try a sort of porridge that is fed to the children there. We think it was only made of maize flour and water but it had coconut and probably some sort of spice in it and was so tasty. For meals I was made up delicious vegetarian feasts. When I asked for rice it was always coconut rice and everything was so so good. I cannot complain at the Mozambican foods!