Last Hurrahs
Since February we’ve had the good fortune of having a rad Canadian/American couple living in our back house. When Joanna arrived in Joburg 6 months ago we got connected through a mutual friend from the homeland, and her husband Casey joined her in December. When they were in need of housing a month or so ago we made the easy decision to offer that they shack up at our place for the remainder of their time in Joburg. It was the right choice. Casey has been an excellent houseboy to us all—greeting us often when we get home from work with dinner on the stove and cold beers in the fridge. It’s been a real sweet deal.
Last weekend was one of Jo & Casey’s last in South Africa and it also happened to be a 3-day weekend, so we took the opportunity to head to Mozambique for a weekend of beach time, diving, and R&Rs. (That would be rum & raspberry, the local cocktail specialty. Not to be confused with rest & relaxation, which was also enjoyed).
While the divers enjoyed the underworld us non-divers lazed on the beach and enjoyed the perfectly warm ocean. We were joined for the weekend by Kay, the lovely lady who brought us all together in the first place. (Kay and Joanna grew up together near Chicago. Kay is friends with my college amiga Michelle, also from Chicago. And Kay and I were bridesmaids together in Michelle’s wedding. Connections!) Kay is an excellent beach-lounger and so was very warmly welcomed into the fold.
As if the beach wasn’t enough awesomeness for one weekend, we took a 3 hour detour to the capital city to hit up the most delicious eating establishment that I know of…the Maputo Fish Market. Needless to say, we had a feast of epic proportions. 5kg (11lb) of prawns arrived by the plateful, the crabs were the largest we’d ever seen, the clams were swimming in garlic, the fish was expertly grilled, and the table groaned under the weight of all the tomato rice. Oh yeah, and there was garlic bread too. Delicious doesn’t even begin to describe it.
It was a fantastic weekend in the sun and was quite possibly the last real hurrah of the summer. Although summer has been blazing on here in Joburg, the leaves are changing colors, the night air has an unfamiliar crispness, and the calendar too warns that fall is upon us. I must say, it bums me out a bit to think of the chilly brown Joburg winter ahead, but if last year was any indication then there will be a great many things to look forward to in the coming season.
One of the things we know we’ll be missing this winter is good old Casey & Jo who head home to Toronto next week. Although, after this weekend I’m thinking that even if we can’t lure them back sometime soon to see us, the call of the Fish Market will prove too much to resist and we’ll see them on these shores again lickety split.
