Moon On The Water - Where a Simple Life Comes Together

As soon as the furniture is arranged on the veranda and the long table is set against the railing, I sit down and feel my shoulders drop, my neck loosen, and the tension flow like blood through my veins and out through my toes. I can breathe again, long, slow inhalations, in-out, in-and-slowly-out, and then my eyes close and all I hear and feel is the sea. That’s what Tofo does for me. It takes just two days before I say, “Precious, you know what?” Of course, with me, he’ll never know the answer, so I say, “This place is magic”! Lua No Mar – Moon on the Water.

It’s a simple, fully furnished two-bedroom 1950s cottage with only the bare necessities, and that’s exactly what we love about it. Our routines are very simple, too: walk, eat, sleep, imbibe, read, chat, sit, and that’s it! This year was a highlight because two of our children joined us, but that didn’t really make a difference; we didn’t change a Mozambique. As one sign says, "Eat, drink, and be Mary"!

This is a place of no makeup, no hairdryer, no pretences; it’s a place of red, yellow, blue, and me looking like the wrath of God on most days. My wardrobe consists of a couple of bathers and wraps, cheap flip-flops, an old straw hat, and cheap-but-gorgeous sunglasses. In the bathroom, you may find indulgences such as shower gels, body butters, lotions and potions, hair treatments, and after-sun gels. Many are gifts from people who’ve obviously seen the writing on the wall!

Good meals are important, so I do take good olive oil, tea, coffee, milk, chocolates, nuts, condiments, herbs and spices, good wines, good balsamic vinegar, a few store cupboard staples and treats, cheeses like Cheddar, Brie, Gorgonzola, Camembert, goat's cheese, some yogurt, and delectably creamy Greek feta—rusks, of course, cookies, and Christmas cake. I confess I did slip in some white napery, candles, and flutes, too, and for Christmas crackers and ribbons. I couldn't resist a very special birthday cake for my boy on the 26th, either, and crates of bubbles for all the festivities and Precious' birthday.

Meals are simple, featuring salads and fresh fish from local fishermen. A standard price is negotiated at the start of the holiday; this time it was 160 Metical per kilo (R57.54). We enjoyed Butterfish, Lemonfish, Yellowfin Tuna, Cutta, and Calamari at that rate. We had King Prawns on one occasion, but prawns aren’t as readily available in December; instead, we found scrumptious oysters. Also available are mussels and clams.

The Tofo Market is a landmark, always abuzz with hawkers and stall owners selling everything from curios to clothes, fresh vegetables and fruit, alcohol at very reasonable prices, long-life milk, bread, eggs, cigarettes, and, I’m sure, everything else in between. A lot of bargaining takes place here; confidence, hutzpah, and sheer determination will always get you a bargain, but have your wits about you. It’s a mind game with aggressive opposition! I love it, although I do walk off with a headache most of the time! Wooden fish are a particular passion of mine, and I never leave without at least one. The last one weighed a ton and was beautifully made by an artist in Tofo.

It would be amiss of me not to mention the panhandlers, ranging from children just out of nappies selling beads and bracelets to teenagers selling sunglasses, coconuts, and clothes on the beach. They’re a determined lot, not easily dissuaded from their pitch and always hopeful that tomorrow will be a better day. I succumbed to a smooth operator, a Ray-Ban-wearing youngster with an attitude, who promised to deliver 5 Pau for 25 Meticais (bread rolls @ R8.89) every morning for 3 weeks. The deal was sealed after much negotiation and persuasion on his part. I smelled a rat, of course, when he lit up a dooby (joint), but his good looks and charm sealed my fate. He was conscientious for 10 days, delivering our Pau every morning at about 6 am, and then he evaporated like mist before the sun. Payment was upfront, of course!

Every day at about 11h00, we’d wish someone were selling Tipo Tinto-infused cocktails, R&Rs (Rum and Raspberry), beer, cold drinks, or water on the beach; we even went so far as to suggest bathers could fly flags to signal a bartender, who’d then come hot-footing it over the sand to make deliveries. Imagine a Pau filled with greens, the freshest Roma tomatoes and cucumbers, and the famous local grilled piri-piri chicken from the market for lunch? An entrepreneurial young girl did start selling frozen lollies, which was a great idea, and I’m sure she did a roaring trade; the only problem was that she was South African, and I’d like to see local entrepreneurs do it instead. Maybe next time we’re there, someone’s planted this seed for me!

Tofo’s appeal for us lies in its relaxed, laid-back atmosphere, its wide selection of fresh fish and produce, the market, the people, of course, and its eateries, bars, hotels, and wide-ranging accommodation choices. This year we were spoilt for choice. The hotel was one option, and all the eateries in the market were just perfect. Mozambique was jolly, and the walk made one feel less guilty about the indulgence.

Google “Tofo” and “what to do” there, and this will come up: Scuba-diving, snorkelling, fishing, windsurfing, surfing, bodyboarding, and swimming with seahorses – making this a much-sought-after destination for travellers from all over the world. Here’s a little secret. I’m a great eavesdropper and love dropping eaves, especially in restaurants. Precious knows this and has been known to give me a good kick under the table when I get that glazed look and stoic smile. So, to hear French, Italian, Egyptian, American, Spanish, Greek, and Portuguese all in one room is just music to my ears, not that I understand anything. It’s just so COOOL.

We are extremely conscientious about taking our malaria medication – Malarin or Mefliam, as prescribed. The house is sprayed inside and out with FENDONA (a non-toxic insect spray), and at dusk, I spray our bedrooms with Doom diligently, even under the beds, because mozzies love the dark. We don’t use mosquito nets, but they’re available on all the beds. We use coils, citronella candles, and Peaceful Sleep lotion (au-de-peaceful sleep is the perfume of choice in our house). In Africa, 500,000 children die each year from malaria.

PRODUCTS USED:

Sadly, the very, very best food, wine, and ambience are on our veranda at our Long Table.

GETTING CONNECTED:

3G data cards are available at the market; they’re cheap, but Wi-Fi rates are quite expensive, considering we used 6 GIGS in no less than 3 weeks! Maybe a Gig in Mozambique and a Gig in the rest of the world aren’t quite the same thing! Also, be very specific and reiterate DATA!
A few restaurants, hotels, and other places offer free Wi-Fi; ask for the code.

DISAPPOINTED: