Like in any poor country there are many people on the streets trying to sell you lots of stuff. We all know the scene, when you are on holiday and locals offer necklaces, bracelets, wooden crafted statues, paintings or just some local snacks. Here in Maputo you have the same and then a 'little' bit more.
It starts quite simple with some 5 guys just outside the hotel (and outside every hotel or touristy restaurant) spreading wooden pieces of art on the side walk. Oh, and by the way, these items include 2 meter tall wooden giraffes. Try to explain that at your airlines check-in counter.
You walk buy and they ask you relatively politely whether you would be interested in acquiring a piece, or maybe a few more. Like ten or so. Of course, they do not understand the meaning of 'no, thank you' (or maybe your English pronunciation is just not up to par) and make sure you really think about your decision. So they ask again... and again, totally ignoring whatever you say. It's almost like being on the phone with the corporate help desk.
It is even worse if you are a female tourist (i.e. a white woman). Then you're in for the ride. With guys, one comes up to you, asks the question 4 times and once you've shrugged him off, the rest kind'a just points at their stuff but know you'll just mumble the nao obrigado and that will be it. A woman comes along and all 5 guys grab as many items from their 'display' into and onto their arms, run up to her and surround completely surround. Buy mine! Mine! Mine! For some inexplicable reason the local salesmen think women really love shopping...
So if you're a guy, let any woman walk past them first and then it's free sailing for you all the way past the market. But the hotel guys are quite innocent compared to the rest. Once you get further into town, the market place becomes more diverse and so does the approach styles. And it really gets diverse.
Outside any restaurant you can buy jewellery, paintings, batik cloths, t-shirts, socks, suits (!), DVD's (Yes, Harry Potter, the Simpsons and Bourne Supremacy are already available here), prep-paid phone cards, Mont Blanc pens, Ray Ban and Oakley sunglasses, Havaianas, cashew nuts and candy bars. Overall it is fair to say that the side walk here has as good a collection as the Albert Heijn To Go at the Utrecht Central Station, but it comes without their rats of course...
I even could buy, and this is the best of all, electric extension cords and outlet adaptors! I really have no idea when and where someone proved that selling those items in particular was a profitable way of making ends meet, but I guess it happened...
Then you go further into town. In the area where all the (non-touristy) shops are. There the side walk market only gets better. Ever thought of starting your own business? Maybe you wanted to be Al Bundy and start your own shoe store? Be independent? Define your own marketing and sales strategy? Do things the way you think they should be done? Great! Of course, starting up your own shoe store is not easy. The most expensive part of course being the store itself. You need to find the right location, hope there's a building available, pay x months rent upfront, get some interior decoration done, design your display and all of that before you've sold a single shoe!
Why not do it the Mozambican way? You buy your shoes at the wholesaler, throw them on your wheel barrel, push that around town until you find the perfect spot, throw a few blankets on the pavement, line up your shoes on it and start selling. If you want to, you can even do so right in front of a 'real' shoe store. The owner won't like it, but hey, it's a free world here (at least since 1992). And I do not mean a single guy with a blanket with some 20 or so pairs on it, but basically an entire shoe store is laid out in front of you. With staff!!! I wonder if they have performance management cycles also...
Of course there is more than only shoes. Anything, and I mean anything is sold through these street 'stores'. You can buy clothing, books, CD/DVD's and yes, car parts straight off the side walk. You can also have you shoe soles repaired or get your own tailored suit fitted. And the guy will actually sew your suit together right there on the pavement! Guaranteed hand-made!
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As you mention it something comes to mind... before going to Uganda and Africa for the first time I was somehow expecting scenes of poverty such as in Latin America, Sao Paolo and homeless people and beggers everywhere... breaks your heart really (I say sorry to the Brasilians for using SP as an example)..
But when I arrived in Kampala and everytime I watched the streetlife overthere, I was amazed by the sheer economic activity. Nobody begged.. as if begging was a taboo or something that brings shame.
Everybody, and I mean everybody was economic active... if it mean carrying water jerry cans on bikes for a few cents... its done. Everything is sold, everything is made, everything is rebuilt, everything was improvised. Amazing! And that gave me a complete different picture of Africa. Yes, people earn relative to us minute fractions... but everybody was doing something, and we call that poverty. Yes to a degree it is poverty (I say without wanting to sound politically incorrect.. you know what I mean...)
Once I went to a "car garage"... which was a camp made of "zinkplaten".. no concrete floor or whatsover... but Toyota engines were scattered over the dusty floor, gearboxes, mufflers and cables were hanging from the roof.
A whole different concept, but beautiful to see :-))
By the way what do you miss most being away?
Oh boy, you just used the b-word. Begging that is! I'll touch that subject somewhere soon...
What I miss most? People! Meaning my friends I hang out with.
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