Samosa yoga

I've been hunting around for information on yoga classes but Mozambicans are so chilled out it takes at least a week to receive any follow-up, if it ever arrives. I decided to head to the Comunidade Hindú de Maputo which in a big room behind the temple has free and welcoming hatha yoga classes four nights a week. I strolled through downtown Maputo with my yoga mat, drawing some puzzled looks from passersby. The instruction in the class reminded me very much of the Indian teachers I had many classes with in Phnom Penh. Much more military style than the softly spoken teachers in the UK. It transpires that India has mandated to send one full time yogi to each country where it has diplomatic representation, to spread the practice of yoga and travel around giving free sessions. It's a fantastic policy. It also transpired that this week sees the departure of the current Indian High Commissioner. Halfway through the class a stream of dignitaries, including him, entered to a table at the front, like a panel of speakers at a conference. The class morphed into a demonstration, presentation and various speeches, followed by juice, samosas and cake.

I didn't think I would end this evening with photos of me doing yoga poses making their way onto the Facebook page of the Indian High Commission in Mozambique, and munching on samosas whilst I chatted to the departing High Commissioner about wildlife issues in Niassa Province.

My Portuguese lesson today was ridiculous. I still lack many basics but for some reason we thought it wise to spend most of the time slot on mastering the pluperfect tense and various ways of constructing verbs in the passive. Head was literally spinning. Thankfully the humidity has mysteriously disappeared overnight, as that has been singularly draining on its own, without the additional verb fun.