Girls Weekend Away

Like most of my Fridays, the day was very rushed bearing in mind that I was already behind with my arrangements for Monday’s photo shoot. I was excited by the thought of the two nights ahead, filled with dazzling experiences. I was also looking forward to roaming streets that would teleport me to another place, another space in time.

Luckily I was at OR Tambo International Airport on time where I met one of the four ladies who were part of the trip. I did not know what to expect as there were five of us on this trip, and that gave me mixed feelings. Not that I don’t like being part of a group but this time I really needed some time by myself, just me, alone. The hour I spent at the airport played a critical role in helping me come to terms with the fact that I was not going on vacation – even though this was going to be fun, it was still work.

The last time I went to Maputo I took a drive that seemed to last forever. First, it was technicalities at the border itself and maneuvering through the traffic was totally frustrating. However, the flight, courtesy of 1time Airlines, was so short it ended before I finished the drink that I had ordered aboard!

With one step out of the plane the afternoon humid heat of Maputo hit me like a bus! I got the thrill of being a ‘tourist’. I was thinking about the wealth of activities that waited to enthrall us including an assortment of elegant restaurants offering delectable cuisine.

Our group finally met and we properly introduced ourselves to each other in this foreign city. We were then welcomed by very friendly Polana Serena Hotel staff members and were whizzed in a mini bus to the 5-star hotel.
At the heart of Mozambique’s capital city on one of the city’s desirable avenues lies the Polana Serena Hotel. Also known as The Grande Dame of Maputo, the hotel boasts a reputation of being a cool and gracious haven that recalls the elegance and splendour of colonial times.

The hotel is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities accompanied by its 5-star service. I was just blown away by the beauty of the room, opulently decorated, everything was just on point for the African queen that I am! I quickly freshened up before meeting the girls in the waiting area where we would depart from for some cocktails at the Hotel Cardoso.

Back at the Polana a luscious three course dinner awaited us at the Delagoa Restaurant under the direction of Chef Edouard Loubert, of Michelin 2. The food was fantabulous! For starters we had Chicken mousse with pistachio and rosemary sauce. The main course included beef fillet with profusion of fresh herbs, encaged in puffy pastry. Finally, my favourite part of the meal, the dessert was chocolate tower set on a dark and white velvety sauce accompanied by its own ice cream.

After dinner I took a walk around the hotel, admiring the sheer beauty of the surroundings of this ancient building that had just undergone a massive transformation. I walked down along the pool, enjoying the serenity of a magnetic view which spans into the Indian Ocean. It felt good being in the moment, reflecting and connecting my inner self with nature. A sudden look at my watch brought back my senses from Mother Nature to the Polana hotel; it was time to prepare for the night out. I’m still at work.

Saturday was a fun filled day which started off with breakfast outdoors at the Terence while enjoying the charm of the ocean. Then we headed out on a tour of the city. Maputo has a tasteful imagery with a perfect scene for loads of entertainment. But it’s the city’s rich history that always fascinates me. With this being my second visit I noticed a few developments from the last time. The tour guided trip around the city was a complete eye opener as the tour guide narrated stories behind each old building we drove past that had now been restored. I still get amazed by the contrast of a 5 star building right next door to a ruined building with homeless people.

First stop was the market place. It is here that I got really excited, not with the shopping per sê – but the bartering for the best possible prices, the chit-chat and crazy unexpected pearls of wisdom given by the street vendors were something to remember. Here there’s a sense of community. We enjoyed shopping before heading to the famous train station that was built in 1910 by Gustav Eiffel, same man who built the famous Eiffel tower in Paris.

At the entrance of the train station is a gigantic statue of a woman with a huge pot on her head. Legend has it that once upon a time there was a snake that killed a lot of people by jumping on them. After getting sick and tired of the evil snake the ‘Snake Lady’ carried a pot of boiling water on her head in search for the deadly snake. In the process, the snake attacked her – jumped into the hot and died. “Wathinta umfazi, wathinta imbokodo!”
We drove past the magnificent Jardim Tunduru bonatical gardens and then made a stop at the Museum De Historia Natural which is housed in a beautiful restored colonial building.

The museum is filled with interesting natural history – sharks and sea creatures, a collection of elephant fetuses and various wild life creatures. This was our last stop before we headed back to enjoy a light lunch at the Aquarius Sushi Terrance back at the Polana. After the delicious sushi I decided to go for the afternoon treatments that I had booked on the previous day at Maisha Spa.

I began my treatments with a wonderful pedicure and later had the magical Maisha signature massage which brought my body into complete harmony. This came well on time after I waited delightfully in anticipation as the masseuses were whizzing people into their little rooms for pampering.  After these indulgences, one of the ladies and I decided to relax in the Jacuzzi for a little while. A quick glimpse at the watch suggested that more than an hour had elapsed since we were in there! We had to run and get ready for the night out.

We quickly ran back to our rooms to get ready for a night out in Maputo. What better way to morph back into the fun of being a teen and having crazy exciting experience than clubbing? But before our night of fun I opted to have a relaxed dinner of sea food while a live band was helping my appetite. It was indeed a lovely evening.

After the dinner I still had more time before our outing therefore I decided to respond to a few work emails. Connecting my laptop online proved to be a mission though, thanks to Chris, Polana’s Guest Relations Manager, who sorted out my technology issues. Now that I had caught up with some work I was ready to rock the night!

By night Maputo is a completely different place. The night comes to life with energetic people, both young and old, plus a host of clubs to choose from. Our club trotting began at Dolce Vita before heading for the train station where we left our mark with our dance moves. That was just a warm up for our final destination, Coconut and Ice Bar. Here the club was at full capacity with the dance floor swarming with people of different shapes, sizes and heights.

Mozambican ladies know how to have fun. Talk about dressing for the night, and how they do those dance moves in 12 inch stilettos beats me! Those women were born to dance. I was almost hypnotised by their smooth, natural and seductive moves in those stilettos. They were oozing with confidence. Glamour is just how they roll! The music rocked and the girls were really hot. Period!

In the wee hours of Sunday morning a few of the ladies and I decided to return to the hotel. I was up early as I wanted to pop in at the Maisha spa one more time to get a rejuvenating facial before leaving. The day was a bit misty but I still enjoyed breakfast outdoors overlooking the ocean.
Our last experience of elegant fine dining was the family owned and run Costa do Sol. The restaurant is nestled among trees along the Avenida da Marginal overlooking the Xefina Island in the bay of Maputo. This was our last stop where we enjoyed fresh prawns before heading back to the hotel to get ready for our flight back home.

I was deeply touched when the Guest Relations Manager called me by name to remind me to change the setting on my laptop back to normal. The Polana Serena Hotel staff must be quite observant and sharp to remember every guest’s name!

It felt like the weekend had just started as we were transferred to the airport for Johannesburg. Indeed, it was a weekend to remember and we all felt rested and ready to hit our desks the following day, yet we were already wondering when we will be visiting Maputo again. I’m sure it will be very soon.

By Likeleli Ramahlele